OT: How to pitch a TV show to a network?

Kula Gabe wrote on 7/11/2005, 4:08 PM

With so much experience here I was wondering if anyone has experience or knowledge of how to pitch a TV show cocept to a network, either broadcast or cable?

Are concepts pitched, or do you need a pilot? If you create a pilot, do you shop around for the best deal? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Aloha,

Gabe

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 7/11/2005, 5:41 PM

Probably not helpful, but you could watch the Seinfeld episode from season 4 entitled "The Pilot."

Seinfeld: The Pilot

Edward wrote on 7/11/2005, 6:55 PM

kula,
Howzit braddah.
Yep, you need a pilot. Start there. The best way to describe your show to anyone is to show it to them. Broadcast or network people need to feel the flow of it, and see if it fits their programming. It's not hard, just alot of work to put one together, especially since it'll never be 'perfect'. Believe it or not, that's not the hard part. Being consistant and always delivering your show on time week after week is the challenge.

Good luck.

Harold Brown wrote on 7/11/2005, 8:37 PM

My friend and I just did this. We are on our third show. It is a local cable station. There are personalities to deal with but it can be done. I found that the GM of the station was very interested in the show and the owner was not. My friend is the talent and sold the concept to the GM who helped sell the show to the owners. Our break came when a very well known businessman in the community decided to sponsor the show. He wrote a check for 2 shows to cover the 1 hour taping, air time and production facilities and that got the attention we needed. There are 3 of us who are involved outside of the station. I edit, another films and of course the star of the show is on camera. The station does the opening titles, 15 minutes of the show and the closing credits. I edit a 6 minute guest spot and all of the commercials. I also do the VOs along with the "Star" of the show. I have done quite a bit of filming over the years so I help out there when asked to do so. I have edited 5 six minute segemnts so hopefully the show will continue past our 4 show commitment. We currently have 5 advertisers for the show. All small businesses.
We had a one page concept and that was it. My friend has been an entertainer for 30 years so he sold himself. We have had all possitive feedback and people watch the station who three weeks ago never heard of it. Did I mention personality conflicts?!!! Be ready for them (and I am not talking about my friends).

Randy Brown wrote on 7/13/2005, 8:00 AM

I edit a 6 minute guest spot and all of the commercials...
Hey Harold, did you guys find your own sponsors? If so, can you elaborate on how you went about it?
TIA,
Randy

Harold Brown wrote on 7/13/2005, 5:34 PM

I do not want to reveal every detail but I am happy to share otherwise (for the privacy of others). Yes we found our own sponsor. My friend was already doing work for our sponsor and he suggested that he could increase business for him by taping a TV show at his establishment. The concept is to stop by, be entertained, have fun and have a chance to be on TV (we create our own audience). It is a cable station and the show airs the following week. It is a one camera shoot with 2 people from the station. The filming is 1 hour and the show is ½ hour. The sponsor pays the production costs and the airtime. My friend owns the show. We approached the station prior to speaking to our sponsor and got the details from them for costs, etc. The owners of the station did not really seem to care much about us. Probably figured it wasn't going to happen. The station agreed to accept additional video from us that featured our special guests. That is the 6 minute segments I spoke about. As I mentioned the general manager was very interested and really went to bat for the show. Our sponsor is well known but the GM still had to drive the point with the owners of the station. Once we got the station and the sponsor together everything went much better. We have 2 shows in the can and the 3rd tapes tomorrow. The crowd for the second taping was very good and the response for the first show was good. That is why there will be the 3rd and 4th show. We renew every 2 weeks so we may not have a 5th or 6th show. While we were working to get a sponsor we approached several local businesses to advertise on the show. We gave our sponsor the final say on who can advertise. So far we have 5 advertisers who paid commercial production costs and also the air time for their commercials (4 week commitment). As I mentioned I edit the commercials and the 6 minute guest spots. We have a 6th advertiser we are speaking to right now.
What ever happens we will have at least 4 shows on tape that we can present to other markets as examples of the talent and entertainment value of the show.

Harold Brown wrote on 7/13/2005, 5:41 PM

I would also like to say that I read this forum almost everyday and it is great. I have learned a lot from all of the questions, answers and comments. Like I said once before...I love this stuff.

Spot|DSE wrote on 7/13/2005, 5:46 PM

Gabe, you might wanna contact Mike Cheno, he successfully pitched a pilot and subsequent episodic to Turner...which is one of the reasons he's not around the forums as much lately. But you can email/ping him from his user name, "cheno"