Screenwriting : FREE Stage 32 Webinar: How to Write at 2 Page Pitch for Your Television Series by Sydney S

Looking forward to the seminar Anna, and thank you for doing it!!

Thank you, Anna! Question: how important is the "personal connection" to the idea these days? Looking forward to it!

This is going to be an awesome webinar, just spoke to Anna!!

I'm excited for this webinar! I don't have a lot of experience pitching TV projects, so this webinar is going to be really helpful!

Glad you will all be attending

Unable to participate but listening in. Thank you!

Vinny we will have the recording for you up after the webinar!!

You can still put questions for Anna here before even if you can't attend :)

Really looking forward to this as a fantastic opportunity to link education with script services! The idea is not only to help writers effectively communicate their TV series ideas but also to help execs find their next hit project.

I can't attend the live session but I look forward to the recording, thank you Anna.

Hi - what time is this webinar? I'm in London. Thanks!

Hi, Rachel Samuel. The webinar starts at 8:00 P.M. UTC+1. That's the time zone for London, right?

Thanks Maurice Vaughan I will go with that!

You're welcome, Rachel Samuel.

What should you concentrate on when you are only allowed a 350 word pitch?

Hi there, I'm trying to sign in using the zoom link but it's not connecting. Is there another way to access this presentation please?

Hope you're doing great, Anna Marton Henry! I'm looking forward to this webinar! Thanks for teaching it. Which characters should I focus on in my 2 page pitch?

Anyone else having trouble with the zoom link? It's not working for me.

The link isn't working for me either.

The zoom link isn't working for me either

Not working at all.

Yes, I am also.

the link doesn't work for me either

Ditto, Zoom link is not working!

Is there anyone that reads these messages?

Link not working!

not working on line or phone

Yes, we are having technical difficulties - please stand by!

Hey everyone Zoom is currently is down site wide, we are working on getting this resolved and scheduled ASAP!

Thanks for letting us know, Sydney :(

So the link is not working because of this... darn...

is someone hosting this webinar that can address the fact that the Zoom link isn't working? Several of us cannot connect. Thank you.

Catherine Cole no one can connect, Catherine. It’s a site wide problem. Or perhaps Stage32 has broken the internet! ;-) Or, a cyber attack!

I had an inkling this would happen when I tried to access the zoom website! Many problems there.

I am waiting also :))

Sydney what the hell is going on? many of us cannot log on, any idea or instructions

I was on another Zoom just before this and it was working fine when I left that meeting.

The link is not working for me, either.

Are we looking at a RESCHEDULE?

She said Zoom is down site wide

At least I'm not the only one with the problem. Lol.

Guess I'm not the only one with a broken link!

Hi, I've been having problems with zoom all morning. THe link to this webinar is not working. Can Stage 32 send out a teams meeting link?

Hopefully you can reschedule or post where those who signed up can view.

Zoom is down for everybody ATM

https://downdetector.com/status/zoom/

Ok, just spent 12 minutes trying to logon through multiple devices before checking the lounge comments.

Hey everyone, believe it or not, Zoom is down everywhere in the US! Yes, this is front page news. We're going to try at 2 PM PST. If Zoom is still not back up, we will reschedule for another day, but to be honest, then we have bigger problems - like, you know, for our daily lives.

Outstanding opportunity for helpful advice on pitching and positioning your project!

Thanks for the heads-up, Anna.

Zoom is down nation wide.

Thanks for the update, Anna *

Thank God! Time for coffee!!

Ugh, 10pm UK time…

Understood, thanks, Anna!

Major US cities are all experiencing outages. I can't even get into Zoom here in LA.

https://downdetector.com/status/zoom/map/

Anna Marton Henry thanks for letting us know, Anna.

Okay. Stuff happens. I'll catch it in the library another time. Sorry I'll miss the live webinar, unless it's rescheduled to a different day when I can attend.

Thanks, Anna!

Wanted to thank "Stage 32" - this webinar came at the right time.

Please send a new time for this, or I will also catch it in the library. Thanks for your efforts.

I missed it live, but it's in my library. Thank you for the heads up!

I don't know if this is related but it seems a solar storm is screwing things up in multiple areas: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14618827/solar-storm-set...

Thanks for the updates! I guess I’ll hang in here until Zoom is up again

Here is my template for my 2-page TV Series Pitch. Here’s the template

1. TITLE + GENRE

Keep it tight and clear. Add one sentence that teases the tone (prestige drama, character-driven thriller, psychological anthology, etc.)

2. LOGLINE

1–2 sentences summarizing the premise of the entire series.

3. CORE QUESTION OR CONFLICT

What is the deeper issue the series is exploring over time?

4. PREMISE SETUP (Season One Summary)

Paragraph or two that gives the "pilot to finale" arc of Season One.

5. WORLD & TONE

What makes this show’s setting and vibe different? (Urban luxury? Post-church collapse? Moral ambiguity?)

6. MAIN CHARACTERS

3–5 characters max. One strong sentence each describing them through action, not adjectives.

7. SEASON ARCS

Optional but valuable. A sentence on where Seasons 2–3 could go to show legs.

8. THEMATIC HOOKS

What are the conversations this show will spark? (Toxic masculinity, parental failure, faith vs. shame, etc.)

9. WHY NOW? WHY YOU?

A personal sentence or two about why you had to tell this story, and why it matters now.

I only write psychological drama series - so that is titled towards that - 8 episodes.

ZOOM IS BACK UP!!!

Eric Coker I am going to contradict several of your points, though you're not far off. But if you've got this, then you don't need this webinar at all!

Oh... I need it....I am hear to learn and listen...

Stephanie O'Leary just check my app, seems to be ready, so per S32 email, webinar will kickoff in 20 mins

YES! Zoom seems to be back up! We're starting at 2 PM PT. Thanks everyone for hanging in there!

Shawn Harris, I'd post a "thumbs up" emoji but the site doesn't allow them, so THANKS! :)

Hey all! SEE YOU AT 2PM :) If you can't make it we will get the recording up ASAP for you! Thank you all for your patience today with the outage! We appreciate you !

Bring the questions for Anna :)

Anna, would a bullet list for a feature that could lead to sequels be similar to the template Eric C posted? I never know when or IF I should broach this issue for my first script if I'm making a "cold" pitch (i.e., the producer hasn't read it beforehand.) Thanks in advance!

Hi Anna - curious about your process. Once you find a project, what are your steps? Are you taking it to Studios or Show Runners or? So, if we have not been writing on a series but have a solid idea for a series, is this where you come in and partner with us?

Are procedurals wanted? A new take or interesting way to journey through each episode leading to an ongoing story or overall story arc?

Do you consider "redemption" a goal or a quest? do you think there are TV shows where the main character seeks redemption?

thank you Anna - hearing you explain the 2 page pitch for TV is extremely helpful. Thank you very much

Anna Marton Henry Great webinar! I'm sharing my questions that may not be asked during the session.

1. Do you only prefer to receive pitches from writers? While the story idea is mine and I am creating the bible, pitch deck etc, I am not a prolific writer. How would you handle this situation?

2. Regarding Characters, how would I handle a write-up for a show that heavily relies on guest characters each ep? Would I focus on the main character and essentially footnote guest characters?

Anna, this was incredibly helpful. Thank you!!!

Thank you, Anna. Amazingly helpful.

Wow, that was comprehensive! Thanks!

Anna, thank you for sharing such great knowledge and bringing such clarity. I learned a lot.

Thank you Anna and John, very informative information!

Incredible webinar, Anna Marton Henry! Thanks for all the advice and insight! It's really going to help when I pitch the TV series I'm working on. Thanks for moderating, John!

Stephanie O'Leary Do you mean is that a good template for a feature pitch where you forsee sequels? That's a question for a feature expert, not me. Or am I misunderstanding your question?

Thank you to everyone for attending today and for your patience!

If you have any webinar related questions feel free to email edu@stage32.com

Brenda Lee Lau Next steps really depend on the project but it will be attaching some other entities, be that a showrunner, actors or a larger production company / studio. I wouldn't consider anything where there isn't written material already, because I need to get a sense of the writer's level and voice. But I will come in to rewrite the pilot and bible most likely.

Procedurals are HUGE right now! Everyone wants episodic series. The streamers are now doing network-style procedurals with an edge.

Redemption is neither a goal or a quest. It's an emotion you feel = motivation.

Anna Marton Henry - Since the 2-page pitch is just for Stage 32 pitches, in the real world I assum they're pitching TV with pitch decks or show bibles? Is that correct? (I come from writing features)

Shawn Harris If you have an idea but you are not the writer, then the question is, what are you bringing to the table? A wonderful colleague said recently that an idea without a writer is like "I want tacos for dinner" without being a chef. Ok, well, that's a good idea, but it doesn't feed anyone. So you can't pitch an idea alone. But if you are not the writer, you can hire a writer or partner with one, provided you bring something else of value instead, i.e. you are an accomplished director, actor, producer, etc. with your own network and fan base. I personally wouldn't work on something like that because I want to discover and work with writers, but other people would, and if you are in that position you would probably know them.

A show with guest characters is episodic by nature. With an episodic show you are selling your main cast, their ongoing personal storylines, and the formula that generates an endless number of episodes. So sell those three things: character descriptions for your main and key supporting characters, a sense of their personal / relationship evolution either in the character descriptions or in the episode ideas, and episode ideas that illustrate how the show works. In those you would obviously intro the guest character, their problem, how your main characters respond to it (which shows their main conflicts), what the stakes are, etc.

Hope this helps!

Monica L Matulich Yes, with pitch bibles. I did a webinar on how to write one if you're interested. Search for either "pitch bible" or my name on the webinars page.

Great! Thanks Anna Marton Henry will do!

Thanks Anna Marton Henry for your webinar, it was incredibly helpful. And thanks for answering my question about the series I wrote for me to star in as the lead role.

I had one more question in the Q&A chat that didn’t get answered, if that’s ok.

QUESTION - Which elements of the Two-Page Pitch would you remove/keep to end up with a One-Page Pitch for other purposes? Or is it simply a matter of condensing everything?

Many thanks.

Hey guys wanted to drop in here and mention Anna has an upcoming private lab she is hosting this month! You will write your drama TV pilot script in 8 weeks! You can learn more about the lab here : https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-8-part-screenwritng-...

Any questions email me at edu@stage32.com

Alex Gaumond Thank you, Alex! People will ask you for a one-pager all the time - so much so, that I actually did a webinar on how to write a one-pager for TV. Basically, what you want to do is to repurpose the concept section of your full pitch bible, maybe finesse it a little bit and just be able to send it out. The concept section of your pitch bible is an expanded version of the concept part of this 2-pager. You just have more space to get into who your characters are, what your world is like, and how your show unfolds in terms of storylines. It's good to fold in something about tone and themes, and to add in the "why you" either at the start or at the end. In a sense this is a condensed version of the two-pager, but it's a nicely cohesive narrative that isn't divided into sections.

Sydney S THANK YOU to Sydney without whom none of this would be possible! She works incredibly hard to bring you all this educational content and supports me every single day on the platform.

Stephanie O'Leary

Anna, would a bullet list for a feature that could lead to sequels be similar to the template Eric C posted? I never know when or IF I should broach this issue for my first script if I'm making a "cold" pitch (i.e., the producer hasn't read it beforehand.) Thanks in advance!

Stephanie O'Leary Do you mean is that a good template for a feature pitch where you forsee sequels? That's a question for a feature expert, not me. Or am I misunderstanding your question?

A belated thank you for acknowledging my question. I decided to ask the above as there seem to be universal elements that would apply to both television and feature pitches. I'll check out Stage 32's class offerings for a designated workshop addressing my query but am glad I tuned in for this one. Again, MANY thanks for your valuable time AND the insider tips!

Anna Marton Henry thanks for the feedback. greatly appreciated!!

Thank you so much, Anna! I’m so grateful for our friendship and everything we get to do together. Right back at you!

Don't forget to grab one of the last spots in Anna's tv screenwriting drama tv pilot lab! Learn more here : https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-8-part-screenwritng-...

@Rob Lindsay - Personal connection is really important! You are not just selling the show, you are selling yourself. Everyone is looking for a fresh voice, for a unique take on an established genre we know how to sell. When I pitch a project, I start out with, "The writer is..." and then sharing their personal connection. That's the first emotional hook for every buyer.

@Gary Hetzler - 350 words is a little more than half a page. Imagine that you are writing a summary for a review of your show in the New York Times. What do people need to know in order to tell whether they want to watch this show? Focus on just the concept. Who is this show about and what world does it take place in? What is the central conflict and in each episode how do we see that unfold? Make sure you give the format and genre. See if you can start it off with a sentence about yourself that will give a hook into the project. Use the thesaurus (your best friend when writing a pitch!) to make every single word really conveys as much meaning and tone as possible. It's well worth the time and effort to practice this with a couple of existing shows you love, and compare what you write up with summaries you find online in reviews.

@Khuku Sereneveil Emotional complexity is a part of every show, and comes through most in the character descriptions - how layered the characters are and how complex their relationships are. In terms of cultural themes, I think it's better to think of it as painting a picture of a unique world. A lot of international writers try to make their world sound generic, thinking then people in the US and elsewhere will relate. It's the opposite - "the more specific something is, the more universal it becomes." Lean into the quirks and details of your world. Find visually rich wording to conjure a new and fascinating place where we get to travel, like the best storybook realms. Except it's real!

Thank you, Anna, for your insight and time to make such a great presentation. Greatly appreciated :)

Hi Anna,

First thanks so much for an amazing seminar, I learned so much in such a short period of time it was remarkable.

I believe you mentioned in the Q&A that you were looking for, or you considered historic drama? I have one I'd like to pitch to you, and one other series as well in a different genre. When will you be accepting appointments to pitch on Stage 32 again?

Again thanks for the terrific info.

best

chris

Chris Morley Thank you! I am not sure when I will do my next pitch session - to some extent that's actually up to the good folks at Stage 32. :) If you want to message me with your logline, I can see if it's something I'd want to look at. My company has a pretty specific mandate, and if your project doesn't somehow connect with that, then I am unlikely to be interested. I don't just work on period projects by any means. I am focused on three areas: international projects with a specific point of view and global commercial appeal, projects written by / about people of color, projects written by / about the LGBTQ+ community. I work with emerging writers but only if they already have some professional writing experience, even if it's not in TV. As a consultant, of course I work on everything!

Chris Morley You can send a direct message to me right here on Stage 32! :)

of course, will do

I am so touched by all the kind words from those who attended this webinar or downloaded it since! The goal of your pitch is to get a script request but the script has to live up to the promise of the pitch. Unfortunately I often find that writers pitch prematurely, before their script is really ready. Writing a pilot is hard, and if you've never done it before, you really need some guidance. There are still a couple of spots free in my upcoming pilot writing lab where I will give you strategies that will not only help you nail the pilot you are pitching, but unlock the way to writing many more in the future. The lab includes three consultations - and those are not 15-minute cheerleading sessions, they are hour-long intense notes sessions. I'm excited to dive in - come join or let writer friends know this is a great opportunity.

https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-8-part-screenwritng-...

Thank you Anna for your amazing note and if you have any questions about Anna's lab feel free to email me directly at edu@stage32.com