THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 13, 1996 TAG: 9608130054
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 94 lines
While schmoozing with TV stars, producers, directors and agents in Southern California not long ago, I learned to speak the language of television.
I'm TV hip now. You can be, too. Memorize the list that follows. Then dazzle your relatives, friends and neighbors with how much you know about television.
This is TVspeak:
Nailing the line - No hammer involved here. When an actor ``nails the line'' in a sitcom, it means he or she delivered the dialogue with perfect timing and got a big laugh from the studio audience.
Stunt casting - Usually happens in a ratings' period. It's when the producers bring in a big name to mix with the regular cast, as when Tim Allen parachuted into the Drew Carey sitcom.
Pilot - The first episode of a drama or sitcom that is used to sell the show to a network. Sitcom pilots average 22 minutes long, dramas 47 minutes.
Busted pilot - A pilot episode that was rejected by all the networks. Hollywood is a graveyard of busted pilots, including several in which big stars were cast. When Judd Nelson's pilot didn't sell, he joined the cast of Brooke Shields' new NBC sitcom.
Fleshing out the character - After a series is on the air for a while, the writers go deeper into a character's background for stories. The cast of ``ER'' is in the process of being fleshed out.
Underlying arc - It's what script writers call the secondary storyline in a series. On ``NYPD Blue,'' the love life of Detective Bobby Simone is the show's underlying arc.
Leap of faith - This means the writers ask the viewer to accept the show's concept no matter how outrageous. Watching ``Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' requires a large leap of faith. ``Heightened reality'' is the first cousin of ``leap of faith.''
Baby wrangler - On the set of a TV show, there are people who look after the cats and dogs. Animal wranglers. And there are people who tend to the child actors. Baby wranglers.
Table read - It's how all TV sitcoms start. The cast gathers on Monday morning to sit at a long table and read the script for the first time. I've heard tell that the ``Seinfeld'' table reads are a laugh riot.
Riffing - Most actors follow the script to the T. Other actors, such as Bill Cosby, are good at improvising, so they are allowed to riff, or make up dialogue as they go along.
Pick-ups - This refers to doing a scene or line of dialogue over again in the final taping to correct a minor glitch. Riffing can lead to a lot of pick-ups.
Double-ups - To save time and money, some shows, such as ``Melrose Place,'' film two episodes at once. Most casts do 22 shows. The ``MP'' gang does 34. Doubling up is stressful for the actors.
Voice actor - Actors who make a nice living by lending their voices to commercials and cartoons. Some are famous, such as Jack Lemmon. Others are unknowns. If they are good at it, they can make millions without having to face a camera.
Franchise role - When writers create a character who is so popular that he or she keeps the show going for years and makes millions for the network. Columbo and Jessica Fletcher are franchise roles.
Core group - The cast that is at the center of the show - the people whose lives the writers keep coming back to for material. ``Friends'' is best when the storylines involve the core group rather than guest stars.
The No. 2 guy - On some shows, the core group is really small - just the star and his or her sidekick. The No. 2 guy (women are also No. 2 guys) has a lot of weight to carry. Joely Fisher is an excellent No. 2 guy on ``Ellen.''
Signature show - A hit show the network uses to build up its schedule, forge a strong relationship with viewers and impress advertisers. The network says, ``This show is us.'' ``60 Minutes'' is the CBS signature show.
Back nine - Most new shows start off with a run of 13. If the series is a success, the network orders 22 shows. It expands the order by nine.
Uptick - An upward movement in the ratings. Without an uptick, producers will never see the back nine.
Key demo - Short for demographics or age groups most sought after by TV advertisers - usually the 18- to 34- or 18- to 45-year old viewers.
Morbidity rate - No uptick among the key demos and the show dies. No back nine. No nothing. The morbidity rate in Hollywood is high. Last year, only six of 42 new TV shows survived.
Stand alones - Shows that do not have a continuing story. Each episode is wrapped up neatly in stand alones. ``Law & Order'' is a stand alone show and ``NYPD Blue'' is a bit stand alone and a bit soap opera.
Hiatus - The 10 or 12 weeks of the year between the end of filming or taping for last season and the start of work on the new season. Some actors, such a Jennifer Aniston of ``Friends,'' do movies (``Picture Perfect'') during their hiatus. Others just lie on the beach.
SAG card - Nobody works on camera in Hollywood unless they carry a SAG card that says they belong to the Screen Actors Guild. Dues are hefty.
Back-end deal - Producers often take little money up front to get their shows on the air. They make back-end deals that pay off handsomely if the show is a network success or clicks in syndication.
In summary, if you are a TV producer, you hope for a great back-end deal with a signature show featuring an actor or actress in a franchise role who pulls in key demos. If there's a baby in the cast, the kid better have a wrangler and a SAG card. by CNB