How to Pitch Your Reality Show to Networks, Agents and Reality TV Production Companies

Part II: How and Where to Submit Your Pitch

Nancy Lichtenstein, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Dec 19, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

By now you should have a reality show pitch that is properly formatted and ready to submit. But first, you need to get that WGA registration number, which is your way of registering your original idea in order to protect it. After all, if you followed the advice in Part I, your idea should be really smoking. The other reason to do this is that production companies don't want to be accused of stealing. They won't even look at your submission without it, because in the end, it protects them too.

The easiest way to obtain this number is to go to the WGA registry page at http://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/. For $20 you can register your pitch online. The information you need to enter there is very similar to what you already used for the pitch, so it should take no more than a few minutes. (Be forewarned that they will ask you for your social security number or driver's license number as identification.) There are also instructions on how to do this by mail or in person if you live in L.A. At the end of the process you'll be provided with a confirmation page with a unique WGA registration number. Paste it right into your reality show pitch and you're ready to submit.

The big question is who should you submit to? The networks directly? An agent? A reality TV production company? Most networks won't give you the time of day unless you're already attached to a successful project, but three that will are Comedy Central, Discovery and MTV:

Comedy Central

Coordinator of Development

1775 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

Discovery Communications

Development Liaison

7700 Wisconsin Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

MTV Networks

Series Pitch Line

2600 Colorado Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90404

310-752-8000

If your concept doesn't fit the programming of any of these channels, try your luck with some agencies next. The WGA website has a comprehensive list, along with their contact information. The only problem is that it does not differentiate between agents for movies and those who represent television writers, so you will have to research each one before sending a query letter.

That's right; you need to send a query letter first, even though you went to all that trouble to create your pitch document, because most agencies won't respond to unsolicited pitches. The query letter should be short but sweet-present them with your logline and the relevant facts (why you think your show should be produced) from your pitch and give them contact information where they can reach you if they're interested in your idea. Don't forget to include your WGA registration number in this letter too.

The other option is to send your pitch (along with a query letter) directly to reality TV production companies. For $64.95 you can purchase one issue of the Hollywood Creative Directory, a thorough reference with up-to-date contact information on production companies, television shows and studio executives, from www.hcdonline.com. This book is updated 3 times a year, and that purchase price is for the current edition online, but there is also a new online directory on the site that is updated daily. You can purchase a subscription to the online version for $249.95, or do a one-week trial for $24.95.

You should also enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with direct submissions to reality TV production companies, because if they are interested they will send you back a release (a document you sign to protect them from lawsuits if they agree to read your work). Feel free to sign the release if you're offered one. It's the first tangible sign of success, they won't discuss your work any further if you don't, and the WGA registration will still protect you if some scoundrel tries to steal your idea.

If a production company or agent likes your work they're going to want more details, so while you're waiting for responses, work on fleshing out those episode synopses. Even though your idea is reality-based, you still need to shape it into a story arc to keep viewers interested. Loosely defined, a story arc means that each episode is stand-alone with a beginning, middle, and end, but when they are viewed one after another they also contribute to the progression of a larger storyline.

You should also give some thought to such details as the location of the show, where to find ideal contestants, who the ideal host would be if you need one, and potential sponsors/advertisers that would make good tie-ins with the concept. When you're invited to develop your concept further you will need to have good answers to these questions at your pitch meeting! If you've followed the advice presented in these articles, you too will soon be a Hollywood insider!

Sources:

Published by Nancy Lichtenstein

Nancy Lichtenstein is a freelance writer and journalist, a mom, a fashionista, and frequently can be found backstage at rock concerts in her spare time. She has written for Woman's Day, CNN, USA Today, the... View profile

Takeaways

For $20 you can register your idea online at the WGA website.
Comedy Central, Discovery Communications and MTV are the only networks who accept pitches directly.
Enclose a SASE with submissions to reality TV production companies.

Yahoo! Voices

How to Pitch Your Reality Show to Networks, Agents and Reality TV Production Companies

Part II: How and Where to Submit Your Pitch

60 Comments

Yahoo! Voices

Also on Yahoo!

Yahoo! Contributor Network