Philip Levens | From Pitch to Pilot
A Master Course in Television Writing

From
Pitch
to Pilot

Learn to develop, pitch, and write a TV pilot from a showrunner who has sold 20 pilots to the major networks — and knows what it actually takes to get made.

Creator of Ascension · Writer on Smallville · EP of South Beach with Jennifer Lopez
Credits at Warner Bros · Disney · Marvel · Universal · Lionsgate
Scroll to explore
Ascension
Smallville
South Beach
Knight Rider
Red Queen · ABC
Night Visions
Wonder Woman
Wolf Lake
NBC · CBS · USA
Fox · ABC · Lionsgate
Nightwatch · Fox
Deep State
Finders/Keepers
Sony TV Deal
The Accused · A&E
Warner Bros
Universal · Disney
Marvel · Imagine

Philip
Levens

A career spent at the top of Hollywood television

Philip Levens is a veteran TV writer, producer, and showrunner with one of the most prolific track records in the business. He created and ran Ascension for Universal and Lionsgate alongside Jason Blum, adapted graphic novels for NBC, and spent years writing and producing on landmark shows from Smallville to Knight Rider.

He has written for studios including Warner Bros., Disney, Marvel, Universal, Lionsgate, and Sony — and has crafted scripts for talent including Will & Jada Smith, Ice Cube, and Michael Jackson's estate. His film work includes an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's Found in the Street for John Malkovich, and a draft of Wonder Woman.

Now, for the first time, Philip opens the playbook he has used across a decades-long career to take ideas from raw concept all the way through a produced pilot.

SyFy / Netflix
Ascension
The CW
Smallville
Paramount + J.Lo
South Beach
NBC
Knight Rider
ABC
Red Queen
A&E
The Accused
Warner Bros.
Disney ABC
Marvel
Universal
Lionsgate
Sony TV
USA Network
CBS
20+
Pilots sold to major networks
30+
Years working in Hollywood television
1
Saturn Award winner (Smallville)
8
Major studios with active deals

Two courses. One complete career roadmap.

01
Part One
From Idea
to Pitch
⏱ 8 – 12 Weeks

Every series begins with a spark. This course teaches you how to fan that spark into a fully realized pitch that network and streaming executives will respond to — from logline to show bible to the room itself.

  • Finding your premise & identifying the engine of your series
  • Developing complex, network-ready characters
  • Building your show bible & series arc
  • Crafting a logline that sells itself in one sentence
  • The anatomy of a winning pitch document
  • Performing the pitch — what execs actually want to hear
  • Navigating notes, feedback & development deals
  • One-on-one pitch workshop with Philip
Tuition$1,995
Enroll →
02
Part Two
From Pitch
to Pilot
⏱ 6 Months

You have a pitch. Now write the script that gets it made. This intensive six-month course walks you through the complete process of writing a professional-grade pilot script, from outline to polished final draft.

  • Turning your pitch into a structural outline
  • Writing Act One — cold opens, hooks, world-building
  • Pilot structure for drama, comedy & limited series
  • Writing a first draft that moves fast
  • Giving and receiving professional script notes
  • Rewriting — how pros make good scripts great
  • Format, presentation & industry standards
  • What happens after: staffing, representation & selling
Tuition$3,495
Enroll →
Best Value
The Complete Course — Idea to Pilot
Both courses. ~8 months total. The full journey from first spark to finished pilot, with Philip every step of the way.
$4,995
Save $495 vs. individual enrollment
Enroll in Bundle →

One-on-one with a produced showrunner

For writers who want personalized, in-depth feedback outside of the course structure. Whether you have a finished script that needs professional-level notes, a concept that needs shaping, or a career that needs strategic direction — Philip offers selective private consulting with limited availability.

Script Work

Full Script Consultation

Comprehensive written notes on your feature screenplay or television pilot — structure, character, dialogue, pacing, and market viability.

  • Full read of your feature or pilot script
  • Detailed written notes (8–12 pages)
  • Structure, character & dialogue analysis
  • Market viability assessment
  • Delivered within 10 business days
Per Script$750
Inquire →
Development

Development Session

A focused 60-minute one-on-one video session to workshop your concept, outline, or early draft.

  • 60-minute private video session
  • Concept & premise evaluation
  • Structural direction & story strategy
  • Character & world-building guidance
  • Recording provided for review
Per Session$350
Book →
Career

Career Strategy

A 90-minute strategic session for writers who need guidance navigating the business side of Hollywood.

  • 90-minute private strategy session
  • Career assessment & positioning
  • Agent/manager guidance
  • Staffing season preparation
  • Pitch strategy & market navigation
Per Session$500
Book →

Availability is limited. For ongoing consulting relationships, contact consulting@philiplevens.com

Your path from blank page to broadcast-ready

💡
Weeks 1–3

The Idea

Identify the concept that has real series potential. Define your genre, world, and central engine.

📋
Weeks 4–12

The Pitch

Develop your show bible, characters, and season arc. Craft and perform a pitch that gets the room excited.

✍️
Months 3–7

The Script

Write, receive notes on, and rewrite your pilot through multiple drafts toward a polished final script.

🎬
Month 8

The Pilot

Finish with a professional pilot script and the industry knowledge to take it out into the market.

What writers are saying

Philip gave me the framework I never got in film school — a real, working showrunner's understanding of how a pitch is built and sold. I left with a show bible I'm genuinely proud of.

M.A. — Former Student, Idea to Pitch

Six months with Philip fundamentally changed how I think about pilot structure. His feedback is direct, specific, and exactly what you'd get from a network executive. It's the real thing.

D.T. — Former Student, Pitch to Pilot

I've taken other screenwriting courses. None of them came close to this. Philip doesn't teach theory — he teaches how Hollywood actually works, because he's lived it at the highest level.

S.R. — Former Student, Complete Course

Choose your path

Market-priced for what you actually get: direct access to a veteran showrunner with 30 years of Hollywood experience

Part One

Idea to Pitch

$1,995
8–12 week course
  • Full curriculum: concept to pitch document
  • Weekly group sessions with Philip
  • One-on-one pitch workshop
  • Show bible template & resources
  • Industry pitch simulation
  • Lifetime access to course materials
  • Pilot script development
  • Script note sessions
Enroll in Part One
Complete

Idea to Pilot Bundle

$4,995
Full ~8-month program · Save $495
  • Everything in Part One & Part Two
  • Priority scheduling for one-on-ones
  • Four dedicated one-on-one sessions total
  • Full pitch + pilot materials & templates
  • Industry contact guidance & referrals
  • Access to alumni community
  • Six-month payment plan available
  • Lifetime access to all course materials
Enroll in Bundle

Common questions

This course is designed for serious writers who want to break into television or level up their existing work. Whether you're a novelist, playwright, produced writer looking to develop your first pilot, or an emerging writer with a great idea, Philip's teaching meets you where you are.
Both courses combine weekly or bi-weekly live group sessions via video, writing assignments, group feedback workshops, and individual one-on-one sessions with Philip. All sessions are recorded. Class sizes are kept intentionally small.
The courses are structured, multi-week programs designed to take you through a complete process alongside other writers. Private consulting is for writers who need targeted, one-off feedback on a specific script, concept, or career question. Many writers do both.
Because writing a great pilot script takes time. The industry's best pilots are developed, outlined, written, noted on, and rewritten through multiple drafts. Six months mirrors the real-world development timeline that professional writers follow.
Comparable programs from working TV writers at institutions like UCLA Extension range from $1,000 to $5,000 per course. What distinguishes Philip's courses is direct access to a showrunner with 30+ years of experience and 20+ pilots sold.
Yes. A six-month payment plan is available for the Complete Bundle. Please contact us at enrollment to discuss options.
If you already have a strong, developed pitch — including a fully realized show bible and series concept — you may be eligible to enter Part Two directly. Philip reviews all applicants to ensure they have the foundational material needed.

Your pilot exists.
Let's write it.

Seats are limited. The next cohort begins this spring.