Mediabistro.com Presents Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business

By Chad Gervich

Book Overview

Take On Hollywood and Make It as a Television Writer. From mediabistro.com, the media industry's most well-respected source for jobs, professional development, and community, this inside-the-business guide gives you the knowledge and tools you need to infiltrate Hollywood and land a job as a TV writer. That's right- Small Screen, Big Picture gives you a competitive edge over millions of other aspiring writers who share your talent, creativity, and determination . . . because after reading these pages, you'll have the one thing they lack- an understanding of the business of television. This journey into Hollywood's inner workings not only details how networks, studios, and production companies work together, it teaches you how the process affects the creation and writing of TV series, how shows make money, and-ultimately-how you can use this information to break into the industry. You'll learn- . What really goes on in the inner sanctum of the writers' room-and how to be a part of it . How today's TV business model works-and how rapidly it's changing . Who has the power to buy a show idea-and how to pitch your own . How new media formats are changing television-and how to use them to your advantage . Which jobs will kick-start your TV writing career-and how to get hired . And much more . . . Armed with this solid foundation of knowledge, you'll be ready to plan your entry into the industry and begin your successful TV writing career.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307395316
• ISBN13: 9780307395313
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

If you want to work in TV buy this

I work in the back office of an entertainment company. Lots of books will tell you they have the secrets for how to get a job, how to make a pitch, etc. Many of them are full of crap. If you have an idea you would like to put onscreen, or if you would like to get to work in TV, this book isn't a complete roadmap. But no book is a complete roadmap. What this book does is much more important: it tells you how the industry already works so you can figure out how to put your idea in language people in the industry can understand. If you pitch a police drama to Cartoon Network they will laugh you out of the room. If you make it animated, that probably won't help. But if you get to the Adult Swim programmers, you have a chance. If you can explain why your idea fits with the rest of their schedule in that daypart, you get closer. This book will tell you why that is the case, and how to make your case.

Dead On!

This book is right on target! Very insightful and an entertaining read. Highly recommend it for someone trying to break into the industry...or if you are just curious how things in Hollywood work!

TV Show Addict

I love this book. It really helps to understand and appreciate what goes into making all of the great shows I watch and enjoy on TV.

Everything you ever wanted to know about TV but were afraid to ask.

Comprehensive and insightful! A must-have for writers.... and all their relatives. The next time your Aunt Gladys wonders, "Why don't you get your own TV show on the air, like that nice Jerry Bruckheimer," hand her this book.

Chad Gervich has crack open the door of The TV World

Chad Gervich has managed to crack open the mysterious world of the TV Business with this detailed, funny, and fascinating look at how the business of TV really works. Don't start writing until you've read this book. Highly recommended