How a Pilot Becomes a TV Show | Vanity Fair

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Published 2018-09-21

Pilot season is the busiest season in the television industry, which puts the fate of thousands in the hands of the broadcast networks. In this era of broadcast, cable, and streaming services, there seems to be an enormous amount of new television shows being produced every year; but in reality, only a small fraction ever make it out of the writers’ room.

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All Comments (21)

@Housewarmin 5 years ago

I need a movie that is just rejected pilots complied back to back.
@marlonmoncrieffe0728 5 years ago

'In Los Angeles, they don't throw away their garbage. They turn them into TV shows.' -Annie Hall (1977)
@dimitreze 5 years ago

there are dozens of TV show today, with a small audience, that if it was relesead 15 years ago, would be a huge groundbreaking TV show the quality and quantity is astounding
@Takerofbootyeaterofcoochie 4 years ago

Me: * tryna learn how to make an animated series * The background music: Angry instrument noises
@espressiones__ 5 years ago

as someone who would someday want to become an actor, this video was very educational
@lpsspecialeffects 5 years ago

How do the screenwriters get hired?
@premortemshow1379 5 years ago

Thank you for posting this. We actually self-produced a half hour tv pilot already and let me tell ya, it's so difficult when you're on the outside trying to break in. We've had a few promising meetings but so far nothing has come out of it yet. We've submitted to a few film festivals that accept filmed TV Pilots and we're waiting to see if we got in.
@corbincox4470 3 years ago

1:55 love the reference
@TeacherPauloPontes 5 years ago

It also means a bigger majority of the shows are just forgetable af... not to mention the amount of half assed shows going around, especially on Netflix... can't say anything about the other streaming channels tho
@afish2281 3 years ago

But how does one get into such a position. For me: I helped out the local TV station record Curling games and now I can pitch a show to him whenever.
@gabzpot 5 years ago

Cool to know. Thanks.
@mikeyllo 4 years ago

See, now this is the content I'm interested in. Where is the reality show or documentary about this? I would love to write scripts and be on a set...or even visit or set...or walk past a set...or hear that a set was in my area. LOL.
@alexbalea6404 2 years ago

They forgot to say that streaming brought to the audience 8 episodes per season, waiting 2 or 3 years for the next season and good shows not being renewed after first episode of first season
@RiversBliss 5 years ago

A lot of movies and TV series in the Black List are being green lit nowadays.
@ShivamSharma-qn5yb 5 years ago

I didn't understand what he was saying but the background music is good.
@exiledeve 5 years ago

"Ron: And it grows, to a powerful, emotional climax when the father has to choose which one of his children will live ... and which one ... will die. Executive: Pass. What else you got? Ron: Well, well, there is this one thing. It's about a killer robot driving instructor that travels back in time for some reason. Executive: I'm listening. Ron: Okay, okay, well, you see ... this robot, he's got a heartbreaking decision to make about whether his best friend lives ... or dies. Executive: Eh. Ron: His best friend's a talking pie! Executive: Sold! Howard, you've done it again!" And that's the quality of your average TV show nowadays.
@rahilrock2888 5 years ago

my favorite part 4:36 when he marketed Hyundai to us🤣🤣🤣
@pastortop4597 3 years ago

title - you hire pastor top thats how 👋🏼🎤
@vazzym2815 5 years ago

The background musics is really distracting
@albi7297 5 years ago

Yea