An 8-week* live-on-Zoom course for TV writers who want to create a knockout pitch they’re excited to share with their network!

*NB it’s actually 8 sessions over 10 weeks because I’m going to Europe :)

For TV writers with an excellent half-hour sample pilot who want to create a pitch to go with it...

OR for TV writers who do not yet have a half-hour sample pilot and want to start creating one the old-fashioned (professional, industry-standard) way: pitch first!!

This course takes you from…

I don’t know how to create a half-hour tv pitch ➡️ I am confident I can create an industry-ready half-hour tv pitch
I don’t feel confident talking about my tv show ➡️ I can’t wait to tell people about my tv show
I’m not ready to start meeting with producers and executives ➡️ I can confidently say “I’d love to pitch you my idea”

WHO AM I?

I'm Julia Meltzer, a screenwriter/TV creator who pitches a lot and is universally acknowledged to be good at it. How did I get good at it? I was a development assistant for 4 years, and I LISTENED to a lot of pitches.

What separated successful pitches from the unsuccessful ones wasn’t anything mysterious about the writer’s energy or performance: it’s that the successful ones described a TV show the listener wanted to make. The unsuccessful ones did not.

When I develop my own pitches now, I give the listener all the information they need, and only the information they need, to decide whether or not they want to help make this TV show. People seem to like that. This class will teach you to do the same!!

tell me more...

"Julia’s syllabus and clear expectations week-to-week are a godsend for creatives who crave structure and deadlines. She created a fool-proof system to work out the kinks before writing dialogue -- saving me months (if not years??) of toil, desperate patchwork, and wrong turns. I was able to write my pilot draft (and actually enjoy it) immediately after completing the Detailed Outline class because the story-crafting work was already strong. If you have a TV show idea you love- take Julia’s class before anything else!!!!"

-Playwright / Actor / Musician

Who are you?

you are a screenwriter who wants to create a pitch for a half-hour television show
you are available Mondays from 6:30-8:30pm PT between March 31 and June 2 (skipping May 5 and 12)
you have another few hours throughout the week to prep for the next class
you might be brand new to screenwriting, you might be early career/“aspiring,” or you might be more of a peer of mine who wants to kick the tires of their own process by seeing how someone else does it. All are welcome :-)
you may have already written the pilot of the show for this pitch, or you may have just an idea in your head — either works! Creating a pitch is an excellent (if time-consuming) first step to writing a pilot. It’s how the pros do it after all.

sign me up

"No shade, but I have an MFA in screenwriting from Columbia and I learned more about pilot writing from Julia in just a few HOURS than I did in my TV writing class at school (that cost me bazillions of dollars in student loans). She is legit brilliant at this, so nurturing to all of us no matter the genre or style of pilot. I was hesitant at first to spend MORE money learning about writing after going to film school, but the truth is that I was spinning my wheels without structure, writing is hard even for the most seasoned writers, and a brilliant teacher is a gift worth grabbing if you need clarity or a boost for any reason. Thanks Julia, you rock."

-Writer/Director

WHAT IS THIS CLASS?

This class breaks down a pitch into 6 distinct elements:

Title & Logline
Why I Want to Write This
Characters
Pilot Story
Week to Week/In Series
Sample Episodes

For the first six sessions, students will present one section of their pitch and receive verbal feedback/workshop it with Julia. Students will submit written feedback on each other’s material on the online messageboard. (This minimizes the amount of time we all spend on zoom as well as the cost of the class.)

Each week, after everyone presents/workshops, Julia will teach about the pitch element students will present next, as well as pitch a real example from her current work. There will be time for questions each week and Julia will also answer questions on the message board in between classes.

The class is designed so that by the end of session six, students will have written all the elements of their pitch.

Over the course of the final two sessions, each student will do their full pitch for the group and for Julia feedback.

Students will also get access to Julia’s pre-recorded pitch workshop (includes a second full example pitch) and various pre-recorded lectures on half-hour TV structure.

SCHEDULE/SYLLABUS

WEEK ONE: 3/31 6:30pm-8:30pm - LOGLINE

WEEK TWO: 4/7 6:30pm-8:30pm - WHY I WANT TO WRITE THIS

WEEK THREE: 4/14 6:30pm-8:30pm - CHARACTERS

WEEK FOUR: 4/21 6:30pm-8:30pm - SAMPLE EPISODES

WEEK FIVE: 4/28 6:30pm-8:30pm - WEEK-TO-WEEK/IN SEREIS

**SKIP 5/4 and 5/11**

WEEK SIX: 5/19 6:30pm-8:30pm - PILOT STORY

WEEK SEVEN: 5/26 6:30pm-8:30pm - first 3 student pitches

WEEK EIGHT: 6/2 6:30pm-8:30pm - last 3 student pitches

Writer/Director

"Julia's class was a lifeline to me. I can say wholeheartedly I have truly never felt so safe or supported as a writer. By the end of her class, I had a full draft of a new TV Pilot. It's no surprise because I felt held and supported throughout the process from outlining to draft. Julia's gentle but extremely knowledgeable and advanced notes led to me finding the best version of my story."

Actress/Writer

"Julia is an incredible writing coach. Not only is she an excellent resource for structure and logic, but her approach is balanced with a gift for deep character work. She really meets you where you are and helps you to expand your personal voice, instilling confidence and meaning into the process. Whatever stage you are in with your project, Julia will illuminate the path and enrich the journey!"

Standup/Writer

Taking Julia's class was the best thing I did for my writing. She is an incredibly thoughtful, inspiring and supportive teacher. Any roadblocks I ran into, she had a brilliant, insightful solution. I learned so much from her and the group dynamic she fosters. Can't recommend taking her class enough!

This is for you if...

You want a first draft of a new half-hour pilot sample you can't wait to share with your network by the end of the summer (!!!)

You're ready to hone your own taste and take control of your process and material

You're seeking deadlines, group momentum, and accountability

This is not for you if...

Your next project is a one-hour sample or a feature

You will be unable to move forward without Julia "signing off on" your work at every step (if so, check out 1:1 coaching!)

Actor/Writer

"Let me start out by saying: Julia is amazing! I came to her by way of a pilot writing course being offered by UCB. I had absolutely no writing experience. Only an idea about a personal life experience I had been wanting to write but failed in prior attempts.

Julia helped lay out a structure and set DEADLINES for writing a half hour Comedy/Dramedy.

Armed with the FREE version of WriterDuet, passion and a willingness to LISTEN; what followed over the course of three and half months was a life-changing experience that helped me find the writer in me that had been waiting to break out!

Julia challenged, encouraged and pushed me to be better on every pass of my pilot. She always pointed the strengths of my writing but also let me know the areas in my game I can sharpen without being discouraging.

I think that's her super power! Her ability to guide without ego and hold you accountable in order to bring the best out of you.

I am so proud of the work I was able to accomplish with her guiding me the whole way.

If you're trying to learn how to write a pilot the right way... Julia is the pro who can get you across the finish line. Just be ready to work!"

Here's what's included...

-8 2-hour live zoom classes with Julia and 5 classmates

-a step-by-step framework for creating an industry-ready pitch

-community message board for asking questions in between sessions

-Julia’s feedback and support on each element of your pitch as you create it

-the experience of doing your entire pitch for the group (with Julia’s feedback)

You'll walk away with...

A complete pitch for a half-hour TV show
A repeatable process to create another one!

sign me up!

Writer

"Not everyone who can “do” can teach, but dear God, can this woman teach. I wish I’d found her 15 years ago; it would’ve saved me a lot of heartache. Julia is an intuitive and prepared teacher. She is fully present in the class and has always spent time living in the world of our scripts beforehand. Her notes and guidance are super specific to each project, and she freely shares her insights, wisdom, and ideas. She isn't stingy or self-indulgent with her thoughts. There’s literally no ego—she just wants you to succeed! (I’ve had some teachers say they didn’t want to give specific advice without receiving a writer’s credit. Let’s be honest, when I sell something, I will be begging Julia to write on it, and she can have all the credits she wants!)

On top of her preparedness, she is straight-up talented. I’m in awe of the warp speeds at which her brain moves, always thinking of fresh perspectives and multiple angles. She’s direct while being kind and open-minded. Sometimes she’ll say, “Take that note or don’t, but I’d take it.” Other times she will say, “Nope, I take that back. Thank you for defending your choice. Here’s how to make that choice stronger…” (Excuse the paraphrased quotes, but you get the idea.) Her willingness to engage in constructive dialogue is truly inspiring.

Julia's classes are structured in a way that provides just the right amount of guidance, allowing for freedom and creativity within a safe and supportive environment. She ensures that every participant feels heard, and I can confidently say that I have become a better writer and thinker because of her class. I saw tremendous growth in my classmates as well. From newbie writers to cynical professionals, anyone could benefit from Julia’s expertise."

Who am I?

I’m Julia - I’m a Los Angeles-based screenwriter, writing coach, and postpartum doula/lactation educator. I started my career in entertainment as a development assistant for Modern Family star Ty Burrell’s production company before selling my original multicam pilot YOURS, MINE & PAUL’S to 20th Century Fox Television in a competitive situation; it later sold to ABC with Burrell producing and Sarah Hyland attached to star. My next pilot, MARRIED WITH FRIENDS (also a multicam), sold to CBS in the room; I then went on to adapt the Israeli TV series THE STYLIST into a feature film for Amazon Local Originals. I also developed an original single cam pilot, MORE KIDS THAN PARENTS, with Fanfare Productions, and wrote on the scripted audio series THE GOOD LIFE (Broadway Video and Audible).

During the 2023 writers’ strike, I staved off credit card debt (kind of) by teaching pilot writing classes through the Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center, and discovered that not only could I do, I could also teach :) I am now a sought-after screenwriting coach with an in-depth curriculum for three-act structure in half-hour pilots, and after observing my students’ challenges that could not be addressed by understanding how an effective pilot is structured, I developed tools to help screenwriters to overcome procrastination, writer’s block, and career stagnation. My coaching has been described “a magical drug,” “a godsend,” “perceptive as hell” and “legit brilliant.”

After struggling with my own writing practice after the birth of my son, I became passionate about parental wellness and empowering primary parents to share their creative voices with wide audiences, and created the groundbreaking New Parent Pilot Class, an incubator for parents of young children to create outstanding TV writing samples where their parenthood was seen as an asset, not a liability. This led to my training as a postpartum doula, lactation educator, matrescence educator, and parent coach. I am passionate about improving the wellbeing and general happiness levels of newborns and their parents :)

I have performed improv comedy at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade since 2015 and am now in the rotating cast of the theater’s flagship show ASSSSCAT. Julia has taught improv workshops for screenwriters through the Humanitas Foundation and USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Middle Eastern Media Initiative.