How Do TV Networks and Production Studios Develop Pilot Scripts?

The basis for any tv series is the pilot script and the development department of a production company. The script establishes the world, the characters, and the format of the episodes to come. The development department makes a deal with the writer to develop the script into a show. There are several different types of pilot scripts and development deals, and they can be a little confusing, so we’re going to go through them.

Pilot scripts can be original or based on underlying property, and can be made by internal or external writers. There are also several different types of scripts that deals can be made for, three common ones include the blind script, the straight script, and the if-come script. If the script is original it means that the writer came up with a unique idea for the script, if it is based on underlying property then the script is based on a book, film, comic, etc. If the writer is internal it means that they have an overall deal with the studio and will go to the studio first with all of their new project ideas. External writers do not have deals to work with particular studios and are usually hired on for individual projects.

With the Blind Script the writer does not have a set idea for the script when they first meet with the studio. They provide the studio with several ideas and work with the studio to develop one of them into a pilot script. In return the studio agrees to pay a writers fee and to work with the writer to help develop the ideas. Blind Script deals occur when there is an established writer that the studio wants to work with, and they are willing to help come up with ideas rather than buy an already completed script because they have faith that whatever this writer creates will be a success.

Straight Scripts are what most people think of when they think of scripts, a writer that does not have an overall deal with a network comes up with a story idea and writes a script. They then pitch their script to various networks and studios until it is picked up. The studio will make a deal with the writer to pay them a fee in exchange for the script and often some revisions. An If-Come Script is often a deal made for a young writer's script, or a script that isn’t the highest priority for the studio. In the deal, the studio likes the script but does not want to pay up front. Instead they pitch it to networks, and if it sells the studio pays the writer.

When a writer or a studio pitches a script to different networks they first consider which networks their script will fit with the best. Different networks, cable, and streaming services serve different demographics and are known for offering different types of content. Now more than ever there are many different places where people can get video content and it is important to choose the right option for your project. With the networks, CBS has a lot of procedurals and reality competition shows, ABC has several dramas developed by Shonda Rhimes which are aimed more towards females, The CW is targeted towards teens and young adults, etc. Cable channels are more specialized with some focusing entirely on single genres and others aimed at specific audiences. Streaming services are often more varied, aimed at offering their subscribers with the biggest variety of content possible, but some have specialized in specific content.

Once a writer or a studio has successfully pitched to a network the next step is for all parties to come to agreements on the terms of the deal.

This involves a lot of back and forth negotiations between the studio, the network, and the writer. This starts with the Studio Deal Letter and the Network Development Letter. The former is sent by the studio to the network with their proposed terms and is very focused on the specific points that it wants the network to include in the final agreement, the latter is sent by the network and is a more broad overview of the deal. These deals include how many episodes the show’s first season will be, who has the rights to the project, how many times a network can show episodes if they are on live tv, if the network has the rights to include the show on other platforms, and more. There is also a Development Script Agreement between the studio and the writer outlining the fees the writer will be paid, the services they are responsible for completing, if they can work on other projects, and more. All of these agreements serve to keep everyone on the same page and to hold all parties accountable to fulfill their obligations and not infringe on the rights of the other parties involved.