1. |Features of a Pilot Episode|
According to Masterclass: A Pilot is the first episode of a TV series, normally
created to attempt to receive funding for the entire series.
The Pilot needs to establish a few things:
It needs to introduce a world and its characters so that the audience
understands what they are watching whilst prompting them to watch
further if intrigued. It can also show themes, new ideas, plotlines or
character interactions if it feels it can hold the audience’s attention and
cultivate a sense of excitement and wonder.
Start the overarching stories so people are captivated by the plot.
Create a backdoor pilot for supporting characters to get their spin-off
show if the original proves to be successful.
According to BBC Maestro, Pilots are normally structured in 3 act parts to
divide the beginning/middle/end between as many plot points as you can get
in (they say 15-beat structure). That is if you’re allowed to structure it how you
want because the broadcaster of your show will have their own demands,
normally for time restraints and the frequency at which your show is shown.
In the UK, it is expected to have 4-ad breaks in a 1-hour long show, so
they recommend potentially a 4-act structure to separate out the ad-
breaks. This is especially handy compared to the US who on average
have 5 or 6 ad breaks, which means they work from 5-or-6 act structures.
This isn’t required; it isn’t expected as it is a large undertaking but setting up
and establishing motifs for each character to be uniquely distinguishable to an
audience, whether that be through colour theory in mise-en-scene (specifically
costume and props), unique props, or through audio cues/leit motifs: there are
other ways of doing it but these are most common. This will help the audience
create a relationship to the characters and therefore emotional attachment
that will keep the audience coming back for more.
