Pilot School
Pilot scripts for just about every TV show you can think of, all in one place.
An absolute gold mine. If you’re thinking about writing TV, clear your schedule and start reading. (Thanks to Jim Campolongo for the link.)
johnaugust.com
(a ton of useful information about screenwriting)
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This site is run by screenwriter John August. Mostly, he answers reader-submitted questions about the craft, but occasionally he goes on tangents that run far afield of writing and filmmaking. You'll also find info on past, present and future projects.
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April 13th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Wow, excellent link. Thanks for sharing!
April 13th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Oh HELL YEAH! – i been looking all over for this KINGS pilot. :) Thank you guys.
April 13th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
… the links… they’re so beautiful…
They even have Sports Night!
April 13th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
WOW! Between this and those two youtube videos you are re-directing my life. Don’t publish this. Ack. Thank you. Sincere thanks.
April 13th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Oh.My.God!
April 13th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Great source to inform oneself about a specific show’s format for the next spec!
April 14th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Thanks!
April 14th, 2009 at 12:35 am
I think it’s worth noting that the main site ( http://tvwriting.googlepages.com/ ) is pretty superb as well, with show bibles and random episodes for a bunch of different series, including Star Trek, Quantum Leap, The Wire… very cool.
April 14th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Working on a pilot now. Thank you!
April 14th, 2009 at 2:28 am
Holy… Wow. Thanks for the link!
April 14th, 2009 at 6:06 am
I really hope all the new attention to that site doesn’t get it shut down. :(
April 14th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Hi John and everybody. Quick question regarding one of these pilot scripts (if you read any of them). I’m a big DAMAGES fan, so I read the pilot script for that show. Right in the beginning TEASER (pg. 6), the writers did an INTERCUT scene between two characters in two different locations. Now, usually all one would have to do is write INTERCUT, and then just the dialogue from the two characters without always having to add a SHOT HEADING when switching back and forth. These writers did the INTERCUT, but also added a SHOT HEADING every time they switched back and forth. Is this because this certain script was the FINAL SHOOTING script? Or is this the new practice being used by the pros? Thanks
April 14th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
@Kevin– actually, it was three speaking characters in those two limos. so they probably either did it because that’s their personal style in general, or because they thought with three characters, it’d help keep things straight. But, no, it’s not a sign of an overall industry trend or because it’s a shooting draft.
In fact, I’m guessing the line producer saw all those scene headings and was a little annoyed (since all those headings implies many scenes and set-ups were needed, when really there was only two).
Remember: clarity is key. Intercutting between two scenes without new scene headings can save you space and keep the dialogue nice and crisp for your reader, but it’s not a requirement. For example, if I was cutting between a single person on one end, and a conference room full of people (and a speaker phone) on the other, simply using the Intercut direction might actually confuse the reader more than help…
Also, if you as the writer feel there’s a specific line of dialogue that’s best delivered either on screen or off, this is your chance to highlight it as such. Which is more interesting to visualize… the person saying on the phone: “She’s dead, Jim” or the person’s reaction as they hear it on the other end of the line? It’s your call…
April 15th, 2009 at 12:20 am
I just read ep. 15 of Firefly. I’m pretty sure I can die happy now.
Oh, wait, I have to become a television writer first. Small thing…
April 15th, 2009 at 4:22 am
What a resource! Amazing, thanks!
April 15th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Very cool stuff, I love the opportunity to read all the good scripts that I can while I attempt to scale my own mountain. Big ups for the link.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Hate to be a stickler for detail but the inclusion of NY-Lon in the list of pilots that were unused and unloved” isn’t strictly true. The show ran for one season a few years back on British station Channel 4…this script seems to be the American version they were planning on making but from the few pages i read a lot of it seems to be the same.
April 16th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Oh, man…I’m so glad you posted this link. What a great resource. Thank you! :)
April 17th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Awesome!!! Thanks
April 17th, 2009 at 8:03 am
@Eric Thanks for the info!
April 18th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Yes!!!
I have been hunting for BRUCE WAYNE for years. At last! Thanks so much!
April 19th, 2009 at 1:33 am
@TreenyTru – I remember C4’s NY-LON. It was five years ago, though, so I think a remake that didn’t take off in 2009 probably deserves its place in Hell.
April 19th, 2009 at 11:29 am
Awesome… But the Friday Night Lights script does not work…
April 19th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Are those shooting scripts, orginal or re-written after the shows?
April 20th, 2009 at 12:28 am
The Friday Night Lights link has been fixed – thank’s for pointing it out.
@Noah there are no transcripts on the site, only shooting scripts or earlier drafts. Just not always in PDF.
April 26th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Great Site. Any chance you could post the pilot script for Three Rivers that Donor Recipient). This could be interesting (thinking back to some of the cool episodes where this), or crap. Just wondering.