Bob Levy - Television Development

Development is a large and central part of the American TV industry, and yet the details of how it works who makes development decisions and why, where ideas for new shows come from, even basics like the differences between what TV studios and TV networks do remain elusive to many.

In this book, lecturer and acclaimed television producer Bob Levy offers a detailed introduction to television development, the process by which the Hollywood TV industry creates new scripted series. Written both for students and industry professionals, Television Developmentserves as a comprehensive introduction to all facets of the development process: the terminology, timelines, personnel and industrial processes that take a new TV project from idea to pitch to script to pilot to series. In addition to describing these processes, Levy also examines creative strategies for successful development, and teaches readers how to apply these strategies to their own careers and speak the language of development across all forms of visual storytelling.

Written by the renowned producer responsible for developing and executive producing Gossip Girland Pretty Little Liars, Television Developmentis an essential starting point for students, executives, agents, producers, directors and writers to learn how new series are created. Accompanying online material includes sample pitches, pilot scripts, and other development documents.

Bob Levyhas worked in television for more than 30 years and has been practicing development at the highest levels of the television industry for 25 years. He is best known for developing and executive producing the hit shows Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diariesand Pretty Little Liars. He also currently serves as a lecturer at UCLA, teaching TV development in the Producers Program of their graduate film school.

First published 2019

by Routledge

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and by Routledge

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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2019 Bob Levy

The right of Bob Levy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with Sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Levy, Bob (Producer), author.

Title: Television development : how Hollywood creates new TV series / Bob Levy.

Description: New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2019. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018047080| ISBN 9781138584228 (hardback) |ISBN 9781138584235 (paperback) | ISBN 9780429506147 (e-book)

Subjects: LCSH: Television series--Production and direction--United States. Television--Production and direction--United States.

Classification: LCC PN1992.8.S4 L48 2019 | DDC 791.4502/32--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018047080

ISBN: 978-1-138-58422-8 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-138-58423-5 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-429-50614-7 (ebk)

Visit the [eResources]: www.routledge.com/9781138584235

To my students,

who have taught me much

When I moved to Los Angeles 30 years ago I arrived with little more than a vague Hollywood dream. I wasnt really sure what I wanted to do; I only knew that I loved TV and movies and wanted to see if I could find a career in entertainment.

Id heard of development, but I wasnt exactly sure what it was. I knew that people at movie studios and TV networks heard pitches and decided which ones to say yes and no to, and that people at those companies gave writers notes, which I understood were some kind of creative feedback, suggestions for changes to the scripts. But I didnt know what kinds of notes they gave.

Nearly five years after arriving in LA I stumbled my way into becoming a development executive at NBC (its a long story), and when I began the job I actually didnt know much more about development than the little I knew when I first arrived.