TV Pilots! Where to go?

Symple

Symple

I have 2 new and different Tv show pilots. They are (both) mainly focused on tweens. One is a comedy and the other is more like SVU...Special Victims Unit, only more targeted at teens in trouble. I know that there is contests that I can enter to have my scripts read, but at the same time, I'm broke. Contests cost money, and money I don't have. Here in Minnesota, there aren't many agents looking to take on new clients. So, where do I go in order to have someone, a production company, read my Tv pilot(s)? Please, if anyone knows anything about where I could start to show my work, let me know.

Thank you!
 
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First - you do not need to find an agent in Minnesota - you can
look for agents anywhere.

Second - you say you're broke. I don't buy it. I bet that if you
made some sacrifices - BIG ones - you could save up $40/$60
in a couple of months. You want us to believe that you cannot
set aside $5 per week? You can't find a way to save $10 per
week? Seriously?

You want to send your script to production companies? You have
the internet - research production companies on line. They all
have addresses somewhere. Send your query letter to the ones
you feel would be the best fit.
 
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You are going to need money. That's jjob one.

$6,000 to $12,000 will get you to a NATPE Convention and a NATPE membership where you can get a booth, show your work in front of agents, TV programming execcutives, investors, distributors, and marketing people.


NATPE.org is their web site.

There is The Hollywood Creative Directory, The Hollywood Blue Book, and Google to look for sales agents.

You need a resume of things you have sold before before people will invest in you too. Your scripts should be gone over by a script consultant for feedback too.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
You are going to need money. That's jjob one.

$6,000 to $12,000 will get you to a NATPE Convention and a NATPE membership where you can get a booth, show your work in front of agents, TV programming execcutives, investors, distributors, and marketing people.


NATPE.org is their web site.

There is The Hollywood Creative Directory, The Hollywood Blue Book, and Google to look for sales agents.

You need a resume of things you have sold before before people will invest in you too. Your scripts should be gone over by a script consultant for feedback too.
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Thank you for this information!! It's much appreciated.


Symple,

Where abouts in MN are you from?
 
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I forgot to mention my experience of direct talks with directors of development from the Sci-Fi Channel, HBO, Sony TV, and NBC. They want to know who is in the cast. You need a name they know. Also, what is the pre-existing fan base of your material. That counts as dollars added. Originality is a no-no and a turn off.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Originality is a no-no and a turn off.
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Not true.

Originality is a huge risk. It is not a no-no. The reason they need a
"name" is because that lessens the risk. Cable stations are actively
looking for originality but they know how difficult that is to sell so
they need something to make the financial risk worthwhile.

As you well know, when you mention you have made a movie, most
people will ask, "Who's in it?" before they ask, "Is it original?"
 
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Really? Then why did the director of development tell me they liked my VSA proposal, but they just paid for the rights for something that they thought was very similar to it, James Cameron's Dark Angel TV series? Originality is too big a risk. They want names people know. James Cameron's Dark Angel series beat out my VSA proposal for the Sci-Fi Channel.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Really? Then why did the director of development tell me they liked my VSA proposal, but they just paid for the rights for something that they thought was very similar to it, James Cameron's Dark Angel TV series? Originality is too big a risk. They want names people know. James Cameron's Dark Angel series beat out my VSA proposal for the Sci-Fi Channel.
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That's hardly an argument against originality when the main complaint they have with your show is that it's too similar to something else.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
The name James Cameron attached to anything is a sure bet over an unknown. If you had to choose over 2 similar productions and one had a bigger name attached, you would go with the bigger name for a lower risk.
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Absolutely. Although you've also got to consider the production quality (can you compete with Jim Cameron?) and the fact that we're talking about an Oscar winner and Box Office God whereas you're an unknown quantity as a filmmaker. I get the concern from their point of view and the frustration from yours.

All I was saying is that that's not a case of unoriginality. It might be an example of going for name talent over non-name talent when there are similar projects on the table, but that's not really the same thing.
 
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If they took a closer look, the 2 series would have been different. Dark Angel is about a genetically engineer super soldier who escaped the facilities that created her with some of her peers to try to live a normal life among humans.

VSA is about 3 female vampire FBI agents who fight the forces of the supernatural for the government. It is more like Forever Knight meets The X-Files.

But, the studio executives know what they know.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Really?
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Yes. Really.

It seems you had an original idea they liked. They actually paid for something
very similar. That tells me they are looking for something original and Cameron
beat you to it. Of course they are going to go with the name. You feel this
proves originality is a no-no. I think it proves originality is important.

As I said, Si-Fi is actively looking for originality but they know how difficult it is
to sell anything so they need something to make the financial risk worthwhile.
In this case that something is James Cameron.

I have pitched at Syfy recently. I know that what they do not want is a
"_____ meets _____" pitch. They are looking for originality.
 
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I'll give them a shot as well as ShowTime. Getting 2 Black Scorpion movies aired on ShowTime as filler movies opened the door for Roger Coreman to get a Black Scorpion TV series on the SyFy Network.

I don't want to leave any stone unturned.

I'm hoping to have the final cut out next year, due to running out of funds. I'm hoping next year's tax refund will provide enough money to get the production 100% complete.

Thank you for your advice and the tip.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
I forgot to mention my experience of direct talks with directors of development from the Sci-Fi Channel, HBO, Sony TV, and NBC. They want to know who is in the cast. You need a name they know. Also, what is the pre-existing fan base of your material. That counts as dollars added. Originality is a no-no and a turn off.
Click to expand...


The pre-existing fan base would be the ex Hanna Montana's on their way up (the mind set...or growing up)
to Gossip Girl. But I know plenty of adults who love like to watch these types of shows, me included.
 
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Thank you for your thoughts and concerns. I actually got a phone call from someone claiming to be the creative director of a television production company (I will not give up the company's name...so don't ask) and requested the pilot to one of my tv series...and all that thru one simple logline with no synopsis. I was like wow, but I've been burned before and learned the rules fast. She also said that I need an agent!
 
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Symple said:
The pre-existing fan base would be the ex Hanna Montana's on their way up (the mind set...or growing up)
to Gossip Girl. But I know plenty of adults who love like to watch these types of shows, me included.
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So you signed on the cast of these 2 shows to be in your production? Cool!

Don't make the mistake of writing a business plan with sales projections using other people's sales figures and hard work. You can only use them if you bought the rights to make a re-make or re-image of a series. Or, if you signed on their cast to work for you.

How much money has the material you are proposing already made itself? That is what will interest a network. That is the Catch 22.
 
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