New York's Center for Communication and moderator J. Max Robins of
Broadcasting & Cable held a round table discussion on March 15th about the lucrative art of idea pitching. How do you get production approval and financial backing to develop new series concepts and cable documentary projects?
Guest panelists included programming and development senior executives from HBO, Bravo, MTV2 and Food Network, who were all available for a Q&A session to discuss solid pitching ideas and best practices for getting a response on new ideas and production bids.
The Art of the PitchWhile writers and directors tend to give pitches that include specific information on camera angles (to show they are adept) and granular information about each character (all of whom they adore), the best pitch will tell a story in active language that engages the listener, even without the details.
Andrew Goldman, VP of Program Planning & Scheduling for HBO/Cinemax, suggests a simple story arc outline of "starts here, goes here, ends here," that will be brief and inclusive enough to make a decision.
It's also important to realize this is the stage where everyone involved must be a good narrator. That's not in the sense of producing different character voices (indeed, if you've gone into that much detail, chances are slim you'll make it to the end of your pitch) but with the idea that you'll want to have clear speaking habits and voice intonation to match your mastery of the narrative process. You want to appear professional and concise.
Learn To NavigateGoldman also advises it's vital keep your pitching presentations aimed at the proper channels. Even at the Q&A session afterwards, dozens of would-be directors continued to try and pitch their ideas, which predictably did not go far.
Without a paper trail or a submission through a real agent or a reputable production company, networks won't even look at stray proposals. They're tired of having submissions sent to them which are recycled clones. For every genuinely fresh idea, stacks of unintentional knock-offs appear, and frankly what flies through the front door is not the well-researched classic or tight script they're looking for.
Remember You're Not The Only Show In TownProducers also refuse to read unsolicited proposals because of legal repercussions. Shows in pre-production for months are often great ideas that dozens of producers have considered. But that can work against new writers interested in getting face time with the same networks.
The relationship is problematic for the network because once the producer has read an idea from another source, that writer can claim partial responsibility for an earlier concept, entitling the secondary writer to damages or royalties for an idea that was not original.
Amy Introcaso-Davis, SVP of Production & Development for Bravo, makes the point of focusing your radar on networks that will provide a connection with the demographic you're after. Bravo tends to be high earners who are well-educated, so topics are successful with their audiences that would not be with others. Likewise there are concepts that would work for MTV, like Laguna Beach that would dud outside their younger demographic. Instead of desperately pitching to the wrong market, save your breath.
Goldman suggests researching the business connections of any network you approach. It's important to know that Viacom owns Nickelodeon and MTV before pitching a music idea to Nick that would directly compete with a show already on MTV2. The idea would already be redundant if such a comparison could be made, but it would be doubly so when pitched to the same company that has already produced your precursor.
Making Your Idea Relevant, Not Just GoodCharles Nordlander, VP for Food Network, suggests you look at the genre and format of the network you are considering as part of your initial prep work. Tony DiSanto of MTV2 Programming agrees. The research on how to pitch your idea applies to reality TV and how-to shows, as well as biography specials and documentary work.
Nordlander says the Food network for instance is more focused on personality-driven specials. The flavor of the content is expressed by the spin of the presenter. He suggests this format works best if you can have a tape in hand to show the skill level of your cook or presenter as a camera-ready entity. How-to shows won't stand without good charisma, and being able to show and tell can help in this situation.
Amy Introcaso-Davis of Bravo also suggests leading the current market with a genre-bending concept. Instead of copying the ideas that are currently successful, consider adding a new twist on what has worked in the past. This helps get a foot in the door because producers will feel more comfortable about a familiar idea, but the combination of a new element like another genre as a subplot can help make it more competitive. Davis also suggests starting with smaller networks first, which are often more willing to take risks to get noticed. Their increased willingness to take risk might make you the inventor of the next big genre.
Getting to the MoneyNordlander says one of the biggest drawbacks for any new producer is inexperience with budgeting and schedules.
To prove you are trustworthy with an advance, it's good to start out slowly with single episode specials or documentaries to build up your reputation. Getting a 13 or 26 episode contract won't happen until networks can see a track record, and making mistakes on single projects will be less costly if you can rebound your rep quickly with another project. The last thing you want to do as an independent is burn possible connections because of a fumbled big project. Start small and let your buzz build you up to the next level, and you won't have this problem.
Accredited Agents and Production Companies That Won't BiteThe racket for script review is one of the oldest in the business. Even today a lot of Q&A questions concern the legitimacy of fee-based script reviews. Goldman of HBO, when asked about standard fee rates, said directly not to pay for script readings. Reputable production houses are successful enough to afford good readers without submission fees to cover the costs.
If you're looking for a script doctor, that's a different service, and a script in need of help cannot be truthfully commented on at the door as to whether or not it will be accepted for further development once it's been edited.
Once you've stepped away from the idea of bribing possible companies to read your script, the next step is to find a production house that is in line with your production. That means accreditation, and a good solid portfolio of past successes.
The term accredited doesn't indicate a master list of production companies that major networks will automatically select. It means that on your own you can ask a potential production company to give you a list of the networks they have successfully pitched to and what types of final projects have come out of the collaborations. Evasive answers may mean the production company is overselling, and might run the danger of being overextended with your project.
Constructing a Live PitchOnce you've found a good production company or agent in your genre and target network range, the next step is to lay out your pitch.
Tony DiSanto of MTV2 Programming warns not to get too attached to a demo tape or a pilot, since once the idea is accepted, a larger network will probably re-shoot everything to maintain consistency. Nordlander suggested the Food Network tended to be more allowing of outside production companies managing the actual shooting and editing, but only with proven companies that are nearly guaranteed to know how to budget and shoot according to network standards.
DiSanto was adamant that with the boom in Reality TV shows, the need for good editors and hands-on production staff is enormous. In fact, this is providing an easy foot in the door for those who are willing to pick up ground level production skills from the beginning. While the standard demo should be 5-15 minutes, learning the skills to make professional-grade sequences will up your chances of clearly expressing your ideas.
Have your Ideas DocumentedThere are several options for having your ideas documented, either by a legal entity or a script guild. Some services provide cost-effective idea registration online, were you can pay a small fee to have your idea assigned under your name more officially than a sheet of paper atop your script.
Instead of wasting time on undocumented scripts or losing good relationships with writers who feel snubbed, networks simply won't read a pitch that is presented by direct means.
The proper channels provide the screening and polishing you need before you get to the marbled offices at HBO. If your agent or production company tells you not to bother, they're doing you a favor. By following and researching the projects of reputable production companies, targeting the demographic most suitable for the networks you're pitching to, and officially documenting your ideas, the chances of getting picked up for major network syndication increase, and your story gets a step closer to being told.
Labels: cable network, documentary, financial backing, HBO, idea pitch
