BenAs part of our 2017 intern program, we sat down with the students and recent grads who help make the NYTVF run smoothly and represent the next generation of televisionaries. We asked Shir Avinadav, who recently graduated from the University of Michigan, to tell us about her love of TV, her career goals, and what she looks for in a successful pilot.

 

Tell everyone a little bit about yourself. What's your educational background? What sparked your interest in television?

I recently (begrudgingly) graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Screen Arts and Cultures. I grew up in an Israeli household where my parents spoke Hebrew with me, so my interest in TV was sparked at a young age by being allowed to watch as much TV as my heart desired to help me learn English outside of school. I became devoted to watching TV (as an only child there wasn’t a lot else going on, entertainment-wise) and when we moved back to Israel during my high school years, it allowed me to feel connected to the U.S., even from across the world. When I got to Michigan, I quickly learned about the Screen Arts program and became interested in learning how TV was actually made — from its history and theory to its practice. Writing TV reviews for The Daily also helped me identify what made TV so great, which is part of the reason I ended up at NYTVF where we get to discuss TV and expand our own tastes and perspectives on it everyday.

 

In your opinion, what is essential to a successful TV pilot?

For me, a successful TV pilot is unique and clear in tone and is driven by compelling, motivated characters with a defined arc. Though there are multiple elements that make up a distinct TV pilot, for me, having an interesting character to identify with and follow is key to becoming engaged in the story. Most importantly, a distinct tone helps make the world we are engaging with more identifiable and allows us to anticipate the way the story will be told. The Chuck pilot is a great example of this — when his world is turned upside down it’s clear how he must develop throughout the series and the challenges he will face in doing so (whether external or within his own character). The world of the show is quirky and offbeat, but also has the element of suspense due to its take on the spy thriller genre.

 

Where do you see your career heading? What are you pursuing?

I’m interested in either scripted or unscripted development. Whether at a network or production company, I want to help identify new and interesting voices, while bringing projects with amazing potential to life onscreen.

 

 


Check out previous downloads here:

Top 10 Reasons to Submit to the NYTVF | Past Scripts Winners Part 2 | Past Scripts Winners Part 1 | Past JFL Winners | Shrink Co Creators | NYTVF Alum Jorge Rivera | No Tomorrow Writers | FLOWERS Creator Will Sharpe | Comedy Central Insights - 5/6/16 | 2016 TV Town Halls Advice | 2016 Bento Box Interview | 2016 truTV - Marissa Ronca | NYTVF Best Comedy Animals Heads to HBO | Q&A with the Jamz | Alumni Q&A (Richard Keith and Erin Cardillo) - 5/29/15 | Alumni Q&A (Damian Lanigan) - 5/29/15 | Chicago Comedy Panel - 5/18/15 | Big Laughs at Just For Laughs - 5/5/15 | Alumni Q&A (Whatever Linda) - 3/27/15 | Insights from the intern bullpen - 8/27/14 | Insights from the intern bullpen - 8/19/14 | Insights from the intern bullpen - 8/6/14 | Insights from the intern bullpen - 7/30/14 | Insights from the intern bullpen - 7/24/14 | Rory Covey of My Damn Channel's Honchos - 4/10/14 | Drama advice from Siobhan Byrne O'Connor - 4/3/14 | NYTVF Alum Danny Abrahms - 3/21/14 | Drama Advice - 3/13/14 | Advice from Chicago - 3/10/14 | Unscripted LA Panel - 2/25/14 | Drama Development - 2/20/14 | MSN Development - 2/12/14 | Casting - 2/5/14 | The Network Development Process - 1/29/14 | History Development - 1/15/14 | Comedy Formats - 3/18/13 | A&E Pipeline - 4/3/13 | Fox Script Contest - 4/10/13 | From Film to TV - 5/17/13 | Lifetime Unscripted - 9/4/13

 

The NYTVF is a pioneer of the independent television movement, connecting its community of artists with leading networks, studios, agencies, production companies, and brands.

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