6. GET (AND ACE) A PITCH MEETING

Getting a pitch

Here's where the agent, attorney, or known producer comes in really handy, because development executives take their calls. Tell the person on the phone that you have a treatment that you want to pitch to his/her network or Production Company, and you would like to receive submissions guidelines.

If the company accepts unsolicited material, you will be required to sign a submission agreement before sending anything in. This document, usually thick with legal-ese, asks you to state that you own the idea you're submitting, and to acknowledge that they may already have a similar idea in development or on the air. This is a lawsuit prevention method on the part of the company reading your treatment. It prevents you from showing up and claiming that you're owed millions because you believe that it was really your idea to have a hit show about a stand up comic and his three neurotic friends in Manhattan.

Some time after you have signed and returned the submission agreement along with your treatment and any other supporting materials requested, you may get a call from the assistant to the Development or Creative Affairs department requesting a meeting. (How long depends on company policies, individual workloads, and how conscientious the caller is.) In this call, he/she will discuss your project in more depth, probing to determine how closely your idea fits current programming needs. Based on the outcome of that initial conversation, you might be heading out to buy new duds to look spiffy when you 'take' your meeting.

Practice pitching to friends. Watch their reactions. Are they interested in your idea? Did you tell the story in a friendly, engaging manner? Do they want to hear more? That's the idea.

Things to do in the pitch

When the big day comes, relax! Remember why you're here: to generate interest in the story that moved you to try to create a TV show in the first place. It's your moment (and we mean moment: it's very likely that you have been scheduled for meeting that will last all of ten minutes) to convince the producer or executive that he/she (and the viewers) will love it, too.

  • Arrive at least 15 minutes early.

  • Bring extra copies of your treatment and any other material you have been asked to provide. Your meeting will involve you, a Development or Creative Affairs Executive, an assistant, and maybe a few other people who dropped in to cruise the snack tray.

  • You'll be asked to give a verbal description of your story. Consider this a friendly chat about you and your big idea.

  • It's wise to have two or more pitches ready in the meeting, just in case you're doing great but the executive already has an idea like yours in the works. In case you missed it, we just said that you must come in with at least two different show ideas in case your first one is a bust.

  • Remember that you are SELLING yourself and your idea. Your goal is to hook your 'audience'-the people listening to your pitch. Be upbeat and positive. Use creative props if you think they'll help illustrate your story. Consider this an "open mic" performance without the comedy. Don't read from your treatment, but do distribute copies. Your pitch might start out something like this . . .
    "Visualize this. It 's a dark and stormy night. Our hero, a moody, intelligent teenaged boy, is struggling to get into a second story bedroom window. Is he a burglar? Is he in some kind of trouble? No, he's a teen superhero and he's locked out of his house for the third time this week!"
    OK, so that's kind of lame, but you have to admit that it's a lot better than, "My show is about a teenager. He's a superhero, too." The first speech shows passion.

  • Be willing to answer questions readily, and be flexible about suggestions, but don't lose your train of thought. Believe in yourself and be positive! Your goal is to make the Development Executive your ally, as he/she may want to champion your idea to his/her bosses.

The verdict

Just like in driver's ed, in the television and film biz, a "green light" means go. (Hey, a bit of jargon never hurts.) If you get a call back sometime after your meeting telling you that your project has been "greenlighted," then you are officially on the road to seeing your great idea produced as a television show.

If your pitch is rejected, or "passed" on, don't take it personally. Keep practicing, keep networking, and try to set up a meeting somewhere else. Believe in yourself and your work. And don't forget to mention us in your Emmy acceptance speech.