No More Upfronts?

Partly as fallout from the strike, NBC says it is ditching the September-to-May television season and going to an "endless season" where they put shows on when they're ready.

If the other networks follow suit, it means no more lavish "upfront" presentations of next year's shows to advertisers. It means no staffing season as such. Most importantly, it means no pilot season. Instead of every production company in town scrambling to grab the A list directors and cast for their pilots, they can cast and hire who's available now; and a couple of months later, if that pilot hasn't been picked up, another production company will have those guys available for their pilot.

It also means that shows will be coming on the air at different times of the year. Right now all the new shows come on in the Fall, and compete for viewers while they're finding their feet. In an "endless season," there will only be a few shows on at the same time, which means it's easier for viewers to check them out.

All of this is good news for the medium. The only people I can think of whom it does not benefit are B listers who previously got work because no one else was available during pilot crunch...

UPDATE: However, the other nets will continue with upfronts.

Toronto/LA

Q. I'm about to start looking for an agent, but as I'm Canadian and want to (eventually) write for US shows, I'm trying to determine a course of action. I read on one of your previous posts that a Toronto agent can't get you work in LA, so would I get both a Toronto agent and an LA-based agent? Is that possible? And can I get an LA agent without being in LA? Hypothetically if I did get one, I'd be OK with taking the occasional trip there for meetings, but since I'm Canadian I'd need a Green Card to actually move there. I assume that if I did get some US credits first, an LA-based company would be more likely to sponsor me moving there.

You really need to decide whether you want to start in LA, or Canada.

The most important resource you have is your writing ability and your scripts. Your second most important resource is your connections. If you make Canadian connections, they won't help you in LA. I've got a reputation up here; down there no one knows me. If I were to go down to LA after the strike, I might get some polite attention, but I'd have to spend serious time down there to get to know people who might want to hire me. I'd probably be lucky to get work as a writer-producer staffing a show. A good friend of mine has occasionally thought about going down to LA to try his luck; he would actually move there for a year to see if he can break in. An "occasional trip" won't cut it.

At a bare minimum you could get an LA agent in one trip, and then come down later for staffing season, but you would need to spend all of staffing season in LA.

LA credits will definitely help you in Canada, but you still won't know anybody. So pick the market you want to work in.

It is generally easier to break in in Canada, provided of course that you are Canadian.

I don't know how you get working papers in the States, since I've never had to do it, but there is a whole community of expat Canucks in LA, so it must be possible. Anyone want to weigh in?

Q. Well, which do I do? I'm a feature writer. Do I move down there asap as soon as I have a couple scripts under my belt (written, not sold)? Do I write until I sell something, and THEN move to LA? Do I try to get a movie made in LA while writing in Toronto?

If you're a feature writer, it's less urgent to move to LA. You can get a feature agent without living in LA. You'll be missing the meetings with development people, but those never turn into anything anyway until you've sold a script.

On the other hand, you learn a lot from being in LA. You absorb a sense of showbiz. If you work in an agency as an assistant, you get a sense of the biz. If you work on a set, you get a sense of the biz.

Canada's more nurturing, but it's a kiddie pool compared to LA. If you like to swim in the ocean, and don't mind undertow and sharks, go to LA. If you want swimming lessons, and a lifeguard, stay in Canada.

There's no right answer. People come out of the Canadian Film Centre and start working in the Canadian biz, and make a good career here. People go to LA and become Jim Cameron. People go to LA, spend 5 years, can't get arrested, lose their dog in the divorce, come back, and are big successes because they absorbed a work ethic and creative standards that blow the competition away. People go to LA, fail, and become embittered real estate agents in San Berdardino.

You gotta ask yourself a question ... "do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya?

Staffing Season, Part Trois

I'm continuing to double check my info on when to send your specs out. My L.A. manager confirms (a) avoid February/March as it's the run-up to staffing season, and (b) avoid June as agents are looking for pilots to sell. (Which suggests that June is a good time to go out with a spec pilot.)

And it goes without saying that during staffing season itself (April/May/early June) you'd be lucky to get an agent to return your call if you're not their client.(Actually if you do have an agent, they may not be returning your calls reliably, either.)

One reader mentioned this happy post from fellow bloguiste Procrastinatey In Which She Gets An Agent in Mid-January. I asked her about why she chose January:

I had heard that starting any later would probably be too late for that staffing season. And that starting around March, agents would be too busy with their own clients to consider taking on new ones, so I should start early.

I had just won the Warner Bros. workshop and was a finalist in the Disney Fellowship, both of which happened in December, so I was advised to take advantage of that while I could. Since December would be fairly inactive due to the holidays [ed note: practically comatose after the 15th], I started right after the New Year, and found for the most part that the TV lit agents I chose to contact were all back in town and ready for business the first week of January. At that point, I felt I had a fairly solid portfolio, and with the added backing of being in a studio program, it felt a little less like begging for representation and more like going in on equal footing. I don't know if that made any tangible difference, but it did matter a huge deal to my sense of confidence.

It could be that Fall is the best season, as you mentioned; in my case, the timing just worked out a bit later than that. Since most of the programs select their participants in November-December, waiting a little longer for the possibility of being selected might be a risky move... but the name recognition of being selected (or finalisted) could be very helpful in getting agents' attention initially. I found that was certainly true for my case. But, it wasn't that I was waiting and counting on winning contests; it was more that the program results lit the fire and encouraged me to get hustling.

So January, clearly, works.

Two caveats. The more of a brand you have, the more you can ignore the cycles. If Jane Espenson wanted a new agent smack in the middle of staffing season, she'd get one in about two minutes.

Also, if you have something fresh to go out with now, early February, it is better to go out than wait till after staffing season. You don't want to miss staffing season if you can get into it.

Spec Pilots and Staffing Season, Cont'd

Q. But Jane says agents are looking for spec pilots

She also says in a later post that spec scripts are still the way to go, among other reasons because fellowships won't look at spec pilots.

But a more important reason to write a spec script is it's easier. When you write a spec pilot, you have to write a compelling hour of television, AND create characters WITH their voices, AND create the world of a show, AND set the season arcs in motion, etc. etc. etc.

It is very hard to write a pilot. On many shows, the pilot is one of the weaker episodes. And that's after casting, directing and editing.

If you are writing a spec HOUSE, all you have to do is write a great episode of HOUSE. We already know what Hugh Laurie looks like. We know how he is going to deliver your lines. When your write a snippy little line, we know exactly how it's going to come across.

Agents may be open to looking at spec pilots. But most agents are still looking for a solid spec episodic script. And if you don't have episodic credits, they are really going to need to see one.

Q. And Jane says prime agent shopping season is January-March.

I've heard otherwise. Based on my conversations with agents, my impression is that you want to be hooking up with an agent in the Fall, so you can re-polish your specs in time for Christmas. January-March, your agent is already getting network execs and showrunners to read your specs, so when staffing season rolls around, they know your work.

In my own experience, and from what I've heard, if you try to get an agent to read a potential new "baby writer" client in March, the agent is likely to say, "Sorry, I'm full up right now. Can you call back after staffing season?" (Something, I suspect, that Jane hasn't had to hear in a while, if ever...)

Querying Spec Scripts

Q. I get how to query an original [feature script] but I'm less clear on how one would query an existing [tv] show spec script.

It's simpler. You don't have to describe the main character, for example. Instead of "a war-weary veteran who's killing time working at a paint store," all you have to say is "House" or "Jack" or "Jack" or whoever.

You don't need to say much. Really just the territory. In a feature spec, they're interested primarily in the hook, and only then the execution. In a TV spec, it's mostly about the execution. So they are going to have to take a look at your pages. Maybe not all of them, maybe only 5 of them if they see something they don't like, but they can't go off the query.

So, if you're speccing a House (and who isn't these days?), you'd say something about the patient of the week ("a runner whose leg may have to be amputated"), and something about House's personal drama in that episode. (Never ignore the emotional component!)

So really you're not querying the whole story, as you would with a feature, but more like the territory. Even with a stunt spec, you really only need to query the stunt: House hires a new intern named Meredith Grey.

Q. And the fact that I have several scripts, how much do I say for each one in a single letter?

I don't think you need to mention other specs. If they read and like the first one, they'll ask for your second spec. But you could say, "I also have a Grey's Anatomy spec."

Q. Do they record each query so they can blacklist me in the future if I get annoying?

No one keeps track. Who has time? And you're only going to query once per script. So if they actually remember you from 6 months ago, and you're offering a new spec, you could only get points for persistence.

Q. How often do you send out new queries (or re-distribute old ones)?

You send out new queries when you have a new script you're proud of. November or December would be a good time, if you're hoping to get into next year's staffing season. By this time of year (February) most agents already have a full roster and are trying to get people to read the clients they have. See my other posts on staffing season.

By redistribute, I assume you don't mean sending the same query to the same agency again. Don't do that. You can always send a query to an agent at an agency to whom you have not proposed that particular script.

Your old spec may still be good, and that's what you'd send as your second script if you get interest.

By the way, I hear a lot of conflicting info about spec pilots. My take on spec pilots is: don't write a spec pilot unless you've written some produced television, or at a bare minimum have one or two kickass spec episodic scripts.You're trying to show you can write other people's shows. Writing a pilot shows neither that you can capture the voice of another show, nor that you can write episodic tv. A pilot is, after all, more like a feature, because it introduces characters and situations and does not have to relate to established story lines. It is also much, much harder to write a kickass pilot than a kickass "center cut" script. (Something I'm struggling with right now, thank you.)

I would say write a spec pilot if you've proven through staff jobs that you can write episodic TV. Write a spec pilot if you think you've got a shot at setting it up somewhere, or if you're looking to break out of the niche you're in.

That said, there are people who've got hired with spec pilots or even plays. But I wouldn't count on doing that.

Freelancing Season?

Q. What time of year do TV shows usually hire freelancers? Is it at the same time as staff writers, during staffing season, or is the cycle different? Or is there a cycle at all?

If a show is hiring free lancers, they might start having people come in and pitch, and assigning episodes, once they've got their writing room set up and the staffers know the template of the show. They'll bring in free lancers after that as they need free lance episodes. So, in terms of the regular season, that would probably be June-December -- bearing in mind that the season is less regular these days.

In Canada, people seem to be assigning fewer free lance scripts and keeping more for the staff, which is good for shows and for training up showrunners. In the States, you're required to assign a small number of free lance scripts.

These days, with less work to go around (thank you, reality shows; thank you, CRTC), a lot of free lance eps probably go to unemployed friends of the showrunner instead of to new writers.

When Is a Show Ready to Spec?

Q. When is it too early to write a spec script? It seems that with the popularity (that I saw) of West Wing specs, people would be in a rush to start churning out Studio 60 specs as well. But is it too early? Should a writer wait for a show to get legs firmly underneath it and become established, or do we just take what we have now and run with it? As you've noted, the show has turned to more worthwhile themes for the viewers in the way of personal conflicts, and we are a bit more accustomed to each character's voice, so it seems mature enough to move forward.

The received wisdom seems to be that you should never spec a first season show. The risk is just too high it will not get picked up for a second season, and then your spec is no good.

On the other hand, I believe by this time last year people were speccing Desperate Housewives. Though how they did it, I can't imagine, with the serial plot line.

If you're willing to take a gamble, you could spec a Studio 60, knowing that at least it's been picked up for the rest of the season. That means it will still be on the air for next staffing season. (And given how awesome last night's episode was, I'm guessing it will get picked up.) Also in the case of S60, you know that everyone in showbiz has tuned in at least once and probably several times. It would be riskier to spec a Friday Night Lights, even though that got picked up, too, because it's not everyone's cup o' tea. A lot of people have the "yeah, it's good, but it's not my bag" thing. You might be safe with Ugly Betty, too. Or Heroes.

The safest thing is still to call agents' assistants and ask politely if they (the assistant) are willing to tell you what their clients are speccing. But if there are only a few shows you're passionate about, I'd say passion is the way to go. I'd spec a Studio 60, knowing it's risky, because I love it, before I'd spec a Battlestar, because I just don't get Battlestar. Your mileage will vary.

MID STAFFING SEASON

Silly Pipe Dreams links to five posts on staffing season in this entry. I found out about it because one of the posts is mine! I am honored to be in the written company of Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jane Espenson and The LA Times.

CANADIAN LOOKING SOUTH

Q. What would you say is the best strategy for a Canadian
writer get staffed on a U.S. show?

Move to Los Angeles like everyone else.

I'm Canadian. I've got both feature and television specs. I want to work on U.S. television. I can fly to L.A. for meetings on short notice but can't move down there for longer than a month or so until I have an income of some sort (no Green Card).

I'll have my collection of specs ready in the next few
months and am deciding on a strategy to go out with
them. I just don't know what my odds are of doing so
successfully from Canada. Can I pursue an agent in the
same fashion as an L.A. based writer? Should I try to
get into Canadian television or does that add anything
substantive to my resume if I'm being considered for,
say, Battlestar Galactica or Veronica Mars (to name
two favorites)? Is the path in through features?

There is no path through features. Features is a different world with different skills and different buyers. Learning features will teach you about half of what you need to know to be an effective TV writer, but it won't make you any of the contacts you need.

If you can scrape together six weeks in LA, then your best bet is to send your specs to LA agents and tell them you'll be available in LA for staffing season. If one signs you, be ready to come down and be available for meetings during staffing season. If no one signs you, don't come down. You don't need to be in LA to get an agent, but they won't rep you if you won't be around for staffing season.

You have already missed this staffing season. That is, staffing season is already on and agents are superbusy with their current clients. The best time to get an agent is probably mid-summer, after staffing season is over and not much is happening. However there's very little an agent can do for you until next March, except try to staff you on mid-season replacements.

Sure, get on Canadian shows if you can. Any show experience is better than no show experience. Also, if you can get on a Canadian show, then you'll have some money in the bank.

Being "considered for" a show does nothing for your resume. I was shortlisted for Roswell two seasons in a row. Really, I was. See how lame that sounds?

Odds? If you're seriously asking about odds, you are in the wrong business! The odds are terrible. You have to believe that you're better than everyone else. If you're not better than everyone else, it probably isn't going to work out...

MORE ON STAFFING SEASON

> Q. If someone doesn't live in LA, and they want to get into TV,
> do they have to move to LA? Or would it be enough to have two socko
> spec scripts and be willing to visit for staffing season -- and how
> long a visit would that be?

My source writes:

Short answer: yes. Long answer: no. You can get staffed from out of town if you are brilliant and have a brilliant connected agent. But it's also just as likely you'll win the Lottery. Never say never. But if you really want to get staffed you need to know people and have heat behind you. You need a friend who will get you a showrunner meeting, or who will bring you onto their show, or give you a script. If you're from elsewhere, you need to have produced/written/directed something people in this town will have heard of. If you want to just be one of the thousand competing in the trenches, then you have to be right here, in the trenches, ready for months of meetings all leading up to the right meeting with the right person. I'm not saying it can't be done by flying in from time to time, but it's rare. I've staffed someone that way, but boy is it a fluke.

Staffing season runs at its heat from March through end of May. The craziness is the 3-4 weeks after the upfronts. That's when the true frenzy is going - BUT all the groundwork is done weeks and months in advance. By the time shows get picked up they already have a wishlist of writers they're going to go out to. Returning shows generally get picked up much earlier (late January, February, March) and they're the best bet for a new or undiscovered writer).

Let's say you were aiming for staffing this year (05-06 season). You would have spent last summer getting your specs in shape (one spec, one original). You would have spent the fall finding an agent who totally digs you (meaning you've flown here periodically to take meetings and do face to face). You'd work with your agent as the fall season unrolled watching what works and deciding what spec you're going to finish before Christmas. As fall becomes Christmas, you and your specs would start to get introduced to executives and cable shows. Hopefully you start to get great feedback, and you get
some momentum. You get some meetings, you rock in the room, and an executive sets you up on a meeting with showrunner. So far you've flown in at least 4 times. You're getting serious heat, and people are loving meeting with you - you stay down, find a place and hang out until you get a job. If you're not getting any love or any heat, staying down here may be pointless and expensive. So you head back home and write a new and better spec and start the process all over again...

THE BIG NIPPLE

Chatted with a friend who goes down to LA (aka the Big Nipple, said Fellini, long ago). I've been debating whether it's worthwhile to schlep down there for staffing season. Argument for is that while LA was none too hospitable when I was there, I now have respectable credits. Argument against turns out to be that reality TV has slashed employment for writers. Which means there are legions of talented and skilled and experienced X-Files writers out there who can't make their mortgage and are willing to step down in credits just to get work. You're competing against them.

Oh, I could probably get meetings. But they rarely go anywhere. For some reason, people in LA will take meetings with you even when they're not serious about doing business with you. I guess they figure you never know.

And they know people. You don't. I know people in independent features, of course, which was my world when I was there. But none of them have any money. Which is one reason I left!

I think I'm gonna wait till someone sends me a ticket, or until the work dries up here, which Goddess willing, perhaps it won't.