INDUSTRY 101 EVENT SERIES
![Orange and white colorblock square reads: Industry 101 Event Series [illustration of TV set] Februaary 28, 2024 5-6:30 PM PT Humanitas presents The Windup and the Pitch: TV Session](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/591b3802e6f2e12935c147c7/84b8117e-b0f2-4c67-aa54-8ac0a4972e37/image-asset.png)
Forget the next great American novel. You’ve written the next great American pilot. Your people sent it to other people's people. It made its way to a production house with a name your grandma recognizes. The interns loved it. The assistants loved it. Lo and behold, even the executives loved it. Now you're going in and pitching it to the head honchos.
What is a pitch? How do they work? How are they structured? Why do they call it a pitch? Why can’t they just read the thing and make a decision? When it's all over is it bad if they say the pitch was “well told?”
DJ Nash, creator of A Million Little Things, will lead a TV-centric webinar on pitching, covering what they are and how they're structured, and demonstrating what they look like in action by performing the pitch for A Million Little Things. An audience Q&A will follow, moderated by television executive Stacey Adams, who covered the show during its four year run.
Attendees are advised to view the pilot of A Million Little Things before joining this webinar. The series can be viewed on Hulu here. Those without a Hulu subscription may wish to explore a 30 day trial subscription.
Content Warning: Please note that the pilot of A Million Little Things deals with themes of depression and suicide. If a guest ever feels the need to take a break from these discussions, either for a short time or for the rest of the session, they may always do so.
FEATURING
DJ Nash
In 2014, DJ Nash created and executive produced the NBC series Growing Up Fisher, starring Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons and Jenna Elfman. The show was based on DJ’s childhood growing up with a father who is blind and with parents who got divorced. In 2015, DJ created and executive produced his second series, Truth Be Told, starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tone Bell, Executive Produced by Will Packer and directed by Pamela Fryman.
There’s an old saying: “Friendship isn’t a big thing... it’s a million little things.” Loosely based on DJ’s real-life experiences, A Million Little Things was an hour-long dramedy that just finished its 5-season run on ABC about a group of friends who, for different reasons and in different ways, are all stuck in their lives, but when one of them dies unexpectedly, it's just the wake up call the others need to finally start living. In May of 2018, the Television Academy awarded A Million Little Things the Television Academy Honors Award, for being “some of the most powerful and impactful television.” In 2021, the series was awarded the Sentinel Award by Norman Lear for its compassionate portrayal of the topic of abortion. In 2023, the series finale was nominated for the Humanitas Prize.
Since creating the series, DJ has become a huge mental health advocate, serving on PREVENTS, the presidential task force where he worked alongside the Surgeon General and the head of every branch of the Armed Forces, dedicated to reducing the suicide rate among veterans. He also works closely with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, most recently hosting the 10th Anniversary of the Out of the Darkness Walk in Pasadena, CA.
Lastly, the only thing on DJ's bucket list is to play the drums with Sting to Message in a Bottle. Anyone who can help make this happen, please let DJ (and Sting) know. You can follow DJ on Instagram and on X at @HeyDJNash.
Stacey Adams
Stacey Adams has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years, as both a Development and Current Executive at both Studios and Network Television. Most recently Stacey was SVP of Current Programming at ABC Disney, covering multiple tentpole dramas, such as A Million Little Things, Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, The Rookie, Feds, The Good Doctor and many more. Previously, Stacey was VP of Current, at CBS, covering both comedy and Drama, including shows such as, CSI, CSI Miami, Criminal Minds, Numbers, Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, Vegas, The Defenders, The Big Bang Theory, Partners, The Class, and many others. Prior to being a Current Executive, Stacey worked in Development at Fremantle Media and Paramount Studios, developing many dramas for both cable and Network television. The beginning of her career was based in the love of theater, where she created and ran a Theater Company in Los Angeles, workshopping original works. In addition, Stacey has many years of experience in physical Production, having worked as a Director’s assistant, and studio executive.
Stacey will join DJ for a Q&A during The Wind Up & The Pitch: TV Session.
