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The Trap of Pilots: Setup vs. Template

The Trap of Pilots: Setup vs. Template
Far and away the most consistent note on pilot scripts we get here at ScriptArsenal is that the script is mostly setup, and does not function as a template or representative episode of the series. In other words, the “real show” starts on Episode 2, after the pilot sets up the world of the series, the scenario the protagonist finds themselves in, etc.

Often it can feel like a pilot simply doesn’t have enough page real estate to both establish the story and present to the reading audience what an average episode is going to look like. A great case study for how to do this can be found in the pilot of UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT.

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