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Preparation and Resources

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Hi there, Emmanuel here!

Let’s talk about preparation, available resources and how to make the most of this course…

‘Writing a successful TV Series’ is an add-on to the main Advanced Development Workshop/Course, so you’re expected to be familiar with the Story-Type Method. If that’s the case, please skip the section below and go directly here.

For Those Who Are New to the Method

If you haven’t followed the Advanced Development Workshop/Course or read Screenwriting Unchained recently, you have three main options:

Option 1 (for perfectionists)

If you’d like to make the most of this course, I highly recommend that you read the first volume in the book series, Screenwriting Unchained or take the Advanced Development Online Course before going through this TV course, to familiarise yourself with the advanced tools and techniques that can be used with any kind of screenwriting, including series.
This is how the Story-Type Method series of online courses is designed: Any add-on course can be taken independently, but they all build on the concepts, tools and techniques detailed in the main online course, which introduces the method itself and explores a comprehensive toolbox. To help you decide between the book and the course, feel free to take a look at the feature comparison table in the course page.

Option 2 (for those short on time or money)

I understand that you might not want to read a 470-page book or invest in a 15-hour online course when you’re about to do this one, so if you’re willing to compromise a little, you can download a free sampler of Screenwriting Unchained (first seventy pages of the book) from the Members’ Area. The sampler includes the introduction and the first chapter, providing an overview of the method up to and including the section on Maslow, with many info-graphs and examples. You’ll also find an extra 10% discount off the Advanced Development Online Course, should you decide to go that route after reading the sampler.

Option 3 (for those in a hurry)

Finally, for those who don’t have the time (or the inclination) to read even the free sampler, we’ve included with this online course a one-hour introduction to the method called “The Three Dimensions of Screenwriting“. This free mini-course is available as soon as you login or register with the website, but you can start exploring it right away — it should be a great help to anyone new to the method. However, if you find it too short, please consider one of the other two options for preparation, as I have a lot more time there to introduce concepts and develop them.

For Everyone

If you’re already familiar with the method (or once you’ve explored one of the options above), you’ll need at least a week to prepare if you want to make the most of this course, as I recommend you watch a few series before going through the case studies (Modules 4-7).

It’s possible to do this preparation as you go through the first three modules of the course (Series Design and Project Development), but please be aware that the content is designed assuming you’ve watched these series before you start.

Here are the series I suggest you watch before following the course if you want to make the most of it:

The first season of the main case studies:

Stranger Things (Duffer Brothers)
Season 1, 8×50 min. Available to buy or rent on AppleTV+, Netflix and on Bluray/DVD

Case study in ‘4. Developing a plot-led series’

Sex Education (Laurie Nunn)
Season 1, 8×50 min. Available to buy or rent on AppleTV+, Netflix

Case study in ‘5. Developing a character-led series’

Big Little Lies (David E. Kelley)
Season 1, 7×50 min. Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play, HBO, Hulu, iTunes/AppleTV+, NowTV and Bluray/DVD

Case study in ‘6. Developing a theme-led series’

And the pilot/first episode of these:

(if you mind spoilers, please watch the whole season)

Killing Eve (Phoebe Waller-Bridge)
Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes/AppleTV+ and Bluray/DVD
Case study in ‘3.2 Writing a Compelling Pilot’

Occupied (Jo Nesbo)
Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, iTunes/AppleTV+, Netflix and Bluray/DVD
Bonus case study in ‘6. Developing a theme-led series’

Mr. Robot (Sam Esmail)
Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes/AppleTV+ and Bluray/DVD
Case study in ‘7. Hybrids and Exceptions’

Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge)
Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, iTunes/AppleTV+ and Bluray/DVD
Case study in ‘7. Hybrids and Exceptions’

Happy Valley (Sally Wainwright)
Available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes/AppleTV+ and Bluray/DVD
Case study in ‘7. Hybrids and Exceptions’

It’s up to you to source these series if you haven’t watched them already. I’ve chosen well-known titles that should be easy to find just about anywhere in the world on streaming, bluray or DVD.

For your convenience, we provide direct links to stream, rent or purchase these titles wherever they are available. Please note that some of these are affiliate links. We might earn a small amount if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Although we try to keep them up-to-date, availability fluctuates and some links might not work in your country. Please kindly report any broken links.

Spoiler Alert

If you mind spoilers, please make sure that, besides the first season of all the series listed above, you’ve watched the pilot of Transparent (J. Soloway) as we’ll use it to illustrate cliffhangers in topic 1.2, ‘Conventional Series Design’.


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