Brush Strokes

I had a great day today. Progress. I'm whittling down the premise more and more. I'm studying five great pilots: Ally McBeal, The Eli Stone Pilot, Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies and Men in Trees. All very different which is good. I like Ally McBeal because it's a great use of flashbacks without feeling flashbackish. The Eli Stone Pilot is such a good premise I want to scream. Ugly Betty, as I've mentioned before, is sheer genius in terms of story structure. Pushing Daisies is wildly original and the tone is so unique I'm in awe. I couldn't ask for better examples.

TV show creators don't get nearly the credit they deserve. I don't know what they get paid, but I assure it's not enough. Studying these pilots is like looking at a painting really close up. You can see all the tiny brush strokes that create an eye, then a face, then a background, etc. People usually just stand back look at the big picture and call it a day. Rarely does one consider the hours that the artist took in premeditating each stroke and how it would effect the other strokes not to mention the other colors. Would they all mix? At the end of the day will everything work together? Will something distract? Does everything melt together to create the overall image?

I love the pilots I'm studying and I love who wrote them. And, it's challenging to keep the faith that I too can create something wonderful and entertaining and worthwhile. I'm simultaneously inspired and humbled. But that's how it should be, right? I'm not supposed to read a professional TV script and think: "Piece of cake! Child's Play! Gimme an hour!" I want it to feel like this. If it was too easy, it wouldn't be appealing. But if it were any harder I might look into dental hygentistry.

Words I Wish I had Written: "Use the Force..." (George Lucas)