How To Work With A Network Once You Sell Your Show
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Webinar hosted by: Peter McDonough
Producer & Showrunner Assistant (CBS)
Peter McDonough has spent nearly a decade in the entertainment industry and is a Showrunner Assistant and Producer currently with CBS on the hit series GHOSTS. Peter works directly with Joe Wiseman and Joe Port (NEW GIRL, ME, MYSELF & I, THE LAST O.G., FAM). Prior to joining CBS, Peter was with powerhouse agency CAA under a senior TV literary agent. There he developed material with CAA clients, was involved in getting writers staffed and sold, and packaged series for buyers. Peter started his career at Viacom for Comedy Central and Spike in the Marketing division where he helped promote and launch new series for the network Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Once you sell your TV show to a network the real work begins as you have to deftly navigate your project forward through development and production to become a successful series on the air!
You will learn every step of this intense process from Peter McDonough, who has worked in the writers' room of the hit CBS series GHOSTS since the first day of development.
PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help with your own pilot writing including access to the pilot script for GHOSTS!
Congratulations! You’ve accomplished your dream and sold your pilot script to a television network… now what happens?
Many writers are unaware of the huge amount of work that’s still left to do after selling a television show to a network. As a creator, you will be in charge of much more than just driving the creative direction of the show's story. Creating a television show requires staffing, auditions, meetings with the network, managing multiple arms of production, and many other responsibilities that take place behind the scenes. All before shooting even the first scene!
As the series creator, you will be tasked with working with the network to address a slew of questions and decisions before, during, and after shooting. What production roles need to be hired? What creative decisions need to be prioritized? How does the audition process work? When do you hire a writing staff? How much time do you have to make these decisions? While it may sound daunting, there is a pragmatic process to developing a television show and aiming it for a network run.
In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you will learn how your television script turns into a hit TV show on air. Teaching you the process that series creators and showrunners go through is Peter McDonough, the Showrunner's Assistant on the CBS hit show GHOSTS. Peter was the first employee hired on the show and has first-hand experience in advancing the show from a pilot order to multi-season series order on CBS’ Thursday Night Primetime lineup.
In this information-packed webinar, Peter will take you through each stage of a television show’s development. Starting from the day a network orders a pilot script into production through a successful first season and to the premiere of a second season. You will learn the different stages of development, production, and distribution that a network series goes through so you can confidently prepare yourself and navigate the intricate process of network television once you sell your show to a network.
PLUS! You'll receive exclusive handouts to help you navigate the world of network television.
You will walk away from this webinar understanding the entire process of taking your original TV series idea and taking it all the way to becoming a hit so that you know what to expect when you sell your series to a network!
"I am thrilled for the opportunity to share my professional experience in Network Television with Stage 32's creative community. As a former recipient of Stage 32's services, I feel honored to provide some insight that will benefit the next generation of television writers. I look forward to seeing all the writers and hope to give you any info you need to help pursue your professional television goals." - Peter McDonough
What You'll Learn
- The structure of “Pilot Season”
- The process Networks go through to prepare for their fall lineup
- How Networks strategize their script orders
- The meaning of when a show gets a “pilot order”
- What needs to be done immediately following a “Pilot Order”
- The production roles that need to be filled and their responsibilities on the show
- The creative decisions that take priority
- The process of hiring a production staff
- How the studio involves itself in the process and the hierarchy of decision-making
- The tasks that need to be completed before the show is ready to shoot
- What happens after the Pilot is shot?
- The process of “test screening” the pilot
- How the Network gives notes on a pilot
- How long the decision process takes
- How a network determines which “pilot orders” receive “series orders”
- What happens after a show receives a “Series Order”
- Securing the final cast
- Preparing a production schedule to meet the premiere date
- Writing and shooting the rest of the season
- Staffing the writers room
- How the room organizes the season’s story
- How a show gets written and shot at the same time
- The premiere of a show
- Marketing a show
- The influence of audience reactions to the creative process
- What happens after all the episodes are written
- Wrapping up the season
- The final stages of a show’s production
- What happens “in-between” seasons of a show
- How Networks determine which shows will return
- What happens when a show is renewed or canceled
- Q&A with Peter
About Your Instructor
Peter McDonough
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Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5
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Blair J Hebert Peter is an awesome resource and super friendly to new writers. If you get the chance to the pitch Peter, definitely take it. The notes are excellent and encouraging.
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