Wait — an hour?

OK, so I’ve pitched my pilot to several people, and even let my sister read the first few pages. Many of them have suggested that it be an hour. An HOUR. Like, 44 minutes of television programming.

I did a little research, and watched the pilot for Ugly Betty, one of my old favorites, and read the pilot, written by Silvio Horta, who adapted the show for English in the United States. {Read the pilot script here}. This pilot is a great model for my pilot, and it actually inspired me to take my story into a different direction for a stronger ending.

However — an HOUR?! That’s a lot of time! I realize that many dramatic comedies, like Ugly Betty, and Desperate Housewives, Psych, and Glee are an hour long. Still, come on! I totally envisioned that it would only be a 22-minute, wham-bam, in-and-out kinda pilot.

But I fear my friends, family and mentors are right. This show has to be an hour.

Don’t they know hour-long shows have a bajillion-acts! Don’t these people know how much more work that is?! The Ugly Betty Pilot is 61 pages. I’ve seen some Grey’s Anatomy scripts that are seriously like 70 pages. What is a girl, used to a solid 30 pages, supposed to do?

I guess get cracking.

Unfortunately (and fortunately) I only have a week and a half until I should send this out to people. I’m writing this pilot for FOX’s writer’s program, so everything’s due June 30 — that includes getting someone who is already in the industry to read it and then sign off on it.

Also, my protagonist is Liz Lemon, essentially.