Course Details

Television may be a business for creative people, but it is?first and foremost?a business. And too often, aspiring writers, producers, and executives fail not because they lack talent or creativity, but because they don?t fully understand the business they?re trying to infiltrate. This seminar not only takes its participants on a guided tour of TV?s intricate network/studio system, it arms students with the knowledge and information necessary to navigate that world on their own.

Participants will begin by exploring the infrastructure of the industry, studying the differences between networks and studios, production companies and pods. We?ll examine various types of development deals, follow a script as it evolves from pitch to pilot to series, and even journey into a series? writers room, looking at the hierarchy of writers and how they interact with their corporate parents. Lastly, we?ll investigate career paths and opportunities for anyone who wishes to have a hand in creating the next Seinfeld or Lost. Throughout Hollywood, countless writers and producers are desperate for answers to these questions? answers that could take them to the next step in their career. Now that step is only a seminar away.

In this seminar, you can expect to learn:

• How television?s corporate structure works? and how that structure is changing
•  What TV execs look for? How do they find projects? From whom do they buy?
• The differences between various development deals (if-comes, script commitments, put pilots, overalls, etc.)
• The difference between pilot development and episodic development
• How a writers room works? how writers are hired, who hires them, and how they collaborate with studios, networks, and producers
• How agents and managers interact with executives and producers? and how to find the best representative for you
• The best jobs to break into the business? and how to get them

Instructor Bio

Chad Gervich's Courses

Chad Gervich is a television producer, published author, and award-winning playwright who spent five years as a development executive and producer with the Littlefield Company, former NBC president Warren Littlefield's production company with Paramount Television. Chad developed and produced the Style network's hit comedy/reality series, Foody Call, and recently executive produced Celebrity Drive-By, a talk show pilot for E! Entertainment. He's currently working on Dirty Laundry, an internet soap for FOX, and writing on staff for The Daily Grind, an online comedy for Warner Brothers.

Prior to joining Littlefield, Chad worked in development at NBC Studios, Sony Pictures, CBS Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox. He's been instrumental in the development, production, and maintenance of countless pilots and series such as Love, Inc. (UPN), Malcolm in the Middle (FOX), Like Family (WB), Time Tunnel (FOX), Star Search (CBS), and Do Over (WB). His plays have been produced across the country, and his writing appears regularly in Daily Variety, Fade In, Moving Pictures, Writer's Digest and Orange Coast, as well as in several other nationally available books and magazines.

Testimonials

I started this class with a blank writing tablet and ended the course with a spec script that I would be proud to submit to an agent. That's worth the time and the money. -- Dylan Conroy, assistant to Bruce Nash, Nash Entertainment

"I thought the seminar was valuable - Chad was a dynamic speaker and took his time to make sure that everyone in the class participated and got their questions answered. I will definitely take another class with him. " -- Angie Truschel, Research, Marketing, and PR Assistant

"The seminar offers a great overview of the TV writing and production landscape and how the business works. Chad is a very energetic and charismatic speaker with a non-judgmental, supportive teaching style. I felt like I left the seminar with tangible tools to move forward with the next step." -- Sue Karlin, freelance journalist Newsweek, Forbes, Esquire

"The seminar is well-organized, entertaining, and packed with information. Chad has valuable insights to share about the TV business and the craft of writing pilots. Whether you're a rookie or a professional, you'll feel focused, smarter, and ready to write after these 3 hours." -- Wendy Calhoun, staff writer, Raines NBC-Universal/NBC

"The course content was fabulous. Exactly what I expected in terms of starting from scratch to getting into the minute detail. What more can you do in 3 hours really? For a 3-hour seminar it was just perfect. We went overtime because there's just so much to know about this subject." -- Georgia Cassimatis

"Chad Gervich is very knowledgeable and is able to present all topics in an informative, logical way with lots of enthusiasm." --Vanessa Amador

"Chad is passionate about television and very down to Earth. I was very impressed with the candid nature of Chad's information and his honest responses to people's questions. He gave them real answers." --Chayah Masters

"The presentation of the material was excellent. This is probably the best course I've taken of the four good classes I've taken with Media Bistro." --Roberta Cruger