Save the Cat! Writes for TV

1. TV writing is character-driven: Focus on compelling personalities

"TV is all about Character! Think about Character first! Character! Character! Character!"

Create multi-dimensional characters. Develop characters with flaws, wants, and needs that drive the story. Give them broken compasses - internal beliefs that guide their decisions, often leading to conflict. Craft a transformation map for each character, showing how they might change over the course of the series.

Build a rooting resume. Make your characters relatable and worth investing in:

• Give them underdog qualities
• Show them caring about others
• Demonstrate their struggles and failures
• Highlight their unique talents or skills
• Reveal vulnerabilities and secret pain

2. Develop a unique world and franchise type for your show

"Most original ideas are two cool things merged for the first time. It's that peanut butter and chocolate mix that tastes great together."

Create a compelling world. Choose a setting or situation that offers rich storytelling potential. This could be:

• A unique workplace or profession
• A specific historical period
• A fantastical realm
• A subculture or lifestyle

Select a franchise type. Determine the overall structure of your show:

• Trapped Together: Characters forced to interact regularly
• Blank of the Week: New case/problem each episode
• (Wo)Man with a Plan: Long-term goal or mission
• Dude with a Season-Long Problem: Ongoing challenge to overcome
• Whydunit: Mystery to be solved
• I'm No Fool: Underestimated character proves their worth

3. Craft a compelling pilot story with strong Story DNA

"If you're taking a general meeting, or going to a film festival, or planning to be trapped in an elevator with an A-List producer or director, you GOTTA KNOW!"

Develop clear Story DNA. Define the core elements of your pilot:

• Hero: Who is the main character?
• Goal: What do they want to achieve?
• Obstacle: What's standing in their way?
• Stakes: What happens if they fail?

Write a strong logline. Summarize your pilot in one sentence using this format:
After (CATALYST), (HERO) must overcome (OBSTACLE) to achieve (GOAL) or else (STAKES).

Choose a Save the Cat! genre. Select the storytelling pattern that best fits your pilot:

• Buddy Love
• Dude with a Problem
• Fool Triumphant
• Golden Fleece
• Institutionalized
• Monster in the House
• Rites of Passage
• Out of the Bottle
• Superhero
• Whydunit

4. Use Save the Cat! beat sheets to structure your pilot

"Save the Cat! drags that story out of you in the same way a conference room full of expensive TV writers does."

Follow the 15-beat structure. Adapt the Save the Cat! beat sheet for TV:

1. Opening Image
2. Theme Stated
3. Set-Up
4. Catalyst
5. Debate
6. Break into 2
7. B Story
8. Fun & Games
9. Midpoint
10. Bad Guys Close In
11. All Is Lost
12. Dark Night of the Soul
13. Break into 3
14. Finale
15. Final Image

Adjust for TV format. Be flexible with beat placement and length to accommodate act breaks and runtime constraints. Focus on hitting the key story moments while maintaining proper pacing for television.

5. Balance multiple storylines in ensemble shows

"TV writers break each story separately, giving each their own high-level beat sheet, then do a step called The Blend, where they mix and match the several threads into a coherent episode beat sheet."

Develop individual character arcs. For ensemble shows, create separate story threads for main characters:

• Write Story DNA and loglines for each subplot
• Break out A, B, and C stories
• Ensure each story has a beginning, middle, and end

Blend storylines effectively. Interweave multiple plot threads:

• Use multi-scene beats to incorporate B and C stories
• Look for opportunities to have storylines intersect
• Ensure all main characters are introduced in the pilot
• Balance screen time and story importance among ensemble cast

6. Incorporate TV-specific elements like teasers and act breaks

"Act breaks commonly (but not always) land right after the single-scene beats of our Save the Cat! beat sheet."

Craft attention-grabbing teasers. Open your pilot with a hook:

• Use a mini-episode to showcase the premise
• Present an intriguing flash-forward
• Deliver an opening pitch that sets up the world and characters

Structure effective act breaks. End each act with a compelling moment:

• Choose cliffhangers that make viewers ask, "What happens next?"
• Use plot twists or emotional gut-punches
• Aim for 4-5 acts in hour-long dramas, 2-3 in half-hour comedies

Include a whiff of change. Show potential for character growth:

• Demonstrate how the hero might begin to transform
• Plant seeds for future character development
• End with a "whiff of change... stated" - a line of dialogue hinting at the journey ahead

7. Build a story board to visualize and refine your pilot structure

"Walk into any writers' room in Hollywood and what do you see? ... Look at those walls. See the boards? All the boards?"

Create scene cards. Write one card per scene, including:

• Location (INT./EXT.)
• Brief description of action
• Conflict (><): Scene Hero, Goal, Obstacle
• Emotional change (+/-): What's at stake?

Organize your board. Arrange cards to visualize story structure:

• Separate acts with row headers
• Place single-scene beat cards first
• Fill in multi-scene beats with additional cards
• Aim for 22-32 cards for hour-long pilots, 12-17 for half-hours

Refine your structure. Use the board to improve your story:

• Balance act lengths
• Ensure strong act-outs
• Collapse or expand scenes as needed
• Move cards to improve pacing and flow

8. Write a detailed outline before scripting your pilot

"The outline is a semi-standardized document that you'll probably be writing when you get your first job on a big TV show. It bridges the gap between writers' room work and the actual script."

Follow TV outline format. Create a detailed, script-like document:

• Use scene headings (INT./EXT.)
• Describe action and important story beats
• Include minimal dialogue (in quotes or italics)
• Aim for 12-15 pages for hour-long shows, 5-8 for half-hours

Provide necessary detail. Flesh out your story:

• Show how scenes will actually play out
• Include specific examples and character interactions
• Demonstrate your show's voice and tone

Prepare for feedback. Use the outline as a tool for improvement:

• Share with trusted readers or writing partners
• Be open to constructive criticism
• Revise and refine before moving to script stage

Last updated: July 28, 2024