Sell a Reality Show Idea
If you believe you have a great idea for a Reality TV show, you can sell it even if you don't have any experience or contacts. Here is a brief guide.
Steps
- Create your basic idea. You need to be able to describe your idea in 30 words or less. This will be called your logline. It should tell the premise and agenda of the show.
- Create a format for your show. In other words, provide an outline of what will happen during the show. For example, in "Dancing with the Stars," celebrities are paired with ballroom dance professionals who then compete in live dance exhibitions where they are then judged by a panel of judges and the television audience. Write the specific and main events of each episode, including any elimination, also showing how it evolves over the course of the season to a final episode.
- Increase your chances of success by getting professional TV advice. Avoiding this step can be like going to court without legal advice! Professional TV advisors are usually current or ex senior TV pros. They'll help you shape your idea so that it makes sense to the industry. The good ones will help you get funding and even walk it into the senior industry figures for you (google 'professional tv advisors' or similar)
- If you want to 'go it alone' you can develop a list of producers to pitch the show. There are industry directories such as the Hollywood Creative Directory that list most producers and what kind of shows or movies they produce. Using a reference book like this, you can build a contact list.
- Pitch the shows to producers. Almost all Production companies prohibit unsolicited pitches, so you'll have to call a lot of companies to find any development executives or producers who may take submissions. If they do, you will most likely be required to sign a release form. Be polite, but direct in your communications.
- Use the TV industry's online marketplace, such as the TV Writers Vault, to submit your Reality Show Idea. There you will receive protected exposure, with electronic record of any Producer reviewing your material. Producers will then contact you directly for any deal proposal. You do not need an Agent when using these types of services, but always use an Attorney to negotiate and close any deal proposed when you're selling your project.
Tips
- Remember: An idea is not a commodity. A well-developed format or unique take on that idea is.
- Find ways to make your concept different and appealing. Take time to see what's already out in the market and what is missing.
- Find ways to make your concept different and take time to see what's already out in the market.
- Don't suggest stars to use in the show unless you've contacted them and they've agreed to be in the show. This is called an attachment. What you can do is say that you think the show should have someone like, "so and so." This helps give the producer an idea of what kind of personality you're thinking of without making you seem like a novice that throws out the names of stars without knowing if they'd even be interested or available.
- When creating a reality competition game show, ensure that game play and metrics for elimination are well defined. Example: What happens in the event of a tie?
Warnings
- It's very hard to protect your ideas for a reality show. But one thing that you can do is register your summary with the Writers Guild of America. You can find them easily with a Internet search and register online for a modest fee of about $20. This at least establishes that you did create this idea and when. The TV Writers Vault provides proof-of-exposure to any Producers reviewing your material, which is the second measure of protection you need to have when selling your reality show idea.
Related Articles
- Sell an Idea
- Understand Pingu
- Become a CSI Fanatic
