I know this isn't strictly about comedy, but does anyone know the best way to approach TV stations about programme ideas? And are channels up for seeing you in person or do they just want you to fire something off to them that they will mull over and reject after a couple of months? Also, do they expect it in some sort of PowerPoint presentation format?
It depends on the prodco - here's Channel 4's:
Cheers Morrace - can't access that because the company I'm working for doesn't allow it. I'll look at it when I get home tonight.
Can't see you getting a face-to-face without sending in some sort of proposal.
Then, if they like it, they'll get in touch.
If they don't, you'll never hear from them again!
Wouldn't worry about PowerPoint - just make your proposal as exciting as you think the idea is.
Watch programmes in a similar area, take note of the ProdCo's and wing it off to them - sometimes a pre-emptive e-mail is polite.
Don't for goodness sake send it off half-cocked.
Get it right, get other people to read it and see if they like the sound of it.
And if you've got ANY sort of contacts, use them.
Good luck!
Thanks Lazzard. Yes, I thought I would only have one crack at getting it right.
I'm actively looking so see if there are similar shows in the genre, but I'm a bit worried that any production company doing something in a given area will not want another show that could cannibalise their market. Is it better to go to a production company which hasn't produced something similar?
If it's so close that it would cannabalise their market then it might be too close for other prodco's to take up...
But otherwise, yeah, avoid someone with an overly similar format.
Either way, they can only say no!
Kasm,
Feel free to send any ideas my way - I'm a Development Producer at Force Ten Productions (formerly Original Productions, of Deadliest Catch/Ice Road Truckers fame).
A one-page proposal/treatment is usually fine, or even better if you can sell it in a paragraph.
The best piece of advice I could give, however, is to first identify whereabouts in the schedule it might go (channel, timeslot). Because despite the fact that TV may seem stuck in a shitty reality show loop, formats are always evolving in small ways and there's usually a natural home for every idea.
Several channels do have their commissioning briefs online - Channel 4 and BBC (google 'e-commissioning') in particular spring to mind. The more you tailor your show to a particular channel - and thus the more thought you've put into it - the more likely your idea is to succeed (unless of course it's that good that all the bigboys would love to have it - Dragon's Den, Apprentice etc).
Anyways, PM me if you so wish.
Thanks Stu. I'll PM you with the idea once I've seen if I can hone it down to a single paragraph.
Most Taunted - where they feature the people who have the micky taken out of them a lot.
Most Flaunted, where people dress up in a sexually provocative way to make their peers envious.