Better ways to make TV better

THE OTHER NETWORK started in 2002 when Un-Cabaret presented a festival of the best un-aired TV pilots ever made introduced by their creators at nightclubs around LA. Like the Un-Cabaret, it's the brainchild of alternative comedy goddess Beth Lapides, who realized that a lot of brilliant TV writers' best work was literally gathering dust in the closet!

She screened her own un-aired talkshow pilot for MTV, along with mind-blowing pilots by Conan O'Brien, Judd Apatow, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, Ben Stiller, Merrill Markoe, Seth MacFarlane and other great writer-producers. Audiences and the press went wild!

	The awesome, mind-expanding "Heat-Vision & Jack" by Dan Harmon & Rob Schrab, directed by Ben Stiller, starring Jack Black as a super-intelligent ex-astronaut and Owen Wilson as the voice of his sidekick, a talking motorcycle, on the run from the villainous NASA enforcer Ron Silver (playing himself).
	The sly, sarcastic sketch show "Next!" by Bob Odenkirk ("Mr. Show", "Ben Stiller Show"), featuring Bob, Fred Armisen, Ray Romano, Andy Dick, and others.
	The legendary "Lookwell!" by Conan O'Brien & Robert Smigel ("Saturday Night Live", "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog"), starring Adam West as a has-been TV actor who thinks he's a private detective.
	The dark & demented original pilot for "Saturday TV Funhouse" by Robert Smigel, features Smigel (and co-conspirator Dino Stamatoupolis) tormenting an audience of kids and their parents with truly twisted cartoons and sketches.

Our legal department is still trying to license these gems for a DVD or cable release, but in the meantime we realized that the creators' insights into the process of making TV were just as interesting and valuable as the shows themselves, which led to...

	THE OTHER NETWORK TV WRITING CONTEST. Among the prizes this unique contest offers are script notes from top showrunners for the winning scripts. Now in it's 4th year, THE OTHER NETWORK COMEDY CONTEST is accepting submissions in any medium: original and spec scripts, screenplays, audio, video, podcasts, etc., with winners in each category! Next deadline is Dec. 15, 2007. We received hundreds of entries to the contest, and a few great scripts, but there were a lot more writers who had the potential to be great. The problem is that outside of a few schools with really good TV writing programs, there wasn't any hard information available about how to structure a script, what to write, how to get people to read your material, how to get your foot in the door and what it takes to put your creative vision on TV. Which led to...
	THE OTHER NETWORK WRITERS' ROOM A series of audio interviews with top TV showrunners telling you how to write for TV. Some of the most original, outspoken and successful head writers in the business share their collected wisdom, stories and advice. Volume 1: Michael Patrick King, Alan Zweibel, John Riggi, Scott Carter. Vol. 2: Larry Charles, Seth MacFarlane, Gary Janetti, Rob Cohen. Plus, we made a companion piece, THE OTHER NETWORK WRITER'S ASSISTANT in which Beth and producer/co-creator Greg Miller synthesize the practical, actionable info from the series, plus their own advice based on teaching workshops and reading contest submissions, into an 8-step program to get you writing for TV - or make you realize you don't want to!

You can hear the great comedy writers of the Other Network performing their own material in DIGITAL DOWNLOADS at audible.com/uncabaret. Alternative stand-up and spoken-word stories by subscription or a la carte. Or get the critically-acclaimed CDs.

The Other Network is a division of Un-Cabaret Multi-Media, an entertainment company dedicated to singular voices and unique entertainment that is simultaneously funny and deep. Click here for more about Un-Cabaret.