Writing TV Sitcoms

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Overview

With guidance from top sitcom producers and examples straight from the screen, this book can help anyone write, revise--and sell--a script.

With twenty years in the business--as a writer, programming executive, and university instructor--Evan Smith knows what it takes to get from spec script to sitcom success. Here he offers the first published description of Premise-Driven Comedy, the writing method he has developed and popularized; tips from writer-producers who have worked on series from "Frasier" to "The Cosby Show" to "Roseanne;" a complete story outline from the series "Home ...
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Overview

With guidance from top sitcom producers and examples straight from the screen, this book can help anyone write, revise--and sell--a script.

With twenty years in the business--as a writer, programming executive, and university instructor--Evan Smith knows what it takes to get from spec script to sitcom success. Here he offers the first published description of Premise-Driven Comedy, the writing method he has developed and popularized; tips from writer-producers who have worked on series from "Frasier" to "The Cosby Show" to "Roseanne;" a complete story outline from the series "Home Improvement;" explicit advice on how the business works and how to get an agent; and script layout guidelines for all three sitcom formats.

Clear, comprehensive, and cutting-edge, this is the true insider's guide to becoming a sitcom writer. Who knows--it might just be the book that inspires the world's next Seinfeld!

* Includes examples from classic and contemporary sitcoms, tips from successful writer-producers, and a complete "Home Improvement" story outline
* An author with twenty years of experience in the business
* Advice on both the business and creative aspects of a sitcom-writing career, including a discussion of Premise-Driven Comedy, Smith's innovative new writing technique

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780399525339
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 9/28/1999
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 304
  • Product dimensions: 6.06 (w) x 8.98 (h) x 0.77 (d)

Table of Contents

PART ONE: WRITING PREMISE-DRIVEN COMEDY

CHAPTER 1: THE GAME PLAN:
CAREER PATHS...
GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 2: FIRST, SOME THEORY :
THE MECHANICS OF LAUGHTER...
CHARACTERISTICS OF COMEDY...
THE IMPORTANCE OF TENSION

CHAPTER 3: PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE :
SEAMLESS HUMOR...
CONSISTENCY...
COMEDY OUTPUT...
THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO SITCOM WRITING...
A DIFFERENT APPROACH - PREMISE-DRIVEN COMEDY

CHAPTER 4: LEVEL ONE - COMEDY IN THE STORY PREMISE :
PREDICAMENTS...
CHARACTER MIX...
STYLE OF COMEDY...
CASTING...

CHAPTER 5: LEVEL TWO - COMEDY IN SEQUENCES AND SCENES :
COMPOUND STORY PREDICAMENTS...
STIR UP THE CHARACTER MIX...
MIX AND MATCH...
THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER

CHAPTER 6: LEVEL THREE - COMEDY IN DIALOGUE AND ACTIONS :
BUILDING JOKES...
SETUPS...
PUNCH LINES...
FUNNY ACTIONS...
MISCELLANEOUS COMEDY TIPS...
ABOUT ALL OF THESE LABELS...
DEVELOPING YOUR COMEDIC VOICE


PART TWO: WRITING A PROFESSIONAL SCRIPT

CHAPTER 7: DOING YOUR HOMEWORK:
WHY WRITE SPEC SCRIPTS...
WHICH SERIES TO PICK...
RESEARCHING THE SERIES...
STUDYING THE PREMISE

CHAPTER 8: DEVELOPING AN EPISODE PREMISE:
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
DREAMING UP STORIES...
TURNING IDEAS INTO SPRINGBOARDS

CHAPTER 9: DEVELOPING THE STORY :
THE IMPORTANCE OF STORY...
CREATING A BEAT SHEET...
STORY STRUCTURE - LINEAR VS. THREAD...
STORY THREADS VS. SUBPLOTS VS. ENSEMBLE STORIES...
STORIES WITHOUT ENDINGS, AND SERIALIZED STORIES...
CHARACTER ARCS...
STORY TIPS...
COMEDY'S IMPACT ON STORY...
DRAMATIC STRUCTURE VS. BROADCAST FORMAT...
CREATING FUNNY CHARACTERS...
REMEMBER THE MIX...
CHARACTER TYPES....
VISITING CHARACTERS...
HOW THE PRODUCTION PROCESS AFFECTS YOUR SCRIPT...
NAIL THE STORY, THE REST IS EASY

CHAPTER 10: WRITING AN OUTLINE:
WRITING TO SELL, NOT EDUCATE...
BUILDING AN OUTLINE...
HOW IT SHOULD LOOK ON PAPER...
STYLISTIC TIPS...
REWRITING AN OUTLINE...
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
A SAMPLE OUTLINE FROM "HOME IMPROVEMENT"

CHAPTER 11: WRITING THE FIRST :
JUST DO IT...
WRITING SCENES...
HARVESTING COMEDY BUILT INTO THE PREMISE AND SCENE LEVELS...
PROFESSIONAL SCRIPT FORMATS...
WRITING SCENE DESCRIPTIONS...
WRITING DIALOGUE...
MISCELLANEOUS TIPS...
PLANTING EXPOSITION...
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
WHEN THAT FIRST DRAFT IS FINISHED...
REWRITING THE SCRIPT...
WHEN REWRITING BY YOURSELF...
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
ONCE THE SCRIPT IS FINISHED


PART THREE: A BATTLE PLAN FOR LAUNCHING YOUR CAREER

CHAPTER 12: STEP ONE - DEVELOPING A STRATEGY :
THE JOB MARKET - IT'S NOT 1995 ANYMORE...
HOW THE WRITER FITS IN...
A WRITER'S WORK WEEK...
WRITING IS A BUSINESS...
AGEISM...
PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE...
MUST YOU LIVE IN LOS ANGELES?

CHAPTER 13: STEP TWO - LANDING AN AGENT:
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AGENT?...
DEVELOPING AN AGENT HIT LIST...
BEFORE PICKING UP THE PHONE...
MAKING THE CALL...
SUBMITTING YOUR MATERIAL...
TESTING THE WATERS IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN L.A....
FOLLOWING UP...
IF YOU FAIL TO LAND AN AGENT...
YOU GET AN OFFER!...
SIGNING THE CONTRACT...
ONCE YOU HAVE THE AGENT

CHAPTER 14: STEP THREE - GETTING YOUR WORK OUT THERE :
SCOUTING THE MARKET...
HIRING WINDOWS...
WORKING WITH YOUR AGENT...
WHICH SCRIPTS TO SEND...
BEING PICKY ABOUT JOBS...
COLD-CALLING PRODUCERS...
KEEP WRITING...
WRITING IN TEAMS...
REJECTION...
DEALING WITH WRITER'S BLOCK...
PROTECTING YOUR WORK...
WHO KEEPS THE COPYRIGHT?...
JOINING THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA

CHAPTER 15: STEP FOUR - PITCHING FOR ASSIGNMENTS:
THE CALL COMES IN!...
PREPARING FOR THE PITCH...
THE PITCH...
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN...
THE CONTRACT...
THE MONEY

CHAPTER 16: STEP FIVE - LANDING A STAFF JOB:
LANDING A STAFF WRITING JOB...
OFFICE POLITICS...
ROUNDTABLE WRITING...
ADVICE FROM OUR PRODUCERS...
CONTRACTS AND COMPENSATION

CHAPTER 17: STEP SIX - CLIMBING THE LADDER
MOVING UP:
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF AGENTS...
TAKING A DEVELOPMENT DEAL...
HOW DO YOU SELL A NEW SERIES?

IN CLOSING
APPENDIX A: SCRIPT FORMAT GUIDELINES (for film, tape, and animation)
APPENDIX B: ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
INDEX

Customer Reviews

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Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews
  • Anonymous

    Posted March 24, 2000

    At long last, a light to show the way...

    This book is a blessing to the 'wannabe' sitcom writer and Mr. Smith is to be commended. While there are many other books on writing and even some on sitcom writing - and I've read LOTS of them - most of these books tend to be long on vague theory and short on actionable advice. WRITING TV SITCOMS is a brilliant exception. Clearly presented, well thought out, Smith's premise driven approach allows one to see that writing a sitcom script isn't the stuff of 'creative voodoo' but a process that can be learned - provided one has a sense of humor and is willing to do the work. I've spent over 15 years in TV - though none in sitcoms - and found something worthwhile on every page. I highly recommend this book to all struggling writers or to anyone who wants to truly understand the way sitcoms and the TV business really works. Thanks again.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 16, 2001

    BEST BOOK IN THE BUSINESS

    This book is AMAZING--it's everything an aspiring sitcom writer needs to know but was afraid to ask. From structure to story to circulating your script, Evan Smith takes you through the daunting process of breaking into sitcom writing and makes it seem much less daunting.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted December 12, 2000

    A good book, but...

    ...not *that* good. A third out of it is dedicated to career strategies, and perhaps too many pages deal with classifications of jokes, charachters and situations - not to talk about formatting, etc. The cover promises well ('create premise-driven comedy') but, frankly, the subject is still worth a deeper look.

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