I was chatting with a TV producer friend of mine earlier tonight and happened to mention the faux reality show idea that I plan to shoot the first (and maybe only) episode of later this year. She asked me a bunch of questions and said "Sounds great! Give me a treatment or 20 minutes of video and I'll get it in front of the networks next month." WHAT? I just came up with the idea for this thing last week, I am nowhere near ready to shoot any footage. Does anybody have any really good links to how to do a treatment and pitch that work? Since I am new to this part of the industry, I'm really looking for a paint by numbers sort of format here.
Oh CRAP!
- Thread starter Lucky Hardwood
- Start date
Hey, the creators of Reno 911 were in the same dilemma as you, and they ended up running six seasons.
Step one is to calm down. Step two is to tell us your idea, or link to where you told this idea, which would provide a better understanding of how this series should be pitched (or prematurely filmed.)
Step one is to calm down. Step two is to tell us your idea, or link to where you told this idea, which would provide a better understanding of how this series should be pitched (or prematurely filmed.)
It's a fake reality show about zombies. The premise is a cross between Swamp People and American Chopper with a pinch of Pawn Stars thrown in. Of course, the show is 100% totally fake, but acts as if it's completely real. There is conflict between the stars of the show and a protest group. Then there's government oversight and all kinds of potential guest cameos. At it's heart, it's a show about an old redneck, his two sons and their Laura Kroftian G.I. Jane best friend that run the operation and give zombie tours.
I'm starting on the screenplay for the 22 minute pilot, but I need to get a treatment together so that my friend can give it a go over before the pitch. Ideally, I would like to have a shooting script ready along with the treatment and pitch. I'm also going to New York at the end of next month to work on getting one of my features made with studio money.
A treatment is written in present tense describing the entire story.
Essentially exactly what you told your TV producer friend only written
down. In the case of TV you will write out the pilot in detail and then
offer several story arcs than can be explored during the run of the
series in less detail.
A pitch is done in person. Tell the high points in under five minutes.
I assume exactly what you did with your TV producer friend. THAT
was a pitch and you didn't even notice. That is something to take
very seriously - the best pitches are like talking to your friend. But
faster. How long before she said, "That's great!"? Remember that
and keep it just a little shorter when pitching to the network.
Frankly there is no difference in the writing between those that
work and those that don't so there are no really good links that
can tell you the difference. What works is when you have a show
concept that the producer likes. Even the best written treatment,
or best delievered pitch, does not work if the producer or network
doesn't see the concept as something they can move forward on.
Thanks, Rik. And, yeah, "cheap" is the cornerstone of my pitch. My thinking is that we would use completely undiscovered actors for the main roles for three reasons; they are supposed to be "real" people (the audience isn't supposed to have heard of them), they will work hard to prove themselves, they will work cheap because nobody's beating down their door. The show can be shot all on one location using minimal props that are relatively inexpensive. The show provides a vehicle for possible (but not needed) celebrity cameos. There will be built in merchandising opportunities as well as product placement potential. Spin off shows could be launched in a number of foreign markets. Those are the strengths of my idea as I envision it.
As far as calming down, I am calm, I'm just trying to figure out where I'll get the time to do everything that I need to get done in the time frames that I have to have them done in. I work 12 hours a day, my father died recently and I have to settle his estate in the horrible hell that is the state of Texas (have to be in court in 2 weeks), both of my in-laws are in the hospital and may be dying (which means that my wife is otherwise occupied), I have a meeting in the NY at the end of October for one of my features that my cloud storage seems to have eaten the most recent draft of and lost almost half of the original manuscript, and I have half of a zoo's worth of rescue critters that I'm caring for (only slightly exaggerating). Oh yeah, and I'm a month behind on the shooting schedule of my DIY webseries. Did I mention that I'm kinda lazy?
As far as calming down, I am calm, I'm just trying to figure out where I'll get the time to do everything that I need to get done in the time frames that I have to have them done in. I work 12 hours a day, my father died recently and I have to settle his estate in the horrible hell that is the state of Texas (have to be in court in 2 weeks), both of my in-laws are in the hospital and may be dying (which means that my wife is otherwise occupied), I have a meeting in the NY at the end of October for one of my features that my cloud storage seems to have eaten the most recent draft of and lost almost half of the original manuscript, and I have half of a zoo's worth of rescue critters that I'm caring for (only slightly exaggerating). Oh yeah, and I'm a month behind on the shooting schedule of my DIY webseries. Did I mention that I'm kinda lazy?
I respect mussonman’s experience in this matter but his is
different from mine. You have been asked to pitch a show
idea - not a budget proposal. Or even budget suggestions.
Nor should the writer in a treatment or pitch talk about
props, actors or the producers job which is locations,
merchandising, product placement spin offs or foreign
markets.
If you are hired as the Show Runner then you can bring all
this up. But I strongly suggest from my personal experiences
pitching that you stick to your story and characters. One
thing the producers know much better than you do, is their
business needs. At your first meeting you are the writer/creator
and should do you best to remain in that capacity and resist
pointing out the producers responsibilities.
different from mine. You have been asked to pitch a show
idea - not a budget proposal. Or even budget suggestions.
Nor should the writer in a treatment or pitch talk about
props, actors or the producers job which is locations,
merchandising, product placement spin offs or foreign
markets.
If you are hired as the Show Runner then you can bring all
this up. But I strongly suggest from my personal experiences
pitching that you stick to your story and characters. One
thing the producers know much better than you do, is their
business needs. At your first meeting you are the writer/creator
and should do you best to remain in that capacity and resist
pointing out the producers responsibilities.
Great point, Rik. Thanks. I'm working this thing with my friend and we are shooting for me to direct the pilot. We'll see.
Since my friend would be one of the show's producers I'll let her handle all of that other stuff. She is looking into how much it would cost to license a particular song that I want for the theme music. She said that she should have and answer later today.
Rik, what all goes into a series bible? She said that I shouldn't need one for the initial meeting, but that it would be a good thing to have just in case. Oh yeah, in reference to how long it took to say "That's great!", it was six sentences. I would think that the pitch might have to be a tad longer than that. I used to be a successful salesman.
Rik, what all goes into a series bible? She said that I shouldn't need one for the initial meeting, but that it would be a good thing to have just in case. Oh yeah, in reference to how long it took to say "That's great!", it was six sentences. I would think that the pitch might have to be a tad longer than that. I used to be a successful salesman.
I was talking about the pitch to the networks, not you
shooting the pilot. Of course you need to think of budget,
casting, location when you are shooting the pilot.
Sales and pitching are very, very different. As a successful
salesman you have some time to build. You don't when
pitching. As a successful salesman you have a product that
can be purchased elsewhere - your job is to get them to buy
from you and not someone else. Pitching a TV show is a one
of a kind product and needs a different method. Do not
confuse the two. Six sentences is perfect. Avoid the desire
to go deeper in an attempt to impress. Most of the time that's
where the writer blows it - thinking that just a little more info
will "make the sale". Your TV producer friend like it in six
sentences. If the network doesn't, another six or eight or
ten won't make a difference.
Now if they say, "We like it. Tell us more." Then you can go
the tad longer. Even then, resist the natural urge to take it
too far. Writers get excited about their projects and can talk
for far too long about it. And someone with your background
of making movies can tend to get into the producing stuff thinking
it will better make your case. I have seen way too many pitches
falter because of that. You used to be a successful salesman - I
bet when I made the salesman/pitch comparisons you rolled your
eyes and lost interest just a tad. You know a lot about sales - I
know less. For your pitch and treatment stay out of the producers
chair.
Right now you have a lot on your hands and your meeting is
coming up soon. Concentrate on your treatment and your presentation
before you put effort into the bible. From experience I can tell you
if they love the concept and ask for a bible they will give you four
to six weeks to deliver.
Actually, this is EXACTLY the kind of information that I need. Naturally, I immediately went into "salesman mode", trying to figure out the best ways to spin the concept and sell the sizzle. I see now that would be the totally wrong thing to do, and I thank-you for pointing that out before I stuck my size 12 in my mouth. Do you think that I should work on the bible or the screenplay for the pilot first? I'm hoping to have enough time to do both, but it doesn't look all that promising and I would prefer to have whichever they would want first. Thank-you for all of your help thus far.
I don't see why not. I won't have final say over where the show is recorded, but it will most likely be shot down here somewhere in south Louisiana. If the network deal doesn't happen, I still plan to shoot the pilot myself. Either way it goes, I will be glad to have you audition.
That'd be pretty cool!
I think you should write the actual script first, then the story bible. Though, that's just how I would do it. Whatever fits your creative process.
Your TV producer friend asked you to give her a treatment or 20
minutes of video and said you don't need a bible for the initial
meeting. Take her at her word. She is a working TV producer with
network connections, she knows more about what you should show
than you do. Trust her.
One realistic possibility is the network will love your idea and want
to hire an experienced writer who is known to them to flesh it out.
The network will hire a producer (maybe your friend, maybe not)
who will work with the new writer to develop a series bible. Even if
you do an excellent one it will likely be rewritten. And the chances
of you writing an excellent series bible, having never written one
before, in the time you have is slim. Think of your first script.
Excellent? Or needed work?
Best case scenario: the network love the pitch, loves you and loves
your producer friend. They hire the producer to develop the series
and you as head writer. You get paid to write the series bible and
are given the time to make it perfect.
My advice at this stage is to not even bother with the pilot script.
Couldn't hurt and since you have experience as a writer you can
probably bang out a decent pilot quickly. Make sure it's PERFECT.
You won't get a second shot if it isn't. Which is why I suggest you
spend the time writing the perfect treatment and perfecting your
pitch. Again, if they love it and you they will give you time to write
that excellent pilot.
minutes of video and said you don't need a bible for the initial
meeting. Take her at her word. She is a working TV producer with
network connections, she knows more about what you should show
than you do. Trust her.
One realistic possibility is the network will love your idea and want
to hire an experienced writer who is known to them to flesh it out.
The network will hire a producer (maybe your friend, maybe not)
who will work with the new writer to develop a series bible. Even if
you do an excellent one it will likely be rewritten. And the chances
of you writing an excellent series bible, having never written one
before, in the time you have is slim. Think of your first script.
Excellent? Or needed work?
Best case scenario: the network love the pitch, loves you and loves
your producer friend. They hire the producer to develop the series
and you as head writer. You get paid to write the series bible and
are given the time to make it perfect.
My advice at this stage is to not even bother with the pilot script.
Couldn't hurt and since you have experience as a writer you can
probably bang out a decent pilot quickly. Make sure it's PERFECT.
You won't get a second shot if it isn't. Which is why I suggest you
spend the time writing the perfect treatment and perfecting your
pitch. Again, if they love it and you they will give you time to write
that excellent pilot.
Excellent points, Rik.
As to my first script, it was horrible. I still have it. I keep thinking that some day I will revisit it and make it worth something. It was a 10 page short based on a song that I like. It's jumpy, disconnected, confusing, and not nearly good. Everyone who has read it has either roasted it or refused to comment. The least bad review that I got on it was that it's a cool idea, so I totally get that my first attempt at a series bible would likely suck much ass.
Obviously, I am over thinking this thing. I believe that I will do bios for my four primary characters because that is how I write screenplays and, as the first stage of my normal workflow, I am most comfortable having a clear grip on who my characters are before I start. Even if I don't actually write the pilot, I think that it will help my summarize it and envision the whole first season.
I already wrote the logline and synopsis. When my friend read the synopsis, she said that she could imagine James Earl Jones narrating it. I hope that's a good thing.
As to my first script, it was horrible. I still have it. I keep thinking that some day I will revisit it and make it worth something. It was a 10 page short based on a song that I like. It's jumpy, disconnected, confusing, and not nearly good. Everyone who has read it has either roasted it or refused to comment. The least bad review that I got on it was that it's a cool idea, so I totally get that my first attempt at a series bible would likely suck much ass.
Obviously, I am over thinking this thing. I believe that I will do bios for my four primary characters because that is how I write screenplays and, as the first stage of my normal workflow, I am most comfortable having a clear grip on who my characters are before I start. Even if I don't actually write the pilot, I think that it will help my summarize it and envision the whole first season.
I already wrote the logline and synopsis. When my friend read the synopsis, she said that she could imagine James Earl Jones narrating it. I hope that's a good thing.
You can't copyright an idea. If you could, none of us would be able to make any movies because all of the ideas would be owned. I will register the synopsis and manuscript with the WGA beforehand though.
I just ran the 4th revision of my synopsis by my sister. Fail. The picture of the show that she came away with was very different from what I was trying to convey. Oh well, back to the drawing board.