Writing for Television in India

Author: Swati Sapna

Television viewing has grown into a national hobby today with myriad channels, satellite and cable services, and the latest entrant – DTH. The result – a career in television writing is fast becoming a sought-after profession.

Of all the various careers in media, the television sector is the most disorganized. There are no set parameters for hiring people. Writing for TV is no different. You do not need a degree in creative writing or a diploma in mass communications. So what is it that you require?  TV content, simply out, is either fiction or reality.

Fiction – The Soap Factory

GEC’s in India (General Entertainment Channels like Star Plus, Sony Entertainment television, Zee TV and others) look primarily for Hindi language writers. Other than an impeccable command over Hindi language and grammar, the skills required are a good grasp of screenplay, nuances of various dialects and understanding the target audience. Most of our soaps today cater to the smaller cities and towns and have storylines similar to such settings. Be it the by lanes of Rajasthan in Balika Vadhu, or the chawls of Pavitra Rishta – creating unique characters and settings is essential to a writer’s job. In India where all our serials are dailies and have no season breaks, it is important for a writer to keep coming up with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the viewers hooked on a daily basis.

Here are some ideas to get cracking on your fiction sample script:

• First, work on character sketches detailing little eccentricities of the central characters.
• If you have been asked to develop the whole story, work on a one-page story line that is interesting and gripping. It does not have to spell out the ending.
• Write one important scene that establishes the plot line, brings out the characters of the lead actors, clearly spells out the setting and ends on a great hook.
• Make sure the tone of your writing is in line with the genre – be it comedy, drama, or thriller.
• Ensure that your writing is concise and clear, the language easy on the ear.
• Remember to think visually. What reads well on paper must translate into a great scene on screen.

Reality – The Reality Bug

Non-fiction in India comprises of events, talent shows, game shows, and the ubiquitous reality shows. Do you wonder what there is to write in a reality show? Believe me; it is the age of scripted reality! Everything from the anchor’s lines to the judges’ comments – is more often than not, scripted. Not all is fake – scripting is an attempt to add creativity and zing to what each person has to say. Scriptwriters on shows like Indian Idol, Dance India Dance and Khatron Ke Khiladi are often responsible for creating characters out of contestants and giving a new image to anchors and judges

Life style channels such as MTV, Bindass and Channel V call for specialized writing. Focus on the target audience here – Hinglish, edgy, “cool” lingo works well here.

If you have your eyes set on this niche, here is what you need to remember:

• Make sure you get a detailed brief on the hosts, contestants and judges of the show.
• Work on an opening script that explains in clear and simple language what the show is all about. However, it should not reveal everything! Keep it interesting, larger than life, yet concise. Come up with interesting names for rounds, judges or points!
• Work on building humor for a chat or standup comedy show, energy for a dance show, emotion for a reality show, or excitement into an adventure-based show. The anchor needs to reflect the mood of the show through your lines.
• Remember, in most non-fiction shows, you are writing solely for the host. Create a unique image or identity for him. Know his strengths and play them up.
• Make often-repeated lines more exciting and innovative by turning them into catchphrases.  Who can forget Amitabh Bachchan saying, “Lock kiya jaaye?” Or “Shubh Ratri and Shabba Khair”?

Whichever be your choice of genre, do remember that unlike other freelance writing assignments, TV writing is a full time job. You have to be present on the sets during shoots and improvise or change lines on the spot.

Show me the money!

Remuneration in the television industry is not standardized. You could start with as little as Rs. 3000 per half hour episode as a fresher or an assistant writer, and get paid up to Rs. 1 lakh for a day’s shoot of Kaun Banega Crorepati with Amitabh Bachchan! The downside of writing for TV is that there are seldom any legally binding contracts in place and your payments may take anywhere between a couple of months to a year to come through. What does help is if you register yourself with the Film Writers’ Association of India. This puts you in a better position to demand and be paid well and on time.

The Future of TV writing

Writers who have started out in television have turned TV producers today and still others have made a mark for themselves as lyricists or screenplay/dialogue writers and even directors in Bollywood.

The hub of all the action for TV writing is definitely in Mumbai. However, if your strength is your native language, then the surge of regional channels can also help you get your dream job in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore or Chandigarh.

The best way to start is to approach TV production houses whose work you like and write a sample script for them. For fiction writing, you could even start by assisting someone in dialogue or screenplay writing.  There are several production houses like  Balaji Telefilms, Synergy, Sphere Origins where you could send in your resume or a sample of your writing.  Websites like the scripthub specialize in helping writers and producers to connect specifically on TV and film related writing projects.

With several projects going on simultaneously, production houses are always looking out for fresh talent. Once you have written a couple of successful shows, production houses and channels will be calling you for the next big project… and who knows, you could soon be Shah Rukh Khan’s writer for his next show on TV!

About the author:

Swati has been working the field of media for the past 7 years and has experience in advertising, film making, television & news production and script writing. Her passion lies in reading anything she can lay her hands on, watching world cinema, cooking and writing.

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Tagged as: Scriptwriting Tips, writing career tips

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