That's the name of this fun little Vox video:
From script to screen making a TV show is a fast and furious process. Here's how they get made. We took a look inside one of the best shows on television, The Americans to see how they go from script to screen.
The article that accompanies this video, though -- Caroline Framke's "We're Creating a World That Feels True:" How to make great TV, explained by FX spy drama The Americans -- isn't little and fun. It's huge. And awesome (with a bit of language):
I would love to tell you that after five months of reporting, I completely understand all the ins and outs of making television. But the reality of any production is that no matter how deep you dig, there's always more than meets the eye.
...
What I can tell you is how The Americans became one of the best shows on television.
Everyone on The Americans is working toward the same goal. This sounds like an obvious statement, but trust me: With so many variables in play and so little time to get everything done, that kind of teamwork is both rare and prized. If a set is like a train hurtling toward its destination, any bit of discord on the route clashes against the tracks and creates a warning spark — and the more that happens, the more likely it is that the whole thing will derail.
If you're as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am, this is the article for you. And if you're not as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am, that's probably a good thing. But you might want to be careful, because this article could easily turn you into someone who is as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am.
Heh.