Step Outline – Primetime (One-Hour Dramatic Pilot)

Teaser EXT. MANHATTAN SKYLINE – NIGHT NYC in the 1950’s, tilting down into Broadway. CURTIS COLE (27) hurries down the street, carrying a large cardboard box full of Chinese takeout. He suddenly stops at an unmarked door in a brick wall, KNOCKS. It opens. INT. UBS STUDIO, MANHATTAN – CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT Cole hands out cartons of Chinese food to the STORY EDITOR (50) and various CREW MEN, all of whom barely acknowledge him as they watch a live television play in progress. INT. UBS STUDIO, MANHATTAN – CAMERA CREW AREA – LATER The final scene of the telecast plays brilliantly. A DIRECTOR (45) yells “Cut” and they’re off. The Story Editor gives Cole an “atta boy” for his idea for changing a crucial line in that last monologue. He tells Cole to keep writing, he may just come up with an air-worthy script yet. Cole’s elated at the prospect, suddenly not bothered at all by the fact that most people here basically ignore him. ACT I INT. COLE’S APARTMENT, WASHINGTON HEIGHTS – MORNING Cole eats on his feet as he pulls on a coat. His wife JUDY (26) pursues him angrily, holding a CRYING BABY. Two other kids, a BOY (4) and GIRL (6) sit eating breakfast at a table and watching. Judy berates him about for quitting a good job to work as a glorified gopher at the TV studio. Cole retreats out the door. INT. UBS STUDIO, MANHATTAN – PRODUCTION OFFICE – DAY Cole watches a PRODUCER (40) berate the Story Editor over a controversial new script. The Story Editor refuses to change it. The Producer refuses to allow it to go on the air (could mean network/sponsor cancellation of this show). The two men storm off in opposite directions.

Cole notices his old theatre buddy, RICK STARK (35), one of the actors from last night’s show, walking past. Stark announces he’s moving his family to Hollywood, where all the TV production is moving (huge opportunities for NYC talent). He suggests that maybe Cole would have better luck moving up the ladder out West. Cole blanches at the notion. EXT. MAYHEW STUDIOS, HOLLYWOOD – DAY Huge complex, sound stages, bungalows, palm trees, the works. INT. BOARD ROOM, MAYHEW STUDIOS – DAY THOMAS MAYHEW (26) confidently pitches doubtful STUDIO EXCECUTIVES (50s – 60s) on the idea of creating a TV studio, Mayhew Telefilms. After much persuasive argument, they consent. EXT. BELLEVUE HOSPITAL – DAY Cole walks into the old building apprehensively. INT. BELLEVUE HOSPITAL – WARD ROOM – DAY Cole visits his father, STAN COLE (65), who walks with a cane. Cole asks how he’s doing. The angry old guy lays into him (“How do you think?”). Cole looks out the window, wonders aloud why he bothers to visit. Stan says hell if he knows, he didn’t ask his son to visit. Act II INT. UBS STUDIO, MANHATTAN – PRODUCTION OFFICE – DAY Cole, the Producer and several WRITERS (30s and 40s) watch as a SECURITY GUARD escorts the Story Editor and his cardboard box out of the offices. Producer urges the writers to fix the controversial script before it’s too late. They claim they can’t (really, they just won’t). Cole meekly speaks up, says he has an idea. Producer says he’s free to try. The writers give him dirty looks. INT. UBS STUDIO, MANHATTAN – STORY EDITOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT Cole slaves away at a typewriter. One of the writers, NICHOLS (37) comes in, warns him he’s betraying them all and people will remember that later. He reminds Cole that everyone needs friends in this business.

5-7 pgs