I have written 2 episodes of a sitcom,one a introduction to the characters the second a plot line and was after advice on what's next? Do I send both episodes? Do I write a treatment and a character breakdown? A rough outline of the next 3/4 episodes?

All advice welcome......

You send in the best episode, and an outline of the rest of the series.

I kind of used this as an example of an outline (even though it's 10 episode for animation): http://www.consortiumofgenius.com/cogtv/outline.htm

But you'll get the jist.

I have read that a sitcom should never have to use a pilot to outline everything... because if it got made and the pilot had to be pulled they would skip to the second episode, also some of the time episodes aren’t even shown in order, the funniest are shown first to grab the audience.

So I suggest you send the funnier of the two, I've only just learned that myself, but I find it hard to actually restate everything every episode.

Thanks guys very helpful, really appreciate it.

What happened to cog zap?

Quote: paul watson @ April 2, 2007, 11:17 AM

I have read that a sitcom should never have to use a pilot to outline everything... because if it got made and the pilot had to be pulled they would skip to the second episode, also some of the time episodes aren’t even shown in order, the funniest are shown first to grab the audience.

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On a related point, take a look at Andrew Collins's excellent Q&A about Not Going Out on the writers section of this site. Quoting Mr Collins: "The opening scenes tended to be overlong [in early drafts], because that's where the story was set up, plus we had to establish the relationship for anyone tuning in for the first time."

So according to this advice it's useful to have a method, brief if possible, of identifying the key character relationships early in each episode.

Quote: Daddy Maz @ April 3, 2007, 5:40 PM

Thanks guys very helpful, really appreciate it.

What happened to cog zap?

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I wouldn't know, i just found when searching to "tv series outline/treatment" on google.

Quote: hotzappa11 @ April 3, 2007, 9:35 PM

I wouldn't know, i just found when searching to "tv series outline/treatment" on google.

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HA! Nice one!