I haven’t posted in a while. I’ve been busy scribbling the pilot for a new show. Setting up my home office. Trying not to play Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 on my XBOX. And Googling myself (Which is not a psychologically healthy pastime by the way.)
Walt Disney used to say: “Keep moving forward.” I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment. So as I think about the script I’m writing. And the various other projects I’m working on. I find myself reading an old index card riddled with little notes. Words of wisdom from my past self. To my future self. Lessons for building network TV franchises. But also applicable to other forms of AAA content. Some of them you may Grok. Others you may not. What follows is just one man’s vision based on his specific experience. So here you go. Not in any particular order or grammatical cohesion –
Episodic stories with sensational cliffhanger act outs. Stories of real people in real places dealing with an element of their ordinary world becoming extraordinary. An ensemble cast with a broad appeal for both national and international audiences. Transmedia content that stems from the DNA of the show’s core concept. A great writing staff that works well in small groups of three and five. Memorable moments in every episode: dialog, story reveals, imaginative set-pieces, etc. A definable “X” for the project — so that everyone who works on the thing understands their mission. An element of both wish fulfillment and relevance for your audience. Make something that is sustainable both creatively and financially. Passionate leadership at all levels is critical to AAA success. Stories should be driven from character choices in response to personal need and/or outside condition.
Use this “wisdom” at your own peril. I make no promises that it will bring success. It may very well bring disaster. But it works for me. And it’s all baked into my new project. Though it’s important to keep moving forward, it’s also critical to bring the lessons of the past along for the ride. See ya!
