Before The Walt Disney Company owned a bunch of companies, and before other film studios and companies were being bought by other big companies, there was the classic Hollywood studio system. What is the studio system? While it would be easy to simplify it as the time when movie studios owned the theaters that would play their movies, there is a bit more to the Hollywood studio era. Continue reading What is the Studio System — Hollywood’s Studio Era Explained
How long is a television script? If you want to write a television pilot, you will want to ensure that your script follows all formatting and length guidelines. But knowing exactly how long a television script should be can be more of a challenge than one might expect. In this post, we’ll be breaking down the different types of television scripts, defining the page counts for each, and explaining how runtime is calculated based on the number of pages in a screenplay. But first, let’s get started by exploring the differences between writing for film and writing for television.Continue reading…
Television shows have a lot of moving parts — almost every show employs numerous writers and directors. So, how do you make sure everything functions as it should while guaranteeing the overall creative vision of the series? This is the job of a showrunner — a position more like the conductor of an orchestra. We’ll break down the basic responsibilities of the role as well as what it takes to eventually become one. What is a showrunner? Let's go behind the scenes of today's biggest television and streaming shows to find the answer. Continue reading What is a Showrunner —…
How long is a movie script? Or perhaps better questions are how long are scripts in general and how many pages should a screenplay be? While there is a degree of variety to how many pages is a movie script, there is far less flexibility when it comes to the length of a screenplay than one might expect. Unlike prose writing such as a novel, there is very little wiggle room for a script’s page count. In this post, we will explain why page counts are so important, let you know the average page count to shoot for, the average…
What is a pilot episode? It is impossible to overstate just how vital a good pilot is within the television industry. In this post, we will explain what a pilot episode is, where it got that name, how a pilot gets made, and how it becomes a show. We will finish up by looking at a couple of examples of noteworthy pilots.Continue reading What is a Pilot Episode — Definition, Script Examples & History
A show bible is an essential part of every TV series’ pre-production. But what is a show bible? And why is it an essential part of every TV series’ pre-production? We’re going to answer those questions. Then we’ll show you some show bible examples. By the end, you’ll know why these documents are important and how to make your own!Continue reading What is a Show Bible — Examples and FREE Template
What is a lined script? How do you make one? And what is it used for? Read on to find the answers to these questions and step-by-step instructions for lining a script. Let’s start with a quick definition. A lined script is a separate version of the screenplay that includes vertical lines denoting how much of a scene each individual shot covers. Now that we know what it is, let’s find out why it is important.Continue reading How to Line a Film Script — A Guide for Script Supervisors
What is the fastest and most efficient way to clearly communicate all of the vital information about an upcoming photoshoot to all of the necessary people? The answer is: with a call sheet. We created our own custom photoshoot call sheet template, and you can download it for free. We will break down the various sections of the template, explain how to use it, and offer some tips for customizing the template to best suit your individual needs.Continue reading Photoshoot Call Sheet Template — Free Download and Guide
So you have an idea. The idea. The idea that you feel like will jump start your career as a filmmaker. But all of a sudden you’re faced with the question “How will this get made?” Films and television pilots require a lot of resources and a lot of money to execute. So how do you obtain these resources from potential producers and investors?A growing technique is the proof of concept. What is a proof of concept film and how is it used in the industry? Let’s explore what a proof of concept is and what the goal of any…
What is a soundstage? It’s a term we hear fairly often in film circles, but it’s usually assumed we know what it means. Don’t fret, we’re going to define soundstage and then look at some iconic examples. By the end, you’ll know what soundstages are and how they’re used. But before we get into our examples, let’s review where soundstages started.Continue reading What is a Soundstage — Definition, History & Function Explained
