TV Writing: From Outline to First Draft of Your Pilot
Session: June 2026
About this Self-Paced Course
You’ve got a great idea for a TV series and you have fleshed out an outline for your pilot. Now, it’s time to start writing that script that grabs your reader’s attention - whether it’s an agent, an executive, or a showrunner.
In this course you will move from outline to completing a draft of your original pilot (under 60 pages).
This is a self-paced course. Self-paced courses allow you to watch pre-recorded lectures at your own pace, while working on deadlines to get individualized feedback on your work.
What you bring to the course:
- a completed beat sheet, outline, or draft of your original pilot.
- screenwriting software of your choice (Fade In, Final Draft, Highland Pro, WritersDuet, etc).
- Please note that you will be required to learn and use screenwriting software and industry standard formatting before turning in your pages.
We recommend that you complete Sundance Collab’s TV Writing: Core Elements prior to taking this course.
What you’ll get from the course:
- A review of the foundations of serialized and episodic storytelling, including different structures and A/B/C storylines.
- How to sharpen your main and secondary characters.
- How to set up character conflicts that will keep your viewers watching.
- How to effectively use dialogue to bring your characters to life and move the plot forward.
- How to manage your pace and story engine for your pilot.
- How to rewrite, re-break, and adjust your script.
- An approach to season vs. series arcs
- Preparing for the pitch
- Understanding pitch decks, look books and sizzle reels
This course will:
- provide tools and techniques to apply to your project.
- use short video lectures and assignments to guide you as you transform your outline into a fleshed-out pilot.
- connect you with a Sundance Collab Advisor in live class meetings where you can ask questions about core concepts and participate in relevant group exercises.
- provide written feedback from a Sundance Collab Advisor at three points during the course.
This course will include six live class meetings led by a Sundance Collab Advisor who is an experienced TV writer. During the first and last office meetings, the advisor will answer questions related to course content and give you an opportunity to connect with your peers. Four additional sessions will guide you through the experience of building an episode for an existing show you are studying in the course, much as you would do in a professional writers’ room. You may attend these sessions live online or choose to watch the recordings, though to maximize your experience, it is recommended to attend the live sessions.
By the end of the course, you will have a draft of your original pilot and will have had the opportunity to pitch ideas and learn the structure of an existing television show.
You will submit your work to a Sundance Collab Advisor for written feedback at three points throughout the 10-week course. For an additional fee, you may elect to meet with your advisor for a 60-minute 1-on-1 session during the course term.
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available and are considered on a rolling basis as they are received. Those who apply earlier will have a greater chance of getting support. To apply for a scholarship, please complete the course registration form.
Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Accommodations and services are designed to meet the needs of each participant. Please email us at accessibility@sundance.org to arrange for services.
Self-Paced CourseScholarships
Sundance Collab offers a limited number of full and partial need-based scholarships for individuals who need assistance.
Due to limited scholarship funds available, we prioritize one course scholarship per participant in a 12-month period. Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline and do not stack with discounts or promotions, including early registration.
Outline
Topics include:
- What to expect from the course
- Understanding industry-standard formatting
- What makes a great pilot and series
- What you must have in every pilot and learning to identify it in yours
- Determining the “why” for your pilot
- Reviewing your beat sheet or outline and making a plan to write your draft
Topics include:
- Review of three and five act structure and A/B/C storytelling
- Understanding the anatomy of a scene
- Using escalation, story turns and stakes
- Writing Cold Opens and Teasers
Topics include:
- Keeping theme simple
- Finding your theme
- Maintaining a consistent tone
Topics include:
- Establishing the rules of your world
- Getting specific to get universal
Topics include:
- Supporting characters and their roles
- Setting up character conflicts vs. plot conflicts
- Developing character arcs and season stories
Topics include:
- Deepening and discovering characters - consistent behavior and thought process
- How to express personality and personal beliefs while moving the plot forward
Topics include:
- How to approach your feedback and completing your second half - what now?
- Managing pace and story
- Ensuring that your tone and theme are clear and consistent
- Self-progress report - where are you compared to your expectations?
- Are you ready to ramp up the stakes? The conflicts? The obstacles?
- What are you having the most trouble with at this point?
- Returning to your foundations to pinpoint the things that are still lacking
- Revisiting your outline or beat sheet if you’re having plot difficulty
- Revisiting your hero’s journey and character arc - are they jumping off the page?
Topics include:
- How to finish a script (hint: it’s never done)
- How to approach a rewrite
- The number one note: What does your main character want? Is it clear enough?
Topics include:
- Breaking down a pilot, season and series
- What makes an effective season arc?
- The approach to season vs. series arcs
- Tracking story and character growth
- The series finale: how much do you need to know ahead of time?
- What makes a satisfying series conclusion?
Topics include:
- The basics of the business landscape
- Preparing for the pitch
- Understanding Pitch Decks, Look Books and Sizzle Reels
- Leaving them wanting more
- What is an elevator pitch?
Team
Angela LaManna
Instructor
Angela LaManna grew up in Syracuse, New York. She was an English major at The University of Texas at Austin, where she took courses in creative writing for fiction, poetry and screenwriting.
She worked in the nonprofit sector as well as a story producer for reality TV before she landed her first television gig as the showrunner’s assistant on HANNIBAL. She sold her first script that same year to A&E. Her credits include CHANNEL ZERO, MARVEL’S THE PUNISHER, the upcoming British limited series BEHIND HER EYES for Netflix and THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE season two).
FAQ
Sundance Collab’s Self-paced courses provide flexibility to complete the work on your own time, but also within a structured timeline that helps you to advance your project. You will travel through the course with a cohort of creators like yourself, and - if applicable - are given assignments with due dates during key weeks of the course:
- Each week you will view pre-recorded lectures by the instructor structured around key topics.
- Post-Video Activities after each session are designed to apply concepts to your own work, and move your project to the next stage.
- If assigned, a course advisor will give you feedback on elements of your work.
- You will have the opportunity to join live class exercises or group office hours, hosted by Sundance Collab Advisors, at critical points in the course to ask questions and discuss concepts.
- In some courses, you will have the opportunity to purchase a 1-on-1 Zoom session with your assigned course advisor.
All members of the Sundance Collab community are welcome to take Sundance Collab Self-paced courses. Please review the course description to ensure the course is a good fit. If you have any questions about a course, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.
Note that each Self-paced course has a registration deadline, so please check the date and time to ensure you don’t miss the cut-off. If the registration window is open, you will see a "Register” button on the course page.
We do not allow creative partners to do our Self-paced courses as a team. However, both creators can individually register for the course.
We often offer a limited number of need-based, full or partial scholarships. Check the course description to see if that course currently has scholarships available. Scholarships are prioritized for one per person per year (from the date of issue). Scholarship applications are available up to one week before the registration deadline. To apply for a scholarship, complete the registration form by clicking the REGISTER button above and selecting the scholarship option, if available.
Applicants will be notified about their scholarship decision prior to the first day of the course. Due to the volume of applicants, we are not always able to provide a scholarship, but we may still offer a spot in the course.In this case, depending on the course, payment plans may be available and can be selected at checkout.
Yes, we offer two or three-part payment plans for Self-paced courses, depending on the length of the course. In all cases, the first payment is due at the point of registration. The remaining payment(s) are spread out throughout the course term. For specific payment plan dates for a course, please reach out to our team at: collab_courses@sundance.org.
In courses with live class exercises or group office hours, the sessions are recorded and usually made available within two business days. The videos will also contain the chat and transcript from the session, viewable in the video playbar.
Participants will have access to the lecture recordings and course materials for one year following the last class session.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will include the name associated with your Collab account.
You can find any courses that you are enrolled in or have already completed in the profile section of your Collab account under “Courses.”
You can access the course videos via a computer or mobile device. All of our live class exercises and group office hour sessions are conducted via Zoom.
Download and set up the Zoom software (https://zoom.us/download) and make sure you have the latest update. Here are some great resources from Zoom’s Knowledge Base to take a deeper dive into using Zoom:
- Watch Zoom's Video Tutorials or review training materials on the Getting Started page
- Join a Live Training from Zoom
If you have any further questions, please email collab_courses@sundance.org.
Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Please contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to ask any questions or to discuss your specific needs after you have been accepted into the course.