Hi everyone, I’m Aleksey, a new member of Stage 32, and I’m excited to share that I’ve completed a 10-episode epic fantasy series called Between Light and Darkness! The story follows a group of heroes in a world where the stars are fading and darkness is rising, blending epic stakes with deep emotional journeys.
I’m particularly looking for feedback on the pilot episode, 'Shadows of the Past' (50–60 minutes), which sets up the story by introducing a diverse ensemble cast—a thoughtful teen and his family, an ancient alchemist, two hunters, and a blacksmith on a mission—while balancing warm, grounded moments with a growing sense of threat. As a new screenwriter, I’d love to hear from fellow writers and producers: what are your tips for making a fantasy pilot episode engaging and memorable? Are there any pitfalls to avoid when introducing an ensemble cast in the first episode?
Since the full 10-episode season is already written, I’d also appreciate any advice on the next steps—how to pitch a completed series to producers or what to focus on when refining the script for potential production. A bit about me: I’m also a songwriter and performer, so I bring a creative perspective to storytelling, even if my music is a separate passion. Any feedback, recommendations, or suggestions would be amazing as I continue to develop this project. Thank you, and I’m excited to connect with this community!
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Hi, Aleksey Salikhov. Stage 32 has TV feedback services (www.stage32.com/scriptservices).
I've written a Fantasy pilot. I really leaned into the episode's concept to think of creative scenes and make the pilot engaging and memorable. And I made the environment unique, engaging, and memorable.
I haven't introduced an ensemble cast in a pilot, but I have in feature scripts. I suggest making each character's intro memorable so the reader doesn't miss any of the characters or confuse them with each other.
I've never pitched a completed series to producers before. You usually only need the pilot and a series bible, and sometimes just the pilot. A pitch deck can help, but it's not always necessary.
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Hey Maurice Vaughan , thanks a ton for your awesome feedback! It’s so cool to hear from someone who’s written a fantasy pilot - I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I’ve been working on making my scenes creative, like with a magical golden table that tempts one of my characters and a big battle in an ancient academy, so it’s great to know I’m on the right track with focusing on creativity. I also love your idea about making the settings stand out. I’ve got a village with fading star and a Yellow Forest with crystal chipmunks, but I’ll definitely work on adding more unique details to make them pop even more.
Your advice about the ensemble cast is super helpful! I do have a bunch of characters in the pilot, and I want to make sure they’re all memorable. My thoughtful teen, his daring brother, and the ancient alchemist have some strong moments, but I’m thinking the two hunters could use a bit more to stand out. Do you have any favorite tricks for making character intros really stick with the audience?
Also, thanks for the pitching tip - didn’t know you usually just need the pilot and a series bible, so that’s super encouraging! I actually already have a pitch written for the series, and I’d love to get your take on it if you’re up for checking it out. Since you’ve done a fantasy pilot, I’d also love to hear if there’s anything tricky about pitching a fantasy series I should watch out for. Thanks again, Maurice - you’ve been a huge help, and I’m so excited to be part of this community!
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You're welcome, Aleksey Salikhov. A magical golden table that tempts a character and a big battle in an ancient academy sound interesting! And the village with a fading star and a Yellow Forest with crystal chipmunks!
I base a character's intro off their personality and what's going on in the scene at the time. And I add a short, catchy description of the character's personality (their appearance and clothes/accessories too if they're important to the story).
I've swamped with projects and scripts to read right now, but Stage 32 has Pitch Sessions I suggest using to get feedback on your pitch (www.stage32.com/scriptservices/pitch-sessions).
And Stage 32 has Pitch Practices in the Writers' Room. Pitch Practice is the best pitching resource in my opinion. It's every Thursday night at 5:30 P.M. PST/8:30 P.M. EST. You can sit in and listen to members practice their projects and give them feedback. You can pitch your project too, but you have to sign up. The hosts, Noel Thompson and John Mezes, take names during Pitch Practice for people to pitch the following week. You have to sit in and listen at the practice before you can pitch (I think once or twice). One night each month is the Pitch Practice Happy Hour where everyone hangs out and gets to know each other better. I think it's the 3rd or 4th week every month. If you’re not a Writers’ Room member yet, you can sign up for your first month free here: www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip
Pitching a Fantasy series is like pitching any kind of series in my experience except there's a bigger focus on the world and fantasy elements. And the world and fantasy elements should make sense to the story and be constant, but really, the same thing should go for any kind of series.