I have an idea for a televsion series. How would you get in touch with a studio to pitch it?

Question

I've been wanting to do this for YEARS.

Answer 1

Dear Earl:

I'm quite impressed by all of the thoughtful information you have laid out there but I must say

YOUR SPELLING IS ATROCIOUS.

and you don't even have the courtesy to use the spell check.

How you ever get past the script readers, I'll never know.

FIRST THING - you want to sell a story or show to Hollywood?

Have respect for the 'written word'.

Answer 2

You will need an agent, no one in a major studio will read anything unless it is presented by a recognized agent. You can send your idea to a studio by mail, but first you should have a copy write for it so that no can steal your idea and then you would present it as a treatment which is a short synopsis of what it is about, but by doing it this way is such a long shot, because thousands of people send ideas everyday to studios. It is a difficult process.If you are serious about this then you will have to study to be a writer because there is a format to how scripts, screenplays, plays and treatments are done and you will have to be able to put your artistic ideas in that format...it takes time or you can present an idea to someone who is already in the business and can present it for you. Just make sure that you are legally covered so that if a tv series comes from your idea, you are not left out...it happens. good luck

Answer 3

Do u have just an idea...or a sophisticated set of "episodes". You will need much more than an "idea". Try writing" a couple of episodes. Make the first few very good. (that's all they'll have time to read!)

Answer 4

Write directly to a studio or call a studio and if its as good as it sounds,, you should have no trouble with the process.

Answer 5

I've been doing it for decades and haven't had nibble yet but my TV commerical producing partners did.

You really need to make verbal pitches.

The first thing you HAVE to understand that they don't like taking open submissions, they don't like going Non-union, they worry you will sue if something similar comes on.

They actually DO go through ever conceivable idea. They probalby have a dozen "gay" shows in planning. I once got to see a concept that NEVER went to production about Sexual Surrogates (the sank $100,000 into the project and went to script) and I watched how my friends did it.

They blind-sided a VP at Filmaways who was frantically holding their hads to their ears saying "I'm not listening, I don't hear you" and they pitched the concept, which is what you need to do:

Long-haired hippie National Lampoon type magazine gets bought up by Time-Life type company, suits and ties have to learn to work with sandels.

The VEEP uncovered her ears and said, that sounds interesting let sit down and talk about it.

She liked the concept of cultural shock and thought it might make a nice series. She pitched it to NBC who funded it for development.

My friends got bought out. Cash money for the three of them and an option to be Story Editors if the show went to series and credit line of "Based on Source Material by"

The script writing job was given to the Emmy winning producers from Welcome Back Kotter who also got Created By credit.

It went to pilot but not to series.

NBC sank $250K into that and then passed.

What you need to find is a Producer or Director who is in line to get the "next shot" from the STudio and Network to steer a show.

They, at least, can pitch.

YOu can also find networks and studios that will read unsolicted materials, but these are rare.

If you have a controversial show, then someone good to contact might be Steven Bochco and he's probably still at Fox.

What you need to do is write him (and others) and ask if you can submit. If you have print published credits that helps, send along a xerox of your publshed works front pages so they can see you can actually write.

Dont' send the idea or script it will ONLY get returned to you.

If they are willing they will send you a contract that says you will takes as little as $500 in advance for your work and efforts in exchange for letting them look and consider.

This is a Pre-Nup. It limits their liability if a simliar show comes on.

If they like it, they'll generally negociate a fee of between $5k and $50k for the story rights. SEE if you can get Created By co-credit along with Bochco, for example, who will take top credit and his protegie will take second credit and you will get 3rd credit.

Also SEE if you can get a little of that Created by Money, I doubt you'll get any or not much. But the Creator gets a full script pay (something like $30K) for each new episode produced over the life of the show.

Getting CO-CREATOR credit is enough to allow you to pitch to anyone in the future, so bargain away the money in exchange for that.

You will also probably be able to get on the first season as Story Editor (junior writer) which is an entry level credit.

If they really like you and you play the game right the first year, you might get to negociate a second year, move to Scrip Editor or Associate Producer and after 4 years Producer or Co-Producer, after 8 years Supervising Prodcuer and after 10 years Co-Executive Producer (Proteigee).

Each year you have to renegociate your contract and they don't have to talk with you, in which case you're out!

It's about money and title. They are liberbal with money and stingy with title.

In order to sell the show has to be unique.

People to try and contact might also include directors like Jonathan Frakes who may still be at PAramount. He'd attach himself as co-creator or producer or pilot directer (who gets his union minimum fee for each new episode shot as pilot director)

See you want people who have a POTENTIAL financial stake in evluation and pitching of good projects.

THEY can evaluate. They know good from bad. If THEY like it, they bring the project in as their own attached to it. It's up to YOU to negociate an entry level spot and title, even if you give up money.

If Bochco is heistant about giving you Co-Creator credit, you can tell him you'll wave the fee or make it token. $50 an episode or $1 an episode and take last spot.

Get the idea.

Another good spot is with REALITY SHOW prodcucers. They have the ability to PITCH and might want to switch to FICTION shows or at least want to be a part of one.

They may read with no hesitation.

Get a copy of Hollwyood Reporters weekly TV production charts and start writing letters.

Its a good idea to include SASE

You just want to ASK if you can pitch. Cite your credits if you have any.

You can also approach the NEtworks (NBC, ABC, CBS) with a query letter and see if they'll let you submit.

I've had concepts that I've pitched show up on TV, but I never sue or complain and in most cases there was no connection I'm away of, it was just chance luck.

I pitched a SHOW to NBC about a male book and magazine writer researcher who gets involved in paranomal situations (and writes about them) with this female assistant.

That is the same concept as the X Files, except they are FBI.

My pitch was made way earlier and not to Fox but to NBC so I dobut it was lifted, but the BASIC CONCEPT WAS. Including the fact that no resolution of the situation happened at the end of the show other than him and her looking at each other in wonderment.

I pitched a Grey's Anatomy type show to NBC in the 1970s and NBC held on to it, mostly because they were about to debut ST. Elsewhere and were worried my concept might be too close and I might sue.

St. Elsewhere and ER were NO WHERE like my show. Grey's is somewhat close but it's CBS not NBC.

It's also 40 years later.