You mention that spec scripts used to be the way to go but now pilots are more popular since there are more opportunities out there. Do you suggest having both in a wheelhouse? With a spec script, and knowing how fast shows can come and go, how old is too old? Is it a good idea to write a spec script for a show that is already off the air?
This question came from a paid subscriber to my Substack. One of the many perks that comes with that tier is that their questions get prioritized. ;)
Before I answer, let me clarify to the newer writers.
A spec script is a sample script for an existing show. You’re using the characters you know and love, and writing an episode for the show. It serves as a writing sample to get you hired.
An original pilot is also meant to serve as a writing sample, but the characters and premise are all yours.
Q: You mention that spec scripts used to be the way to go but now pilots are more popular since there are more opportunities out there.
A: No, that’s not quite what I said. It’s not about opportunities at all. It’s about giving the reader a writing sample that they can easily hook into.
When I broke onto the scene back in the mid-1990s, there were only four networks and a handful of premium cable channels that made original programming. (HBO was one of them.)
In order to get staffed on a show, executives and producers needed to read a sample of your work. Spec scripts made for easy reading because most readers were already familiar with the big shows on the air. If you wrote a spec Friends or ER, it was easy for the reader to tell if you captured the voice of the characters and the tone of the show.
But today, because of the massive amount of content out there, there really are very few giant hit shows. Today’s hits have comparatively low viewerships. If you write a spec script of your favorite show on Hulu, there’s a very good chance that your reader has never watched it. Or even heard of it, for that matter.
