Looking for the next big thing

Oh, this used to be so much easier twenty years ago. I’ve been looking for the next show since late ’22, but virtually nothing’s been going on within my usual circle since the pre-strikes slowdown in ordering fresh content of virtually any kind.

If you’re an industry type staffing for anything, here’s my most recent resumé. I’m easier to reach by email at troy@storytmedia.com than at the number listed.

Beyond the credits, I’ve written seven books (four of them previous Amazon bestsellers): Reality TV, And Another Thing: A Beginner’s Guide to the Network Notes Process, Should I Go to Film School, One Hundred Poems About Los Angeles, Another One Hundred Poems About Los Angeles, Drawing Prompts for Extremely Weird People and All Concept, No Execution.

I’ve also contributed to Emmy Magazine and The Washington Post, among other publications and am one of the world’s leading speakers on the unscripted television creative process, having lectured or keynoted at major events like StoryExpo, The TV Writers Summit and others.

Media Reel HERE.

The ’24 blues

Well, nuts. Felt sure that 2024 would come charging back with loads of new projects, but so far, it’s been slow going for me and most of my colleagues.

I did, however, manage to get a couple of new books out at Amazon this month, so feel free to check out Drawing Prompts for Extremely Weird People, a draw-in-this-book challenge for oddballs, or All Concept, No Execution, a collection of non-art art captioned for your amusement.

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I’ve booked Story Expo XI for September and will once again be part of Full Sail University’s Hall of Fame celebration in May, but am still keeping my fingers crossed for some new shows soon.

Reality pro pals… how are you finding 2024 so far?

Adios, ’23.

I’m not blaming 2023 for anything that happened while it was around, but oh, what a stinker of a year it was. Didn’t get a lick of work for the full year, and friends in L.A. were abandoning the tv industry in droves. I was busy developing new things and bouncing back and forth over multiple show projects, but wasn’t generating any income. Thankfully, I was able to keynote the second day of MASTERS OF STORY in NYC and made a little money signing books and photos at the Hollywood Show in Burbank on October 6 and 7.

So, what happened?

Fearing an impending strike from the WGA, SAG/AFTRA or both, networks all but completely stopped ordering new content and, in contrast to the previous strike, did not pour money into reality/unscripted shows to tide them over, though I did see a boom in big, noisy game shows.

As we settle into 2024 and networks start spending money on content again, I’m confident that there’ll be a return to business in reality, at least more than there’s been.

If you’re one of those people who follows me to learn about reality/unscripted in advance of pursuing it as a career, I’d still tell you to go for it… but be prepared for low rates as this still-mostly-nonunion corner of the business finds itself already jammed with people of experience looking to get back in.

Best of luck out there.

Changes

If I’ve made one mistake over my 23 years in reality tv, it’s not crossing over into an exec position when opportunities presented themselves. My reasoning was always that I’d rather stay involved in the capacity of a story producer or Co-EP/EP. Execs have short shelf lives, often spending just 18 months to two or three years in their positions before moving on to greener pastures on the next gig.

That changes in ’24. I’ve had a few friends cross over into the rarified air of the execuverse in recent years, and all of them have at some point confided that they had no idea what they were doing when they said “yes,” but that trusting their takes on the business and facilitating good work made it rewarding.

NY/LA, I’m here for you if you feel like asking again. It’s been a brutally slow ’23 for all of us and I’m ready for a challenge. I’ve also got a great training seminar to help your new hires give better notes, if you’d rather explore that.

Smooches. Love you, tv.

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: ULTIMATE SCREENWRITING STACK on sale now!

Hello, friends! I mentioned in my last post here and in some recent emails that my book, AND ANOTHER THING, is a featured treat in the ULTIMATE SCREENWRITING STACK, which you can learn more about by following this link.

It’s a swell deal featuring great reads and values from a number of well-established industry pros, and it’s my sincere belief that you’ll find it an ideal and inspiring treat for yourself or the aspiring screenwriters in your life (at an incredible limited-time price, to boot).

Check it out!

Black Friday consulting teamup alert.

Ever thought your ideas could be the next big hit in theaters or on the small screen? Of course you have…and you’re not alone.

We all have stories to tell, and yours deserve an audience beyond your imagination and the loose thoughts and half-written things jamming your laptop’s hard drive. Tomorrow, I’m unveiling something super special — a Black Friday bundle crafted for those who dream in dialogue and plot twists, carefully curated with materials from a number of industry pros and consultants.

This is more than just writing tips. It’s an all-access pass to the world of screenwriting, with guidance from seasoned pros who’ve already made this dream come true for themselves. If you’ve ever sought out consultation beyond inexperienced friend and family reads, you know it’s hard to navigate the charlatans from the pros whose advice is really worth your time and resources.

Whether you’re drafting your first act or polishing your material to a high shine, I think you’ll really enjoy this bundled offer.

This is the first time I’ve said yes to something like this in 23 years of making television and advising hundreds of university-level novices and early career pros, so get ready. It’s time to write and hone the story you’ve always wanted to tell in a manner that won’t leave you looking amateurish.

Yours in good storytelling,

Troy

Fall wrap-up

October was wildly busy. Picked up steam on a to-be-announced project with Big Picture and producer pal Will Clevinger, did my first signing in ages at the Hollywood Show in Burbank, and had an absolute ball at MASTERS OF STORY in NYC, where I delivered the Saturday keynote and introduced the legendary Robert McKee.

Hoping 2024 brings more in-person lectures, talkbacks and keynote opportunities! There’ll likely be a 2024 Story Expo appearance. Visit StoryExpo.com to get on their mailing list for updates on where/when/who else.

Consulting / Speaking Update

Beginning in July of 2023, I’m committing myself to a return to consulting during reality’s ongoing production slump. The cats are tired of me, I’m tired of them, and the wallpaper is getting on my nerves,

I’ll be delivering the Saturday Keynote at October’s Masters of Story event in NYC, but in addition to my ongoing hunt for unscripted producing work, I’m also making myself available for consults and in-office seminars on both reality television production and my new passion, streamlining the creative notes process in a way that’s more productive than dig-in-your-heels combative.

Of course REALITY TV and AND ANOTHER THING, my book on the notes process, remain available at Amazon.com, so you can always check those out before choosing to hire me to speak to your teams or help iron the kinks out of whatever you’re developing/working on.

Queries to troy [at] storytmedia.com

Pro Tip: Adding Zing to Lifeless Interview Subjects

Some pro tips I’ve held close to my vest over the years. One of them is this trick I use to add energy to lifeless interviews.

We all know that they happen. You get someone in the chair who’s maybe not all that jazzed to be there or just plain tired. There’s only so much you can do, and still, the notes on the material will come back about how the subject “seems very low energy.”

No kidding.

My secret sauce? Just compress the clip length by somewhere around ten percent. If speeding the footage and audio up by that amount doesn’t appear too obviously doctored, it can add a little bit of life — sometimes enough to keep you from having to pick up the interview content, hoping to heck that your subject is more awake the second time out.

Back to the Blog!

Hey, folks.

You know, it seems like the last year or so went by pretty fast.

In 2018-19, I spent a lot more time working on the documentary (clips galore on Instagram @rememberwerenothere) and exploring some really unusual stuff like creating a card game, guest writing for The Washington Post and much more.

I’m resolving to spend more time here, as I always had fun here exchanging pro tips and other things.

Anyone still here?