So , you ’ve followed our instructions inHow Writing a TV Show Works , and now you ’re quick to take the next step . You got the concept out of your head , onto newspaper publisher and into treatment form with a tricky claim and logline . Now we ’ll talk about how to get it to the meshwork .
Fortelevisionbusiness insiders ( intend you already have something in yield , have write for a TV show before or have some other credentials in the business ) , this is a much easier labor . You just need to call your impinging and attempt to meet with someone in bang . For folks outside of the patronage , attempt to break in can be difficult . Hardly any of the web will meet with a raw author directly ( although Comedy Central reportedly will ) , so you ’ll need to find histrionics in the form of an agent , director , entertainment attorney or an established output company.
Typically , agents and manager want to work only with establish writer . Agents generally take a 10 percent commission , while handler take 15 pct . Both are ordinarily very well connected and adept at networking . Either way of life , they can link you with the web for a fee . If you want to look for a writer ’s agent specifically , one well path is to chink out the listing provided by theWriters Guild of America .
Like coach and agents , entertainment attorneys are super well connect with writers , role player , directors and producers . They also appoint for their services , but their fee are widely variable .
TV production companies normally have numerous projects in growth at any leave time ( many participating companies name more than 50 ) . These labor are most often in a smorgasbord of developmental stages : scripting , preproduction , output or ready to portray to the networks and studios . A production caller will usually give you a titular fee to temporarily secure the right wing or choice to shop your work around to the meshwork or studios . If your show does n’t trade , the yield companionship return it to you . If the company sells your show to a connection , you get a oaf nitty-gritty and the work now belongs to the output fellowship . To retain deferred payment for the creation or writing , you ’ll require to negotiate a producer or author citation – this is a good estimation because it enable you to negotiate a situated fee to be paid per sequence or workweek of output .
No matter the method , the end is to get a meeting with a meshing . These meetings are typically very short , and you ’re bear to pose your conception with zestfulness in typically 10 moment or less . Enter the pitch .
The TV Show Pitch
Now you have a meeting with a web administrator . Maybe an role player crony congeal it up for you , or you hired a fantastic agent who dumbfound you a few minutes with someone at CBS . Or you got in to Comedy Central and now you ’re ready to meet with them in person to sell your approximation for atelevisionshow . This is known as thepitch . Typically 10 minutes or less , the lurch is a active verbal verbal description of the show . The key is to keep it brusk , focus on the highlight , manoeuvre clear of too many details ( unless they ask for some ) and betray , sell , sell .
When they say these confluence are 10 minutes , they mean it . connection execs are very busy hoi polloi . A recent article in Variety stated that during development season , " a program meshwork will buy 25 drollery script , shoot 12 of them as pilot and pick up two of the 12 for series . " [ source : Variety ] . You do n’t need to ware theirtimeor yours , so check that you ’re thoroughly prepared . Do passel of research beforehand . Know which networks to approach with your mind . Keep in judgment the internet ’s hearing demographic . You believably would n’t want to pitch your cupcake baker / exotic social dancer estimate to ESPN . One way to get this information is by reading what the television set business refers to as thetrades– basically , Variety and theHollywood Reporter . You ’ll want to do this many times a week . A deal can be announced one twenty-four hour period and cancel the next . It would n’t smart to add the entertainment and patronage sections of the New York Times to your reading list , along with Entertainment Weekly .
pitch is all about the verbal marketing of your concept , so check that you’re able to blab about it clearly and efficaciously . You ’ll need to condense your melodic theme or conception to a few heedful sentences . I know , I know , you just spent prison term fleshing out your concept or idea into a hand or a handling … but , for pitching purpose , you ’ll need to compress it again . The matter to call up of here is that you ’re not distinguish the whole report , but outlining it to tempt the internet exec to read your treatment or hand . Or , better yet , to receive you back for a longer meeting in which he ’ll enquire you interrogation and give you further opportunity to deal it . Ellen Sandler , a veteran author for CBS and NBC , adumbrate four primal element of a delivery in her ledger " The TV Writer ’s Workbook . " She says a pitch should include four main breaker point :
[ source : Sandler ]
Once you ’ve contract your conception down to a few lines highlight these decimal point , you ’re ready to peddle . Before you go , remember that practice session makes perfect . You do n’t want to scan your sales pitch , but you also do n’t want to con it . You ca n’t memorise passionateness . One of the main elements of a successful pitch is your heat for the show . Your passion , believability and potential are all part of the package that the networks are buying . Also , you require to treat this as a distinctive interview – but it ’ll last about as long as an averageelevatorride , so first belief are important . Make a good first impression . Dress well ( but not too well – sporting casual is best ) . Be cultivated . give thanks them for their time . Take unfavorable judgment well . Do n’t oversell and commend to be yourself .
If you ping it out of the parkland and terminate up selling your show , get ready to make a pilot ! Stay tune up for How telly Production Works , the next step in the mental process . But in the meantime , ensure out the links on the next page .
