Seven Wishful Thinking Ways to Improve Creativity

Mark McGuinness’s creativity blog, Wishful Thinking, has a number of tips to help you raise your game as you develop and pitch your non-scripted TV ideas. Here are some of the best for TV developers: Presentation Zen 6 Tips for Dealing With Feedback on Your Creative Work 10 Tips For Overcoming Writer’s Block Can the [...]

Why Are You Like a Great Novelist?

How is the development producer like a great novelist? Oh, let me count the ways… “procrastination, writer’s block, the terror of failure that looms over a new project and the attention-sucking power of the Internet”, so says the Wall Street Journal. They asked successful novelists about the way they write their books. Nobel laureate Orhan [...]

Making a Pitch Tape? The Stakes Just Got a Little Higher…

As you set about making yet another pitch tape destined to gather dust on some commissioning editor’s shelf, take a look at the lengths the US networks go to in order to pitch their upcoming shows to their advertisers at a ritual known as the “Upfront”.  At these annual events, the networks invite all their [...]

How to Kill Innovation

Is the question “what about…” the killer of innovation? Entrepreneur Scott Anthony thinks it is. He says that “resource-rich companies have the “luxury” of researching and researching problems” and that stops progress being made. Is this something you are guilty of when researching an new factual programme idea (especially if it’s a subject you know [...]

Development Producers Group – London, Tuesday 8th March, 2011

The development producers group is a social networking community for development researchers, AP’s and producers working in television and film. Every month they will be meeting for networking. There will be a guest speaker at each event and there will be opportunities for members to network individually and with the group. Experienced commissioners, executive producers and professionals will be invited to speak, and meetups to creative events organised.

The group is an opportunity to network and make new connections, but will also focus on being fun and enjoyable experience, with social outings, discounted trips to theatres and other events.

Sign up at Development Producers Group on MeetUp.com

Ford Foundation: JustFilms $50m Documentary Fund

The Ford Foundation have announced a new film fund – JustFilms – which will grant $10m per year for five years to filmmakers making documentaries that “show courageous people confronting difficult issues and actively pursuing a more just, secure and sustainable world”. There are three different strands to the funding, each of which will receive roughly 1/3 of the money:

* “Partnerships with major organizations such as the Sundance Institute, the Independent Television Service and others
* An ongoing open application process that will help JustFilms stay attuned to fresh ideas and stories wherever they may emerge, and
* Partnership with other Ford Foundation grant-making programs where the introduction of documentary film could help draw attention to an issue or advance a movement”

Filmmaker Orlando Bagwell will be oversee the new fund.

Visit the Ford Foundation for more information. (Photo by Borman818 CC BY 2.0)

Ideas Develop Asexually and Creativity Happens Sexually?

Are you developing ideas sexually or asexually? And which is better? That’s the question  Mike Cardus discusses in this video:

Greenlit: Developing Factual/Reality TV Ideas From Concept to Pitch by Nicola Lees

There are some simple principles to successfully developing and pitching your ideas, whether you are working for a global ‘super-indie’ production company, or are a documentary filmmaker pitching a passion project. The extraordinary thing is that no one will tell you what they are! Greenlit is the first book to reveal, step-by-step, how to originate, develop and pitch your factual/non-scripted TV ideas in a global market.

Get insider tips from: * 10 TV development producers – who have a combined 50+ years experience of developing and pitching ideas at all levels; * 20 senior executives who have sold some of the world’s most successful shows, to: * 16 channel executives, who between them have worked at: * 18 TV channels in: * 7 countries across 4 continents.

Greenlit is available now from Amazon and all good bookstores.

Pitching your TV Ideas: What No-One Will Tell You

Do you have a documentary or reality TV idea that you are dying to pitch, but don’t know where to start? Have you tried pitching it and had the door slammed in your face (several times)? Are you frustrated with being fobbed off? Are you losing confidence in your idea, even though deep down you know it’s a great concept? Is is something you did? Or said? Why are the buyers just not that into you? Don’t despair, you’re not alone in your frustration (although it can feel that way)!

Whether you are working for a global ‘super-indie’ production company or are an individual with a passion project there are some simple principles that will increase your chances of attracting channel executives and investors. The thing is, no one will tell you what they are!

Click through for a quick and dirty run through what you need to know before you set out on your pitching journey. (Photo by Mohamad ShoOx CC BY 2.0)

Development and Pitching 101: Getting the Greenlight

So you’ve pitched your idea and a channel has expressed strong interest in commissioning your documentary or series. Congratulations! But you aren’t home and dry just yet. There are still many things that can go wrong before you sign on the dotted line. Click through to find out how to avoid falling at the last fence. (Photo by U-g-g-B-o-y-(-Photograph-World-Sense-) CC BY 2.0)