nbc writers on the verge – finalist!

NBC

i had my phone interview with nbc on wed, and was told i’d probably hear by the end of the week whether or not i made it to the next round. i was trying to lower my hopes and expectations because the odds are i wasn’t going to advance. i saw someone post that about 1600 people submitted, 50 get phone interviews, 20 get in person interviews, and 8 writers get selected. i thought, just being 1 of the 50 writers who made it to the next round is somewhat of an accomplishment. it’s a little bit of validation that lets me know i’m not entirely crazy to be pursuing this dream.

as i was thinking this, the phone rang, and it was nbc. they liked chatting with me and wanted to set up a time for an in person interview! i made it to the next round, and my interview is on 9/17 which is a week and half away.

i’m super excited! i’ve applied to the nbc program (along with every other program) since i wrote my first spec in 2009, and this is the first time i received any response from nbc.

i like charts, so here’s a chart that shows me vs. the writing programs.

a few things:

1. i just realized after making this chart that i got at least some positive feedback each year i applied. i guess that’s why i haven’t given up yet.
2. i sent the same exact script to all of the programs each year, but clearly, i didn’t get the same response. this happens all the time with other writers i know. what might get someone recognition from one program or contest might not them any response from another. different network programs have different tastes and are looking for different things in the scripts they read. a lot of this stuff is subjective, but i believe if your writing is good enough, someone, somewhere, will recognize your talent.
3. i applied to the different programs even during the year i was a fellow at nick, but that didn’t give me any bonus points. it’s not like i made it to the next round in all of the programs that year.  these are all blind reads, and since my script didn’t have what they were looking for, i didn’t hear from them.

so, back to nbc. i realize i’m extremely lucky to have gotten even this far in the process, but i’m hoping beyond hope that i can capitalize on this opportunity, do well in the interview, and get accepted into the writers on the verge program. wish me luck, people!

WRITING PROGRAM NOTIFICATIONS

an update on the different writing programs. this is just information based on stuff i’ve heard or read on message boards and facebook posts of people i know, so take it with a grain of salt.

• nickelodeon just announced their semifinalists. https://www.facebook.com/notes/nick-writing-fellowship/congratulations-to-the-2012-2013-semi-finalists/459939874027677
• cbs already had interviews. if you haven’t heard by now, i think it’s safe to assume you didn’t make it.
• nbc, i’m guessing they had all the phone interviews by now.
• abc, you might still have some time. abc contacts people in waves, and they contacted me last year on 9/20 to request more materials, so there’s still hope!
• wb, i know someone who was asked to submit original material. someone said wb might also notify people in waves, so there might still be hope.

if you didn’t make it this year for any of the programs, be sad for a day, then go write another spec. immediately. because once the holiday season starts, you won’t have much time to write, and you want to give yourself enough time to really research the show, properly outline, write, and polish it up. the nick deadline is the end of feb, and the other ones are in may and june. it’ll come sooner than you think.

i don’t want to repeat myself, so i’ll just post a link to what i wrote last year:

http://kiyong.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/writing-program-notifications-rejection/