[Watch the video interview on Youtube here]
Film Courage: How many pilots have you helped writers sell?
Speaker/Story/Career Consultant, Author Jen Grisanti: Right now I am at One Hundred and Five. One Hundred and Six in action and I also just heard about another one that would make it One Hundred and Seven.
Film Courage: Wow. These are TV pilots for streaming or also network?
Jen: Both. Writers are aware when you sell a pilot it doesn’t mean it goes to series, it means you’re selling a pilot. I’ve had I think seven shows now go to series where they get picked up and they’re on the air. That is a ratio that’s very important for writers to be aware of. You can sell a pilot but so many pilots are bought per season and the percentage that get to series (that get picked up) is a much smaller number.
When I opened my business my whole focal point as a consultant was the recognition that the TV pilot is everything in taking a non-working writer into being a working writer or an unrepresented writer to a represented writer. My whole focus when I started my business was how do I demystify the pilot writing process so writers know how to write a script that will sell. Having that recognition is what will lead to an outcome because scripts need to hit it out of the ballpark in order for something to sell in order for a writer to staff.
Film Courage: What are a few things that new writers get wrong about selling a pilot, in addition to they’ll be bought but not necessarily be made?
Jen: I would say some of the things they do wrong is the strategy of the season arc. The season arc and the central conflict for the character in that they are torn in two different directions is everything to the longevity of the show. I think the mistake that writers make is they’re so focused on the pilot episode without the recognition of are they building a big enough well to where we can see one season or several seasons of story coming from the concept…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
BIO:
International speaker Jen Grisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Inc., a 13-year Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, and a former 12-year studio executive, including VP of Current Programming at CBS/Paramount. Jen is the author of three books, Story Line: Finding Gold in Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells, Change Your Story, Change Your Life: A Path To Your Success.
Grisanti started her career in 1992 as an assistant to Aaron Spelling. He served as her mentor for 12 years. She quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all Spelling’s shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount, where she covered numerous shows, including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400, and Girlfriends.
In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her experience as a studio executive, where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti guides writers to shape their material, write from their emotional truth, hone their pitches, and focus their careers. Since launching the consulting firm, Grisanti has worked with over 1000 writers specializing in television and features. Due to her expertise and mentorship, one hundred and six pilots have sold, including ten that went to series, and one hundred fifty-two writers have staffed.
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