We love TV at Roadmap! We love watching it, we love working on it, and we love helping writers begin their career in it. But for as much as we love TV, there are a few things that emerging TV writers do that drive us, and executives, a little mad.
We get it. Pilots are really, really hard. They take a lot of work, and that can be super intimidating when you're on the outside looking in.
Don't worry! Roadmap is here with this special panel to give you the tools to write a pilot that does everything it needs to do!
This 120 Minute Panel Will Cover:
- Functionality of a pilot
- Structure and expectations
- Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Roadmap Writers is a talent training and discovery platform for screenwriters ready for a guided path to success. Our programs are hosted by working industry executives and are designed to empower writers with actionable tools and insights to elevate your craft and cultivate relationships with industry professionals. Since 2016, we have helped hundreds of writers from all over the world sign to representation, staff on series, and option and produce their projects. Our writers have been staffed on BRIDGERTON, THE FLASH, CHICAGO PD, THE FIRST LADY, NIGHT COURT, THE GOOD DOCTOR, THE RESIDENT, REACHER, SUBJECT TO CHANGE, MAYANS and POKERFACE. Writers have sold, set up and been produced by Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, MGM, American High, New Republic Pictures, Maven Screen Media, Lifetime, Will Packer Studios and Roku.
Alexandra holds a degree in English Literature from UCLA, which she earned while pursuing acting. As an actress for many years, she learned the ins and outs of character, story and entertainment first hand, both on stage and in front of the camera. As the Director of Education at Roadmap, Alex strives to identify the most common hurdles writers face in developing their work and design classes, clinics, and webinars to address these issues. In addition, Alex is a writer with several scripts, a novel, a short film (produced during the AT&T Shape Create-A-Thon), and a webseries (coming soon!) under her belt. Prior to Roadmap, Alex worked in live events, law, and education.
Aadip Desai is Roadmap Writers' Director of Brand Management & Marketing, working tv writer, comedian, speaker, musician, and Air Force Brat. Aadip was honored as a BAFTA Breakthrough for his work as a Staff Writer on THE GOLDBERGS (ABC), a show mostly about yelling. Aadip leveraged his Indianness to write for MIRA, ROYAL DETECTIVE (Disney Jr.), his shark obsession to write for SHARKDOG (Netflix/Nick), and his daughters' fairy knowledge to inform his work on DEW DROP DIARIES (Netflix/DreamWorks). He was in AFI’s MFA Screenwriting program but dropped out to join the ABC/Disney TV Writing Program, or whatever it’s called now, thanks to corporate restructuring. He’s currently developing a variety of tv series and features across several genres, but they all have comedic elements, and Ganesha. Bobby Flay considers Aadip to be the most memorable (WORST) castmember on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America.
Ever the advocate for writers, Aadip runs the 17.5k+ LA TV Writers Facebook Group, is an Advisor/Instructor at the Sundance Institute, and a speaker at BAFTA, WGA, CAPE, and leading film schools--AFI, NYU, UCLA, and USC. He’s a mentor and juror for BAFTA Breakthrough, Read Latin Writers Initiative, and judge for the 1497 South Asian Writers Fellowship. He’s a former producer/co-host at On The Page podcast with Pilar Alessandra, Development Intern at Trancas Films, and President of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild. Aadip studied comedy at UCB, The Groundlings, Comedy Workshops, and iO, and has been heckled at the Improv, Comedy Store, and a regular gig at a vegan restaurant with one bathroom. Aadip has a vestigial BA in Economics and a Minor in Music from the University of Puget Sound (the one with the pretty brochures). He is repped by Paradigm Talent Agency, and is a member of the WGAw and BAFTA. Aadip has murdered seven sideburn trimmers in three years.
You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram for his thoughts on diversity and inclusion in the writing business, and unflattering photos. He also has a wealth of screenwriting resources on his website.
Questions?
If you have any questions or any trouble accessing the recording, email our Director of Education Alexandra Davies at alex@roadmapwriters.com!