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Lecture 8:Lecture 8:The Bible for TelevisionThe Bible for Television

Professor Daniel Cutrara

Alias (2001-2006)Created by J.J. Abrams

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Previous Lesson

• Laughter• Types of Comedy• There’s Something

about Mary

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This Lesson

• Intro to TV• The Bible• Alias• Assignments

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Introduction to TelevisionIntroduction to Television

Lesson 8: Part I

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Television vs. Film

• Film• Larger than life• Director’s medium

• Television– Smaller than life– Writer-producer

medium

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Narrative Structure for Network Television

• ½ Hour Sitcom– 2 Acts with a teaser and a finale

• 1 Hour Drama– 4, 5 Acts with a teaser– Webisodes

• TV Movie– 7 acts

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Fragmentation of Television

• Network• Cable• Pay Cable• Internet• Iphone

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Network

• Delivery system for advertising– 1960’s 51 minutes, now 42 minutes– Nielsen ratings– Drives narrative structure– Commercial demands on development

• Series don’t have much time to gain a following

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Cable and Pay

• Cable– Less dependent on commercials– Niche audience

• Pay– Only needs to satisfy select audience– Free to push boundaries

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The BibleThe Bible

Lesson 8: Part II

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Packaging a TV SeriesPackaging a TV Series

• Creative Concerns– The Characters– The Concept– The World

• Commercial Concerns– The Showrunner

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The Bible

• Series Concept• Character Breakdowns• The Setting/Franchise• A Treatment for the Pilot• Future Episodes

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Series Concept

• Fresh Insight• Genre recognition• Engaging Conflict• Examples

– Lost, Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy– The Office, 30 Rock

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The Characters

• Engaging– Sympathetic, intriguing

• Potential for Change– Areas where we hope

they will grow

• Situations that create conflict– Desires that will find

obstaclesThe cast from House

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Setting/Franchise• Location

– Familiar or exotic

• Location– Functions as a

character

• Location– Vegas, Hospital,

Space, Courtroom, Police station, Suburbs, High School

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The Pilot

• Introducing the World of the Series– Lead and continuing characters– Situations typical of the series– Tone and style

• Narrative structure– Teaser or cold opening– Four or five acts

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Alias

Lesson 8: Part III

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The Series

• Creator- JJ Abrams– Felicity, Alias, Lost,

Mission Impossible III, Fringe, Star Trek

• Alias ran 5 Seasons

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The Pilot The Pilot

• Running Time 1 hour 9 minutes

• Establishing Concept– In a world of espionage, Sydney discovers

what she believed in was a lie.

– Sydney– daddy’s little girl, grad student, yearns for normal life vs. Trained killer

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The Intro

• Pause the lecture and watch the first clip from Alias.– Where is the story starting?– How does it establish the world?– How does the transition to the University

setting twist it?

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The Intro: In Media Res

• Where is the story starting?– In the middle of things– Establishes frame story– Juxtaposes world of espionage with that of

grad school. – Establishes Sydney’s bifurcated life.

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CharactersCharacters

• Sydney– Complexity– Skills revealed as pilot

narrative unfolds– Emotional depth also

revealed– Conflict between her

differing desires for emotional connection and spy vocation.

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Conflicted Character

• Pause the lecture and watch the second clip from Alias.– How does this scene twist the plot?– How does this scene reveal character?

• Skills, emotional connections.

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Conflicted Character (2)

• How does this scene reveal character?– Exposes Sydney’s conflicted relationship

with her father.– Reveals her martial skills.

• How does this scene twist the plot?– Sydney on the outs with SD-6– Father reveals they are the bad guys and

he’s working for them.– Use of dramatic irony

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Supporting CharactersSupporting Characters

• Conflict created through relationships– Men as potential

romantic partners: Danny, Will, Michael

– Men as father figures: Jack, Sloan

– Men as allies: Marcus– Women as friends:

Francie

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Franchise/Setting

• Double Lives– Spy vs Civilian

• SD-6– Double Agent

• CIA

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Structure

• The Tease: – Torture as Frame Story

• Act One– Introduction and mission assignment– Return to frame

• Act Two– Successful mission but Danny murdered– Return to frame

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Structure (Cont’d)

• Act Three – Mourning, Questioning, Father saves her

reveals they are SD-6.– Return to Frame

• Act Four– Does the mission on her own– Caught, catches up to Frame Story– Escapes, returns successfully, goes over to

CIA. Father reveals he’s double agent.

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The Wrap Up

• The Bible• Engaging the

audience through Character

• The complexity of Alias

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AssignmentsAssignments

Lesson 8: Part IV

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E-Board Post #1E-Board Post #1

• Approximately 200 words. Pick a tv series and explain why the central character(s) are intriguing.

• Comment on two of your peers.

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End of Lecture 8End of Lecture 8

Next Lecture:

Stranger than Fiction