Story Maps: TV Drama

The Structure of the One-Hour Television Pilot

Daniel P. Calvisi | 4.50 | 184 ratings and reviews

Daniel Calvisi brings his Story Maps screenwriting method to television as he breaks down the structure of the TV drama pilot, citing case studies from the most popular, ground-breaking series of recent years, including THE WALKING DEAD, GAME OF THRONES, HOUSE OF CARDS, TRUE DETECTIVE, BREAKING BAD, MR. ROBOT, SCANDAL and MAD MEN.

Story Maps: TV Drama offers the first beat sheet for television screenwriters ("Save the Cat" for TV). This is the structural template that aspiring and professional TV writers have been looking for. A clear, practical, step-by-step method to write a pilot that adheres to Hollywood standards.

How to write a TV pilot has never been easier. Writing a pilot begins here.

This book first introduces you to the key formats, genres and terminology of modern TV shows, then details the major signpost beats of a teleplay and the crucial characteristics that must be present in each act, using specific examples from our new "Golden Age of Television."

Story Maps: TV Drama has been endorsed by many industry professionals in Hollywood, including:

"Story Maps: TV Drama is a handy, practical guide that walks writers through the process of creating a compelling TV drama. Using examples from some of the most respected shows on television, writers will learn to master the form from outline to Fade Out. I wish I'd had this book when I was first starting out!"
- Hilary Weisman Graham, Writer, Bones (Fox), Orange is the New Black (Netflix)

"I plan to use Calvisi's process on our upcoming show in development at Starz."
- Kirkland Morris, Producer (Tomorrow, Today (STARZ))

"An excellent resource."
- M-L Erlbach, Writer, Masters of Sex (Showtime)

"This book blows all others out of the water! There's no other TV writing book that offers this level of detail when it comes to how to structure a one-hour television drama pilot."
- Larry Reitzer, Writer, Melissa & Joey, Just Shoot Me!, Ugly Betty

"I've worked in film and television for years and I can say for certain that there is nothing else like Calvisi's book anywhere out there. His system is truly unique and breaks TV pilot structure down step-by-step, using very specific examples from some of the great pilots of recent years."
- Fritz Manger, Producer, A Deadly Adoption with Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig

"I've turned to Calvisi for notes on several scripts in the past, and this new book is well-timed as the industry makes a huge shift toward television. This is a fantastic primer in developing a rock-solid one-hour TV pilot. I recommend this book to writers as the foundation in creating excellent story structure."
- Richard J. Bosner, Producer, Fruitvale Station, The Wannabe, Other People

"Calvisi has a firm grasp on the nature of the one-hour drama for television. I have little doubt that by following his guidelines and doing your homework, he can lead you to create a great pilot of your own!"
- Jenny Frankfurt, Literary Manager, High Street Management

"I'm thrilled for you that Calvisi has written this fantastic new book that will undoubtedly help you structure your original TV pilot. The bottom line is, don't learn the hard way like I did. Use Dan's book instead."
- Joe Nimziki, Creator of upcoming Sony TV series Kreskin; Director, The Howling, Outer Limits; Senior Executive, New Line Cinema, Sony Pictures

"Daniel Calvisi does an expert job of breaking down the structure of television pilots in a way that's not only easy to understand, but can be easily applied to one's own work. If you're thinking of writing a TV pilot, read this book first!"
- Christine Conradt, Writer/Producer/Director of 50 Lifetime network movies, The Bride He Bought Online, Stalked at 17 less

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