Stealing from the Best

In crafting a pitch for a new TV series idea of mine, I've resorted to the time honoured tradition of stealing from the best. Using templates established by something I have appreciated from another creator and molding it onto your own idea is how I've been trying to fast track this new pitch.

As opposed to reinventing the wheel.

Originality comes from within, but craft comes from without. Hopefully, the combination works because without craft, no amount of originality will reach an audience. But craft without originality becomes merely derivative. It's a tricky balance, because buyers are also walking a tightrope between originality and what they've seen sells or reaches an audience.

But I have a good feeling about this pitch. (Fingers crossed, why do we keep at this???) Once it's done and registered with the various script registry services--I use the Writers Guild of Canada's for TV projects aimed at the domestic market and the Writers Guild of America one for spec feature scripts.

The WGA site is a must if you're entering contests or posting on a site like inktip.com which REQUIRES writers to have registered their script either with the WGA service or the US copyright office and have the registration number to prove it.

But once the pitch is done and registered I'll post it and see if anyone wants to give me some feedback. (The potential producers are liking what they've read so far.)