Submitted!

I finally finished my multi-camera sitcom pilot in time to enter it into the TrackingB contest yesterday. This is the first writing contest I’ve ever entered, and from what I’ve read it’s highly acclaimed. Based on the feedback I’ve received from those who have read it, I feel optimistic about my chances.

It took a lot of work to get the script done in time, mainly because I became aware of the contest a few weeks ago. I’d never attempted to write a television script before, so this was an eye-opening experience for me.

Prior to entering, I took the time to analyze a handful of scripts written for some of the best shows on television. Fortunately, there is an ample amount of scripts available online.

The three shows I studied were Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother, and Southpark. I also read episodes of The Office and Big Bang Theory, though I didn’t take notes for these.

It was interesting to discover the subtle nuances that separate these shows. Seinfeld used 3 to 5 plots for each episode, while South Park only used two. South Park incorporated a theme, while Seinfeld did not.  How I Met Your Mother effectively included a theme in their A story, but they did not in their B story (at least in the episode I analyzed).

As a person who sought to become a novel writer, my understanding of story typically involves a principle plot and a subplot that is typically, if not exclusively, a romantic in nature.

Also of important note, feature length films and novels are usually include a character arc. Sitcoms, on the other hand, do not (that’s how they keep the same story going for so many years). The one exception is the pilot episode.

Now that I’ve entered my script into the contest, I’m going to have more writing time available for posting here. Let me know if you’re interested in reading my analyses of the scripts I studied.

Thomas M. Watt