Marygrace O’Shea

In the first semester, we will practice the fundamental skill of successful television writers—the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The way to best learn to write for television is to draft a sample episode of a preexisting show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times, extremely quickly, in collaboration and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day, fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. The first semester workshop will introduce students to these fundamental skills by taking them, step-by-step, through writing of their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing scripted (fiction) television series, comedy or drama. The fall will take students from premise lines, through the outline/beat sheet, to writing a complete draft of a full teleplay for a currently airing show. No original pilots will be pursued in the fall. In conference, students will work on deepening characters, understanding dramatic and comedic techniques, and developing additional components of their portfolios. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of TV shows that have aired during the past 25-30 years domestically and internationally and a commitment to developing work from concept through premise lines, beat sheets, and outlines—with multiple drafts of each—and with extensive peer collaboration before writing script pages. You will not be permitted to write pages until your outlines have been “green lit.” In the second semester, the class builds on fundamentals learned in the first semester, writing specs with the focus on creating new work: original TV pilots. Students will be expected to enter the class with a completed 8-12 page outline for their original show’s pilot story. That outline will be revised and turned into an original one-hour or half-hour show (no sitcoms). Focusing on engineering story machines, we power characters and situations with enough conflict to generate episodes over many years. Having taken both semesters—spec, pilot—students will have the beginnings of the components, in first-draft form, needed for a professional portfolio. In conference, students may wish to begin to develop character descriptions and pieces of a series pitch for their show or work on previously developed material. 

Building on fundamentals learned in the fall, this class focuses on creating an original TV pilot—an important component of your portfolio for agents, managers, showrunners, and producers. Students will hone concepts, develop characters, and generate beat sheets and pages to create and write an original, scripted, half-hour show (no three-camera sitcoms). Focusing on engineering story machines, we power characters and situations with enough conflict to generate episodes over many years. In conference, students may wish to work on a pitch deck, pitch pages, and work in depth through additional drafts of their script pages. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of scripted TV shows that have aired domestically during the past several decades.

The fundamental skill of television writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and a traditional component of your application for important career development fellowships and for your portfolio for agents, managers, show runners, and producers—is to draft a sample episode of a preexisting show, known as a spec script. Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day, fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce students to those skills by taking them, step-by-step, through writing their own spec (sample) script for a currently airing American television series. The course will take students from premise lines through the beat sheet, then outline, to writing a complete draft of a full teleplay for a currently airing show (no original pilots). The class collectively decides a handful of shows on which to work. All work will be based on that handful of shows, which will include comedies, dramas, and animated shows originating on broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. If this course is held remotely, it will be taught live, synchronous, via Zoom or similar platform.

The fundamental skill of successful TV writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations that have been created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and an important first step for all TV writers—is to draft a sample episode of a preexisting show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times, extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day—fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce those fundamental skills by taking students, step-by-step, through the writing of their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing, currently airing, scripted half-hour TV series—comedy, drama, or dramedy/traumedy. The fall course will take students through the spec-script process, from premise lines through the outline/beat sheet to writing a draft of a teleplay for a currently airing show. No original pilots will be pursued in the fall. In conference, students will work in depth through additional drafts of their script pages. In  class, there will be heavy TV viewing in the first third of the semester, as students “learn” the shows that are spec-ed in this class. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of scripted TV shows that have aired domestically over the past several decades.

The fundamental skill of successful television writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and a mandatory component of your portfolio for agents, managers, show runners, and producers—is to draft a sample episode of a pre-existing show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times, extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day, fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce students to these fundamental skills by taking them, step-by-step, through writing their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing dramatic television series. The semester will take students from premise lines, through the outline/beat sheet, to writing a complete draft of a full one-hour or half-hour teleplay for a currently airing show. No original pilots will be pursued in this semester. In conference, students may wish to develop another spec script and/or begin to develop characters and a series "bible" for an original show in preparation for more advanced classes in original pilot writing. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of TV shows that have aired domestically during the past 25-30 years.

The fundamental skill of successful television writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations that have been created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and a mandatory component of your portfolio for agents, managers, showrunners, and producers—is to draft a sample episode of a pre-existing show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times, extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day, fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce students to those fundamental skills by taking them, step-by-step, through the writing of their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing dramatic television series. The fall will take students through the spec script process, from premise lines, through the outline/beat sheet, to writing a complete draft of a full one-hour teleplay for a currently airing show. No original pilots will be pursued in the fall. In conference, students will work in depth through additional drafts of their script pages. In this class, there will be heavy TV viewing in the first third of the semester, as students “learn” the shows that are spec-ed in this class. In the spring, the class builds on fundamentals learned in the fall, now with the focus on creating an original TV pilot. Students will hone concepts, develop characters, and generate beat sheets and pages to create and write an original one-hour or half-hour show (no three-camera sitcoms). Focusing on engineering story machines, we power characters and situations with enough conflict to generate episodes over many years. In conference, students may wish to craft another spec script, begin to develop characters and a series "bible" for their original show, or work on previously developed material. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of TV shows that have aired domestically during the past several decades.

This class builds on fundamentals learned in Writing the Spec and Writing the Pilot, with the focus on creating new work: original TV pilots. Students will be expected to enter the class with a completed 8- to 12-page beat sheet. That beat sheet will be revised and turned into an original one-hour or half-hour show (no sitcoms). Focusing on engineering story machines, we power characters and situations with enough conflict to generate episodes over many years. During the second half of the semester, you will generate a second original beat sheet within one week and write the pages for that script for the rest of the semester. This will mean that you will complete first drafts of two original shows within the semester. Having taken all three classes in the series—spec, pilot, and advanced—you will have the majority of material, in first-draft form, that you will need for a professional portfolio. In conference, students will do rewrites and begin to develop character descriptions and a series “bible” for their original show. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of TV shows that have aired domestically during the past 25-30 years.

The fundamental skill of successful television writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations that have been created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and a mandatory component of your portfolio for agents, managers, showrunners, and producers—is to draft a sample episode of a preexisting show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times, extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day, fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce students to those fundamental skills by taking them, step-by-step, through the writing of their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing dramatic television series. The fall classes will take students through the spec-script process—from premise lines, through the outline/beat sheet, to writing a complete draft of a full teleplay for a currently airing show. No original pilots will be pursued in the fall. In conference, students will work, in depth, through additional drafts of their script pages. In this class, there will be very heavy TV viewing in the first third of the semester, as students “learn” the shows that are spec-ed in this class. In the spring, the class builds on fundamentals learned in the fall, with the focus on creating an original TV pilot. Students will hone concepts, develop characters, and generate beat sheets and pages to create and write an original one-hour or half-hour show (no multicamera sitcoms). Focusing on engineering story machines, we power characters and situations with enough conflict to generate episodes over many years. In conference, students may wish to further deepen their concept and revise pages, craft another spec script, begin to develop characters and a series pitch deck for their original show, or work on previously developed material. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of TV shows that have aired domestically during the past several decades.

The fundamental skill of successful television writers is the ability to craft entertaining and compelling stories for characters, worlds, and situations that have been created by others. Though dozens of writers may work on a show over the course of its run, the “voice” of the show is unified and singular. The best way to learn to write for television—and an important first step for all TV writers—is to draft a sample episode of a pre-existing show, known as a “spec script.” Developing, pitching, writing, and rewriting stories hundreds of times extremely quickly, in collaboration, and on tight deadlines is what TV writers on staff do every day—fitting each episode seamlessly into the series as a whole in tone, concept, and execution. This workshop will introduce students to those fundamental skills by taking them, step-by-step, through the writing of their own spec (sample) script for an ongoing scripted half-hour television series—comedy, drama, or dramedy/traumedy/crimedy. This semester is the prerequisite to Advanced TV: Writing the Original, and will take students through the spec-script process—from premise lines, through the outline/beat sheet, to writing a draft of a teleplay for a currently airing show; no original pilots will be pursued in this class. In conference, students will work in depth through additional drafts of their script pages. In class, there will be heavy TV viewing in the first third of the semester, as students “learn” the shows that they will spec in this class. Prospective students are expected to have an extensive working knowledge across many genres of scripted TV shows that have aired domestically during the past several decades.