What do you know?
I got a good question the other day while talking to some film school students. They asked what they’d be expected to know about the business in order to work in it. I’m going to apply this more specifically to TV writers. When you’re networking or interviewing with potential employers, do you really need to know everything about every show on the air, past and present?
No. They won’t know all that either. But I do recommend that TV writers try to watch at least one episode of every show currently on the air - at least in your area (comedy or drama). At the very least, you need to watch an episode or two of every successful show. You don’t have to love them, but you should be conversant about current hits - characters, lead actors, what kind of stories they tell. Even if you don’t especially like “True Blood” or “The Mentalist,” you should be able to intelligently discuss why. Don’t know which shows are considered hits? Then you most definitely need to find out. Check out the weekly ratings on the Hollywood Reporter, Variety or L.A. Times websites. Also, when a successful or critically acclaimed show goes off the air, watch the series finale. I’ve had half a dozen conversations about the “Shield” finale, and even more about “The Sopranos,” and I wasn’t a regular viewer of either show.
When you’re writing an episodic spec, you’ll obviously watch your target show. You should also watch a few episodes of similar shows - medical dramas, lawyer shows, etc - not only to make sure you distinguish the voice of your spec from theirs, but because your spec will serve as a good writing sample for those shows. They’re your target employers. Get to know them. Find out who the showrunner is on shows you like and/or would like to write for. Don’t wait until you’re job hunting. Be prepared for someone at your gym to casually mention in conversation that they just got an assistant gig with James Duff. If you already know that James Duff runs “The Closer,” you’ll know to chat this person up.
Know who the big deal writers and producers are and what kind of shows they do. Know which network is winning, and losing, in the ratings. Know which cable channels have original programming and what their niches are. Know who won the major Emmys last year. Know which shows got picked up or cancelled in the past month. Keep up with TV-related news, like the status of the SAG contract negotiations, or NBC putting Jay Leno on every night at 10. Will you “lose points” for not knowing every one of these facts? Probably not. But being well-informed will help you make a positive impression on anyone you meet, even before you figure out how valuable their good opinion might be.
When you have official meetings, you’ll need more specific knowledge about the person you’re meeting with. For a general meet and greet with a studio or network executive, you should know which shows they produce and/or air. You should also find out (agents are helpful with this) which shows this particular executive is responsible for. Watch at least one episode of those shows. You don’t have to pretend to like them if you don’t, but be able to discuss why in an intelligent and non-insulting fashion. If you’re meeting with a potential agent, he or she will probably be less picky about how much you know. Information is their business - they should be trying to impress you with their vast television expertise. But again, it can’t hurt if you demonstrate what a good impression you’ll make on anyone they send you out to meet.
A showrunner meeting is even more specific. Obviously, you want to study the show you’re meeting on as much as possible. Sometimes, all you’ll have is a pilot episode or script. In any case, study the showrunner as well. Know their credits. Try to watch an episode or two of their last show, especially if they created it. Get acquainted with similar shows to the one you’re meeting on, so you can intelligently compare and contrast. A busy showrunner will have no time to watch any television, so you’ll probably know more about the current schedule than they do.
If you love television enough to want to make your living in it, you probably watch a lot of it already, and know your favorite shows inside out. The good news is, your hobby will now be put to good use. The bad news is, you can’t watch TV purely as a recreational viewer anymore. You’re now a professional studying the market. You’ll have to watch some stuff you don’t like. You’ll need to pay attention to the credits. And when you decide to write a spec of your favorite show, you’ll have to dissect and analyze it until you can’t stand those damn characters anymore. Some of the escapist pleasure of TV will disappear when you make it your career. Is the trade-off worth it? Only one way to find out…