[julie Beckett]

What I learned:

Each character needs to have layers of MIS and it’s good to find a subsection of your world to make it more unique.

Concept: A high school senior battles ghosts, zombies, and ruthless sex traffickers as she searches for her best friend who goes missing in a haunted house.

The Big M.I.S. of your story?

Big
Mystery:

Who
is kidnapping girls? What is happening to them?

Big
Intrigue:

Are
the men they meet in the haunted house involved with kidnapping?

Big
Suspense:

Can
she find her friend and get out of the haunted house alive?

World: An adult (16+) haunted house

HEROINE

A.
What is the mystery of this character? Who is she and how much does she
know?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? Can she find and save her friend?
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? Will she be able to conquer her
fears?

VILLAIN

A.
What is the mystery of this character? Is he just a business owner or a
ruthless criminal?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? How is he getting away with
kidnapping girls?
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? He enjoys the pursuit and is
always one step ahead.

RED HERRING (best friend’s boyfriend)

A.
What is the mystery of this character? Is he a good or bad guy?
B.
What is the suspense of this character? Will he save his girlfriend or
side with the kidnappers?
C.
What is the intrigue of this character? Does he know what the cartel is doing?

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Big M.I.S.

What I learned:

The differences between mystery, intrigue, and suspense.

This story needs some refinement but the basics are there.

Logline:

A high school senior battles ghosts, zombies, and ruthless sex traffickers as she searches for her best friend who goes missing in a haunted house.

1. What are the conventions of your story?

<div>
Unwitting
but Resourceful Hero: Popular high school girl in over her head finds her
courage and uses her knowledge and skills to outsmart her attackers.</div><div>

Dangerous
Villain: A vile human trafficker who is overconfident, having gotten away
with his crime for some time.

High
stakes: Emotional and psychological threats as the girl is alone in a
haunted house.

Life
and death situations: kidnapping, escaping from cages and fire, being drugged,
and being shot at.

This
story is thrilling because? It will have different, escalating levels of
continuous danger.

</div>

2. Tell us the Big M.I.S. of your story?

<div>
Big
Mystery: What is the main mystery of your story that will keep us
wondering throughout the story? A girl’s friend is kidnapped in the middle
of a haunted house. Will she be able to find her?
</div><div>

Big
Intrigue: What is the covert, clandestine, underhanded plot that will live
under the surface for most of the movie? The haunted house is a front for
traffickers who kidnap girls every Halloween season.

Big
Suspense: What is the main danger to your Hero that will continue to
escalate throughout the script? Can she find her friend and get out of the
haunted house alive?

</div>

[julie Beckett]

I agree to the terms of this release form. Juliana Beckett

GROUP RELEASE FORM

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.

2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.

I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.

3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.

4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.

6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[julie Beckett]

What I learned: This was a lesson in reverse about what not to do in a movie. I chose this movie from Amazon Prime but later learned that Rolling Stone gave it one star. Ouch. It didn’t follow all of the conventions of a thriller but was classified as suspense/action. I learned that it is very important to create multilayered characters and avoid stereotypes and cliches.

Movie: Force of Nature

Unwitting
but Resourceful Hero:

Our
hero does not want to do his job and he is suicidal after killing his policewoman
girlfriend by mistake. He does kill a bad guy and lead the villain to his
death though.

Dangerous
Villain:

The
villain is after what is in the safe, which is empty. He then goes after
expensive paintings that are hidden in the building.

High
stakes:

Life
or death after the villains kill a policeman. Also, the future of
paintings kept in the family for generations.

Life
and death situations:

Multiple
shootouts, hanging off the scaffolding in the rain being shot at, animal
mauled its owner.

This
movie is thrilling because?

Fast
paced action

What is the BIG Mystery, Intrigue, and Suspense of this story?

<div>
Big
Mystery: Where are the real paintings hidden in the apt. bldg.
</div><div>

Big
Intrigue: no intrigue about the villain;
he is looking to steal the paintings.

Big
Suspense: Being hunted throughout the building

</div>

Anything else you’d like to say about what made this movie a great thriller?

LOL, I should have read the reviews which gave it 2 stars. I was confused as to who the hero was. It should have been Mel Gibson. Alas, he was killed.

[julie Beckett]

Hi Everyone,

I’m Julie and I’ve written 1 spec script and one TV pilot, both police dramas. I’m working on marketing the TV script and I want to learn how to plot better to write a contained thriller. I’m from CO but love water so I need to travel often to see it.

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Marketing Campaign

What I learned is how to put a plan of action into place geared toward a specific outcome.

Campaign: Market to Producers

Actions:

· Update select social media with my profile and script info.

· Research contact info. for targeted producers.

· Copyright my script again since it’s changed quite a bit.

· Finalize my query letter.

· Create a website for my series.

· Work on my verbal pitch and practice with local people.

3. Tell us the first action you are going to take…and take it.

· Research contact info. for targeted producers.

[julie Beckett]

Hey Frances,

Sounds like a very interesting and entertaining story! I got a “Titanic meets Speed” vibe. My initial thoughts:

The title could be shortened to “The Great Steamboat Race”. That alone is interesting and lets us know what time period we are in. Could this be a romance/drama category? It depends what audiences you will be trying to attract. I was curious about what the stakes were (winner take all). Were they racing for money, the boat, bragging rights? The characters are interesting and you have all the story beats down. Perhaps the synopsis could be shortened to one paragraph for each Act.

Nice job and good luck with your marketing!😀 Julie

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Query Letter – 1st Draft

Dear Producer,

“Instead of defund, we defang.” – Mayor Osgood

Good news: the mayor of Detroit just approved Jackson King’s pilot program that diverts domestic-related 911 calls away from the police and hands them to a new civilian team, DART, to decrease excessive violence and provide more comprehensive care and access to community programs.

“Nonviolent conflict resolution, isn’t that an oxymoron?” – Johnny, Police Officer

Bad news: the DART team will have to train with and co-respond to calls with the police, who are not on board. Why should they give part of their already meager budget, plus office/gym/parking space to lowly civilians when they’re already doing that job, plus a helluva lot more?

The two teams are yin and yang, power vs. force, militarist policing vs. community policing. While they are in some ways opposites, they function best together. But they don’t know that yet. With different cultures, regulations, and mandates, the trick will be to find a way to work together while staying alive in the dangerous Detroit streets.

This idea for this series was inspired by a similar community program in Denver. The show is powered by my degree in psychology and experience caring for a mentally ill parent, working in the ER and Psych floors of a hospital, learning martial arts, and completing a police citizen academy.

The two, charismatic lead characters will make choice roles for actors who want to explore social change and police reform. The series holds a great opportunity to lead the way with a timely and socially relevant show while still capitalizing on the popularity and success of intense, character-driven police dramas.

For a front row seat to this Detroit drama, please reach out. I’d love to send you the script.

Best,

Juliana Beckett

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Target Market

What I learned is that there are many producers for TV shows compared to movies. I didn’t look up any for talent yet but that is a second options.

Title: Detroit DPD: DART

Genre: Police Drama

Logline:

An old-school Detroit police force is forced to work with the progressive, civilian DART team to resolve domestic related cases peacefully, resulting in disruptive culture clashes.

1. Southland

1. Christopher Chulack … executive producer (43 episodes, 2009-2013)

2. Jon Paré … producer / co-executive producer (43 episodes, 2009-2013)

3. Andrew Stearn … co-executive producer / producer / executive producer (43 episodes, 2009-2013)

4. John Wells … executive producer (43 episodes, 2009-2013)

5. Michael Haro … associate producer (36 episodes, 2010-2013)

6. Jonathan Lisco … executive producer / co-executive producer (30 episodes, 2011-2013)

7. Cheo Hodari Coker … co-producer / supervising producer (20 episodes, 2011-2012)

8. Chic Daniel … associate producer (20 episodes, 2011-2012)

9. Ann Biderman … executive producer (13 episodes, 2009-2010)

10. Will Rokos … co-producer (10 episodes, 2011)

11. Jason Horwitch … consulting producer (10 episodes, 2012)

12. Dave Lifshin … associate producer (10 episodes, 2012)

13. Mario Cortez … associate producer (10 episodes, 2013)

14. Tom Flores … associate producer (10 episodes, 2013)

15. Aaron Rahsaan Thomas … co-executive producer (10 episodes, 2013)

16. Heather Zuhlke … co-producer (10 episodes, 2013)

17. Jon Wallace … associate producer (6 episodes, 2009-2010)

18. Angela Amato-Velez … consulting producer (6 episodes, 2009)

19. Dee Johnson … consulting producer (6 episodes, 2009)

20. David Graziano … co-executive producer (6 episodes, 2010)

21. Diana Son … consulting producer (6 episodes, 2010)

2. The Rookie

1. Michelle Chapman … executive producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

2. Nathan Fillion … executive producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

3. Mark Gordon … executive producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

4. Alexi Hawley … executive producer / executive producer / executive producer: showrunner (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

5. Bill Norcross … executive producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

6. Helen Pai … producer / co-producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

7. Jon Steinberg … executive producer (76 episodes, 2018-2022)

8. Vincent Angell … co-executive producer (75 episodes, 2018-2022)

9. Elizabeth Beall … consulting producer / co-executive producer (75 episodes, 2018-2022)

10. Robert Bella … co-executive producer / producer / co-producer / supervising producer (75 episodes, 2018-2022)

11. Brynn Malone … co-executive producer (75 episodes, 2018-2022)

12. Terence Paul Winter … executive producer / consulting producer (66 episodes, 2019-2022)

13. Corey Miller … co-executive producer / consulting producer (56 episodes, 2019-2022)

14. Marco Black … producer (42 episodes, 2019-2022)

15. Lee A. Frost … associate producer (36 episodes, 2021-2022)

16. Fredrick Kotto … supervising producer / co-producer (36 episodes, 2021-2022)

17. Diana Mendez … producer / co-producer (36 episodes, 2021-2022)

18. Bill Roe … executive producer (36 episodes, 2021-2022)

19. P. Todd Coe … producer (21 episodes, 2019-2020)

20. Rob Bowman … executive producer (20 episodes, 2019-2020)

21. Mary Trahan … co-producer (20 episodes, 2019-2020)

22. Liz Hsiao Lan Alper … co-producer (19 episodes, 2018-2019)

23. Ally Seibert … co-producer (19 episodes, 2018-2019)

24. Brad Davis … co-producer (9 episodes, 2018-2019)

25. Patrick McKee … producer (9 episodes, 2018-2019)

26. Bill Rinier … co-producer (9 episodes, 2022)

27. Steve Pearlman … consulting producer (4 episodes, 2019)

28. Greg Beeman … co-executive producer (3 episodes, 2018)

29. Liz Friedlander … executive producer (2 episodes, 2018-2022)

30. Llewellyn Wells … producer (2 episodes, 2018)

31. Michele Greco … producer (1 episode, 2018)

32. Nicholas Pepper … executive producer (1 episode, 2018)

33. Jason Ramos … co-producer (1 episode, 2018)

3. 911: Lonestar

1. Angela Bassett … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

2. Bradley Buecker … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

3. Jeff Dickerson … co-executive producer / producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

4. Brad Falchuk … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

5. John J. Gray … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

6. Rob Lowe … executive producer / co-executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

7. Carlos M. Marimon … associate producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

8. Alexis Martin Woodall … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

9. Tim Minear … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

10. Ryan Murphy … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

11. Rashad Raisani … executive producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

12. Carly Soteras … co-executive producer / supervising producer / producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

13. Sara Stelwagen … assistant producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

14. Scott White … producer (42 episodes, 2020-2022)

15. Lou Eyrich … producer (41 episodes, 2020-2022)

16. Eryn Krueger Mekash … producer (41 episodes, 2020-2022)

17. Jessica Ball … co-executive producer (32 episodes, 2021-2022)

18. Wolfe Coleman … co-executive producer / supervising producer (32 episodes, 2021-2022)

19. Jalysa Conway … producer / co-producer (32 episodes, 2021-2022)

20. Ravi Subramanian … co-producer (32 episodes, 2021-2022)

21. Tonya Kong … supervising producer / producer (20 episodes, 2020-2021)

22. Trey Callaway … executive producer (18 episodes, 2022)

23. Molly Green … co-producer (18 episodes, 2022)

24. James Leffler … co-producer (18 episodes, 2022)

25. Keith Tripler … associate producer (18 episodes, 2022)

26. Bob Goodman … co-executive producer (7 episodes, 2022)

27. Juan Carlos Coto … consulting producer (5 episodes, 2021)

4. Chicago PD

1. Dick Wolf … executive producer (181 episodes, 2014-2022)

2. Arthur W. Forney … executive producer / co-executive producer (178 episodes, 2014-2022)

3. Peter Jankowski … executive producer (177 episodes, 2014-2022)

4. Derek Haas … executive producer / executive producer (175 episodes, 2014-2022)

5. Michael Brandt … executive producer (174 episodes, 2014-2022)

6. Jonathan Strauss … co-producer (141 episodes, 2015-2022)

7. Timothy J. Sexton … co-executive producer / supervising producer / consulting producer (106 episodes, 2015-2020)

8. Gavin Harris … co-executive producer / executive producer (100 episodes, 2017-2022)

9. Jeremy Beim … co-producer / producer / supervising producer (97 episodes, 2014-2019)

10. Rick Eid … executive producer / executive producer (97 episodes, 2017-2022)

11. Brian Luce … associate producer / consulting producer / producer (93 episodes, 2017-2022)

12. Terry Miller … producer / executive producer / producer (91 episodes, 2014-2018)

13. Mark Tinker … executive producer (84 episodes, 2014-2017)

14. Daniele Bernstein … co-producer / transmedia producer (83 episodes, 2018-2022)

15. Matt Olmstead … executive producer (81 episodes, 2014-2017)

16. Craig Gore … co-executive producer / supervising producer / co-producer (70 episodes, 2014-2017)

17. Eriq La Salle … executive producer / co-executive producer (69 episodes, 2017-2021)

18. Gwen Sigan … supervising producer / co-executive producer / co-producer / executive producer / executive producer (68 episodes, 2018-2022)

19. Tim Walsh … co-executive producer / supervising producer (67 episodes, 2014-2017)

20. Terry Blythe … co-producer / producer / associate producer (61 episodes, 2019-2022)

21. Danielle Claman Gelber … executive producer (56 episodes, 2014-2016)

22. Jeanne Caliendo … producer (53 episodes, 2018-2021)

23. Scott Gold … co-executive producer (53 episodes, 2019-2022)

24. Jamie Pachino … supervising producer / producer (44 episodes, 2015-2017)

25. Mike Weiss … co-executive producer (44 episodes, 2015-2017)

26. Kim Rome … supervising producer / producer (38 episodes, 2018-2020)

27. Laura A. Garcia … associate producer (38 episodes, 2020-2022)

28. David Brownfield … co-executive producer (36 episodes, 2019-2021)

29. Maisha Closson … producer (35 episodes, 2014-2015)

30. Chad Saxton … co-executive producer (25 episodes, 2021-2022)

31. Tiller Russell … co-producer (23 episodes, 2016-2017)

32. Michael Weiss … supervising producer (22 episodes, 2014-2015)

33. John Dove … co-executive producer (22 episodes, 2017-2018)

34. Sharon Lee Watson … co-executive producer (22 episodes, 2017-2018)

35. Todd Robinson … supervising producer / co-executive producer (22 episodes, 2018-2019)

36. Audra Allis … associate producer (17 episodes, 2018-2019)

37. Craig Cannold … producer (17 episodes, 2021-2022)

38. Matthew Newman … co-executive producer (17 episodes, 2021-2022)

39. Anastasia Puglisi … supervising producer (17 episodes, 2021-2022)

40. Ike Smith … co-producer (17 episodes, 2021-2022)

41. Bill Balas … supervising producer (16 episodes, 2020-2021)

42. Michele Greco … producer (15 episodes, 2014)

43. Denitria Harris-Lawrence … co-executive producer (14 episodes, 2014)

44. David Hoselton … co-executive producer (14 episodes, 2014)

45. Sheyna Kathleen Smith … co-producer (14 episodes, 2014)

46. Jason Wilborn … supervising producer (14 episodes, 2014)

47. Mick Betancourt … consulting producer (13 episodes, 2014-2015)

48. Rebecca Mcgill … co-executive producer (12 episodes, 2021-2022)

49. Daniel Arkin … co-executive producer (10 episodes, 2020-2021)

50. April Fitzsimmons … co-producer (9 episodes, 2018-2019)

51. Joe Halpin … co-executive producer (6 episodes, 2019)

52. Jeffrey Nachmanoff … consulting producer (4 episodes, 2019)

Rookie
Blue

Kathy
Avrich-Johnson … producer / executive producer
(74 episodes, 2010-2015)
Russ
Cochrane … executive producer /
co-executive producer / supervising producer (74 episodes, 2010-2015)
Linda
Pope … producer / executive producer
(74 episodes, 2010-2015)
David
Wellington … executive producer (74
episodes, 2010-2015)
Tassie
Cameron … executive producer (73
episodes, 2010-2015)
Ilana
Frank … executive producer (73
episodes, 2010-2015)
John
Morayniss … executive producer (73
episodes, 2010-2015)
Sherry
White … consulting producer /
co-executive producer (48 episodes, 2012-2015)
Noreen
Halpern … executive producer (38
episodes, 2010-2012)
Sonia
Hosko … producer / associate producer
/ executive producer (38 episodes, 2012-2015)
Brian
Gibson … producer / line producer /
executive producer (37 episodes, 2012-2015)
Noelle
Carbone … co-executive producer /
consulting producer (29 episodes, 2013-2015)
Armand
Leo … co-producer / line producer /
producer (27 episodes, 2010-2012)
Morwyn
Brebner … co-executive producer (26
episodes, 2010-2011)
Ellen
Vanstone … co-executive producer (26
episodes, 2010-2011)
Adriana
Maggs … consulting producer (22 episodes, 2014-2015)
Gregory
Nelson … supervising producer (13
episodes, 2012)
Ley
Lukins … consulting producer (12
episodes, 2013)
Aubrey
Nealon … consulting producer (12 episodes, 2013)
Sean
Reycraft … co-executive producer (10
episodes, 2011)
Matt
MacLennan … supervising producer (9
episodes, 2014-2015)
Alan
McCullough … consulting producer (9
episodes, 2015)
Margaret
O’Brien … executive producer (9
episodes, 2015)
Adam
Barken … consulting producer (8
episodes, 2010-2011)
John
Krizanc … consulting producer (5
episodes, 2014)

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Phone Pitch

What I learned is to ask before you pitch on the phone and be extremely brief.

Led with concept.

Hi, my name is Juliana and I’m wondering if I could run a quick TV series concept by you for feedback.

Great, thanks! This series is about what happens when an old school Detroit police squad is forced to work with a progressive civilian team to handle domestic related calls in an effort to reduce excessive violence.

What’s the budget range? $1M per episode

Who do you see in the main roles? John David Washington & Max Martini

How many pages is the script? 58

Who else has seen this?

· So far, only professional readers for their feedback.

Why do you think this fits our company?

· It would be a good project to have in your slate to position you as the leader of the police show genre because it’s on the cutting edge of social change and police reform.

How does the movie end? N/A.

· At the end of season one, DART receives approval for funding, but the mayor is accused of embezzling and we’re not sure if the money is still available.

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Pitch Fest Pitch

What I learned is to keep it very simple. Just the basics. Be ready for other questions.

Hi, I’m Julie. I’m a huge police show fan and have used my degree in psychology and my experience from the police citizen’s academy to create a groundbreaking new drama series called Detroit PD: DART. Dart stands for Domestic Assistance Response Team. It’s about the seismic culture clashes that happen when a civilian team is sent to handle domestic related calls instead of or with the police in an effort to reduce excessive violence and offer more comprehensive care and access to community programs.

What is the budget range? $1M per episode

What actors do you like for the lead roles? John David Washington & Max Martini

Give me the acts of the story (A-story only)

1. Teaser, Three shots fired during an altercation in a wealthy family’s home. We don’t know the shooter(s) or if anyone is alive.

2. We find out that the police have a betting pool on the Joneses, a family caught in a cycle of domestic violence.

3. Mack & Johnny respond to a call at the Joneses, counsel them, then arrest them both as mutual combatants. Johnny gives the husband Dr Mel’s business card (DART social worker).

4. Later, there is a triple homicide at the Joneses house.

5. Mack approaches Dr. Mel to see if there was anything more they could have done and they agree to work together.

How does it (the series) end?

· A-story

o The teams are lured into an abandoned building by a disgruntled former cop and are ambushed by a local gang. Mack saves Jackson’s life, but then he falls through two floors.

· Serialized

o At the end of the first season, the pilot DART program gets approval for its long-awaited funding, but then we find out the mayor has been accused of embezzlement, so we’re not sure if there is any money for the program.

Credibility questions: What have you done?

· I have written a spec script for the TV series Southland that was a quarter finalist.

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Query Letter

What I learned doing this assignment is…LOVED the suggestions for the opening lines. Very helpful. It was very hard to switch my brain from all the granular details of the script to a 10K-foot overview. It took me a while but I think I have a workable query letter to start with and it gives me more talking points for a verbal pitch.

Dear Producer,

…Line here about why I am sending specifically to them…

“Instead of defund, we defang.” – Mayor Osgood

Good news: the mayor of Detroit just approved Jackson King’s pilot program that diverts domestic-related 911 calls away from the police and hands them to a new civilian team, DART, to decrease excessive violence and give more care and community program access to those in need.

Bad news: the police are not on board. Why give part of their already meager budget, plus office/gym/parking space to lowly civilians when they’re already doing that job, plus a helluva lot more?

The two teams are yin and yang, power vs. force, militarist policing vs. community policing. While they are in some ways opposites, they can only exist together. But they don’t know that yet. With different cultures, regulations, and mandates, the trick will be to find a way to work together while staying alive in the dangerous Detroit streets.

This series was inspired by a similar social program in Denver that has been successful to date. The show is powered by my degree in psychology and experience caring for a mentally ill parent, working in the ER and Psych floors of a hospital, learning martial arts, and completing a police citizen academy.

The two lead characters are juicy roles for actors who want to explore social change and police reform and the series holds a great opportunity to lead the way with a timely and socially relevant show while still capitalizing on the popularity and success of intense, character-driven police dramas.

“Nonviolent conflict resolution, isn’t that an oxymoron?” – Johnny, Police Officer

If you’re ready to jump into next-gen policing, please reach out. I’d love to send you the script.

Best,

Juliana Beckett

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Synopsis Hooks

What I learned doing this assignment is to use the marketability hooks to frame the synopsis. This part is hard for me as I want to outline the beats in the show but there’s not enough space in a query letter. I decided to ditch the pilot outline and talk about the show in broader terms, for now.

<div>Hooks:</div><div>

· A. Unique.

· C. True.

· D. Timely — connected to some major trend or event.

· I. Similarity to a box-office success.

· J. A great role for a bankable actor.

The two teams are yin and yang, power vs. force, militarist policing vs. community policing. While they are in some ways opposites, they can only exist together. But they don’t know that yet. With different cultures, regulations, and mandates, the trick will be to find a way to work together while staying alive in the dangerous Detroit streets.

</div>

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s High Concept/Elevator Pitch

What I learned doing this assignment is different ways of framing the premise.

High Concept:

An old-school police force is forced to work with the progressive, civilian DART team to resolve domestic related cases peacefully.

Elevator Pitch

I’m writing a TV series
about civilian response teams that respond to domestic issues instead of
the police. It’s based on successful pilot programs in Denver and
Oakland.

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s 10 Most Interesting things

what I learned was some of these are missing in my script and I will use this list for my next script.

· What is most unique about your villain and hero?

o Hero, millennial college football player used to sheltered life on campus. Will need to self-actualize to win over the battle-hardened cops to make his plan success

o Mack, old school door kicker, kicks ass and keeps the peace. Wants to keep status quo.

· Major hook of your opening scene?

o Teaser: A family fight turns deadly, and we hear three shots. As it fades to black, we’re left to wonder, who shot who?

· Any turning points?

o Facing public pressure from a video of a high school girl punched in the face by an officer, the mayor launches the DART program 3 weeks early, forcing Cameron to scramble to pull it together.

· Major twists?

o Daryl is filmed punching a HS girl but there is more to the story. We see in a flashback that there was another person there pointing a gun at Daryl and the girl had taken Daryl’s gun.

· Or any big surprises?

o Tre punches Daryl in front of both teams and the mayor. The mayor ends the fracas with a smackdown with of her own and demands that they have to work make this program work and needs optics for PR and daily status reports.

Other interesting things:

· Budget is manageable; Quite a few scenes are set in the police station.

· The police have a betting pool going on the Smiths, a well-off couple with a history of domestic violence.

· To get a drag queen jumper off of an eight-story ledge, Mack points his gun at him and he scrambles inside.

· Bteam responds to a domestic call that could be a murder or assault.

· Daryl hazes claustrophobic Tre by leaving him locked the back of a hot police car while he goes to get some coney dogs.

[julie Beckett]

Julie Producer/Manager

What I learned today is that I need to have two different pitches ready that are tailored to the needs of producers and managers.

1. How will you present yourself and your project to the producer?

a. I will research the producer’s credits and current project slate if avail. and mention how my script fits in with their projects. Also, hit the marketability points more thoroughly. Audience, budget, location etc.

2. How will you present yourself and your project to the manager?

a. #1 is I will definitely spend more time on crafting my pitch and practicing it until I know it well. I will keep in mind the traits managers are looking for and have written answers in case they ask about them. Also, I will mention some soft skills in the “About Me” section of the pitch if there is room and it flows well with the other content.

[julie Beckett]

Julie’s Marketable Components

What I learned are ten great tenants to use to break my next story.

1. Logline:

An old-school Detroit police force is forced to work with the progressive, civilian DART team to resolve domestic related cases peacefully, resulting in disruptive culture clashes.

2. Look through the 10 Components of Marketability and pick one or two that have the most potential for selling this script.

D. Timely — connected to some major trend or event.

I. Similarity to a box-office success.

J. A great role for a bankable actor.

2. Do a quick brainstorm session about ways to elevate those two components for this script and tell us how you might pitch the script through the two components. Example: If you say your script has a great role, in one or two sentences, tell us how you can emphasize that role as you pitch your concept.

D – Timely

This series is about a team of civilians who work separately or co-respond with police to resolve domestic issues such as homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction. Excessive police violence is a timely, relevant social issue.

I – Similarity to a box office success

Nearly 1/5 of all network TV programming was police or crime drama in 2020. This show contains all the drama and action of a hit police series plus the addition of the domestic related calls and the conflict of how the two very different teams handle these and work together.

[julie Beckett]

1.

Genre: TV Police Ensemble Drama, 1 hour

Title: Detroit PD: DART

Concept: An old-school Detroit police force is forced to work with the progressive, civilian DART team to resolve domestic related cases peacefully, resulting in disruptive culture clashes.

2. This action-packed drama is on the cutting edge of social change and police reform, and is loosely based on real programs that have just launched in Denver, CO and Oakland, CA.

3. I will target managers first, because you need one to be able to sell…I think? If not, I will target producers.

4. What I learned is the importance of tailoring your marketing to your audiences and their needs.

[julie Beckett]

Hi Everyone! Getting a late start but excited to be here.

Julie

2. How many scripts you’ve written? 2

3. What you hope to get out of the class? More clarity on my target market and a rough draft of a query letter.

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? I love water but am living in landlocked CO.

[julie Beckett]

Thanks! I like the concept of combining and will continue to work with it. J

[julie Beckett]

Hi David,

Sounds like an exciting action movie. You have all of the building blocks in here including mentioning the twist of his Dad setting the fire so I don’t have any recommendations except to continue wordsmithing. Have fun and good luck! Julie

[julie Beckett]

Sounds good. Maybe it can be a miniseries…