ConStar Studies TV

Whenever I think about what I want to do with my life, one of the only things that makes my heart race with excitement is television. I really just want to work on a show similar to any of those that I have loved in the past and help make people forget their problems by tuning into a really great episode of television.
I suppose I am trying to work in production or development (preferably in NY–totally not ready for LA yet) but somewhere in my future, I think there is a place for me in television writing. When I was little, I always thought of grown-up me as a writer, but in a really vague sense. As school got more difficult, my creativity pretty much shut down throughout high school and I’m trying to gain it back. I think my outlet for that might be tv script writing, but I’ve always been interested in many areas of television development.
My biggest TV influences are some of the big cult names: Joss Whedon, Steven Moffat, Aaron Sorkin, Dan Harmon, Tina Fey, and Shonda Rhimes (also Andrew Marlowe and Mike Shur) [maybe I will do a post on why I like each of them or what I’m learning about tv writing from them]. As I watch their shows, I try to think about what about the way they weave stories through episodes, seasons and series draws me in the way they do–though often, I get caught up in the story and forget to analyze.
Another big TV influence of mine is TV Tropes. It’s a great compilation of story devices and conventions from all sorts of media and since TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life, it’s been an obsession of mine. I often think about how TV shows and other stories connect and how universal certain stories are. I may discuss tropes that I’ve noticed but couldn’t put a name to or tropes on this week’s episode of whatever that I may remember from That Show From 10 Years Ago’s episode. Just know that I love TV Tropes.
I am also really into learning about story/plot structure. I think that structure is what will help me (though its not for everyone) learn how to make the words come out onto the page. It is really easy to apply simple and Hero’s Journey structures to novels and movies, but sometimes it’s a little harder transferring it to TV. Dan Harmon helps a bit, as did Ellen Sanders. I will be thinking about these and looking for more TV plot structures to help me learn how to tell a story that will have people wanting to tune in next week. Also helpful: Story by Robert McKee. If you know any more books or links on structure, send them my way!
SO, this blog will be a place where I “study” (in one of the loosest contexts possible probably) television. Pilot season thoughts, news from Twitter on current shows, random thoughts about shows I am currently watching or rewatching, tropes I am troping, or maybe scripts I am reading. Almost anything to do with television. I may even share (though at the moment it is unlikely) specs that I may be working on–my attempts to apply my “studies”.
Let’s go to work.