Pitching a Reality TV Show

Pitching a TV reality show involves skills, but nothing you can't learn with some practice, a good idea, and face time with producers or buyers. If you have an innovative idea for a reality show, keep reading to find out what steps you need to take in order to get producers to listen.

A pitch is basically a sales pitch. You have something to sell and you need a potential buyer to listen and possibly purchase your idea or give you the green light to start major development on it. The actual pitch is most commonly done in front of a group of producers and directors. If you aren't comfortable speaking to a group, then you should work on your pitch so it fits your style or find someone who can pitch it for you.

You need to write your idea in the form of a treatment. A treatment is a small packet that tells potential buyers what your show is about, what format it takes, and how you see it progressing beyond Season One.

• The first page is your title page. Include the title of your show, applicable writers or creative forces, and copyright date. Include page numbers on the sheets so that if a page gets misplaced then it's easy to put back in the pile.
• Next, you need a synopsis. This should not be more than one page. If you can't narrow down your idea in one page, then those reading it may become bored. Hook the producers early so they want to keep reading. Include items like:
  • How the show is filmed
  • What kind of people will be on it
  • How elimination occurs (if necessary)
  • How someone wins.
• The bulk of your proposal is more detailed. This is where you describe the show's format and any special features you have.
• Lastly, you want to tell the producers why your show is different. Don't degrade other reality shows as you write this part; focus on why your show will be successful. Also, relate here how you see your show progressing through additional seasons.

Contacting producers directly may not elicit too much of a response. These are busy industry people and usually have assistants available to field calls, mail, and e-mail. If you do decide this route to get an appointment, then the best way to find addresses and names of producers is to look up the production companies of reality TV shows currently running on TV. Some resources you can use:

• Writer's Digest: You can either purchase the book, or pay a subscription fee for the website.
• Writers Write: This site has hundreds of links to find producers for pitching a TV reality show.

When sending information to a producer, include a cover letter and the synopsis (that first page you wrote in your TV show packet). If someone is interested, they will request additional materials.

Once you have an appointment, you need to do a couple more things before pitching a TV reality show. First, do some research. Find out what the producers tend to like. See if there is anyone you know that has experience in pitching to the producers so you can pitch to their interests. For example, if a particular producer likes dry humor, then use some dry humor to pitch your show to that producer.

Second, practice your pitch. If you need to, script it on paper. Once you read it, you can hear how it sounds. Record it if you can. You can always make changes before your pitch because hesitation and back-pedaling in the middle of a pitch bores people.

During the pitch, be excited about your idea. Sell your idea like your future depended on it. Yes, you may have to sound like an infomercial at times, but if you aren't energetic about your own reality show idea, how can you expect the buyers to get energetic?.

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