Witness of the film and television world

Chapter 171 The Production Process of TV Drama

In a car on the way home.

"Sir, we don't necessarily have to cooperate with them."

Ruth Batchelor said that, in his opinion, with the relationship of his patron and his network, if he wants to find suitable film critics, he can find as many as he wants.

You can even find influential people in Oscars and other awards, and you don't necessarily have to cooperate with the Mystery Writers Association at all.

Generally speaking, the influence of this association is quite limited.

"If we need the fame and influence of some writers, we can skip them directly and find suitable writers. If we expand our influence and bring more income, I don't think any writer will refuse!"

Peyton nodded. He understood what Ruth Batchelor meant, but it was unnecessary. After all, he had some friendship with the Mystery Writers Association. There was no need to do many things, and the Mystery Writers Association still had some energy.

Even, his own reputation is quite valuable, and Payton doesn't want to make too much trouble with the association.

But for some other associations, he doesn't need to take too much into account, he can just poach people directly.

"No, with their cooperation, many things will be easier."

"However, I'm afraid they won't cooperate easily?"

Payton shook his head: "No! They will cooperate with us willingly."

……

In the office, ring, ring, ring~
The phone rang, and Peyton answered the phone: "This is Chris."

"Mr. Chris, I have good news for you. The high-level internal meeting of the association has completed a compromise..."

Payton smiled slightly: "Thank you for your contribution, Commissioner Davis."

Commissioner Davis said with a smile: "I don't do much, but the words of the freelance writer Ruth Batchelor let them recognize the reality."

"No, I will never treat my friends who have helped me badly. I think the vice president of the Film Critics Association will be a suitable position for you."

"You are too kind, Mr. Chris!"

Commissioner Davis was overjoyed. He was willing to contribute to Payton, wasn't it just for this "friendship"?

After hanging up the phone, Payton smiled. This trick was taught to him by Mr. Bennett Cerf, the old chairman of Random House.

Just as Peyton won the Pulitzer Prize, curious about his means?

He told Payton: When both sides of a game and even the referee are yours, you will be invincible!

Peyton murmured: "Forever, there is no strong fortress that cannot be broken from the inside."

……

"Chairman, look, last month's program ratings..."

Roussier, the person in charge of the TV station, respectfully handed the report to Peyton.

"The maximum number of viewers is 1060 million, and the average number of viewers is 470 million. The NCAA really has a wide audience."

Payton glanced at the NCAA basketball ratings for March Crazy and was a little surprised.

I knew that the audience of the NCAA was huge, but I didn't expect it to be so big.

It must be known that the number of viewers in the NBA finals last year was over 30. Compared with the NCAA games, the gap is simply huge.

This year's matchup between Jerry West and Baylor in the finals has been hotly fired. This match reached nearly 1100 million viewers, which is simply terrifying.

It's no wonder that in the crazy March, the major professional leagues have to make concessions for it.

"Of course, the main reason is that the development of the NBA is too poor, and the Super Bowl of the rugby league will not be too far behind." Thinking this way in his heart, Payton nodded with satisfaction: "Well done, it seems that March is crazy, you can grasp it." Very good."

"I hope that the rugby league in the second half of the year can achieve better results."

"Yes, Chairman, we will cooperate with the publicity. Rugby has a wider audience than basketball. We are confident that we will achieve better results."

Peyton nodded and said with a smile: "It seems that it is right to develop sports TV channels. These sports viewers can all become our loyal users."

Since last year, under Payton's order, the TV station has begun to enrich its content. In addition to investing in TV shopping and current affairs news, it is also actively producing comics, soap TV dramas, and the most important sports programs.

One after another, they have signed broadcast rights for football, baseball, ice hockey... and other leagues. If they can get an exclusive, they can get an exclusive contract. A large-scale and sufficiently extensive professional sports TV station has attracted many loyal viewers with comprehensive and rich broadcast programs.

Peyton thought of something, and said, "By the way, how is your soap opera doing?"

"It has already started broadcasting, but the effect of the program is average."

Peyton was surprised: "It started broadcasting, so soon?"

Roussier explained: "Yes, Chairman, in order to ensure the quality of the work, the TV station's drama production process is led by the screenwriter, while broadcasting and filming, we broadcast while producing..."

As he narrated, Peyton gradually understood that this was a standard form of federal television production.

Usually TV drama production is divided into several steps, and it is also a fairly streamlined process.

1. Generally speaking, when the screenwriter explains the idea of ​​a TV series, the screenwriter should give a 12-15 minute oral explanation to the producer or film and television company.The idea will be further developed if producers and companies are interested.In the end, they will give a verbal explanation to the TV station. If the TV station decides to shoot, everyone will be happy, and if they are not interested, all previous efforts will be wasted.

Under normal circumstances, the oral explanation includes: the overall content of the TV series, the background of the times, the introduction of the characters, the content of the first episode, the attraction points, the tone of the TV series and other basic content.

2. Explain to the high-level TV station
这个是最紧张的环节，成败就看这个会议上编剧阐述得如何，参加人员有：电视台开发部高层2-3人、影视公司开发部高层2-3人、制片人1-4人、编剧1-2人，充分保证找到最有价值的剧本。

3. Script deal
If the TV station decides to buy the script after listening to the explanation, then there will be some legal affairs, copyright and the like will be handled by the screenwriter's lawyer.

4. Planning for the first episode of the first season

Including the screenwriter's idea, the producer's processing, and whether to agree to shoot, etc. If the TV station agrees, it will start.

5. Script writing for the first episode of the first season

The screenwriter sends the first draft to the producer, the producer and the screenwriter work together, then the screenwriter and producer hand it over to the production company, the production company works with the screenwriter and producer to polish it together, and finally the script is handed over to the TV station, and the senior executives of the TV station’s development department continue to process and polish the script , Turn the story into a mature script, storyboard and complete shooting plan, and make full preparations in all aspects.

6. TV station owner decides to shoot
After several rounds of script processing and polishing, the TV station boss will decide whether to shoot.

7. Preparation for shooting the first episode of the first season

It mainly includes the work of selecting actors, filming producers and directors.

8. Filming of the first episode of the first season

Conceive and build the venue, film and television company and TV station executives evaluate the shooting progress and shooting log, and the film and television company monitor the budget.

9. Post-production
It is mainly the process of the producer’s constant pruning and perfection. First, the director’s cuts are handed over to the producer, who then processes them; then the cuts are handed over to the film and television company; Hand it over to the TV station. According to the opinion of the TV station, the producer will continue to trim it.

10. TV show

At this time, the producers can only wait, and the senior leaders will observe the effect of the episode.

11. TV stations do small-scale research

Television stations show the shows on a small scale, and viewer responses are used to gauge the popularity of the episodes.

12. The TV station announced the new drama for the next year

All TV drama crews who participated in the election had to fly to the TV station to participate in this ceremony, and the selected ones would last for a few days of carnival.This ceremony is for major advertisers around the world. After this, the TV station will start selling advertising seats, and the TV station will also announce which ones will be suspended.

In short, the screenwriter is responsible for convincing the producer and the TV station, and then producing an episode first, promoting it on a small scale, evaluating the popularity of the episode based on the audience's reaction, and deciding on the subsequent production. If the effect is good, the production will naturally continue.

If the ratings of the first few episodes are not good, then the filming of the later episodes will face the danger of being cut off, or even be abandoned by the high-level, and cut off decisively.

It is led by the screenwriter and filmed while broadcasting. This is the reason why most federal TV dramas have no beginning and no end.

Most TV series, you can only find one or two episodes.

Even, even if a TV series has finished airing for one season, if the ratings are not high, it will still be canceled in the end, eunuch.

This is very different from most TV dramas in China. In China, no matter how bad a TV drama is, as long as the production is completed, it must be broadcast to the end regardless of the audience's reaction.

As for the TV series of the Federation, the ratings are not high, so the filming is decisively terminated, and the eunuch is directly directed, and there is no unfinished situation at all.

(End of this chapter)