You send a pilot off to a couple of producers. You don't start on episode 2 of your series because there is little point. So what do you do? Crack on with your next idea/pilot? Spend an inordinately long time on the BSG? Write a screenplay? Write skits? I'm curious.
Of course, I know that this thread is only for those of us who haven't yet made it - for I presume that those of you who have must be busy writing episodes 2,3,4,5,6 etc.
No idea. I've not finished my pilot script yet. One day though, one day...
There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a second episode if you want to.
There are no laws against it and some might suggest you would be better prepared for a meeting should you be asked, to discuss future story ideas where you see the characters going etc.
People don't usually fail for doing too much work on a project.
I wrote the pilot script for my drama ages ago but haven't yet got it accepted by anyone but I carried on writing it and am now on the eighth episode! I can't stop writing it, if it gets changed then that's okay.
Quote: Marc P @ December 2 2008, 12:12 PM GMTThere is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a second episode if you want to.
There are no laws against it and some might suggest you would be better prepared for a meeting should you be asked, to discuss future story ideas where you see the characters going etc.
People don't usually fail for doing too much work on a project.
I completely agree that preparation is key and I like to think that I have detailed outlines/ideas for further episodes, Marc, just I've rightly or wrongly got the impression that if a pilot is picked up it goes through so many changes as to make other episodes you've written redundant.
I'm currently waiting on a script too (drama, not comedy), and I've already started on two more scripts and written an outline for a third.
My advice would be to move on to your next project - after all, the next one could be your winning one. 
Write whatever you feel inspired to write. Write whatever excites you most... but write, write, write!! That's the only way to succeed.
You should definitely have outlines of further episodes to back up your pilot, but I always prepare them before I send a script out.
Though what Marc says is right - there's no harm writing another episode - personally I'd crack on with a fresh pilot. That way when the producer says he hates my idea, I'm not sat there going "but I have 5 more episodes of this guff!"
Quote: EmsJones @ December 2 2008, 12:25 PM GMTI completely agree that preparation is key and I like to think that I have detailed outlines/ideas for further episodes, Marc, just I've rightly or wrongly got the impression that if a pilot is picked up it goes through so many changes as to make other episodes you've written redundant.
Wrongly.
Quote: David Bussell @ December 2 2008, 12:28 PM GMTThough what Marc says is right - there's no harm writing another episode - personally I'd crack on with a fresh pilot. That way when the producer says he hates my idea, I'm not sat there going "but I have 5 more episodes of this guff!"
Well there is that, cracking on with something else is good too.
I've had few sitcoms commissioned and developed and put up as it were - before being shot down. One of them was from the BBC, for which I wrote 2 episodes working with Stephen McCrum editing, another was with an indie and I wrote two eps for that as well. I was getting paid so that might have motivated me to write two eps. I have two different ones out on spec at the moment and haven't written the second of those. I have never written a third.
Quote: David Bussell @ December 2 2008, 12:28 PM GMTThat way when the producer says he hates my idea, I'm not sat there going "but I have 5 more episodes of this guff!"
... with a slightly surprised, hurt look on your face.
Thanks Marc for your insight. Good luck with those scripts on spec.
Quote: EmsJones @ December 2 2008, 1:15 PM GMTThanks Marc for your insight. Good luck with those scripts on spec.
Cheers Ems, I am not holding my breath mind
Crack on with new project, but read your pilot once a week or so, so that your brain will keep subconsciously perculating ideas for that show. I have a notebook full of jokes and 'things' for future episodes, so if my pilot that's doing the rounds ever got picked up, I wouldn't be starting another episode with a totally blank page. To sound a bit airy-fairy, treat your characters like friends you don't see often, ie try not to forget them completely and give them the odd poke on facebook or the mental equivalent thereof.
But yeah, from my limited experience, producers will have definite ideas and changes (sometimes they're even good!) so completely plotting and writing a new episode is a good excercise but not expected from you. It's more important to have a lot of ideas for future episodes so they know the idea has 'legs'.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
In the early days, crack on with something new and send that out to a different set of people.
If you later begin to get anywhere and make contacts, and people get like you, then you can get feedback within days so everything changes.
I never start a project until I've got enough ideas for at least 6 episodes.
That way, even if I only write a pilot and submit it, I've got at least 6 more outlines to discuss with a producer.
Lately, I've been writing a pilot, then writing a series outline, then I've been moving onto the next project.
I'm doing this as my head is too full of ideas at the moment and I fear my brain will explode.
But if I only had ideas for one particular project, then I'd write the whole series.