The best Masterclass I’ve watched to date. Shonda’s lessons are practical and detailed and really get into the nuts and bolts of how to create a TV show, how to pitch it, and how to write scripts.
If you haven’t heard of Shonda: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and a grip of other network hits.
Here are some edited and simplified notes from the course. Most notes are verbatim, even if they aren’t in quotations…
Notesies
- Understand the difference between procedural and serial shows (procedure is like Law & Order; serial is like Breaking Bad)
- A movie has an ending; a TV show could go on for 7 years
- When deciding on an idea: “It’s like a song that you can’t get out of your head”
- The key is “compelling characters with compelling dilemmas”
- For Grey’s Anatomy, the a key was finding the sort of gut wrenching cases that center each episode, that people would talk about over dinner the next day
- Plan as much as you can upfront – especially episode ideas; once the show gets going, you’re not gonna have time
- For every one of her shows, the title came at end; usually they’re written and shot as “Untitled Shonda Rhimes project”
- “I don’t think [the name] matters” – that’s left to the marketing gods
- Even character names change due to legal clearances (her broader point is, “don’t get too attached to any of your ideas”)
- The key for her characters is to act and sound TRUTHFUL
- Characters are like a band – it’s not individual perfection but group harmony
- For the main character, you need them to have a confidant, and you need someone to tell them when they’re wrong
- The importance of specific and small character details, like each character in Greys Anatomy having a favorite drink
- in GA, she used Wizard of Oz tropes in a rough way (Izzy wanted a brain, George wanted courage, Christina wanted a heart, etc)
- What makes a bad pitch: No structure, No sense of arc, Too much stuff / too long
- The best pitches focus on character – Why do we care about this or that character?
- Paint the picture, but don’t get too specific – let their imaginations do the work
- Have a clear way to market the show – eg, Grey’s was “Sex and Surgery” (from Sex and the City)
- A 1 hour drama has 5 acts
- ~55 pages
- Sometimes an opening teaser
- Act 1 – introduce characters and world in an exciting way; present problem; setoff A and maybe B stories
- Act 2 – things escalate, expand world, meet more people
- Act 3 – the center, middle 11 pages, things start to peak, worst / exciting, start a ticking clock (or Act 2)
- Act 4 – story turns in different direction, in procedural it’s a new piece of evidence, or ticking clock, or real character reveals
- Act 5 – moment of victory, reveal / cliff for next ep
- Each act should end make the viewer lean forward, end on a “wow” moment, each act break should “turn the story”
- “You don’t want a flat show” – have plenty of ups and downs
- There is usually an A story, a B story, and a C story (the “runner”)
- A is usually but not always bigger than B; C is very minor
- A story – usually 2-3 scenes an act
- B story – one scene an act
- C story – 3 scenes total in episode
- If you make it about character, people will buy anything
- Stuff that gets cut is usually from Act 1 and 2 – the setup stuff
- Show a person’s emotional reaction instead of hearing them say what they’re feeling / thinking
- Shonda tries to limit stage directions, emotional reactions, let actors do the job – give them room for interpretation
- I can tell in the writers room, if there are a lot of fights about a scene…that scene’s interesting and it’s gonna work
- Episode 2 is Episode 1 all over again; this helps you build trust and familiarity
- Make the studio your partner, not your keeper – include them in the creative process
- Get to know your line producer well; let them know what you do and don’t know
- The set is all about the CREW – it’s their team, their domain, their expertise
- Shonda’s routine
- Only checks email once a day
- Closes her office door when she needs to focus
- No emails or phone calls after 7pm
- Writes on weekends – writes every day
- Wakes up at 5am (!)
- If you’re not the showrunner, you’re working for someone else – even if you’re the creator
Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more advice or notes on writing and screenwriting, here’s an even longer blog post.