A pilot in development

On July 9 I had my first TV pitch meeting at a network. There was some discussion as to what would happen next but there wasn't a clear path and I decided to just be patient and wait. Something I don't always do well. But I did it. I went back to Detroit and I helped to plan a bridal shower and I showed off pictures of my Europe trip and I pushed the grandneighbors on the swings at the park. And then not a full week later I got a voicemail from one of my producing partners.

It seems the television network liked our pitch. Very much. I asked what this meant exactly. Were they buying the pilot? No. Not yet. We had some work to do first.

We had a very positive, very pleasant call with the network executives. They told us how excited they were by our project. How excited the film studio behind the television studio was by our project and our main character. How much they loved the story. And what they wanted to see happen with our show. And they gave us a very tight timeline in which to present to them an outline and a pilot script.

And so, we started working. I spent the next few days drafting an outline. Having conference calls and pouring over the Google doc with my producers. And then there was another conference call with the network. Interestingly, they're becoming old hat now. I mean, I've only had a handful of them but we have a rhythm. They tell us what they want to see in the next draft of something, we ask a few questions, and the meeting is done. Bing bam boom. Easy peasy. Well, for now anyway.

So after the big conference call with several execs I asked my producers what this all means. And officially, they said we have a pilot in development.

I love those words. I've heard them around town for years. They're vague and invite curiosity and questions. No one is really sure what they mean. You could be shooting a show in a month. You could be working on the same script in a year. But most of all? Those words contain in them so much hope. Hope that you're moving forward. Hope that you're on the right path. Hope that what's next might be big and exciting.

Hope.

It has been just three weeks since that first call with the network. Since then we've turned in two drafts of an outline and just this morning I got the email from the network that we're ready to go to script. That means next they want to see a full draft. In 10 days. So here we go...

It's been a crazy and exciting and terrifying and amazing couple of months. I've been to Europe and Detroit and done so much. It's really been just the best summer. And now? Now I get to spend the next month writing with hope. Working with hope. I'm just, beyond thrilled. Really. It's almost like I'm in shock. Just getting it done. Getting the words on the page, trying not to think too much about the what if and the how and the what. Just doing what I do best. Writing.

And being happy. When I got the news that we were in development I was able to share my excitement with my family and some of my very best friends back home in person. I love that. I love that they opened champagne and toasted with me. I love that we talked and talked and then went right back to making s'mores and chasing lightening bugs. Because that balance, that amazing balance, is what makes everything worthwhile.