Elephant Bucks: An Insider's Guide to Writing for TV Sitcoms

By Sheldon Bull

Book Overview

Publisher Marketing: A comprehensive guide to writing a highly commerical and saleable spec sitcom script and launching your career as a TV sitcom writer. Includes detailed inside information on how to choose the right series to spec, how to pick the right story, and detailed, step by step instruction on how to write the scripts that will get you work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1932907270
• ISBN13: 9781932907278
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Best book out there on how to write sitcoms

I've read a dozen "How To Write" books and this is easily one of the best. Certainly as far as sitcoms are concerned. Sheldon Bull gives you everything you need to become a successful sitcom writer - starting with your initial motivation, continuing on into the craft (along with a fantastic step-by-step example), and finishing off with notes about what you can expect when on-staff and beyond. Can't recommend it enough! PS For anyone who is interested, Bull also has a fantastic blog at: [...]

A Book About How To Make The Big (Elephant) Bucks

First a disclaimer, Sheldon Bull and I have worked together and we're friends. But that aside, if you want to find out how the TV business works, this is the book you must have in your library. Sheldon has a way of delivering the crucial information you must have to be successful as a writer/producer/director ... and he does it in a personable and often hilarious way. This is not a book about 'theories,' it's a book about experience, facts, and how to protect yourself at all times - because just like boxing, the television business can result in getting knocked around a bit. Do yourself a big favor: If you have any thought of pursuing a career in TV, get Sheldon's 'guide book' and you'll never get lost in the bushes.

Stop With The Peanuts! Start With The Elephant Bucks!

I remember when I first met Sheldon Bull. There was an all day symposium on writing from UCLA extension and he was on the panel devoted to comedy writing. All four gentlemen made me laugh so hard that I instantly vowed to take a class with each and every one of them. Fortunately Sheldon wants to save people some money and has written a book on Sitcom Writing and Lifestyle titled "Elephant Bucks". Sheldon has written for MASH and produced such shows as Coach and Sabrina: The Teenage Witch, then started writing this book after teaching seminars at colleges about sitcom writing. His writing style is very straightforward with tinges of optimism, which is awfully like the experience of meeting Sheldon in person, hard nosed and heartfelt. His candor really washes over well when he discusses his views on how to break into the field of sitcom writing, and what a person needs to do to ensure a career in such a competitive field. He wants to be responsible for winners and takes great care in choosing what to say. Topics like: How do you break in? How do you stay in? When should you think about becoming a producer? How do you handle the competition and insecure egos? What are shows looking for in a staff writer? What will a pitch meeting and first Outline / Script meeting consist of? How should you react? What is an agent's job? What is the schedule and atmosphere like? What take out foods should I avoid? Sheldon takes the time to give the reader a firm grasp of what they are in for should they decide to pick up the gauntlet. The other parts of the book are devoted to the stereotypical (a.k.a mandated) formula for a sitcom screenplay. Sheldon goes step by step through the process from outline to second draft by creating a fictional Spec script for the show Frasier. While some might consider this a little constrictive, there are some hints to pick up if you don't take the process literally. I learned some tips about outlining a script which showed me a more narrative approach to scriptwriting and how character's attitudes can punch up a slogging script. After reading Elephant Bucks I gained a new and stronger appreciation for what goes into making a sitcom. Knowing myself, I probably won't go into television writing, I don't have the ware withal to write all those different spec scripts. And I believe that is the best way to break into the business because it proves you aren't a one hit wonder and that you have the discipline to create this kind of life for yourself. One of the things that kind of annoy me about the age we are living now is that a lot of artistic projects are getting green lighted for their novelty. Innovation is necessary, but first someone has to have the necessary experience to see the void and deal with it appropriately. Otherwise its just schlock. Well, this read was enjoyable, and the search for meaning breathes on for another day.

Get two. You're gonna give one to a friend.

Lots of screenwriting books are dry as dust. Not Elephant Bucks. This one is that rare combination of easy to read and informative. It's clear, concise, entertaining, instructive and eminently practical. Bull offers specific guidance on how to structure a sitcom. He explains what belongs where. As important, he shows the reader logically and engagingly how to go about putting the elements in place. He uses specific (and very entertaining) examples that made me go, "Ohhhhh! That totally makes sense!" Having "Elephant Bucks" is like having a great and experienced teacher right there with you. Sheldon Bull has credibility: He has done this stuff. Check him out on IMDb and you'll see his slew of credits, from "Newhart" to "M*A*S*H" to "Coach" to "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." So it's pretty clear the guy knows about writing for television. In "Elephant Bucks," he ably transitions from television writer to teacher. We aspiring writers are lucky he did!

Perfect

I bought half a dozen sitcom writing books in one go and having read them all I can say with certainty that this is the only one you will need. Other than Evan Smith's "Writing Television Sitcoms" I wouldn't bother getting any other book, and even that is superfluous if you buy Sheldon's one, but it is pretty decent if you choose to buy more than one. Having read some really dodgy television comedy writing books by chancers Sheldon's book was like a breath of fresh air. I'm guessing that if you are reading this then you want to know how to structure and write a spec script, Sheldon does a near perfect and utterly thorough job showing you how. He starts with a concept for a Frazier script and actually takes you through the whole process - picking the right story, the seven fundamental plot elements, structuring the story in scenes and acts, how to write outlines and more detailed outlines of the story, writing the dialogue of the script first as a drama, then rewriting it as a comedy. You see the script product being produced sequentially before your eyes. This is what you want and this is exactly what you get. Brilliant.