July Madness

Back in March, several Channel 101 creators launched “March Madness,” a creative explosion that brought us current Prime-Timers Legend of the White Tiger and Sex Teenagers (along with the heartbreaking cancellations of The Sequence and Gardening Warz). It also resulted in a slate of awesome Failed Pilots like Lamar Jackson: Black from the Dead, Out for Good and Gadget! Gadget! Gadget!. It made for an incredibly awesome March screening.

With no June screening, 101 creators are faced with the unique privilege of having two months to make a show. But why let the Prime-Timers have all the fun? As Tom Kauffman astutely pointed out on Saturday night, why not launch “July Madness?” It’s a great idea, but we shouldn’t have to assign months for people to submit. Every month at 101 should be madness.

As you may have noticed, there were only four new shows in the June screening. It’s an unfortunate situation that’s a by-product of the dropping number of Channel 101 submissions. Prime timer after prime timer has expressed confusion over this. Did you know that the June screening was the second-highest attended screening ever? As a matter of fact, we’ve broken that record three times this year. People are coming to Channel 101 in near-record numbers, yet the submissions only trickle in.

I guess we’re getting lazy. Or maybe discouraged. Or intimidated by the quality of the prime time shows. I know I’m guilty of all these things. But this is an exciting time for Channel 101. The work that’s being produced is being screened in front of two packed screenings every month. 350+ people are consistently casting ballots. And people are taking notice of the work that’s being done. The Channel 101 audience is just as important to the process as the creators. But it’s time for the audience to stop watching and start doing.

I’m making a show and submitting it for the July screening. A show that I have no idea how to make. Which is why I’ve been talking myself out of making it for almost a year. But it’s time to put up or shut up. It may turn out to be a spectacular failure, but the great thing about Channel 101 is that failure isn’t frowned upon. They might even give you an award for it. We owe it to the creators of the shows that are getting screened and/or voted back to come at them with all we’ve got. It makes everybody better. If the prime time shows aren’t pants-shittingly scared of the new pilots, we’re not doing our jobs.

I want to make Jason Whetzell shit his pants in July. Who’s with me?