How to Outline a Pilot

[@TylerMowery]

Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com

[@casso24k]

You're always using Dan Harmon's story circle, but I've noticed you've never used the quadrant system Dan talks about on the Channel101 site and his tumblr. Is there a reason for that or just a personal methodology? It would be awesome if you find a way to combine your views on creating/finding philosophical conflict and structure it into the quadrants. It seems like often we talk about the ordinary world vs the special world as the external character conflict or something more related to the plot. This method makes sense to me because explicitly stating the conflict can help the the descension into and through the special/unconscious world be driven by the philosophical conflict (Dan calls it conflicting or charged values), but something I greatly struggle with when writing . Thanks Tyler!

[@thissucks96]

😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮​@@casso24k

[@Justin_Cunningham]

Working on a pilot outline right now, this is exactly what I needed! Much appreciated Tyler!

[@Vivivofi]

Good luck to ya! Have fun with it!!!

[@Rob-ql2wf]

@Justin Cunningham Yup, same!! :D

[@tpalmer]

this guy never misses man, learned more from him than I did from anything else

[@TheStoryBlueprint]

Unlike with Breaking Bad, I noticed that Better Call Saul’s pilot ends at step 6 to allow a cliffhanger ending, and then resolves steps 7 and 8 during the first 15-20 minutes of the second episode.

[@useless_name]

I think BCS is working a lot with spreading the usual story circle over multiple episodes, which really feeds into the "addiction" you get to it. Another thing worth noticing is that BCS did not need it's pilot to be able to stand for itself because it is a Netflix show.

[@Dotdotdot696]

It isn't a netflix show. it's just a tv show on netflix made on a different channel ​@useless_name

[@agehaynes7620]

Thank you for breaking it down! Almost got it down, knowing the Harmon circle. Just need to know the set up better for the transition on scences I see on the circle. Best believe!!

[@robgreenspan9389]

Good stuff! I'm working on a pilot now so this video popping up was very timely. Thanks!

[@jboushka]

One of my favorite Pilots is "Smallville" in 2001. It starts with a meteor attack on a town (filmed just before 9/11).Halfway through the Pilot, teenage Clark Kent (Tom Welling) finds out from his (adoptive) father that he is an alien, and that explains his unusual gifts and "powers". In NBC's series "The Event" (2010-2011), at the finale end, computer geek Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) finds out he is an alien (as I interpreted the ending).

[@bmlooh193-z4o]

Smallville has become a very underrated show. It may have been repetitive but it was very entertaining

[@KimbroEntertainment]

You’re channel should be recommended to every novice writer out there, this helped a ton! Subbed

[@SalemJorden]

This video was super helpful! Thanks for providing great content, Tyler!😊

[@CoupleMoore]

Thanks for this extremely valuable guidance! FYI, Cillian Murphy’s first name is pronounced with a K sound, like Killian.

[@JudiChristopher]

EXCELLENT VIDEO as always...

[@mercurious6699]

great video as ever, thank you

[@trevorspence7118]

I'm working on a miniseries pilot, I need this information now.

[@the7thseven873]

Amazing. Just what I was looking for.✨🙌🏾💯

[@davidwillamess]

Amazing! I’m a huge fan of you

[@prometheus200]

My man always come through.

[@cyrenec9316]

Hey! ive stumbled upon your channel, these stuff's great! I like how you explain :)) May I suggest a a study of the film "The peanut butter falcon" ( 2019 ) or "Honey Boy" (2019) and how the story flows and more on a character based story line? Thanksss~

[@warsaw16]

Hey I have been watching Christopher Nolans films, and I feel I will only have the motivation to write a screenplay if I have an incredible story like Nolan's films do. Do you have any tips on thinking of great stories

[@nobudgetshortfilms5510]

Start on with short stories then, like Twilight Zone-esque stories.

[@chaisonsfinalverdict]

EXACTLY what I needed thanks bro!!!

[@lionloschutz9291]

The House of Cards David Fincher Pilot is awesome

[@ElliottNest41]

Yes, it’s the best that I can remember.

[@thesoulstar205]

About to embark on my first tv show pilot, I'll comment under this one to show progress, and if this show sees the light, I'll be sure to say it here. I normally wouldn't say this here, but screw it.

[@MindToPage]

Can I ask how your script turned out? What did you write about?

[@elinapiller3313]

I wish I can work with you 1:1 Someday!! you are the best!!!

[@Vivivofi]

Thank u Barry Allen

[@Vivivofi]

[@samonamission_]

V-e-r-y usefull. Thank you Tyler! 👌

[@KeeksSnoogie79]

I know this is not a common trope in screenwriting like shows like POWER on STARZ and other shows similarly written where there's the protagonist but all these surrounding characters w/ their own struggles etc but still their problems intwines with the central main focused character how would you go about that while still maintaining this entire arc, would the same apply to the others? with my current story I have my main central one, but his love interests is also a secondary main character that story intwines with his own in a way as they're love interests. Idk if that made sense but idk what it's called w/ stories written like that.

[@NIKONGUY1960]

I have 8 adult characters. My pilot features one of them but this story involves all 8. After watching this, I can see that using this for each character will result in an 'A' story, with other characters making up the 'B' and 'C'. Not sure if that makes any sense. I've written quite a few episodes already and this is working for me. I can't see how featuring one of them will make for an interesting show.

[@JudiChristopher]

Laughing... I have 48 characters through out... and each one of them build on the other... Probably... 12 main ones... it is a story of a small town... The Town rather a STATE is the main character... LOL My editor of the regional manuscript was amazed how I kept 48 characters in order... They're my family... How is your Pilot going... and what is it about?

[@JudiChristopher]

Correction: NOT all 48 characters at one time... this is in 3 different cities...

[@jamesmmcgill]

Better Call Saul!

[@randömfiish]

damn right

[@VinnyfromSouthPhilly]

Very helpful

[@itzme993]

Thank you bae!

[@randömfiish]

God bless Dan Harmon and his handy dandy 8 step plan 🙏

[@rebelflour2521]

question: isn't an tv series a 5 act structure? please respond

[@lukegriffiths9777]

Think you might be waiting a while for him, The favoured format for most writers is 5, however tv shows can be any amount of acts realistically think of them as micro-acts, 3 act used to be popular, but as long as you have that build up , climax and resolution your free to do whatever in between If it makes sense

[@rebelflour2521]

@@lukegriffiths9777 thanks for the reply!!

[@malikpatton]

Does this apply to strictly hour long dramas? What about 30 minute shows? Comedies?

[@JohnnyCullen]

Kill-ian Murphy, not Sill-ian Murphy. (The actual pronunciation of Cillian Murphy's name)

[@elinapiller3313]

You are super teacher!!!

[@gluteusmaximus5094]

thomas freakin shelby.

[@theywerespaceships]

You skipped over Step 2. How does the Character Want differ from the Series Goal?

[@diabloakland]

Would this work if the main theme is my character doesn’t have a purpose? I think they could search for it but that’s the whole theme of the show for me.

[@NunYaa504]

I think Snowfall does this better than any show I’ve seen, even Breaking Bad

[@theroaster2562]

WHY DOES THE BGM SOUNDS LIKE A SAMPLE FOR "KINNA CHIR" SONG

[@pnr2736]

✌✌

[@thumbaumrrr]

Ok

[@rubenrios5331]

Great content but just an observation that I recently came across from one of my daughters teachers. He says RIGHT after or between every other word. I can't not hear this. It's all I can concentrate on because it happens so much. Maybe keep an ear out for how man times you say this. It may be a generational thing, but it's overwhelming. I used to say LIKE all the time after every other word and sometimes still do. I believe this is the same thing. Just a a little advice, do what you will with it. Great work otherwise!

[@MrShanester117]

Just know that you can write the best story ever and 99% the gate keepers will keep you out.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

They will try

[@tanyenomichelle7021]

Build a door.

[@juju10683]

“Find a way or make one” - Hannibal Barca

[@karldarx2698]

Cope and seethe

[@DrTomb]

What is this based on, experience ....

[@SurprisedAzaleaFlower-gj3tc]

Circles are good the L word