Show Starter, V1 - Pitch and Sell a Reality Show

Here are the three ways reality TV shows typically get sold:

1) Established production companies regularly pitch or are assigned new shows by the networks they frequently work with.

2) When established show runners are ready to sell their own shows, they usually are sent out on what I call the "rainbow tour" of network executives, where they pitch new shows to every exec their agent can put them in front of. It is a lot like speed dating, but, hey, it definitely sells shows.

3) There are all of the other sales by people with great concepts and/or contacts who ultimately find their way to a network exec’s office.

So how do you get into that office? The easiest way is to have a top-tier agent who reps reality projects. Sadly, unless you already are a reality TV heavyweight, it can be easier to get directly to a network exec than an agent! The second easiest way is to personally know someone at the networks or production companies you want to approach. So if you work on a reality show, you already are high up on the first-timer’s heap. The third easiest way is to know somebody who knows somebody at a network or a production company, and so on…

To make it simple, the easiest way to sell a reality TV show is to work in reality TV.

There are only three ways you are ever going to get your reality show out of your head and onto a network screen:

1) Sell it directly to a network;

2) Partner with a production company who will sell it to a network; or

3) Team up with a show runner who will shop it to a network or production company.

Let’s take a look at the process, pros and cons of each option.

• Selling Directly to a Network

Networks are the entities that actually buy shows, so if you can get a great project into the hands of a motivated exec, this is the shortest distance to a sale. Easier said than done, of course, but here is how you can do it.

Get a Reality TV Agent

Many show creators who do not work in reality television launch their sales efforts by trying to wrangle a reality agent to open doors for them. They are frustrated that agents will not meet with them or will not consider representing their show idea on spec. But remember that an agent uses his or her considerable industry connections to get meetings, and they are not about to lose favor with a contact by sending an inexperienced or unprepared client into the room. Also remember that agents are commission-driven, and I really should not need to say again that what you will earn on a sale is comedic, which makes an agent’s 10% of "comedic"…"tragic."

So who can get an agent, and how do they do it? Again, this is usually through someone you know, so if you are working in reality TV, talk to your co-workers and bosses to see if they will facilitate an introduction for you. And if you already are at the level of Senior or Supervising Producer on shows, it is actually fine for you to cold call even established reality TV agents. You are one of the new breed of "baby show runners."

Baby show runners actually are hot properties for reality agents right now. There are many Supervising and Co-Executive Producer positions for an agent to fill, and although that does not put a lot of money into his or her pocket, it does get you working that much closer to network execs. And those execs might ultimately buy your shows and package them with loads of the agent’s other clients!

If you do not currently work at a relatively high level in reality TV, it will be extremely difficult to get an agent. But it is not necessary for you to have one to sell a show! The effort you spend trying to crack a top agency’s reality division will be far better spent trying to directly meet network and production company execs.

Work in Reality TV

If you are committed to selling multiple shows and thereby making real money in reality TV, you truly need extensive experience and contacts in the industry. The simplest way to do that is to post your skills on www.realitystaff.com and check their regular updates for job openings nationwide. The odd truth is you will make far more money working steadily in reality TV than you probably will on your first sale. Plus, those paychecks will support you while you are trying to sell your shows, and those credits might keep you attached to a show you finally sell!

If you do not already work in reality, here is a brief primer. Entry-level jobs range from production assistant to researcher to executive assistant for an executive producer. But if you have translatable skills from your current industry, you might be able to work at a higher level. For instance, accountants, bookkeepers and other financial experts can find employment in production offices year-round. Event planners and office managers can apply for production coordinator positions, especially if they have a great contact database that relates to a certain show’s mission. Real estate gurus can find work in location departments. And writers and researchers who are savvy online experts might find associate producer gigs in a story department. It can be tough to get that first job–which is why you should look for shows that need your current professional expertise. Given the wide range of reality show subject matter, it is quite possible to find a professional match.

Work for Advancement, Not Security

If you already work in reality TV and now want to sell shows, it is important to expand some of your safety zone to shoot for better job titles and responsibilities as soon as you can. The great thing about the reality boom is that it is relatively easy to rise. That is due to the way most production companies are structured.

As you recall, a show runner oversees each show. And underneath the show runner, a series of producers oversees their own episodes or entire departments. Since show runners often are freelancers with no ties to (or fee participation in) the shows they run, they regularly leave to pitch and helm their own shows. The producers underneath them then rise to replace them. And the staff underneath those producers rises to replace them. That creates the steady "upward suck" of reality TV.

That trend, coupled with freelance careers that expose most reality workers to many show genres, production company styles and network contacts, positions many people to sell shows fairly quickly. And depending on the structure of the production company you work at, you may not even need to be a show runner to deal directly with the network and make those contacts. I first became a network liaison when I was just a story editor on a series.

As soon as you get involved with net execs, take care of them and their current show (rather than instantly try to pitch your own), and they might open a door for you at the network afterwards. Remember, the networks desperately want product; they just do not want to be burned by inexperience and/or show-stifling greed in the process.

One sobering thought for reality veterans who are trying to finally run their own shows. Be aware that you are giving up a great salary for the risky fees of first-time production partnerships or even owning your own production company. I was warned by a show runner I once worked for that I would take a drastic pay cut when I gave up my cushy quote to run my own show. He was right. Still I jumped, and the trade-off was worth it to finally completely manage a show that I had created and had passion for.

Call in a Favor

In the absence of any direct ties to network execs, the next way to gain access is through personal introductions. "Favor meetings" are perfectly acceptable (give a substantive gift to whoever got you in!), but if you work outside of reality TV, be prepared for any executives you meet to be less than excited about hearing your pitch. That is fine; they do not yet know you have read and followed the guidance in this book!

If a personal favor is what got you in the door, you absolutely must wow the exec beyond all expectations. That way, you will either sell a show or get invited back on your own merit (there are few second chances if you come in, as one exec I know calls it, with a "half-baked" pitch). Also, you will not have permanently shut the door for any other referrals your friend tries to make to that exec. When an exec meets you as a favor, there are two possible outcomes: your first impression is either lasting…or your last.

Make Cold Contact (You Schmooze or You Lose)

If you simply do not have any access whatsoever to anyone connected to what is now probably feeling like the world’s biggest insider trading scheme, keep hope alive! Come to a Show Starter™ seminar. I often say our industry insider panels don’t just offer know-how…they offer know-who. You also can take college courses or weekend workshops from executives when they teach. And perhaps the best way to make cold contact with an exec is in their natural habitat. The "industry function."

Because they are always on the prowl for the next break-out shows (read: job-securing and promotion-generating shows), net execs do an alarming amount of industry socializing. They regularly appear on panels, support the various Guilds’ events, and sometimes even take their show on the road to professional groups to get the message out about the shows they are looking to buy. Mind you, they accept pitches at virtually none of these events! Come on, they are locked in their offices all day; give them a chance to eat a wedge of Brie.

So how do you get to these functions to meet network execs? You absolutely must be a member of a professional organization to facilitate cold introductions to executives. It does not matter where you live; find out what professional groups in your area serve television producers, and find a way to join, even if you start volunteering for the group or one of the members.

If you live in Los Angeles or New York, you have a number of well-connected professional groups you can join, many of which are listed online at our Show Starter™ group site. To start with, if you work in reality TV, you certainly should join the Television Academy and the Producer’s Guild as soon as your credits allow! Both regularly host exclusive events with network execs. And encourage any other professional groups you join to organize a meet-and-greet with network execs (if your group is small, team up with other groups). Make it clear to the executive that your members are coming to learn the right way to approach them about selling a reality TV show, not to pitch.

If you do not live in Los Angeles or New York, to find out who the key professional groups are near you, simply contact the nearest film commission in your region and ask what film and television groups represent professionals in your area. (To locate your film commission, members can visit the database section of the Show Starter™ online group site.)

Contact established professional groups or visit their Web sites to inquire about membership–including what kind of outreach they do or are interested in doing with television industry contacts. Then dip into your seed money to join, and attend events, get to know the members and be a resource for everyone you can. Do not just join and attend one event to get something out of it then blow off the group. People smell an opportunist a mile away, and they will block your future efforts, trust me, especially in a small professional community!

Remember, reality TV is shot worldwide, and even the execs on The Amazing Race routinely jump on planes and head overseas to check in on their show. Net execs regularly travel to their show locations across the U.S., as well.

Since these executives would be in your town for specific projects, not to schmooze, one way to meet them might be to work or volunteer on the actual show. To get the word on these gigs, check again with your film commission to see who the established camera operators and other technical crew are in the area because productions often use regional crews for shows. If you have skills you can lend, this is a great "in" to a show. Just remember, the set of a shoot is not the place to corner an executive and pitch! Indeed, it will be difficult to meet the exec at all. But if you do, follow up with a note and inquire into their pitch process then. (Even if you aren’t in L.A., pitches are taken over the phone all of the time. You still need to do all of the same steps to prepare.)

Another possibility would be for your professional group or film commission to host a gathering for an exec if they are in town for a while. That way, the exec can discover additional local resources, and local producers can meet them and learn more about what they are looking for. Make sure the event chair specifically asks what the proper way is for attendees to follow up with possible pitches. Then let them eat their Brie!

Seriously, please do not try to surreptitiously pitch a net exec who is out at a function, even if you organized it. It kicks your credibility right in the shins. It says you do not know or care how the game is played. If you get a moment to talk to someone, share with them what you like about their products then ask them what the proper way is to bring them a pitch. They will let you know if they accept cold submissions, agented only, attorney submissions, etc.

Again, if you have no representation and there is no other way to get a meeting, ask if they accept waivers (if you are okay signing one). If they do, they will refer you to a Web site where you can download one. If they do not have an online waiver, request their card and send them a brief thank you note for their time with a brief request for the waiver (provide a fax number, mailing address and e-mail address for their assistant).

Warning! Please do not use an executive’s card for evil. Evil, if you do not know, is calling a net exec during a work day, ignoring the process they explained to you, and trying to pitch them or tell them about a friend of yours who also wants a meeting. Impress the exec with your own respect, creativity and expertise first, then open doors for others.

If none of these methods works, your absolute last resort is to cold call the executive’s office to see if there is any other way to get in the door. Once you do get in, remember that your first network sale does not necessarily mean your first network check! So let me now share the main reason why many newcomers choose not to sell directly to a network.

Know Your Options

In order for a network to buy a reality project, the Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming/Reality Programming or the network President must say "Yes." You, however, will not often meet with the Executive Vice President of Alt Programming. Instead, even if you are somewhat established, you will pitch to a Vice President, a Director beneath that VP, or a Manager beneath that Director. Those three positions all have the power to say one of two things: "No" or "Let me bring this to my boss for consideration." If it then gets a "yes," your reality show is in!

You, however, are not.

Even if you sell a show, if you do not currently own and run an established production company that the network has worked with and trusts, you probably will not get to produce that show.

Note that I did not say you had to be an executive producer or a show runner in order to produce the show. That is because that is not enough. Running a show is crucial experience, but it does not provide all of the business experience you need to run a company. You have to have an actual production company to produce a show. And not one that is a production company because you say so. It is only a production company if the network says so! And they usually will say so only if that company has successfully produced shows for them in the past…or they know and trust you personally.

In other words, just like film studios and their favorite directors, most networks have a "short list" of production companies they are willing to entrust production funds to.

You now are asking, "How do I get on that short list?" Before I answer, let me first explain why networks do and should have short lists. Yes, it is time for another analogy!

For this real-world comparison, let us travel to the world of investment banking. Here, we have Client A, who has millions of dollars to invest in new commercial real estate ventures. So Client A needs to take meetings with various investment banking firms to see who might generate the best return on that money.

Is Client A: (1) going to open their doors to everyone who wants to walk in and pitch a great idea for making money in commercial real estate? Or is Client A (2) going to reach out first to people whose great ideas have generated real profit in the past…and whose great ideas actually can be executed by a real company with all of the contacts and corporate structure to survive the technical, logistical and legal rigors of putting together a commercial real estate deal?

The answer is #2. And, in fact, isn’t Client A being savvy and responsible if they skip the open house and simply pick up the phone and call the top three or four investment banking firms in Manhattan, where most of their deals are done, and where their deals have been well-executed in the past? If you were Client A, and that were your money, is that not exactly what you would do?

But wait a minute. What about all of those passionate and enthusiastic investment banking wannabes who read the Wall Street Journal every day and have ideas of their own on how to maximize profit in commercial real estate? Isn’t it unfair if Client A doesn’t leave their door wide open for each and every one of them to drop by a Vice President’s office and offer up possibilities? And shouldn’t Client A, upon hearing a reasonably inventive and possibly sound idea, immediately turn millions of dollars over to this total stranger with no training or track record in the industry who cannot even physically execute the transaction with the industry-expected infrastructure?

Well, no. What Client A might say is, "That is a terrific idea–why didn’t we think of that?" Then they might call one of their buddies at their favorite real investment banking firm and say, hey, let’s give this strategy a try. And everyone is happy…except for the passionate wannabe. They have been unscrupulously cut out of the picture.

Now let’s say instead that Client A is a fair and equitable sort of company who loves the idea and appreciates the passion and energy of this new banker wannabe. What is the very best offer Client A can make the wannabe? If you were Client A, what would you offer the wannabe in exchange for suggesting a new way to make a deal?

1) A token sum for the idea that Client A now will need to hire an experienced firm to execute;

2) A partnership with one of Client A’s top firms to flesh out and execute the strategy, with the wannabe learning from one of the best in the business; or

3) Enough funding for the wannabe to start a new firm, with the title of President, so the wannabe can learn how to actually conduct commercial real estate deals on Client A’s dime and perhaps even accomplish it through trial and error?

If you are Client A, the easiest thing to do is just to offer a token sum to the wannabe, which is option #1. But you will only do that if you are legally required to do so. And the last thing you are going to do is option #3, which is to pay for someone else to learn how to do their job. That is what education and work experience are for. Client A is not a scholarship fund; it is a profit-making corporation!

The wisest and most beneficial thing Client A can do actually is #2: partner the wannabe up with a top firm so the wannabe can see how strategies like the one s/he dreamed up actually get executed. That brings the wannabe that much closer not only to one day running a functioning investment bank but also to forging a great relationship with Client A. Wannabe would have to be a self-deluded crackpot not to see the benefits of getting paid on-the-job training with a company that has all of the contacts the wannabe needs for future gigs. Or wannabe just expected to earn big bucks for doing as little as possible. Wrong!

In the case of reality television, the scenarios are no different because TV is a business just like banking. So if Network A has millions of dollars to commission programming, Network A is going to give that to the firms they know will come through with material they can air. And at best, they are going to partner you with one of their "go-to" production companies so your show can be produced while you are getting your trench training. And that is a win-win-win scenario. The network gets their show, the production company gets their fee, and you get your credit for having created a show that actually aired–as well as work experience and contacts for you to move on to future shows.

If you pitch and sell a show to a network, and you do not own and run one of their approved production companies, at the very best, you are going to be partnered with a production company that they trust. Even if you own and run a production company with shows on the air, if this particular network has never funded you, you probably will be partnered with one of their production companies or, at the least, will be handed a show runner that the network chooses to oversee your show.

If a network pairs you up with a production company, it is on you (and your attorney) to independently negotiate a deal with that company to determine your involvement in the show. And this company owes you nothing because the network brought them this deal.

That is why many first-time sellers forge a production partnership before approaching any networks at all. That way, you will have some say over who will be executing the show–and by directly bringing the company a strong pitch, you also have more leverage when you negotiate your involvement in the show if it sells. There are some danger zones here, though, so let’s weigh this option carefully.

• Partnering with a Production Company

Consider pitching your project directly to a production company if:

1) You cannot get a meeting directly with a network;

2) You have a good contact at a production company; or

3) You would like a bit more control over your participation in a partnership.

Remember, many networks have a "short list" of the production companies they will actually fund (and can stand to work with). That means you cannot pitch your shows to just any production company. During the research phase of this process, you should have identified potential production partners who both produce similar shows and have good track records with suitable networks for your show. Given that it can be far easier to get into the development offices of those production companies than of a network, here is how to take the back-door, production company route to a sale.

Once you’ve identified two or three established companies that might be a good fit for your show at your target network, contact them directly (if you are a member of our online group, refer to our production company database). You are trying to arrange a meeting with whoever does "development" at the company. At small companies, that is often the executive producers themselves. At middle- to large-sized companies, that is normally a dedicated development executive, like a "Director of Development," or development team. Here are the ways to get in:

Connect through a Personal Contact

Ideally, you have a friend or fellow professional group member who is connected to this production company who can open the development door for you. If you do, that warrants a substantial thank you gift. Not an e-mail with a smiley face or a greeting card. This is a significant gift certificate-level favor someone is doing for you. Even if you do not get a partnership deal out of this first meeting, if you handle the pitch well, you might get in that door again and again with future ideas. Thank whoever opens that door for you with something worth cold hard cash!

Cold Call the Company

If you do not have a buddy doing recon on the inside of the production company, just cold call them directly and say, "I would like to pitch a show to your company; what is the right department or person for me to talk to?" They will either send you to that person’s assistant, or they will say they do not take original pitches. Or they will say, and this just stinks, "We only accept agented pitches."

Like many networks, production companies prefer to take pitches through people who are repped by reputable non-fiction literary agents. That is to cover themselves to some degree from charges of idea-stealing by newcomers. If you do not have an agent, it is unusual but still possible to get in through an entertainment attorney. Still, attorneys are for hire, so having one does not necessarily mean you have been vetted for credits and credibility unless it is a top-level reality attorney.

If you have neither an agent nor an attorney, some production companies are happy to take pitches if you sign a waiver acknowledging that many people pitch similar projects and the company itself may already have projects similar to yours in development. If they do not offer this, and you are comfortable signing one, ask for a waiver yourself.

Pitch your Show

Once you get a meeting, pitching to a production company is no different creatively than pitching to a network. You are still there to sell both yourself and the show. You also are there, however, to confirm that this production company currently has deep access to and a good track record with the networks that are right for your show. So to that degree, you also are interviewing them.

Negotiate a Deal

If a production company is sufficiently impressed with your pitch to want to partner with you on it, they will offer you a "Deal Memo," which is an agreement that outlines how your partnership will work. Again, this is not something you are going to sign right there in the room or even hand over to your cousin who is in law school to review. You are going to dip back into your seed money, or use up the rest of your current retainer, to have a reality TV attorney negotiate the deal with the production company.

Listen to me. Negotiating deals is standard in business. Do not be afraid of it, and do not be seduced by it. Talk to the production company about what you can contribute to the process and how they see you adding to the experience. Be prepared for them to express little or no need for you at all. That is because they are going to do the bulk of the work to develop this project, they are going to use their hard-earned contacts to sell this project, and they are going to dedicate their experienced production team to executing the show if it sells. They also are going to assume all of the financial risk of delivering this show on-time and on-budget. That means they are going to keep most of the fee the network pays for the show. Do not ask for or expect half of the fee if you do not have the experience to earn it. Again, reality TV is a different world from fiction and film, where selling a project means a guaranteed fee.

There are many other points you and your attorney will want to discuss in this deal, including who owns the show if it does not sell, what credit(s) you will receive that the company is in a position to guarantee, and what, if any, money, you will receive apart from salary for a position you hold on the production staff (based on your experience). Notice that I did not add "back-end participation" (profit-sharing in DVD sales, rerun fees, etc.) since it is still an unusual event in reality TV. You will realize that as soon as you see how happily people give you a piece of it! You should take it, of course, but you really want a piece of the front end if you can negotiate it because that is the only cash anyone is guaranteed to see.

On your first deal, you are not necessarily going to come out on top on paper, but if you can get staffed and participate in production, you will come out on top in the long run. In reality TV, the "long run" is often as soon as your second season or your second show. If you have to choose between a minor development fee and going away for good and a weekly salary and learning how shows are made, take the salary and position! It will be far more money than a payout, and it ultimately will earn you more money regardless of what happens to the show.

Shop the Show to Networks

Once you and the production company have structured and signed your deal, they will take your show on the network road. That might be as simple as a phone call or as intensive as a fully-prepped pitch. You may or may not be a part of the pitch process at network level. Whatever is most likely to sell the show is the best choice for you. Now it is your turn to think Big Ego versus Big Picture. In some instances, if you created a show based on some aspect of your life, you will be a big resource in the pitch meeting because you bring personal experience to the table. In others, you might kill the familiar intimacy the executive producers have with their network execs.

Support Ongoing Development

Another possibility is that the production company may not believe the show is quite ready for presentation. The production company already has seen your pitch, so they know what you have done so far to develop this show (another reason to deeply develop projects before pitching them). If they feel more development is warranted, remember that they are expending their own resources to do this. Volunteer to support the development exec who is working on the show and truly lend a hand to their vision.

In the process of developing your show, the production company may make creative or talent changes that alter your vision and your dream. But the minute you say, "That’s not how I want to pitch my show," the good times are going to be over. Realize that you are in a partnership now, and one of the things the production company will have established in the deal memo is who has the final say over creative and financial decisions. That probably will not be you because, again, you do not have the experience or the funds your partner has.

Make sure you are ready to have and to be a partner before you sign a deal memo. And make sure your attorney has negotiated an "out clause" for you if you ultimately decide not to move forward with the project for any reason. Sometimes we are so excited to have a deal that we forget to cover our own buttocks. Do not get locked into a multi-year commitment to a show that you can no longer rally behind yet cannot somehow opt out of.

Deal or No Deal

If the production company is not able to sell your show, the reversion rights specified in your deal memo will determine who owns the final format (and can shop it in the future). If you have no access to a production company partner, a third way to pitch your show is through a show runner. Remember those "rainbow tours"? Not all show runners have their own projects to sell! Here are some tips for meeting and partnering with top reality producers.

• Team up with a Show Runner

A third way to get your show into a network for consideration is to work with an established show runner. This is a fantastic approach if the show runner has tremendous experience in your particular show’s format and has a great record and working relationship with execs at several networks that would be right for your show. That means the show runner might be able to shop the show through his or her own production company, which gives you a production partner and the show runner’s company a show. Both of you will be motivated to negotiate a good partnership deal.

If a show runner is not at a level where s/he can form a network-approved production company, s/he will either shop your show directly to networks or bring it to production companies for partnership. That insider connection will increase your chance of making a deal, but now another person will expect a piece of any money from the sale. Of course, if it gets your show sold, it might be well worth it!

To find show runners, go back to IMDb.com and check the names of the Supervising, Co-Executive and Executive Producers on shows similar to your own. Check their other credits, too, to see if they have their own company or have run multiple shows for other production companies and networks (a great sign!).

Show runners can be good partners because they are freelancers who often are looking to establish their own company’s projects and brand. They often are represented by agents that can open more doors for you as a team. But does that agency require that you, too, be represented by them in the deal for your show runner to shop the show? Those details and more need to be worked out in a contract before any pitch meetings get set up.

Be very careful before you contractually attach a show runner to your show during the pitch phase. Networks absolutely must approve any show runner on a project, so if they have never worked with yours and do not plan to, you have just killed a possible sale. Do your research!

Your Show File now should have up to 15 items:

SHOW FILE

• Pitch Database

• Five Key Pitch Elements

• Reality TV Research

• Logline (draft)

• One-Sheet (draft)

• Partnership Deal Memo

• Talent Agreement

• Talent Reel

• Treatment

• Registration applications (and final forms)

• Sizzle Reel (only if absolutely necessary!)

• Budget and Schedule Notes

• Network, Production Company and/or Show Runner Research

• Show Runner Deal Memo

• Production Company Deal Memo

Whether you open the network door yourself or your production partner invites you to join them in "the room," the next step in the process is finally the network pitch meeting. Are you ready? Actually, yes, you are.

"REALITY CHECK"

P	Pledge #6: I will work in the reality industry or join a professional organization to enhance my reality know-how with know-who. I will do extensive research before contractually partnering with anyone on my pitch.

Chapter

9

Step #9:

Setting Up a Pitch Meeting