Know Your Show!

Breaking down the "One Sheet"

In 2017, I wrote an hour-long pilot called GLITCH. At the time, I was unemployed, having just finished up staff writing stints on “THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS AND BOOTS” and “TROLLS: THE BEAT GOES ON.”

My ultimate goal was to get staffed in a live action room, something J.J. Abrams-esque. A far cry from kids animation, I knew I needed a new sample to show that my writing had range beyond my previous experience.

But, when the finished pilot started getting sent out, something unexpected happened.

Execs didn’t see it as a sample. They saw it as a show.

And they wanted me to tell them how I saw the show… only, I didn’t really. Not yet.

Sure, I knew the general concept behind the pilot, but I hadn’t figured out the show completely at that point. After all, I thought I was just writing a sample to get staffed off of.

And because of my lack of preparedness, I actually blew a couple of big opportunities where production companies were interested in coming aboard the project.

It was a huge career lesson, one I haven’t repeated since.

I always tell this story when newer writers talk about their samples. Because, you’re never just writing a sample. You’re writing the potential for a show! And it’s so, so important to have more than just a foggy idea of what that show could look like.

Now, as I’ve said before, I’m not a huge believer in pitch decks. I’m just not an artistically creative person, and graphic design isn’t my forte. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not plotting out my shows in another way!

In last week’s post for paid subscribers, I shared an example of a one sheet.