Pitching TV Pilot Episodes

[PaulGriffith]

I was wondering about this, tried a forum search and didn't turn up much.

Say I went and shot the first 5 episodes of a TV show I wanted to pitch on my dime. Let's say they're pretty solid and network quality. I have a story bible for the rest of the season (maybe 2). What would I do with it? How do you get someone's attention, someone for a cable or national network and get them to watch a few episodes.

The different approaches for getting a film made and distributed I'm familiar with, at least in concept. What about a TV series? I would think with thy many episodes in the bag, it would be almost no risk for the network. If they air it, people like it, it's gold. But to get the programming director or someone in his staff to see it?

All speculation right now. I've had a tv series idea rolling in my head for 6 months now and would like to do something about it, just want to be informed before I do.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kjones]

PaulGriffith,

I've had similar thoughts and questions. My co-writers and I are working on a Cable/TV series idea, and we're trying hard to make it good as these waters have a lot of big fish swimming in them nowadays....

-- One of them suggested exactly your approach, then physically marketing it at the American Film Market in L.A. Not sure, but sounds like maybe a $3K expense in and of itself! http://www.afma.com/
-- What if you went the route as webisodes and marketed it that way?
-- Networking might work, if you know someone in the TV series biz.

Would love to hear more ideas from the folks here, sounds like a tough nut to crack.

 

[Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC]

You absolutely need to bring it to a NATPE Convention, get a dealers table, and play it over and over for the network studio executives to glance at. They do pass by, but they want names in you cast.

http://www.natpe.org/natpe/

Also, an independent producer that I know who worked for Hollywood as an actress for over 40 years recommends pitching to HBO every few months to their development office because there are time when they are looking to filler movies. You may want to have a movie ready as a pilot test for HBO. Roger Corman got a Black Scorpion TV series on the SyFy Channel some years ago after 2 successful Black Scorpion movies aired as filler movies on ShowTime.

 

[kjones]

Great info, MDM, thanks.

 

[directorik]

Say I went and shot the first 5 episodes of a TV show I wanted to pitch on my dime. Let's say they're pretty solid and network quality. I have a story bible for the rest of the season (maybe 2). What would I do with it? How do you get someone's attention, someone for a cable or national network and get them to watch a few episodes.

Breaking into TV as a show runner is much different (and
considerably harder) than getting a movie you produced,
wrote and directed into the theaters. Exec's in cable are
slightly more open than the networks, but they rarely
consider finished product by newcomers. I don't know of
any examples of a series being picked up this way. Even
the usual example of "It's Always Sunny" omits the fact
the the creators were established (if not famous) actors
with excellent connections.

What about a TV series? I would think with thy many episodes in the bag, it would be almost no risk for the network. If they air it, people like it, it's gold. But to get the programming director or someone in his staff to see it?

Air time is very, very expensive (more than a small theatrical
release) so it's still a huge risk. However, if what you have is, in
fact, "gold" you stand a better chance. But like selling a script
or getting theatrical distribution for a film you face not only stiff
competition from other newcomers, you face astounding
competition from insiders - writers who have been in the loop
for years, who have excellent track records.

1) You write spec scripts for existing hot shows.
2) You get an agent based on those specs.
3) Your agent sends those specs to existing TV shows... but not
the ones you wrote the specs for.
4) You get a job writing one of the two "freelance episodes" of
some crappy show you would never consider writing for.
5) That leads to writing other "freelance episodes".
6) That leads to getting a staff job on some awful show.
7) You climb the ladder of shows until you become a staff writer
on a good show.
You get promoted to head writer of a good show.
9) The production company asks if you have any show ideas?
10) You pull out that pilot you wrote a decade or two ago when
all of this started.

 

[PaulGriffith]

Thanks for the great advice guys.

 

[Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC]

My advice about NATPE comes from actually being there.

It is the best place for an indie producer to go for exposure to distributors, investors, TV networks, and very friendly and helpful industry people.

 

[Lucky Hardwood]

Breaking into TV as a show runner is much different (and
considerably harder) than getting a movie you produced,
wrote and directed into the theaters. Exec's in cable are
slightly more open than the networks, but they rarely
consider finished product by newcomers. I don't know of
any examples of a series being picked up this way. Even
the usual example of "It's Always Sunny" omits the fact
the the creators were established (if not famous) actors
with excellent connections.


Air time is very, very expensive (more than a small theatrical
release) so it's still a huge risk. However, if what you have is, in
fact, "gold" you stand a better chance. But like selling a script
or getting theatrical distribution for a film you face not only stiff
competition from other newcomers, you face astounding
competition from insiders - writers who have been in the loop
for years, who have excellent track records.

1) You write spec scripts for existing hot shows.
2) You get an agent based on those specs.
3) Your agent sends those specs to existing TV shows... but not
the ones you wrote the specs for.
4) You get a job writing one of the two "freelance episodes" of
some crappy show you would never consider writing for.
5) That leads to writing other "freelance episodes".
6) That leads to getting a staff job on some awful show.
7) You climb the ladder of shows until you become a staff writer
on a good show.
You get promoted to head writer of a good show.
9) The production company asks if you have any show ideas?
10) You pull out that pilot you wrote a decade or two ago when
all of this started.

I wonder if this is still true now 2 1/2 years later. I hope that things have changed. The current plan for my series is to secure funding from a private investor to shoot the entire first season of the show and attempt to sell the package to one of the cable networks. The way my show is structured, we have to use unknown talent out of necessity. None of the people involved are what anyone would consider insiders. My producer is meeting with a potential investor in Detroit next week because a big wig at NBC talked to him about the show. All of the networks that we have talked to said that they want a pilot so that they can see what we are selling. None of them are willing to put up the production budget on what they think is an experimental, and completely new, type of television. My producer and I have told them that, although not the same as other shows, it is not completely different. No dice so far. Is the paradigm in television development shifting?

 

[AudioPostExpert]

Say I went and shot the first 5 episodes of a TV show I wanted to pitch on my dime. Let's say they're pretty solid and network quality.

Unfortunately, this is the first (but not the only) hole in your logic. Just from the audio side, I can guarantee it won't be of "network quality". I can guarantee this because networks all have different audio specs (and different quality requirements) and it's pretty much impossible to create a one size fits all set of audio deliverables which would be suitable for any network. For example, a narrative drama series for one of the major networks could set you back $35k per episode just for the audio post and even then it would probably only be acceptable for that one network! Achieving network audio standards/requirements for many/most of the networks is NOT something you will be able to do yourself or even do with an aspiring audio pro.

This is one (but not the only) reason why pilots are made in the first place rather than a number of episodes. If you are set on making several episodes then you have to really know what you are doing and hire an audio post team who can make a generic mix in such a way as to make it relatively easy to remix/re-record to any individual network's specs. Again, this is something you will need experienced audio post pros to do for you rather than doing yourself, if you are to avoid the huge costs (or even re-shooting expense) that throwing away your all audio and starting again would incur.

G

 

[directorik]

I wonder if this is still true now 2 1/2 years later.

Still true.

I hope that things have changed. The current plan for my series is to secure funding from a private investor to shoot the entire first season of the show and attempt to sell the package to one of the cable networks.

If you can raise the money to shoot an entire season (at least 12 episodes)
at the level expected it may work. What is you per episode budget?

All of the networks that we have talked to said that they want a pilot so that they can see what we are selling.

If you have a connection willing to watch a pilot then that is one option. It
was a viable option two years ago - it was ten years ago and it's an option
today. Again, exec's are not looking for a "low budget" example of a show
that will be different when they give you a full production budget - they are
looking for a pilot that is perfect. TV is very, very different than feature films.

Is the paradigm in television development shifting?

Very slightly. Development Exec's are looking at web series where they weren't
two years ago. But they are looking for views and subscribers not content. If
they find someone with well over 5 million total views and 800,000 subscribers
they will skip to number 9 on my list; The exec asks if you have any show ideas.
They will not likely pick up the series that you have produced but ask for something
new.

You method hasn't had any pervious success despite thousands of people trying
it. You may be the first. The chances are the series that you produce will not
be the one picked up. If they really like your work they will as, "What else you got?"

 

[Lucky Hardwood]

Unfortunately, this is the first (but not the only) hole in your logic. Just from the audio side, I can guarantee it won't be of "network quality". I can guarantee this because networks all have different audio specs (and different quality requirements) and it's pretty much impossible to create a one size fits all set of audio deliverables which would be suitable for any network. For example, a narrative drama series for one of the major networks could set you back $35k per episode just for the audio post and even then it would probably only be acceptable for that one network! Achieving network audio standards/requirements for many/most of the networks is NOT something you will be able to do yourself or even do with an aspiring audio pro.

This is one (but not the only) reason why pilots are made in the first place rather than a number of episodes. If you are set on making several episodes then you have to really know what you are doing and hire an audio post team who can make a generic mix in such a way as to make it relatively easy to remix/re-record to any individual network's specs. Again, this is something you will need experienced audio post pros to do for you rather than doing yourself, if you are to avoid the huge costs (or even re-shooting expense) that throwing away your all audio and starting again would incur.

G

We would be hiring all professional crew for everything. Thanks for the info about the deliverable requirements.

Still true.

Bummer

If you can raise the money to shoot an entire season (at least 12 episodes)
at the level expected it may work. What is you per episode budget?

I have no idea. The producer is working on the numbers. Right now, for 12 episodes, we are probably looking at a 7 or 8 figure production budget.

If you have a connection willing to watch a pilot then that is one option. It
was a viable option two years ago - it was ten years ago and it's an option
today. Again, exec's are not looking for a "low budget" example of a show
that will be different when they give you a full production budget - they are
looking for a pilot that is perfect. TV is very, very different than feature films.

A fairly high ranking guy at NBC is providing contacts and talking up the project to anyone with pockets deep enough to fund it. This would not be a "low budget" series except for it being shot in the style of a reality show. We are planning for a professional quality nearly ready to air product. I say nearly ready because the final audio mix will depend upon the requirements of the network that picks up the show.

Very slightly. Development Exec's are looking at web series where they weren't
two years ago. But they are looking for views and subscribers not content. If
they find someone with well over 5 million total views and 800,000 subscribers
they will skip to number 9 on my list; The exec asks if you have any show ideas.
They will not likely pick up the series that you have produced but ask for something
new. Your method hasn't had any previous success despite thousands of people trying
it. You may be the first. The chances are the series that you produce will not
be the one picked up. If they really like your work they will as, "What else you got?"

I actually have a fair number of other projects that are ready/nearly ready to go.

 

[directorik]

A fairly high ranking guy at NBC is providing contacts and talking up the project to anyone with pockets deep enough to fund it.

So what you are doing is very, very different than what Paul was
asking about two years ago. So nothing I said in my post to him
applies to you. Nothing. Your exec contact has agreed to hear your
pitch and put together the funding for the pilot if he likes it. You
skipped my points 1 through 8 and jumped right into "Do you have
any show ideas?"

You are in a very rare place. Congratulations. I know writer/producers
who have been toiling away on series for several years who can't get
to the point you have gotten. When you NBC contact find the right
people your pilot will be funded. Or is he talking about going directly to
an episode commitment? How many?

 

[Lucky Hardwood]

NBC passed on the show because it does not fit in with their current programming strategy. I knew this when he asked to see the treatment. The NBC guy isn't directly involved in the show at this point. He liked the show idea, and my pilot script, so much that he is trying to find somebody to fund the production because the other networks view the show as a completely new type of television and think that it is experimental. Since nobody has done this type of TV before, nobody has succeeded with it yet. Everybody, and I do mean everybody that we have shown the treatment to has gone gaga over it but nobody wants to be the one with their own money on the line. We do not, at this point, have any commitment from any of the networks other than they will look at what we bring them in completed form. None of the primary television networks are interested in the show, but we have interest (just not funding) from 5 or 6 cable networks. I would think that, with so much supposed interest in this project, I should be fielding offers left and right. Sadly, that is not the case at all. For me, the most maddening part is hearing all of this glowing positive feedback and still not having anybody want to buy the thing.

 

[PhantomScreenwriter]

Your last post was 28-8-2013 so a few months have passed. What is the current situation for you now?

I am finding this subject fascinating. It's great for me to hear about people who are actually making progress within the industry because there's insights given, especially in the Premiere Member section of this site, into what happens behind the scenes.

 

[Lucky Hardwood]

My producer was put in touch with a very wealthy gentleman from Detroit who expressed interest in funding the production if we agree to film it in Detroit. I am completely open to the idea and even went so far as to rewrite the pilot and back stories to fit with that setting. The meeting was supposed to happen shortly after the American Thanksgiving holiday. The potential investor (80 plus years old) went snow skiing in Colorado over the holiday and broke his hip. The last I heard, he was still recovering in Colorado after having surgery. Needless to say, the pitch has not happened. At this point, I am embracing the attitude of que sera, sera and making a web series with terrible audio.