TV Series Creative Pitching Deck & Management / Part 1

Question 1

What is a story?

Answer 1

An account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment

Question 2

What is a Plot?

Answer 2

The main events of a play, novel, movie, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence

Question 3

What is a pitch?

Answer 3

In filmmaking, a pitch is a concise verbal (and sometimes visual) presentation of an idea for a film or TV series generally made by a screenwriter or film director to a film producer or studio executive in the hope of attracting development finance to pay for the writing of a screenplay.

Question 4

What is a logline?

Answer 4

• A one-to-two sentence synopsis of a tv show’s concept, plot and characters.
• It often states the the central
  conflict of the story, often providing both a summary of a story’s plot and a hook to engage readers.
• A logline is often
  written by screenwriters to entice executives to review their work with the hopes of it eventually being optioned (or developed) into film or tv series.

Question 5

What is a pay off?

Answer 5

A final outcome; a conclusion.
It gave them the idea for the payoff of last night’s episode.

Question 6

Characterise the logline

Answer 6

• A logline is a also called an elevator pitch
• It is a concise outline of your story (just in case you meet someone while waiting for your coffee)
• Between 15-50 words (less is more)
• It answers the 6 Ws: Who / When / What / Where / Why? How?

Question 7

What is a pitch / short story synopsis?

Answer 7

• It is a visual description of your pitch which you have for your investors and sponsors while at the first meeting or over the phone

TIPS:
- Know what your film is about
- Why do you want to make this film at this particular time?
- Who is the audience?
- What do you think people will get from viewing your film?

Question 8

What are the 6 Points in Sad Field’s Paradigm 1?

Answer 8

BEGINNING (ACT 1): The Set Up
1. The Inciting Incident: The protagonist encounters the problem that will change his/her life.
2. The response to the call

MIDDLE (Act 2): Raising the stakes
3. complications and raise of the stakes
4. Midpoint: Reversal of fortune or revelation. It keeps tension

END (Act 3): Do or Die
5. Showdown, facing the main problem, build tension: The protagonist either overcomes or succumbs
6. The Final Balle / Climax: the protagonist and the antagonist face off. The protagonist meets his greatest fear.

Question 9

What is Vogler’s story structure?

Answer 9

ACT 1 / In which the scene is set, and the hero sets out:
1) Ordinary World
2) Call to adventure
3) Refusal of the Call
4) Meeting the mentor
5) Crossing Threshold

ACT 2 / In which the main action:
6) Tests, allies, enemies
7) Approaching the inmost cave
8) The Crisis / Supreme Ordeal
9) Seizing the Reward

ACT 3
10) The road back
11) The climax / Resurrection
12) Return with the elixir

Question 10

What is Sid Field’s 22 Plot Points Paradigm?

Answer 10

Beginning (Act 1): The Set up
1. The opening Image
2. Introduce the characters, establish the world, the tone and genre
3. Introduce the conflict of the film
4. The Inciting incident
5. VTO: Visible Tangible Object that tells the audience what the character wants
6. The call to adventure
7. The response to the call
8. 1st act turning point

Middle (Act 2): Raising the action
1. Develop the first act turning point
2. Declaration of intent
3. Complications
4. Expand and develop the characters
5. Pinch 1: reminds the central conflict
6. Midpoint: Reversal of fortune
7. Pinch 2: reminder of conflict
8. 2nd act turning point (darkest moment / extreme crisis)

End (Act 3): Do or Die
1. Develop 2nd act turning point
2. Showdown
3. new direction
4. The final battle
5. resolution
6. Tag: how have the characters been changed by the journey and the events? How has the world changed?

Question 11

What is an opening image?

Answer 11

An opening image is the first image in the screenplay. It should summarise the entire film, especially in its tone.

Question 12

What is an inciting incident?

Answer 12

It usually happens at the end of Act 1. It represents the point in the story when the protagonist encounters the problem that will change his life for ever.

Question 13

What is a pinch?

Answer 13

A pinch is a reminder that brings up the central conflict of the drama, reminding us of the overall conflict

Question 14

What is a midpoint?

Answer 14

An important scene in the middle of the script, often a reversal of fortune or revelation that changes the direction of the story.

Question 15

What is the turning point 1?

Answer 15

It’s the last scene in act 1. It’s a surprising development that radically changes the protagonist’s life, and forces him to confront the opponent.

Question 16

What is the turning point 2?

Answer 16

A dramatic reversal that ends Act 2 and begins Act 3, which is about confrontation and resolution. Sometimes it is the moment when the hero has had enough and is finally going to face the opponent

Question 17

What is a showdown?

Answer 17

About midway through Act 3, the Protagonist will confront the Main Problem of the story and either overcome it, or come to a tragic end

Question 18

What is the resolution?

Answer 18

The issue of the story is resolved

Question 19

What is a tag?

Answer 19

This is an epilogue that ties up the loose ends of the story, giving the audience closure.

Question 20

What is a teaser?

Answer 20

_ A way of advertising a film or a TV series months before the release

• Aims to entince or tease the audience, increasing the hype prior to the release of the trailer.
• It does not provide details of the film/TV series.
• Teasers just give a clue or a hint at what is going to happen
• Length: usually around 20-30 seconds. But it could go up to 1 minute

Question 21

What is a trailer?

Answer 21

• It is a way of advertising by providing some information about the film/series (cast, director, plot twist, what to expect)
• Length: between 1 minute to 2 minutes 30 seconds
• It gives a brief idea about the plotline
• it is created after completing the film
• Show exciting parts of the film in a proper sequence: Beginning / middle / climax

Question 22

What is a tagline?

Answer 22

A tagline is a short description orccomment on a movie that is displayed on movie posters (or direct to
video covers, etc.) to capture the essence of the movie, and ultimately make you watch the movie.