Hey fellow writers! I'm working on a thirty minute comedy pilot that takes place in Los Angeles, but more specifically on the east side (Silverlake/Echo Park.) When writing a pilot, is it smart to be very specific about the area that the story takes place, or can that hurt you if the references to the culture of that area aren't well known to those who don't live there, i.e. the reader of said pilot? I want to separate this from the 'Hollywood scene' that so frequently portrays Los Angeles and focus on the vibrant culture and unique charm of the east side, including references to living on the east side as opposed to the west, but I'm not sure if for the sake of a pilot this is a good idea. It's not a huge element of the story, but just a few references throughout. Further, what would some of you suggest when describing locations. Again, should I be specific (INT. Thirsty Crow, EXT. Micheltorena Stairs) or more generic (INT. Bar, EXT. Alley). I love and appreciate shows that use their location as if it's an additional 'character' of the show. YOU'RE THE WORST does the east side of LA proud, as does GIRLS with Brooklyn. However, I'm not sure if this element is a good idea for a pilot, where so much more needs to be established. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
Screenwriting : Pilot Writing- Can being hyperlocal help or hinder? by Matthew Farrell
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For now go with specifics. Then when you have a finished final draft you are happy with go back and make the sluglines generic. That way you have two versions. when you pitch local you use the specific version; when you pitch out of state you sue the generic version. If your pilot gets interest from a producer who doesn't know the specifics of the Silverlake/Echo Park area you can expand your pitch to showcase the uniqueness of the area. That's MUCH easier to do when you have a producer interested in the material. So you end up with a win-win situation.
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Really interesting approach, D. Marcus! One bit of feedback we often hear from execs that might help you: making something too "LA-focused/Hollywood" can be a non-starter, because the world is automatically so insular that a general audience won't identify with it. I think it's a fine line to walk, and the question to ask is, what references add to the script, and which are somewhat "self-indulgent/inside-jokey"?
Thanks to you both for the feedback! Matt, I was thinking along those lines as well. On one hand, I figured too many references could turn off a reader and fall flat to anyone outside the LA bubble, but at the same time so much about where this story is set can lend itself to the characters stories and the feel of the pilot. Finding a happy medium seems like the best bet. Thanks again!
You know "feel" of a TV show is all fake. "Friends" was shot in Los Angeles sound stage and "Melrose Place"- LA Natives can't even find Melrose Place. Simply it is the cost of the pilot and every episode if the pilot is greenlit for a series run. There is a reason they build and shoot Interiors on recurring set pieces like Cheer's bar or Super Girl's day job at the office. Makes shooting problematic if the same real locations were used every week. Booking Time and schedules around real restaurants, bars. And every episode uses reoccurring locations. So write a killer pilot and let the Producer, Prod Designer, and Location Scout do theirs.
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If a producer is looking for a New York themes pilot then a LA-focused/Hollywood pilot would be a non-starter. What about a producer who is looking for a LA/Hollywood series? What about one who is open to just about anything? What about a producer looking for a very personal point of view show where great characters are the primary focus? The New York references didn't turn of the Hollywood producers of "Friends" - and it connected with the general audience. The producers of "Girls" didn't seem to mind the Brooklyn setting. or reverences. An excellent pilot can be reworked to fit whatever setting is wanted. If the producers of "Arrested Development" had decided the show should take place in Rockaway Beach rather then Newport Beach it would have been an easy rewrite. But one thing that helped set the tone of those series were the locations. A generic location with no references to a place might seem like a generic pilot without a unique point of view. To me, that is the non-starter.