Pitch a Pilot

Media can be an important force for change. There’s nothing more inspirational than seeing role models that you can relate to in one of your favorite shows. Unfortunately, many groups of people are underrepresented in broadcast media, and new creative show ideas are needed.

A TV pilot is a stand-alone episode of a new show that is used to sell the concept to a tv network or other distributor, such as a streaming service. Pilots are created as testing grounds to see which series would be successful. Each network receives about 500 brief concepts for new shows per year from writers and producers, and of these, about 10% are made into pilot episodes. One successful example that made it from pilot to series is the award-winning Reservation Dogs, a creative portrayal of indigenous youth living in Oklahoma. The next one could be your idea!

The networks want to hear from youth! What do you want to see on the screen? You’ve been asked to propose a pilot concept for next season. Your goal is to come up with a compelling idea that will make it into a pilot and, ultimately, a full series. How can you make your concept stand out so it’s chosen?

Describe the following:

Setting (explain where the show takes place)
Storyline (provide a plot summary)
Characters (introduce the main characters)