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Archive for March, 2009

Six Ways to Allay Your Commissioning Editor’s Fears and Sell your TV Programme

You might think that all you need to get your TV programme commissioned is a good idea. Not so.

Assuming you have a really good idea, and have sprinkled it with fairy dust for luck, it is still unlikely that you will get your idea commissioned. Why? Because your commissioner is scared. They’re scared of commissioning a programme that might fail. And failing programmes put their jobs on the line. Which makes it your job to allay those fears and make it easy for them to say yes.

Here are six fears you need to address in your proposal and pitch. (Photo by Kables)

Earth Hour – Time the Lights to Go Out

Today – 28th March 09 – the lights will go out all around the world as people participate in Earth Hour between 2030 – 2130 local time. Join in by turning off your lights for an hour. The initiative, launched in 2007 by World Wildlife Fund, to raise awareness about climate change. In 2008 400 [...]

Dangerous Books Not For Boys and Girls

Do you have dangers lurking on your bookshelves? Millions of books are being stripped from library shelves and charity shops across the UK as new legislation means that books printed before 1985 are now banned due to concerns about lead in the books’ ink. Parents and librarians are dismayed/incensed, while scientists say there’s nothing the [...]

Hulu Documentary Site

Hulu.com (which is currently only available in the USA) is setting up an area on the site dedicated to documentary programming, from short films to features.  Their ambition is to forge relationships with independent film-makers and  producers, who they hope will  provide content in the future. The first docs to appear on the site will [...]

Greenlit: Thrillbillies, FUEL TV

Thrillbillies (6x ) -  Action/comedy series featuring a group of madcap rednecks doing crazy stunts. Channel: FUEL TV TX: 29 March 09 Source: Cynopsis

Greenlit: Stephen Hawking’s Universe, Discovery

Stephen Hawking’s Universe (1×120′ + 2×60′) -Prof Stephen Hawking takes us on a journey around the mysteries of the cosmos. Hawking narrates and he explores whether time travel is possible, the likelihood of there being extra-terrestrial life, how the universe was born, and how it might die. Visuals are provided by a mix of live [...]

In: Sophie Morgan, Reef TV, Head of Factual Entertainment

Sophie Morgan, ex-commissioner of Living’s Jade Goody show is joining Reef Television in May 09 as head of factual entertainment. She will concentrate on developing and pitching peaktime fact ent, features and entertainment shows and on selling Reef’s formats in the USA.

Greenlit: Reunion, BBC2

Reunion (4×60′) – ob doc series that brings together estranged families, some of whom haven’t seen each other for years. It focuses on their attempts to repair their relationships as they all spend the weekend together in a country house. Channel: BBC2 Producer: Blast! Films Source: Broadcast

Greenlit: Grandparents, BBC4

Grandparents (3×60′) – documentary series that explores the role of grandparents in modern Britain. Each episode features a different family and features a grandparents who are raising their grandchildren as their own and a young-at-heart grandfather. Channel: BBC4 Producer: Blast! Films Source: Broadcast

Extreme Birth?

NY Mag has an article about Cara Muhlhahn, a NYC midwife who specializes in home births. It’s titled Extreme Birth and has prompted a lively debate among readers about the pros and cons of a home birth vs hospital birth / natural birth vs C-section etc.  One of the women who comments has 10 children [...]

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