Taken from the 1995 “Baywatch Bible” – a book given to script writers to create the perfect episode that fit with the Baywatch theme! Below you will get to read what it takes to create a Baywatch script! The Baywatch Official Writers’ Bible was compiled and Edited by Christopher Heyn (Script Coordinator) for The Baywatch Production Company Copyright ©1995
OFFICIAL WRITERS’ BIBLE
The Baywatch Writers’ Bible is designed to help guide the freelance writer in creating a successful Baywatch script. Baywatch loans the Bible upon assignment for use during story outline and teleplay development.
However, the Bible must be returned to Baywatch upon receipt of the First Draft Teleplay.
It is highly recommended that the writer read the Bible thoroughly, especially the episodic synopses. Familiarizing oneself with the history of Baywatch will help the writer get a feel for the show and avoid developing storylines that have previously been done.
WRITING FOR BAYWATCH
“THE BAYWATCH EMPIRE”
In a cover story, Entertainment Weekly magazine recently called Baywatch “the #1 show in the history of the planet.” And with good reason.
Baywatch is seen in over 140 countries and has an estimated audience of over a billion viewers every week.
Baywatch is the first American TV program to be broadcast in mainland China, and the popularity of the show stretches from Great Britain to Australia to the deepest jungles of the Amazon, where viewers power up portable generators in order to view Baywatch on black-and-white televisions.
The incredible reach of the show recently prompted NBC’s Now program to show a spinning globe with areas of the planet clearly marked as territory belonging to “The Baywatch Empire.”
NBC has reason to be somewhat embarrassed about the show’s current success, as it was NBC that cancelled Baywatch after its first season. However, producers Doug Schwartz, Michael Berk, and Greg Bonann along with actor/producer David Hasselhoff believed in the concept strongly enough to pursue a revival of Baywatch in syndication.
No prime-time dramatic series had ever made the jump from network to syndication, much less with any success. However, after four years, Baywatch has blazed a trail now followed by programs like Sirens, The Twilight Zone, and numerous others, none of which have yet achieved the stunning international success of Baywatch.
But Baywatch isn’t just successful overseas. Currently in the U.S., Baywatch is running neck-and-neck in the ratings with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine–a show with a 25-year built-in audience. Despite the volatility of the syndicated marketplace in which three new networks are being launched, Baywatch has held its own to become the #2 drama in syndication, its highest showing to date. And thanks to loyal fans, more and more people are ignoring the Baywatch jokes to tune in and become regular viewers, which indicates that it may not be long before Baywatch is #1 everywhere on the planet.
STRUCTURING THE SCRIPT
Baywatch is unique in the way the show develops and produces scripts. Because Baywatch is a syndicated show, there are more commercials per hour, so naturally, scripts are shorter.
In addition, there are at least one or two music montages per show, which gives the editors more flexibility in editing the show to its time constraints.
The production goal of Baywatch is to have a script where al scenes shot end up in the show and nothing is wasted.
Lastly, Baywatch makes the most of fewer locations, in order to remain cost-effective.
BASIC SCRIPT FORMAT
Each Baywatch script should be between 35-38 pages, each including:
- Four acts, each 8-9 pages in length
- A tag, no longer than 2 pages in lenth
THE BAYWATCH FORMULA
There are certain elements that must be present in all Baywatch scripts.
1. Music Montages-
For the new Baywatch writer, this can be the most misunderstood aspect of the show. Unlike Miami Vice or Dead at 21, Baywatch music montages contain no dialogue, but are a series of visuals shot by our second unit edited to a pre-recorded song.
However, Baywatch music montages are not an excuse for killing time–they must drive the plot forward and have a purpose in the story, much like a song in a good musical. Baywatch music montages tend to fall into one of three categories:
Action Montages–these usually involve a chase or some sort of suspenseful action. Past action montages have included wave runner races, lifeguards in rookie school training, Garner chasing bad guys, beach volleyball competitions, and the like.
Character Montages–these explore a character’s emotions or thoughts. For example, in an episode where the main guest character was a dwarf, the music montage was a poignant exploration of his loneliness and outsider status among “normal” people.
In another episode, CJ dreamed of becoming a famous actress, and we saw CJ posing for photos made famous by Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Greta Garbo, and others. Character montages run the gamut of emotions from falling in love to excitement over a new car to mourning the loss of a loved one.
“Day in the Life” Montages–these montages mostly feature lifeguards in action–a particularly hard day at the beach, a tough rescue, etc. One of the best examples of a”Day in the Life” montage was the end sequence to “Livin’ on the Fault Line, Part Two,” where we saw lifeguards and other Los Angelenos put the pieces of their life back together after a powerful earthquake. “Day in the Life” montages have also featured guest characters in action–motorcycle stuntmen jumping through flaming hoops, movie directors shooting a picture, Djs spinning up a party on the beach, or models on a photo shoot.
2. Rescues—
Because Baywatch is a show about lifeguards, the rescue sequence is a vital component of our scripts. The most effective rescue sequences are those that accomplish more than one thing in the story. For example, if the rescue involves guest characters, then it can be a way to introduce them, or better yet, be a way to resolve a storyline.
For example, in “Short Sighted,” a boy’s father was drowning, and his rescue helped the boy realize how much he loved his father. In “Deep Trouble,” the rescue of a boy with leukemia reunited him with the only brother who could give him the marrow he needed for a transplant. In all cases, the rescue is present to show the everyday heroism of lifeguards and to emphasize the value of life.
This component of Baywatch has the strongest positive impact on our audience, as the correct demonstration of CPR in these rescues has actually saved viewers’ lives. Some rescue ideas can be found in the Reference Section.
3. The Beach—
This is the main location of our show, yet it is surprising how many new Baywatch writers make the mistake of having very few scenes placed here. Many scenes that are placed elsewhere can be put on the beach with minimal adjustment. For example, a date sequence that takes place in a hotel restaurant can easily become a romantic picnic on the beach or on the bluffs nearby, and a clandestine meeting in an alleyway between two criminals can be relocated beneath the Santa Monica Pier.
STORYLINE DO’S AND DON’TS
- Contrary to our detractors, Baywatch is a family show. Please keep this in mind when developing a story.
- Baywatch features action, not violence. Fistfights are not unacceptable but not encouraged, either. Afew thrown punches and some broken furniture is okay. Brutality and blunt instruments are not.
- DespitethebeautifulpeoplethatpopulatetheBaywatchbeaches, the emphasis in Baywatch is always on romance, not sex. Anything that would be overly sexually suggestive, either in action or dialogue, is not acceptable.
- Though the Baywatch lifeguards are by no means perfect, they do not smoke, drink, or use drugs.
- No stories featuring violence against women–even implied violence such as repeated threatening messages left on an answering machine. This includes “stalking” stories and the like.
- No stories featuring underage drinking or drug use, unless
presented in a context where the negative consequences are clearly demonstrated. According to our British censors, showing how to hide beer in a Coke can or other clandestine ways to hide drugs or. alcohol may give underage viewers ideas and are unacceptable. - Baywatch is designed to be pleasant escapist entertainment with positive messages woven into the storyline. Therefore, overly seedy storylines and locations (massage parlors, tattoo parlors, topless bars, prostitution, etc.) are totally unacceptable.
- However, even though Baywatch is light entertainment, the show has dealt with serious issues in a thoughtful manner. Past episodes have dealt with blindness, homelessness, domestic violence, anorexia, teenage alcoholism, drug abuse, gang violence, divorce, the plight of the disabled, mental retardation, and even AIDS. In every case however, the topic was handled with sensitivity and not in an exploitative fashion. The Baywatch approach to storytelling is very much influenced by the Michael Landon school of thought.
- All storylines revolve around our main characters. Whatever story is told must affect our characters, and they must learn from the experience. Baywatch is a show about lifeguards, and is not a crime drama or comedy, though these elements certainly have played and can play a role in the story.
WRITING FOR PRODUCTION
- Baywatch generally shoots an episode in five days, sometimes four. Keep this in mind when developing a story. Too many separate locations will automatically require a significant rewrite.
- The ratio of interiors to beach/headquarters exteriors should be 1:4 at most, since we do not generally shoot more than one day of stage work per week.
- Baywatch rarely shoots at night, and fi so, only with second unit. fI a location must take place at night, it is recommended that it be written so it can be shot on stage, whether that be an island location or the interior of a warehouse.
- Keep the number of guest stars and especially day players limited. Decide if a character with a single line in the script can be eliminated and that line given to someone else.
- Write with first and second unit in mind. Second unit shoots all the music montages and the majority of the action sequences. Writing an action sequence where a main character’s double can be used wiLl ease production considerably.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
When the show is broadcast, it is seen in this order:
- Opening minute preview of episode
- Opening Credits
- Act One
- Act Two
- Bumper
- Act Three
- Bumper
- Act Four
- Bumper
- Tag
- One minute preview of next week
- End credits
SCRIPT SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS
Each writer is required to deliver the following materials:
- First Draft Story Outline
- Second Draft Story Outline
- First Draft Teleplay
- Second Draft Teleplay
The freelance writer will generally receive the majority of executive producers’ notes on the First Draft Story Outline and the First Draft Teleplay.
The Second Draft Teleplay must be delivered no later than five (5) working days prior to the official day of directorial prep. (Delivery dates will be provided through the executive offices.) Any exceptions to dates or procedures must first be approved by the executive producers.
FORMAT REQUIREMENTS
- STORY OUTLINES
Two hard copies of each outline must be submitted. outlines do not require delivery on computer disk. - DRAFT TELEPLAYS
Two hard copies of each draft teleplay are required. In addition, al teleplays must be submitted in either Word for DOS or straight ASCIl format with no formatting codes. If the script is composed on a Macintosh computer, the script must be delivered in Word for Mac format on a DOS formatted disk. Macintosh-formatted discs are not acceptable.
The above is a copy of the ‘Baywatch Official Writers’ Bible’ which was compiled and Edited by Christopher Heyn (Script Coordinator) for The Baywatch Production Company Copyright ©1995 – and transcribed by BaywatchTV.org