Q&A: Matt Laughery – PAGE Awards Gold Prize Winner
Doesn't he look like a fun guy?
I care about my readers. I really do. Even the new ones (Hi, Javier and Shelby!). It is this caring, combined with the fact that I’ve been doing the blog for about a year and half now, that made me realize that this blog was lacking something: Interviews with eventual sitcom writers. Since I obviously don’t know how to win a sitcom contest, I figured I should at least make an effort to find some folks who do. Hell, I take it back — I don’t care about the readers. I wanted to find out more about these award winning writers simply to satisfy my own curiosity. Most contests give you the name of the writer and the name of the script, but I want to know more! I want to get inside their brains. I want to stalk them on Twitter, friend them on Facebook, send a few colorful emails, dog-sit for them, clean their car, sneak into their computer and steal any good sitcom ideas, and then eventually (many years down the road) score a staff writing gig on the show that they’ll eventually create. Don’t ruin this for me, people!
Anyway… Today’s Q&A is with Matt Laughery, 2011 International PAGE Awards Gold Prize winner in the sitcom category (with all those syllables, it has to be prestigious, right?). I met Matt through Twitter and so can you: @mattlaughery
The Writer: Matt Laughery
Evan (ES): Tell everyone a little bit about yourself…Who are you?
Matt (ML): I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA… moved to Los Angeles when I was 22 and never looked back! Sorry mom!
ES: What television shows are you currently watching?
ML: The question should be “What am I NOT watching?” I’m such a TV whore! (Can I use the word “whore” in this interview? [Yes, you can... sorry mom!]) Revenge is my #1 show right now. I haven’t been this addicted to a show since Melrose Place. The original one, not that travesty CW put out a few years ago. I’m also into 2 Broke Girls and Whitney, I’m a sucker for multi-cam sitcoms and laugh tracks.
ES: What specs have you written and/or what shows do you plan to spec next?
ML: I have an It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia spec titled “The Gang Gets AIDS” that I’m very proud of. I also have a Cougar Town spec that’s solid. I’m working on a Happy Endings right now. I’ll probably do a 2 Broke Girls.
ES: I’m a huge Always Sunny fan, so that title intrigues me…
ML: The Sunny spec basically follows the gang after Paddy’s Pub is accused of causing an HIV outbreak in Philly. That’s all I’ll say! It has been rather polarizing to readers, which I understand. Nothing offends me (except the Kardashians) but I know not all people feel the same way.
ES: ”The Gang Gets Aids” would also be a great premise for a Kardashian episode… [I want co-producing credit on that, Seacrest]
The Script: For Pay
ES: What’s your script about?
ML: A publicity-hungry young man begins recording a reality TV show about his secret life as a heterosexual that does gay porn, complicating his conservative Republican mother’s Senate run and risking his relationship with his Catholic girlfriend’s Mafioso family.
ES: Based on the phrase “heterosexual that does gay porn,” I’m assuming this is cable show…
ML: For Pay is definitely cable! I mean, I could rework it for network, especially with some of the jokes network sitcoms are getting past the censors! But my sense of humor is very cable as it is, so I’m fine with that.
ES: Where did the idea come from?
ML: I actually got the idea and inspiration from an article in a magazine — I think it was Details or Esquire – about the lives of three “gay for pay” porn stars. These were self-proclaimed “straight men” with girlfriends who just happened to make their money sleeping with other men. Which is funny, because I’m getting people now telling me “Nobody will ever believe this! This would never happen in real life!” and I want to say, all serious, in like a Law and Order voice, “It was ripped from the headlines!”
ES: How long did it take to write?
ML: The first draft was done in about two weeks, but I went through at least five passes and rewrites.
ES: How many pilots have you written?
ML: Two. For Pay and one called Crumbs. It’s my multi-cam baby.
ES: Describe your writing process a little bit — Are you an outliner or do you simply start writing and let the story take over?
ML: I’m a terrible outliner. Meaning, I don’t outline like you’re supposed to. I do what I call “character outlining.” Meaning, where the character starts at the beginning of the script and what happens to the character through each act.
ES: I like that term “character outlining” – Is this something you discovered after you began writing, or was this a tip you picked up from someone else?
ML: ”Character Outlining” is something I totally made up! Here’s my thing — especially with sitcoms, but I believe it works for TV drama as well: If all of your characters resonate with the viewer, they will invest in any story you give them. I believe it’s why Revenge is catching on; all of the characters are so delicious, whether you love or hate them. And look at Modern Family, people LOVE the characters. I’m sure people scream “Cam! CAM!” at Eric Stonestreet where ever he goes. It’s why people have a favorite “Friend” or “Seinfeld.” The characters.
ES: Did you have friends or family to workshop the script with? Are you a part of any writers groups?
ML: I have a fantastic partner that is very honest with me about my work. He will definitely tell me what isn’t funny and what doesn’t work. I also have two great best friends in different cities that happen to be awesome writers that offer their help.
ES: Besides PAGE, did you enter For Pay in any other contests or festivals?
ML: I entered StoryboardTV, which is a fantastic contest for the entry fee. It’s only $20 and it’s a supportive community of writers that can read your script and give feedback as the contest goes on. I happened to be Top 10 and got a half-hour phone call’s worth of coverage!
ES: Looking back at the draft that won, do you still see parts that you want to rewrite, or are you completely happy with it?
ML: Sure, I’m always thinking there are things that can be reworked. I just touched things up on it today.
ES: If you had to give one piece of advice to aspiring writers who have never written a TV script before, what would it be?
ML: Love your characters. Know your voice… and Please, PLEASE, for the love of God… know the difference between “your” and “you’re.”
The PAGE Awards
ES: What was your overall impression of the contest (how it was run, the prizes, etc.)?
ML: PAGE is run smooth as butter! I was shocked at how quick email correspondence was! And a $25,000 Grand Prize?! Who does that?!
ES: Were there any areas that you feel need improvement?
ML: Not at all.
ES: Do you plan on entering again next year?
ML: Absolutely! Hopefully with a screenplay.
ES: Has the contest win led to any new friendships, business contacts, doors to the industry opening, etc.?
ML: For sure! As of right now, nothing is solidified, so I don’t want to jinx anything by talking about it. I will say that I know I wouldn’t have anything near the interest in me and my script if it weren’t for my PAGE win.
ES: Advice for anyone entering next year?
ML: Proofread until your eyes hurt. There is always need for a rewrite. Always trust your voice.
ES: What’s next? What are you working on? Anything you want to pimp or sell to us?
ML: Hopefully I’ll be repped in time for pitch season! I have a great pilot/show idea that I’m dying to get out there. I’m also working on a horror screenplay. Horror films are another one of my obsessions.
A HUGE thanks goes out to Matt for taking the time to answer a few questions. It was fun and insightful; his tips on characters were great! If you have any other questions for Matt, feel free to drop them in the comments section or contact him directly:
Twitter: @mattlaughery
Email: mattlaughery@gmail.com
Tumblr: mattlaughery.tumblr.com
New Girl Pilot Script
Source: FOX
Only a few episodes in and New Girl is already being talked about as the next “hot” show to spec. Move over Modern Family there’s a “new girl” in town. Sorry… Anyhow, I’ve gotten a few emails asking if I knew where to find the pilot script — Although it’s pretty easy to find online, I’ll go ahead and post the link here anyway:
Not surprisingly, the script can be found on Lee Thomson’s script site. I haven’t read the pilot, yet, but I’ve heard it’s better than what was shot. It’s a bit early for a toolkit, as the show is still finding its legs, but look for one later this season. No promises, though.
Fun Fact: The original title of the show was Chicks and Dicks. Not to be confused with the failed TLC documentary of the same name, which chronicled life on a chicken farm run by two brothers, both named Richard.
Results: 2011 Sitcom Spec Script Survey
Well, about ten months ago I posted a survey asking people what shows they were speccing. My intention was to post the results much sooner, but of course life got in the way and this blog was knocked down on the priority scale. Sorry about that… Anyway, I finally compiled the data and have the results! (Assuming anyone still cares.)
As new season of sitcoms has already begun, this info is probably most likely obsolete. Although, based on the results of the survey and this year’s Emmy Awards, it’ll be tough for any shows to kick Modern Family down from its throne of popularity. I’m hopeful that this new season will add some fun, speccable shows into the mix. On to the results!
If you’re interested, a PDF summary of the raw data can be found by clicking here. Feel free to download and read it, or even use it for your own analysis. I’ll hit the highlights of the survey below, but I’m sure one or two people might like to see everything. (Note: The responses to the open-ended questions are listed at the end of the PDF.)
Respondents
My goal was to have 100 respondents; mostly because that’s SurveyMonkey’s threshold before they make you subscribe. Well, since I let the survey go on for so long, I’m happy to report that 147 people completed the survey! I really appreciate the responsiveness from everyone and although it doesn’t seem like much, a little goes a long way. The majority of the respondents, 55%, considered themselves beginner writers, while the next largest segment, 21%, considered themselves “advanced, but not pro.” There were four people who took the survey who actually have been paid to write, so I want to send a thank you to Dan Harmon, Mitchell Hurwitz, Steven Levitan, and Bill Lawrence for taking the survey.
As far as the location of the respondents, the majority, 47%, falls into the “outside L.A., but still in the U.S.” L.A. writers were well represented, with 38%, and international writers made up the remaining 15%.
I’ve always been curious how many scripts people write and it seems like two is the magic cut-off, as 94% of writers claimed to have written two or fewer scripts in the prior year. Nine people wrote between 3 – 5 scripts and only one person wrote more than six. Completing more scripts each year has been a goal of mine for 2011, as I often put off writing and only end up with one script each year that I’m happy with. I like the goal of three per year (two specs and an original pilot). It’s good to churn out a bunch of scripts, but having ten mediocre scripts < two solid, unique scripts. However, if you have the time to bang out ten solid scripts, then by all means do it. But if you’re averaging ten scripts a year and not getting anywhere, chances are they aren’t as polished as you think they are.
Despite the prior year’s production, some are optimistic about 2011! The majority of people still plan to write less than two, but it dropped to 65%, while 31% of the writers expect to finish between 3 – 4 scripts. Seven writers have the goal of 5 – 6 scripts. I have a habit of over-predicting the amount of work I’m going to do in the future (especially when compared to the past), so I hope those seven people are better at managing their time than I am.
Sitcom Specs
Sitcoms specced within the last year:
| Show | Number | % |
| Community | 33 | 25% |
| Modern Family | 26 | 20% |
| 30 Rock | 14 | 11% |
| Parks & Recreation | 12 | 9% |
| The Office | 8 | 6% |
| It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia | 8 | 6% |
| How I Met Your Mother | 5 | 4% |
| Big Bang Theory | 5 | 4% |
| Cougar Town | 3 | 2% |
| Nurse Jackie | 2 | 2% |
| Bored to Death | 2 | 2% |
| The Simpsons | 2 | 2% |
| F.R.I.E.N.D.S. | 1 | 1% |
| Family Guy | 1 | 1% |
| Arrested Development | 1 | 1% |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | 1 | 1% |
| Desperate Housewives | 1 | 1% |
| Roseanne | 1 | 1% |
| $#*! My Dad Says | 1 | 1% |
| The League | 1 | 1% |
| Party Down | 1 | 1% |
| Awkward | 1 | 1% |
| Total | 130 | 100% |
Not surprisingly, a lot of people are speccing Community and Modern Family. Combined, those two shows make of more than half of all shows that were specced by the respondents. What does this mean? You better have a damn good Community or Modern Family spec, because there is a lot of competition out there and readers are probably tired of reading them.
Specs in-process (not complete) or planned for 2011:
| Show | Number | % |
| Modern Family | 48 | 20.96% |
| Community | 45 | 19.65% |
| Parks & Recreation | 23 | 10.04% |
| 30 Rock | 17 | 7.42% |
| Big Bang Theory | 15 | 6.55% |
| It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia | 7 | 3.06% |
| Raising Hope | 6 | 2.62% |
| How I Met Your Mother | 6 | 2.62% |
| The Office | 6 | 2.62% |
| Bored to Death | 6 | 2.62% |
| The League | 4 | 1.75% |
| Cougar Town | 4 | 1.75% |
| Archer | 4 | 1.75% |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | 3 | 1.31% |
| Mr. Sunshine | 3 | 1.31% |
| Mike & Molly | 2 | 0.87% |
| Nurse Jackie | 2 | 0.87% |
| Hot in Cleveland | 2 | 0.87% |
| Two and a Half Men | 2 | 0.87% |
| Outsourced | 2 | 0.87% |
| Californication | 2 | 0.87% |
| Royal Pains | 2 | 0.87% |
| Glee | 2 | 0.87% |
| F.R.I.E.N.D.S. | 1 | 0.44% |
| United States of Tara | 1 | 0.44% |
| Eastbound and Down | 1 | 0.44% |
| Louie | 1 | 0.44% |
| The Middle | 1 | 0.44% |
| The Game | 1 | 0.44% |
| Family Guy | 1 | 0.44% |
| Mr. Young | 1 | 0.44% |
| Phineas and Ferb | 1 | 0.44% |
| Arrested Development | 1 | 0.44% |
| Seinfeld | 1 | 0.44% |
| Futurama | 1 | 0.44% |
| Hard Times of RJ Berger | 1 | 0.44% |
| Scrubs | 1 | 0.44% |
| King of Queens | 1 | 0.44% |
| Venture Bros. | 1 | 0.44% |
| Total | 229 | 100% |
Wow, shocking… Modern Family and Community are at the top of writers’ to-do lists. Notice that Parks & Recreation is lurking near the top. As more and more people shy away from Modern Family and Community, I feel like Parks & Rec will gain some popularity. Big props to the individual who plans to write an Arrested Development spec; good luck with that! What does this mean? Every aspiring TV sitcom writer has either a Modern Family or Community spec. This is not surprising, but… You better have a damn good Community or Modern Family spec, because there is a lot of competition out there and readers are probably tired of reading them.
Bad shows to spec:
| Show | Number | % |
| The Office | 54 | 33% |
| 30 Rock | 43 | 26% |
| Two and a Half Men | 19 | 12% |
| Modern Family | 6 | 4% |
| It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia | 6 | 4% |
| How I Met Your Mother | 5 | 3% |
| Big Bang Theory | 4 | 2% |
| Weeds | 3 | 2% |
| Simpsons | 3 | 2% |
| Entourage | 3 | 2% |
| Glee | 3 | 2% |
| Parks & Recreation | 3 | 2% |
| Family Guy | 2 | 1% |
| Cougar Town | 2 | 1% |
| Raising Hope | 1 | 1% |
| Meet the Browns | 1 | 1% |
| Eastbound and Down | 1 | 1% |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | 1 | 1% |
| American Dad | 1 | 1% |
| Community | 1 | 1% |
| The League | 1 | 1% |
| Greek | 1 | 1% |
| Glory Daze | 1 | 1% |
| Total | 165 | 100% |
I think it’s safe to say very few people will be attempting a spec of The Office or 30 Rock anytime soon. I wonder if The Office might be speccable now that there’s no Michael Scott? It’s clearly not the same show as the first few seasons… What does this mean? Nothing surprising here; those who think Modern Family is a bad show to spec are probably already ahead of the curve.
Hot shows to spec:
| Show | Number | % |
| Modern Family | 62 | 50% |
| Community | 31 | 25% |
| Parks & Recreation | 9 | 7% |
| 30 Rock | 8 | 7% |
| Big Bang Theory | 5 | 4% |
| Raising Hope | 1 | 1% |
| How I Met Your Mother | 1 | 1% |
| Cougar Town | 2 | 2% |
| Archer | 1 | 1% |
| The Office | 1 | 1% |
| The Middle | 1 | 1% |
| Glee | 1 | 1% |
| Total | 123 | 100% |
By now there’s an obvious trend established and it’s probably not even worth commenting on. That reminds me… You better have a damn good Community orModern Family spec, because there is a lot of competition out there and readers are probably tired of reading them. Parks & Recreation continues to lurk near the top at a distant third.
Okay, so this post was probably about six months later than it should’ve been and we didn’t really learn anything that we didn’t already know, right? However, the survey will provide a base of information to compare with next year’s survey results (yeah, I’ll try this again next year…). It’ll be interesting to see what shows disappear and what news shows make a strong emergence (ahem, New Girl). And with the possible re-appearance of Arrested Development does anyone dare write a spec for it during it’s sole comeback season?
Disclaimers:
- If you compare the raw data to my summaries above, you’ll notice I excluded some responses to the latter two questions that included 1-hour dramas or shows that were no longer on the air.
- There is a high concentration of people who find my blog by searching for information about Modern Family and/or Community. Thus, this would naturally impact the data; possibly skewing the popularity of these two shows in the results. Sorry, I’m not Harvard and I don’t have a research budget. You get what you pay for.
Cake by @tinacipara
Well, despite the overwhelming odds against it, I have somehow managed to continuously update this blog for a whole year. I didn’t quite make my unspoken goal of a post every other week, but I think I did okay considering I’m a much better procrastinator than I am a writer. Either way, it’s been a year since my first post (well, a year + a few days… but you already know I’m a procrastinator).
I know a few people might be curious about the benefits of starting a blog; especially in an industry that is already highly saturated with online content, experts, and pitchmen. It’s hard to not run into a screenwriting blog or website. And,hell, my inbox is full of infomercial-esque emails about how my screenplay is missing [insert something that every screenplay needs] and it can be fixed by [insert expert's name] for only a few [insert hundreds of dollars ]. With so much crap already out there, why on earth would someone want to add to that mess?
I started the blog because I didn’t have any friends that were writing screenplays and the few that were familiar with screenwriting weren’t interested in writing sitcoms. Now, I could move to NYC, Chicago, or LA and be instantly surrounded by like-minded folk, but I’m too much of a wuss to take that risk (and I’ll probably never “make it” because of that fact, but that’s okay, because at least I know it…and knowing is half the battle.) G.I. Joe! Sorry, couldn’t squeeze that last part into the parenthesis… Anyway, as far as a tool for connecting with other people, I’d have to say that the blog (when combined with Twitter – shout out to #scriptchat and #tvwriterchat!) was a success. Through swapping scripts and Twitter stalking, I’ve “met” many more sitcom writers than I knew a year ago and I’ve even gained three new writing partners.
So, thanks to everyone out there who reads this blog and especially those of you who have taken the time to reach out to me! Hopefully I’ll keep updating this thing for at least another year. And to anyone out there who may be on the fence out starting a blog…go for it. It’s only been a year for me, but I feel like my writing persona has benefited tremendously.
There’s a few links and random thoughts that I wanted to share, but didn’t want to dedicate an entire post to each one, so I’ve added them to this post, below.
Parks and Recreation Scripts
Is it just me, or does Parks and Recreation continue to get awesomer each episode? Hell, I don’t even care how “speccable” the show is, I just want to write an episode, so I can play with those characters. What I wouldn’t give to be Ron Swanson’s mustache… Time permitting, a Parks & Rec Toolkit is forthcoming, but until then, check out Lee Thomson’s script library for actual scripts from the show:
- S1 - Episode 2 – Canvassing
- S1 - Episode 3 – The Reporter (partial script)
- S2 – Episode 4 – Practice Date
- S2 – Episode 7 – Greg Pikitis
- S2 – Episode 9 – The Camel
Webseries
I’ve been working with some friends on two different webseries; one of which has been filmed and should be online soon and the other is filming soon enough. I can say that when you actually produce the scripts you write, there are a lot of different things you should keep in mind (obvious things like budget, but also some non-obvious stuff). I’ll eventually be posting info about each project and the lessons I learned during the process. I will say that eight-weeks is a very short amount of time to have to write, shoot, and edit four 15-minute episodes…
The Way We Talk Podcasts
My local screenwriting friends recently started doing a podcast. If you’re into nerdy stuff like movies, tv, video games, music, you should check them out: http://twwtpodcast.com/ or on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-way-we-talk/id420318510
They keep claiming that they’ll invite me on the show one day, but my phone has yet to ring…
Sitcom Spec Script Survey
Almost six months ago I posted a survey on this blog in an attempt to get feedback from other writers on what shows they have specced and which ones are on their list for 2011. I’ve gotten almost 100 responses, so I’m going to start compiling the info in to some sort of statistical post that looks like a math project. Hopefully, Surveymonkey will do all the hard work and I can just put up a link to the results. Eitherway, the results are coming soon…
Channel 101
This is nothing new, but I just discovered it a few days ago… I guess I was aware of it for a while, but I never actually went to the site and watched any videos until recently. Anyway, Channel 101 was created by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab and is essentially an audience-driven monthly episodic comedy festival-type thing (the screenings are in L.A., but anyone can submit content). You can visit the website for more details on the process, but the important thing to note is that there is some real cutting edge (I know, I hate using that saying, too) comedy being produced and displayed on the site. Now, most of the top shows that end up getting voted into “Prime Time” are written, directed, and produced by famous or almost-famous comedians out in LA, but the cool part about the system is that almost anyone has a chance to get voted in. If your pilot is good, then you have a chance. If your pilot sucks, then you can try again later. Anyone interested in comedy (especially comedy writing) should check it out. ”Sex Teenagers” is a favorite series of mine…
Oh for those of us on the east coast, there’s also a NY Channel 101.
Kickstarter Spotlight: Up the Hill
One of my goals for the blog this year, is to showcase Kickstarter projects from other aspiring sitcom writers. Advances in technology have made it easier for writers to produce their own work, so I think it’s important to highlight the fact that, in order to really stand out, we have to be more than just writers nowadays. Also, it’s always interesting to read/listen to interviews online with professional writers after they’ve already broken into the industry, but I also think it’s fascinating to hear stories of writers who aren’t waiting for someone to notice them; they have an idea, so they just go for it.
Project: Up the Hill
Writer: Crystal Hubbard
Logline: A United States Senatorial candidate tries to balance his position of (almost) power, with the desires of the high society meddlers who run his campaign and inform his worldview.
Kickstarter Page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/upthehill/up-the-hill-sitcom-political-satire
Twitter: @UptheHillPilot
Email: upthehillpilot@gmail.com
I “met” the writer of Up the Hill, Crystal Hubbard, through a script swap a few months back. She sent me a Parks and Recreation spec script to read and although there were parts of the script that needed work, I was impressed by the quality of the writing and the thoughtfulness of the jokes. It was one of those scripts where you read it and think, “this writer is definitely going to make it.”
After swapping the first time, we kept in touch and she ended up sending me a short scene (the first incarnation of Up the Hill), which was a conversation between a somewhat clueless senatorial candidate named Willoughby and his advisor, Conrad. Despite the brevity of the scene, I could clearly see the comedic potential of the characters and situations:
CONRAD
(reading from a list of prep questions)
“As a candidate for the United States Senate, do you plan to use your powers for good or evil?”
WILL
If I used them for good, I’d get a cape, right?
CONRAD
It would be weird if you didn’t.
WILL
But if I used them for evil, I’d get, oh, what’s big in evil circles these days? I suppose a biological weapon or something.
(then)
I’m inclined to go with evil. But I think I’d have to ease into it. And I really wouldn’t want to give up the cape. So let’s go with good. For now.
The exchange above captures the tone of the rest of the scene and I wanted to see more of these characters. The short scene eventually turned into a full-length sitcom pilot script, Up the Hill.
Crystal decided to produce Up the Hill after a friend of hers pointed out that readers have piles and piles of scripts to read every week and they rarely look forward to dive into a new pile. However, whenever a DVD comes in, the DVD gets an automatic bump up to the front of the line since it takes less effort to watch an example of someone’s work, rather than read it.
The first act has already been shot, but in order to finish the rest she needs to raise $5,000 before April 24. Through friends and contacts, she has been able to utilize professional actors and equipment, but in order to finalize the project and maintain the professionalism, it’s going to be expensive. At this point, she’s already raised more than half her goal, but per Kickstarter rules, if she comes even one dollar short of $5,000, she’ll end up with nothing. So, if you can, throw in a couple bucks to help make Up the Hill.
May 2011 Update: I have good news! Crystal’s project was fully funded and will hopefully begin shooting in May. I plan to have a follow-up interview with her after the pilot it finished, so she can confirm that everything went exactly as planned…
Still want to know more about Crystal and Up the Hill? Then check out the audio from my interview with her (below). I’ve broken the audio into three parts, as the conversation ended up lasting longer than either one of us expected. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to geek-out with another sitcom writer, so I hope you’ll enjoy it as much I did!
Part 1 – Who is Crystal Hubbard? The first part covers Crystal’s journey from Onstead, MI to Los Angeles. We talked about growing up in a small town, her work in politics, and everything else that led to her deciding to become a sitcom writer.
Part 2 – Up the Hill Project In this second part, Crystal talks about how the idea for Up the Hill came about and the production process from script to Kickstarter.
Part 3 – General Writing Talk In the final part, we discussed Crystal’s writing habits, the importance of improv comedy, and the impact that technology has had on aspiring writers.
Writer Profile: Crystal Hubbard
Ms. Hubbard enjoying her native habitat (having recently evaded Sarah Palin's crossbows).
Ms. Hubbard after she devoured one of the best cheeseburgers of her life.(Rosebud Steakhouse on E. Walton in Chicago. Go.)
Hometown: Onsted, MI
Current City: Los Angeles, CA
Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers
Favorite Sitcom (of all time): Arrested Development
Favorite Sitcom (currently on the air): 30 Rock
Day Job(s): Freelance work for a marketing / research firm that conducts test screenings for films; and freelance work for an independent documentary filmmaker
72 Hours…
This post is a quick follow-up to my previous post, 140 Hours, in which my goal was to write for five hours per day in February. It was inspired by Stephen J. Cannell who wrote for five hours every day for six years before getting his break…and then he continued to write for five hours a day after that! I had tremendous respect for Cannell before February, but now I can truly see how dedicated and hardworking he was.
I was hoping to at least make it to 127 hours, so I could throw in a few James Franco and/or rock climbing metaphors, but as the title would suggest, I barely made it to half of my goal.
72 hours, or
2.5 hours per day
I started the month off strong, averaging about four hours or more per day during Week 1, but eventually I started my normal procrastinating regimen.
I found that in order to even come close to reaching my goal each day, I needed to start the day off by writing for at least an hour before going to work. An hour is hardly enough to complete anything substantial, thus I was left looking forward to my lunch break to finish whatever scene or sequence I was working on. So, by waking up early and writing before doing anything else, I set myself up to write for at least two hours. The days that I slept-in and didn’t make a conscious effort to write at lunch, ended with me staring at five hours worth of writing at night. Sure there’s plenty of time most nights, but my mind is not quite as nimble and creative when I’m half-awake at 11:30 PM.
Anyway, the morale of the story is to write as early as possible. The earlier I write, the more I write. Successful and prolific writers probably don’t writer later; they write now. So, write right now.
On the bright side, at least now I have a fairly easy record to break in April during ScriptFrenzy…
Oh and James Franco probably isn’t a procrastinator…that guy works hard.
2011 Sitcom Writing Fellowships & Contests
The season is upon us. Er, well it’s fast approaching. Here’s a list of upcoming sitcom writing fellowship and contests… It’s not a comprehensive list, as it just includes the more popular/prestigious contests. If you know of one that I missed, let me know and I’ll add it.
May 2011 Update: Alex over at A TV Calling has a great, comprehensive list of the “Big Six” writing fellowships. Check it out!
Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship
- Deadline: February 28, 2011
- Cost: N/A
- Types of Scrpts: Half-hour specs of existing shows (does not have to be animated and/or kid-friendly)
- Website: http://www.nickwriting.com/
- Useful Info: Interview with Karen Kirkland, the Executive Director of the fellowship
WB Writers’ Workshop
- Deadline: June 1, 2011 (entry period beings on May 2, 2011)
- Cost: $30 (FYI – That was the price for 2010; I’m not sure if it will increase for 2011)
- Types of Scripts:
- Sitcom Spec
- One-Hour Spec
- Website: http://writersworkshop.warnerbros.com/
Disney | ABC Writing Program
- Deadline: June 1, 2011 (Submission period begins May 1, 2011)
- Cost: N/A
- Types of Scripts:
- Sitcom Spec
- One-Hour Spec
- Website: http://www.abctalentdevelopment.com/programs/programs_writings.html
- Useful Info: Check out my ABC | Disney Television Writing Podcast post from last year
Austin Film Festival
- Deadline: June 1, 2011
- Cost: $30
- Types of Scripts:
- Sitcom Spec
- One-Hour Spec
- Sitcom Pilot
- One-Hour Pilot
- Website: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/
Page International Screenwriting Awards
- Final Deadline: May 16, 2011
- Cost: $49 by March 1st / $59 by April 1st / $69 by May 16th
- Types of Scripts:
- Sitcom Pilots
- One-Hour Pilots
- Website: http://pageawards.com/
Scriptapalooza TV
- Deadline: April 15, 2011
- Cost: $40
- Types of Scrpts:
- Sitcom Specs
- One-hour Specs
- Sitcom Pilots
- One-hour Pilots
- Website: http://www.scriptapaloozatv.com/index.html
NBC Writers on the Verge
- Deadline: June 30, 2011 (Submission period begins May 30, 2011)
- Cost: N/A
- Types of Scrpts:
- Sitcom Specs
- One-hour Specs
- Website: http://www.nbcunicareers.com/earlycareerprograms/writersontheverge.shtml
FOX / New York Television Festival Comedy Script Contest
- Deadline: Submission period is April 4th – April 18th
- Cost: N/A
- Types of Scrpts: Sitcom pilots
- Website: http://nytvf.com/2011_fox_contest.htm
- Important Note: One of the eligibility requirements is that your script “may not have been previously entered into any other contest or competition.” Just something to keep in mind…
———————————————————————————————————————
And if you haven’t already taken it…I set up a very brief survey to get some feedback on what you guys and gals are writing. Seriously, it won’t take you long to complete it. I did it in less than a minute. (That’s not a guarantee…I can’t control how fast you type.) At the end of the month, I’ll post the results of the survey for everyone to see.
~ CLICK HERE to take the Spec Script Survey ~
“Which sitcom should I spec?”
I’ve seen that question floating through the Internet a lot recently. Around this time every year, (I like to think of it as fellowship/contest season) many aspiring writers scour the web for tips and hints as to what they should be writing. Unfortunately, the idea of a “hot” show can change at anytime, for any number of reasons and depending on the roster of shows in a given season, nothing may change at all.
Alex over at A TV Calling recently had a post about picking a show to spec, that was a semi-update to his original post from March 2010. We both have similar opinions about picking shows to spec and I highly encourage you to read his posts. In fact, I would just direct you to his posts and say “read these,” but I wanted to also share my process in case it’s helpful. In looking at his original list, I have to agree with him, that an annual list doesn’t need to be updated twice a year… And realistically not a whole lot needs to be changed even now, almost a year later. Aside from adding a few new shows from this season (Raising Hope, Better with You, etc.) and removing some shows that died (R.I.P. Party Down), the core shows still remain.
Personally, I try not to have my writing driven by “hot” lists, so I have a loose set of questions that I mentally ask myself whenever I try to figure out what show I should spec next. Although, I am writing a Modern Family spec, which is arguably the hottest show out there right now, I’m doing it because I want to, damn it!
Anyway, below is my list of questions I mentally ask myself before deciding on which show to spec. They’re in order of (in my opinion) importance.
- Do I love the show? Never spec something because you feel like you should; spec it because you genuinely enjoy the show. Your love or hate for a show will most likely be reflected in your writing.
- Does the show’s style match the type of writer I want to be? If you aspire to be a single-cam sitcom writer, then don’t write a Big Bang Theory spec. I’m not saying you have to pick one style over the other, as you’re definitely more marketable if you can write both. Personally, as an amateur writer, I feel it helps to match yourself up with something that would compliment your writing style and result in a quality sample script.
- Do I have a story that would work well within the environment of the show? This can also tie into your personal style. A meta premise a la Community wouldn’t work very well in something like Mike and Molly…………or would it?
- Is it likely that readers in LA will have seen the show? Obviously you don’t want to spec a minor hit from the BBC. Pick a show that you know people are watching. It doesn’t have to be a ratings monster, either. Party Down was a pretty small show on a cable network, but almost everyone I know watched it.
- Is it likely that the show will be on for at least another year or two? If your spec is really good, it would be nice if you could get some mileage out of it. But, you should be writing a new spec every year anyway, so who cares if it does die?
- Is the show less than four years old? Four is an arbitrary number, but I feel like after about four years, readers get really tired of reading the same scripts (that’s not to say a great The Office or 30 Rock script can’t go far).
You can do all the research you want, but you know what? In the end, you (aspiring writers) determine what’s hot. There’s no committee that meets once every year to determine what shows make the cut onto a prestigious “hot list”. So, just write what you want to write and, assuming the show is on the air, you should be okay.
Since all the aspiring writers out there really are the ones who determine what’s hot and what’s cold, I set up a very brief survey to get some feedback on what you guys and gals are writing. Seriously, it won’t take you long to complete it. I did it in less than a minute. (That’s not a guarantee…I can’t control how fast you type.) At the end of the month, I’ll post the results of the survey for everyone to see.
~ CLICK HERE to take the Spec Script Survey ~
I think it goes without saying, but the survey is anonymous and I won’t be using the info for any monetary gain. I wish I could offer up something as a “thank you” for contributing, but I have a mortgage payment due every month. If you see me on the street and mention the survey, maybe I’ll buy you a sandwich.
Unrelated note: Does anyone have an Arrested Development spec? I miss that show so much that I’m willing to get my fix from specs…
140 Hours
(Just as a quick heads up, this is a more personal post and less informative, so feel free to ignore and or leave angry comments. I needed to put this in writing so that I feel more obligated to do what I plan to do…)
A while ago, there was a post on The Spec Life about about a podcast interview with the late (and great) Stephen J. Cannell. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to the podcast, as I would venture to say that it might be the greatest, most inspirational interview about screenwriting that I have ever heard. The one part that stuck out the most was a statistic about the amount of writing that Cannell did each day. Five hours. Every day. Even when he was on vacation. And it’s not like he wrote like this after he became a professional writer and quit his day job. Nope. He wrote for five hours every day, for six years before he ever got his first paid writing job. There’s a lot of good stuff and he goes into more detail about it, but I won’t spoil any more of the podcast…so go listen to it…NOW!
So, I’ve been thinking about how lazy I am and I’ve come to the realization that I don’t actually work hard enough to deserve any amount of success as a writer. I’ll trick myself into believing that “thinking about my scripts” for a month before I write is helpful and productive…but after 30 days with zero pages written, I just feel lazy. I figure 2011 is as good a year as any to make a strong attempt at becoming a writer. Scratch that, I am a writer. What I need is to become a good writer, a productive writer, a writer with some sort of visible freaking work ethic.
What’s the best way to set myself up for a productive year? I’m going to take a page out of Cannell’s Work Ethic for Writers Handbook and make an attempt to write for an average of five hours per day during the month of February. 140 total hours. If my girlfriend doesn’t leave me afterwards, maybe I’ll see how long I can keep the streak going. Now, I realize how insignificant my small goal is compared to Cannell, but compared to my current routine this is an over 400% increase in writing.
Why February? I wanted to do it near the beginning of the year, but I didn’t want it to be a New Year’s Resolution (vomit…”one key coming up”), since those normally turn into “The First Week of January Resolutions.” It also gave me a month to look at as an example of what not to do. I didn’t get a whole lot done in January and it shows.
What counts toward my goal? Any type of sitcom/screenplay related writing. This includes blog posts (yes, there should be an increase in those this month) and writing script notes for people I’ve swapped with (If I have one of your scripts, I haven’t forgotten about you…sorry…I’m hoping to catch up this month).
Anyone else care to join me?
Fun Fact: Many of you have heard about the 10,000-hour rule; i.e. it takes at least 10,000 hours of doing something before you can become great at it. Well, using Cannell as an example, 5 hours x 365 days x 6 years = 10,950 hours before he got his big break. Just something to think about…
Eventual Sitcom Writer 2010 Stats
I’ve always been kind of a numbers guy, and I assume there may be a few people out there who are like me. So, I figured I’d post some stats from 2010 about this blog to give you an idea of what people are looking at. (It also gives you an idea of what show is being specced a lot (ahem…Modern Family…ahem). If you don’t care, then just ignore this post and I”ll have a “real” one out soon…Happy New Year!
Oh, and the info below was compiled automatically by WordPress.com (including any cheesy narrative), so this post took me literally about five minutes to post and required very little effort. Yeah, I’m just as lazy as I was in 2010…
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 13,000 times in 2010. That’s about 31 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 18 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 15 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 2mb. That’s about a picture per month.
The busiest day of the year was December 15th with 171 views. The most popular post that day was Modern Family Spec Script Toolkit: Part 1 – Homework.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were en.wordpress.com, tv-calling.com, twitter.com, android-vs-ipad.co.cc [stupid spammers!], and rosscarey.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for modern family script, community spec script, modern family scripts, modern family pilot script, and modern family scripts online.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
Modern Family Spec Script Toolkit: Part 1 – Homework July 2010
2 comments
Community Spec Script Toolkit: Part 1 – Homework May 2010
6 comments
Community Spec Script Toolkit: Part 2 – Structure & Story May 2010
4 comments
The Big Bang Theory Spec Script Toolkit: Homework August 2010
9 comments
Community Spec Script Toolkit: Part 3 – Characters June 2010
4 comments
Happy writing in 2011!
