Splodge
Sunday 26th April 2009 4:38pm
653 posts
Quote: Loopey @ April 26 2009, 11:26 AM BST
I sent an idea for a lifestyle programme to the Agent of the person I had in mind for it. She likes it, thinks it is viable and has recommended it to a TV Company. If the TV Company is interested they will be getting in touch with me soon.
What do I do next? I think I may need representation but as this is not a script, but a treatment, pitch and formula, I am not sure what I am looking for representation as or who I should approach. I don't want to stuff up a potential opportunity by not being prepared.
I would like to know what you guys think and if anyone else has been or is in this situation. Should I look NOW for someone who specialises in this area of representation or wait and see if anything happens?
Although I think there are agents that offer to represent people who come up with television formats, without a track record it might be difficult to get representation - certainly before the production company has taken it on board, pitched it to a broadcaster and their Commissioning Editor has given it a thumbs up of some sort.
So many ideas drown in development, but understandably you will be looking for some kind of financial reward for your creative genius. So be wary that quite a few production companies will pitch your idea quickly and on the sly, so they hear back from a broadcaster before any advanced talks have taken place. So if it's a no go, they end the relationship with you there and then, without any talks of contracts taking place or money changing hands.
The first time I heard back about an idea I had sent to a production company, they asked if I wanted to work on the development, on an unpaid basis. I stood firm and managed to wrangle a month's work out of them as a Development Researcher. The idea was pitched to Channel 4. It didn't go much further than that but it propelled me into the world of Development Hell, which was nice.
