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Are Screenwriting Seminars Really Necessary?

I'm a producer who has enjoyed both sides of the writing seminar experience. As a writing fellow years ago, I attended many diverse seminars. Then, as a story analyst for a major production company, I developed my own system for understanding and applying story structure, which I now teach in a seminar of my own. There are three things I explain to people who question or resist learning how to write through professional seminars.

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Breaking Into Hollywood

How Do I Write for TV if I Live in NYC?

By Donna Michelle Anderson

Despite popular (and fairly legitimate) concern, it definitely is possible to write for TV if you are based in New York rather than Los Angeles. There are some shows that staff and shoot there, of course, like Law & Order, many talk shows and the soaps (see partial list below). And with a connected Los Angeles agent and some well-timed trips to the Coast, hour-long drama assignments for L.A.-based shows also could happen at the freelance level. This would be pretty tough, but this is Hollywood, so nothing is impossible, right? Yes, ultimately, you will want to live here in L.A. to take advantage of the bulk of work being here. But you don't need to live here to get hired. You just need to meet the right people who do.

If you haven't already, a good way to get into the networking mix while you're in NYC is to join an organization like the Producers Guild East or the NATAS (the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences) if you have enough credits (or as an associate if you don't), or the IRTS (International Radio & Television Society Foundation), which has outstanding educational and networking seminars with both East and West Coast execs throughout the year.

Now for the recon. Here are the TV shows currently produced in NYC:

PRIMETIME TV SHOWS:

  • $9.99
  • American Justice
  • Backdrop NYC
  • Behind the Label
  • Black Donnellys
  • Blueprint New York City
  • The Bridge
  • City Classics
  • Cool in Your Code
  • Dateline NBC
  • Eat Out NY
  • Fashion in Focus
  • Fashion Week in Focus
  • Full Frontal Fashion
  • Inside the Archives
  • It's My Park
  • Knights of Prosperity
  • Law & Order
  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent
  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
  • Media 3.0 with Shelly Palmer
  • New York 360
  • New York Noise
  • NYC Paradetown USA
  • NYC TV Presents
  • Primetime Live
  • Rescue Me
  • Reservations Required
  • Secrets of New York
  • Six Degrees
  • The Sopranos
  • Summer in the City
  • Videofashion! News
  • What's Cooking at Gracie?
  • 20/20
  • 30 Rock
  • 48 Hours
  • 60 Minutes

DAYTIME & LATE NIGHT TV SHOWS:

  • All My Children
  • As The World Turns
  • Between the Lions
  • The Early Show
  • Entertainment Tonight
  • Fox and Friends
  • Good Day New York
  • Good Morning America
  • Guiding Light
  • Inside Edition
  • In the Mix
  • Judge Hachett
  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien
  • The Late Show with David Letterman
  • Live From Lincoln Center
  • Live with Regis and Kelly
  • Martha
  • Maury Povich Show
  • The Metropolitan Opera
  • The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
  • Montel Williams
  • Newshour
  • NFL Today
  • One Life to Live
  • The People’s Court
  • Reading Rainbow
  • The Rachel Ray Show
  • Saturday Night Live
  • Sesame Street
  • The Today Show
  • The View
  • Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

CABLE TV SHOWS:

  • Art in the 21st Century
  • A&E Biography
  • American Morning
  • Anderson Cooper 360
  • The Backyardigans
  • Bloomberg LP
  • Blue’s Clues
  • Blue's House
  • Blue Collar Style
  • Broadway: The American Musical
  • Change of Heart
  • The Charlie Rose Show
  • Cheap Seats
  • CNN
  • CNN Presents
  • The Colbert Report
  • Cold Pizza
  • Consumer Reports TV News
  • Court TV
  • Cold Case Files
  • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
  • “E” Television Special
  • Egg the Arts Show
  • Emeril Live
  • Food Nation with Bobby Flay
  • Go Diego Go
  • History vs. Hollywood
  • Howard Stern
  • In a Fix
  • Inside the Actors Studio
  • Isaac Mizrahi Show
  • The Movie Mission
  • Newsnight with Aaron Brown
  • Nick News
  • Now with David Brancaccio
  • Paula Zahn Now
  • Project Runway
  • Room Raiders
  • Total Request Live
  • U Pick Live
  • VH1 Top 20 Countdown
  • Weekend Today
  • What Not to Wear
  • The Wonder Pets

With this list in hand, a few (okay, A LOT OF) clicks at IMDb.com will let you know what production companies run these shows and the names of the showrunners, so you'll get a sense of what names to check for when you see industry seminars, panels and other events happening. And if you do get to meet them, while most would not take a spec, all will tell you who the top 3-5 agents/agencies are that they are open to take scripts from. And that will help focus your efforts on the rep front, as well.

The rules from there are the same as they are here. Have 2-3 excellent spec scripts for current shows. You can't send a spec to that actual show, so you'll want options to get into the door at multiple productions. Second, don't set your sights on getting staffed immediately or nothing. I want you to start as a staff writer, but a freelance assignment is a great in (and a coveted one - these are competitive and often are favors). And the writer's assistant, as abused and unloved as this poor schlub is, is often the first one to fill an open staff seat.

Once again, it looks like a lot of work and waiting to get to the pot of Hollywood gold, yes? Of course it is! But it certainly is worth it if you can make it into the handful of writing positions on shows back East or here in Los Angeles. People manage to do it every year. I hope you do, too.

Get more Hollywood business tips from DMA's industry guides: The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System: The Nine Essential Elements of a Sellable Screenplay and The Show Starter Reality TV Made Simple System, Vol. 1: Ten Steps to Creating and Pitching a Sellable Reality Show. DMA is a former film story analyst, international runway model and stage performer who is now the executive producer of Tidal Wave TV, a new media and reality TV production company in Los Angeles.

For DMA's national speaking schedule and more insider resources for breaking into the entertainment industry, please visit Planet DMA. It is our goal to mentor you through your career in the entertainment industry!

Article Source: Donna Michelle Anderson
Breaking Into Hollywood: How Do I Write for TV if I Live in NYC?