FLYING HIGH - THE KEY TO A GREAT PILOT

Being a writer is never an easy endeavour. More often than not, you will find yourself hitting numerous brick walls and finding new ways in which to brush yourself down and start again. Many ideas you have will be thrown to one side and may never be picked up again; others will be the heart of what you write, and you’ll be surprised you ever considered otherwise. Launching a new series is a frightening experience for any writer. It is a complex process that requires great writing, extensive attention to detail and faith in yourself as a writer. In order to craft a brand new series, you must feel passionately about the story you are telling. The most important component, however, is the pilot. This episode will introduce your audience to your characters, the world in which your story is set and the tone of the series. It truly is of paramount importance this opening episode is as dynamic and effective as possible to cement your series as one to watch. In this article, I’ll be helping you to answer the all-important questions about writing your pilot episode and offering advice on what an audience will be looking for in a series’ first instalment.

WHO ARE THE CHARACTERS PILOTING YOUR pilot SCRIPT?

At the heart of every great story are rounded characters who the audience can become emotionally invested in. Personally, when crafting my characters, I always ask myself a variety of crucial questions. Who is this person? What do they want? What is preventing them from getting what they want? Why should my audience be expected to care for them?

Characters should always be complicated and multi-faceted, with a diverse range of personality traits, and rooted in truth. Much like human beings in general, characters should never be straightforward, for example entirely good or bad. A great modern example of this is Adam Groff from Netflix original series Sex Education. Initially introduced to the show’s plot as the ‘villain’ of the piece – the school bully who makes Eric Effiong’s life a misery – it transpires over time that there is more to Adam than meets the eye. Not only is he systematically oppressed by his headmaster father, but he is also struggling to come to terms with his sexuality and, by extension, the feelings he is developing for victim Eric. This shows just how complex Adam’s characterisation is: he behaves badly because of his internal vulnerability, but he is ultimately left vulnerable and ostracised because of his dreadful actions. Without strong characters with varying degrees of morality leading the way, any story would be meaningless.

BUILD YOUR PLOT AROUND THE PROTAGONIST

Characterisation can be a tricky element to perfect from the outset of creating a new series. Sometimes you believe a character is strong enough to develop, but then find that they are overshadowed by others early on in your story. This can cause a decline in motivation or passion for said characters, but it would be too easy to give up on characters that aren’t working perfectly. Instead, take a step back from the writing process and focus your attention on the characters you’re disillusioned with and attempt to find ways in which to sort out the issues they create.

remember no one is perfect

Sometimes a character can seem a lot weaker than they actually are – it can be a miniscule aspect that is preventing them from growing into their own right; and this is usually something that is easily fixed. For example, if you feel a character is not going to be likeable enough due to the fact they are characterised as being overtly interfering and controlling over their family, it may be worth altering their characterisation slightly. Instead, the character in question could be over-protective of their family and occasionally nosey, but only due to the fact they care – they don’t intend to be overbearing, they simply worry too much. Despite doing wrong in the eyes of other characters, the audience will be able to sympathise with a character of this ilk because their actions are driven by heartfelt reasoning based on humanity.

the world really does revolve around them

So, why exactly is character this important? Surely if the plot of an opening pilot is strong enough, it shouldn’t matter what your characters are like? Wrong – completely and utterly wrong! Unless your audience get an idea of who your characters are from the very first episode, they will struggle to invest in their journeys for the remainder of the series. Specifically, a protagonist should always be central to whatever is happening in your opening episode, but even in an ensemble piece, characters should be strong enough for the audience to invest in from the word go. It is a common misconception that a protagonist character should be a wholly good person, the individual who fights back against the antagonist. This should not be the case. Never be afraid to give any of your characters weaknesses or flaws. As previously mentioned, nobody in life is entirely good or bad: good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things. Human emotions are complex and difficult to fully distinguish, and this should be reflected in the way you introduce and write for all of your characters, no matter what role they play in your story. If you characters are not complicated with multiple layers for you to unpack throughout your series, your audience will be bored stiff!

open with a bang!

All this talk about the importance of character does not undermine the significance plot the should have in your pilot episode. Once you’ve figured out who your series is about, it’s time to start thinking about what your series is about.

A pilot episode is your first opportunity to show your audience the story you’re trying to tell and sell it to them – so make it as distinctive and enticing as possible (especially your opening hook!) From the outset, your pilot should introduce the world in which your story is set. You don’t necessarily have to make it somewhere obscure, or even fictional. Some of the best pieces of television are set in the “real world” – Happy Valley, Breaking Bad, Line Of Duty, etc. Setting is a vital element of establishing the world of your story. If you’re telling a plot surrounding an inter-galactic battle between two alien races, it’s important to show this visually. Include striking images of different planets, spacecrafts and species. Your audience will be hooked into your plot instantly due to the nature of what you’re showing, and they will quickly be able to figure out themselves what kind of story you are telling in your series.

show don't tell

It tends to be the case that an audience prefer to utilise their own imagination rather than being explicitly told every detail there is to know about a series – give them necessary visuals and information, but don’t force it upon them through expositional dialogue or narrative. This is often a mistake many writers make with their opening episode.

what are you trying to say?

Think carefully about what kind of story you want to tell with your series before setting the plot up in the pilot episode. Story can be dark and gritty with a number of twists and turns, it can be light-hearted with comedic tones throughout, or it can be tragic or romantic or periodic. More often than not many writers attempt to tell stories that feature social or political issues prevalent in today’s society. This is an effective method of storytelling because it often means the audience can instantly relate to whatever is happening in your series. In any case of social issue-based plot, the writer must undergo extensive research into the topic they are covering in order to ensure they are telling the story with detail and sensitivity. For example, if you are telling the story of somebody with an eating disorder, always make sure you know enough about eating disorders before you attempt writing your pilot. If a member of your audience has struggled with an eating disorder themselves and you are not representing the issue accurately, they may be offended by your interpretation of an important issue faced by millions of people around the world.

stay true to your vision

Despite this advice, do not allow your methods of telling the story affect the characters at it’s heart. If your writing comes across too much like a pamphlet on the issues you’re raising, it may ostracise your audience. Always remember drama can be informative, but must always be entertaining. Writing is all about prioritising!

who are you telling this story to?

In order to get your pilot episode right, you need to know exactly who your audience are and who you are aiming your story at. Are the people who identify most with your plot or characters going to be young teenagers finding their feet in the world? People in their early forties, feeling disillusioned with their lives? Elderly widows feeling lonely? No matter who your characters are, somebody somewhere is going to feel connected to them due to similar circumstances, so always ensure you are writing with those audiences in mind. If your audience feel as though they’ve been catered for in your pilot episode, they’re far more likely to tune in for the rest of the series.

drip feed the story

Keep in mind, however, that your pilot is only the first episode – Don’t feel pressured into rushing your story. Set up the main arc as quickly as you can to avoid waning audience interest, but ensure the climax of your pilot is an open-ended moment that ties up that initial introductory chapter, while also providing an inciting incident that lures the audience back for the next episode. Pacing is very important in any kind of storytelling, but especially so in writing a series. If the bulk of your story is told early on, you may have a few episodes towards the end that don’t have much function beyond completing the series. If you’re telling a mystery plot, tease the answers to your secrets in each episode – or you could even reveal clues piece by piece – but don’t rush the big reveal until a point where it feels both natural and acceptable to do so.

know the ending before your start and work towards it

Writing a series is a mammoth undertaking for any writer – no matter how much experience they have behind them. Even just plotting your pilot can test the patience of a saint! However, it is also the most rewarding experience. I launched my first series, a South London-based serial drama called The Avenue, back in 2011 and the series has been revamped four times since then, due to my growth as a writer and uncertainty about certain characters and stories. Despite my previous unhappiness with versions of The Avenue I had written, my passion never once faltered for the project and I am overjoyed with its current incarnation. The most important thing you need to remember is that you’re never going to create the perfect series or pilot episode straight away: it’s a long process that takes time, patience, imagination and enthusiasm. There will be times where you wonder why you ever began the process, but you must plough through this. Tell a plot you are passionate about. If your feelings towards the story you want to tell are weak, you are not going to maintain the drive you need to complete your series. Remain strong through the re-drafting process; it can be hard having to chop your own work, but it’s a necessary evil. Above all else, though, have faith in yourself. You are a writer; you can do it!