Work one-on-one with a TV Director of Development who has helped sell procedural shows to CBS, ABC, and NBC!

PLUS! Be connected with Chris via email for the duration of the lab

Only 10 spots available - grab your spot now!

Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details

“Case-of-the-week” shows, also known as “procedurals,” have been an incredibly reliable and influential format in television history, and continue to be extremely popular with today’s networks. If you’re a fan of the LAW & ORDER, CSI, NCIS, or CHICAGO franchises, or even Peacock’s new series POKER FACE, then you’re a fan of procedurals. Even streamers have gotten in on the action, picking up Fox’s genre procedural LUCIFER after the broadcast network canceled the series and green-lighting new series in the BOSCH franchise. And as the streaming services launch their AVOD platforms and offer a dizzying amount of FAST channels, procedurals are going to be in higher demand than ever in the coming years.

These shows feature a main central plot line every week that only lasts for that singular episode. While many of these shows have story threads that last the length of the season, the key element of any procedural is for a new viewer to be able to drop in on any episode and watch a story from beginning to end.

The great thing about procedurals for writers is that they make for strong writing samples in your portfolio and can work with many different genres to show off your writing chops. In this exclusive on-demand Stage 32 lab, you’ll not only find out exactly how to develop and write a great procedural to either sell or help you get staffed in a writers’ room, but by the end you’ll have a workshopped pilot or episodic script of your own to take out and get noticed.

Mentoring you while you are writing your procedural script is accomplished TV Development Executive Chris Hazenbush. Chris has helped develop and sell pilots to ABC, CBS, and NBC, and most recently, was the Director of Development at AfterPortsmouth Productions, the company behind THIS IS US. Chris's latest project, TRACKER starring Justin Hartley, will premiere in Fall 2023 on CBS.

Chris previously worked on the development team for the reboots of HAWAII FIVE-0, MAGNUM P.I., and MACGYVER, which have amassed millions of viewers throughout their series’ runs.

Over eight weeks of lectures, workshop sessions, and one-on-one meetings with Chris, you’ll cover the crucial elements you need when crafting a procedural series from logline to finished script, including structure and act breaks, how to develop engaging characters to last multiple seasons, and more.

By the end of this lab, you’ll have a finished script of either your own procedural series concept or a “spec” episode of a show already on the air to add to your writing portfolio by learning how these shows get made through the eyes of a top-notch development executive. Additionally, through workshopping sessions and one-on-one meetings with Chris, you’ll learn how to constructively evaluate another’s writing, give notes to elevate their work, and get crucial feedback in an encouraging setting to take your own skillset to the next level. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to work with one of the people behind some of CBS and NBC’s biggest procedural series.

Testimonials from Chris' previous Stage 32 Courses:

"Chris really helped me hone the craft of TV writing so I could get my pilot in good shape. I highly recommend working with him." -- Samuel S

"Chris rocks! I've never worked with someone who is so knowledgable about all things film and television. He has a real knack for teaching what he knows in an effective manner. Thanks, Chris." -- Liam R.

PRE-CLASS PREP:

Have 2-3 original procedural concepts/loglines or 2-3 episode pitches/ideas for either THE GOOD DOCTOR, THE EQUALIZER, or SO HELP ME TODD (if writing an episodic spec).

WEEK 1: Top-Level Overview of Procedural Series

In Class:

• Introductions
• Review the syllabus and discuss class goals
• Lecture/Discussion
• Genre
• Setting
• Characters and Ensemble Type
• Plot
• Story Engine
• Tone
• Theme
• Timeliness
• What is a procedural?
• What are the key elements to consider when creating a procedural concept?
• Creating a One-Pager that gets attention
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Pick your strongest concept and write a One-Pager for your series or a one-page analysis of the series you’re going to emulate
• Optional: watch THE EQUALIZER pilot

WEEK 2: Understanding Pilot Structure - Overview, World-Building, and Character

In Class:

• Group-style workshop of one-pagers
• Lecture/Discussion
• Essential procedural pilot format
• Entryway into your pilot story (aka the “why here/why now?”)
• World-building and “rules” of the universe
• Essential Character Elements and Character Mapping
• Understanding the building blocks of a procedural pilot
• Creating an effective Story Area
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Write a Story Area for your pilot or episodic spec
• Optional: watch SO HELP ME TODD pilot

WEEK 3: Story Breaking Part I - Getting It All Started

Now that we have our narrative pilot stories sketched out in Story Areas, it’s time to expand upon it beat by beat.

In Class:

• Group-style workshop of Story Area
• Lecture/Discussion
• Teasers/cold opens
• A/B/C Storylines
• Exposition
• Scene Building
• Building stakes and creating mystery/suspense through Act Outs
• Setting a consistent tone through dialogue and other means
• Story Breaking
• How to turn your Story Area into a Beat Sheet
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Write Teaser, Act 1, and Act 2 of your Beat Sheet
• Optional: watch THE GOOD DOCTOR pilot

WEEK 4: Story Breaking Part II - Finishing It Strong

In Class:

• Group-style workshop of Teaser, Act 1, and Act 2 of Beat Sheets
• Lecture/Discussion
  • Incorporating themes and timeliness
  • Writing effective resolutions and pilot outs
  • Thinking through repeatable case structure for your pilot in series
  • Story Engine
  • Ending the Pilot
• Brief discussion on crafting a pitch and creating pitch decks
• What to do once the pilot is finished  
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Write Act 3, Act 4, and Act 5 of your Beat Sheet
• Email Act 3, Act 4, and Act 5 of Beat Sheet notes to team members (in lieu of group-style workshopping in Week 5)

WEEK 5: NO CLASS - Virtual One-On-One Consultation With Chris

You will meet with Chris one-on-one via Zoom to discuss your completed pilot Beat Sheets. Each writer will send in their Beat Sheet in advance and will discuss what works and what doesn’t work with Chris before he “sends you off” to start writing your pilot script.

Assignment:

• Write Teaser and Act 1 of your pilot script or episode spec

WEEK 6: Workshopping Your Pilot

In Class:

• Group-style workshop of your Teaser and Act 1
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Write Act 2 and Act 3 of your pilot or episodic spec

WEEK 7: Workshopping Your Pilot

In Class:

• Group-style workshop of your Act 2 and Act 3
• Q&A with Chris

Assignment:

• Write Act 4 and Act 5 of your pilot or episodic spec
• Email Act 4 and Act 5 notes to team members (in lieu of group-style workshopping in Week 8)

WEEK 8: NO CLASS - Virtual One-On-One Consultation With Chris

You will meet with Chris one-on-one via video to discuss your completed pilot or spec episode. Chris will give you notes to work on moving forward as well as a strategy on how to best get your work read by professionals in the industry.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 lab will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with an executive and an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good.

• This lab is designed for beginner and intermediate writers interested in writing a pilot or spec script for a television procedural show.
• By the end of this 8-week lab, you will have a professional television procedural script.
• This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed lab with one-on-one time with the instructor and significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar.
• You will be held accountable to take the lessons from each week and move your work forward.
• Plus, to stay motivated and inspired, you will have access to a private, dedicated Stage 32 Lounge where you can communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the length of the lab.
• **Chris will be available on email during the 8 sessions to answer any questions you have about your project.**

Payment plans are available - please contact edu@stage32.com for more information.

• Writers who want to break into TV and need a strong procedural pilot or spec script for their portfolio
• Screenwriters looking for structured guidance and accountability over 8 weeks
• Fans of procedural series (like crime, medical, or legal shows) who want to learn how to write in that format
• Creators developing an original series who need help with concept, structure, and story engine
• Writers who struggle with pilot structure, act breaks, and episodic storytelling
• Writers looking to polish or elevate an existing idea into a professional-level script
• Anyone seeking industry insight into how procedurals are developed and sold

Testimonials from Chris' previous Stage 32 Courses:

"Chris really helped me hone the craft of TV writing so I could get my pilot in good shape. I highly recommend working with him." -- Samuel S

"Chris rocks! I've never worked with someone who is so knowledgable about all things film and television. He has a real knack for teaching what he knows in an effective manner. Thanks, Chris." -- Liam R.