How to Create, Package and Pitch a Reality TV Show

So what makes a reality show different than a scripted drama on TV?  Don't some reality shows have drama and tension?  What is a soft-scripted reality show?  Are reality shows under the same guidelines as the writers guild? These are some of the questions we'll cover in this section to get a better understanding of things you need to consider.

In this section you'll learn the different types of formats for a reality show and the most popular ones.  It may help determine which type of shows you want to develop or which ones may come more easily to you. 

Titles are always key when it comes  in TV or Film, but when it comes to Reality TV - the Title is King.  It's all about the Title.  The Bachelor, The Apprentice, Gold Rush, Wife Swap, The Biggest Loser, America's Got Talent, InkMasters, Flipping Out, Blind Date, Little People-Big World, Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, Pawn Stars...  You get the idea?

In this lecture we'll talk about jump starting your creativity and brainstorming new ideas and concepts.  I'll dispense some ideas that work for me and for other creative people I know. Then you will Brainstorm five unique catchy titles. 

After this section you'll have an understanding of the basic elements needed when presenting a reality show idea to a potential buyer.  You can't just pitch an industry person a logline in a parking lot and expect them to take you seriously. Although I did do exactly that and it lead to a meeting but that was a rare occasion and I had done my homework.  Normally you want to have a packet you can bring to a meeting or that you can submit through the proper channels. This is a look at the most common elements needed such as the pitch deck and the sizzle reel.

In this lecture we will go step by step and breakdown the Treatment including the Title, Logline, Synopsis, Episodes, Format, and attaching talent. We will look at a PitchDeck called Stage Fright with iconic director Roger Corman attached as talent.  After this lecture you'll know all the elements needed in your pitch deck and how you can make a simple paper pitch look appealing if you don't have a sizzle reel.

Docuseries are by far the most popular reality shows because you are getting a peek into someone else's world and living vicariously through them.  Some networks like Discovery specialize in docuseries and feature them. They are also inexpensive to produce compared to a scripted network television show and can have long sustainability.  The Gold Standard is of course "Keeping up with the Kardashians."  What started out as a hopeful one season show turned into a billion dollar enterprise.  NBC Universal has teams working on the brand 24/7. I know because I worked on the brand myself when I was at NBC Universal.  Do you have the next Kardashian docuseries? Lets find out!

Now that we've walked through docuseries I'll walk through how I signed former Baywatch actress Traci Bingham to a talent agreement and created a show based on her and her family. You'll see the "one-sheet" we created that led to meetings with top producers and eventually being signed by a top production company that funded the sizzle reel. You'll see how we had one concept in mind and how the production company changed the concept and Title of the show.  I'll also talk about the major mistake the production company made when pitching to the networks. 

Always get a talent agreement in place whenever you are attaching talent to your show.  Even if it's Joe Blow from the scuba shop you want to have him signed cause if you don't - it's only going to lead to headaches down the road. This goes double if you have celebrity talent attached. I'll go over How to approach celebrity talent.

Game shows are also very popular and if you come up with the right one you can write you're own ticket. In this lecture I'll walk through the varies stages and incarnations and frustrations I went through until I finally hit upon the right combination and great title and game play for an awesome competition game show which led to the top reality producers making multiple offers to us for the show.  You'll learn my thought process and how sometimes sticking to something until you crack the code pays off.  Sometimes you do have to walk away but this is one of those instances when I knew I was onto something and I didn't want to let it go.  This is the creation of Money Mountain.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to shoot your own sizzle reel. Learn a few tips on shooting and where to put the money you will spend.  When should you shoot a sizzle reel vs just creating a Treatment. You'll see a couple of examples of video's that were very cost effective.

This is really important.  No matter how unique you think your show is there is a chance that the person you are pitching to has already heard a similar pitch a dozen times in one incarnation or another. Make your pitch stand out from other ordinary pitches and ideas.

If you have the opportunity to pitch in person make the most of it. Learn how to avoid rookie mistakes. It's you're one chance to shine so make sure you are prepared or you may not get another chance to meet with this person or company again.

Being able to read the room on the fly is a special talent in itself but it's also one that can be developed and is essential when you are in the room full of executives and assistants. If you don't pay attention to the physical cues and disposition it could end you're meeting early.  I'll have personal stories in this section of different reactions we had in our pitch meetings. Some good and some bad.

This is really really important.  When an executive says we already have something similar in the works or that doesn't fit our mandate, do not keep trying to sell it.  You will only irritate them. It's very simple. You just move on. I've seen some inexperienced guys ignore this and keep on beating the dead horse until the horse itself got up and kicked them in the teeth and right out of the room. 

Hollywood has some standard responses whether it's via email or in person.  Learn what they are really mean when they say "That's interesting."  See a few examples of email responses I've received over the years. Ask for Network Mandates via email or in person.

If you want to be a creator of content then you don't need to move to Hollywood as there are other avenues to get your material to the industry.  Did it help me? Ultimately yes. I wouldn't have had some of the opportunities I had if I had not been here and been at the right place at the right time and stalked the right people. I once got a meeting off of a wrong number I dialed.  Had I not been here the meeting probably would not have materialized.

There are a lot of conferences and organizations that you can join and try out.  I'll give you the scoop on which ones I think are the best and which ones you can save your time and money on.

Everyone wants an agent.  I've had several agents but it didn't happen over night. It took years of refining my craft and going to aforementioned conferences and organizations.  But I'll share some tips on how to get a Hip Pocket Agent at the very least. Don't know what that is?  Watch the video and find out.

So how much can you make and how does it all work when it comes to money.  I'll break it down for you.

Is Hollywood fabulous? It can be.  Is Hollywood a dog eat dog town? It can be.  Are there ego maniacs and sharks swimming in the waters? Yes, but there are also some great folks that still do care about the creative process and have integrity.  I'll share some personal stories in this sections so that you know how to avoid the pitfalls and how to make the best of an opportunity. Plus a surprise or two related to the course.