Unscripted Television: Break in with Us

Unscripted Television: reality TV shows, documentary series, feature length docs — that’s what we make at Joke Productions, Inc. – our Film and Television Production Company. (And yes..it’s named after Joke!)

And if you’re passionate about making unscripted film and TV, creative, and fun to work with, maybe we’ll team up someday. That’s one part of what the Producing Unscripted podcast is all about.

We hope you’ll become one of our success stories.

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*Note – the free information on this site will help you work and succeed in unscripted TV and film even if you never pitch us anything. There’s info on this site about pitching shows, but also about working your way up in the industry, finding jobs, how the business works, and more. It’s all yours for the taking. Enjoy!

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In a Nutshell: Important Points (Updated June 2024)

• As of March 1, 2024: We’ve updated the pitch process. It’s cleaner and easier, details below.
• Before pitching to us read the entire page you are currently viewing very carefully. Please also take the time to read our free guide How to Pitch a Reality Show – it will help you immensely.
• We only accept pitches through the pitch form available to newsletter subscribers (see below)
• We do this for free, in our spare time. We do not sell any products or services and are not available for hire. Because of this, we cannot respond to all pitches.
• We team up on just a few projects yearly. That’s our bandwidth.
• Make us one stop on your pitch journey, not your only stop.
• We’re not available for private conversations and as of 2020 rarely visit social media.
• The rest of the information on this site will help you pitch to any unscripted company, so if we’re not for you, no problem! We hope our Producing Unscripted Podcast helps you reach success regardless. Best of luck in all your endeavors. There’s plenty of opportunity out there – we’re excited for you to find your path to success.
• Want to see what we’re up to? Catch our new series Operation Undercover – first episode currently streaming on MAX, D+ and Investigation Discovery!
• We’re currently in production on a new series for 2025 – stay tuned!

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What’s On This Page?

This page will answer your questions about pitching show concepts to us, how it works, and what to expect. It aims to be honest and direct. We believe the success we’ve had is due to our optimism, but please know that the entertainment business takes hard work and dedication.

Breaking in is not easy, but it is possible.

Please note, if you do want to pitch to us, you’ll have to carefully follow the directions and understand the information on this page.

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Make Reality TV Shows and Documentary Series: Where to Start?

We created this blog and podcast for you – based on what we wished existed when we first starting chasing our dreams of working in unscripted film and TV. Our hope is to answer all your questions about working in the unscripted world, from reality TV, to documentaries and docu-series, to true crime, and more. Every month we’ll deliver episodes to help you:

• Understand unscripted television and how to work in it
• Find great potential reality tv shows and documentary series
• Develop your ideas into viable TV show pitches
• Potentially team up with us

Come Make Unscripted Television With Us

Maybe you want to make reality TV shows, or bring your passion for documentaries to larger audiences through the medium of television. If you’re creative, hard-working, and want to contribute in a positive way to the unscripted film and TV industry, we will do our best to consider your pitches.

*NOTE: We do this when we can, between producing, shooting, and editing projects. We do this for free, and hope doing so provides value even if we never work together.

Because of the sheer number of pitches we receive, as of January 1st, 2020 we can no longer provide individual responses to every concept submitted. However, every single submission is forwarded directly to us (Joke and Biagio) and we will personally consider your project.

If we think we can be helpful on your project or have questions, we’ll reach out to you.

If you don’t hear from us it means we didn’t think we were a good fit this time around, but don’t let that get you down. That’s just the business (trust us, networks say “no” to us far more than they say “yes.” But after enough work you do get that “yes.”)

Some people have pitched us six or seven concepts before we found one we could be helpful on. You can see some of these success stories here.

(As always, do not make us your only pitch stop. We pitched to multiple production companies when we were coming up, and pitch projects to multiple networks today.)

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What If We Like Your Project?

If we feel a connection to your material, and you’re excited about working with us, we’ll develop the idea with you into a viable pitch, do our best to set it up at a TV network or streaming platform, and get you a legitimate producing credit and paycheck in the process.

And no, we don’t charge a fee for this. We’re film and TV producers, not consultants or a paid service.

Just two people who love what we do, looking for great projects from talented people like you.

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STOP: A Dose of Reality

The film and TV industry can be challenging (that’s putting it mildly.) It is not our intention to imply that setting up a show is easy. It isn’t. We know – we started out with no connections to Hollywood, and no credits. We’ve been on this journey for nearly two decades now.

Over 100 hours of television later, every day is still challenging.

So it’s not wise, healthy, or smart to think of “pitching ideas to Hollywood” (whether to us or anyone else) as a quick road to success and steady income. If you love shooting, editing, or making stuff in general, the fulfillment you get from the journey will carry you through the hard times (it did for us.)

Also, we receive far more pitches than we’d ever be able to (or would want to) team up on.

We make a few TV series and unscripted projects every year, put our heart and soul into them, and only release final cuts we’re truly proud to show the world.

We can’t make ALL the TV shows. No one can.

You’re best bet is to use this site as a tool to help shape your career, learn the business, and decide if working in it would actually make you happy. (For the record, we love it.)

The point of this site isn’t just to get you to pitch to us. It’s to provide you information about how the industry works and prepare you for a career in it, whatever form that takes. If we end up working together, that’ll be wonderful. If you go on and have tons of success without us, we’ll be delighted.

Let’s all work together to make the unscripted film and TV world a better place.

What’s The Catch?

Like most production companies, unless you already have an agent or manager, to pitch to us you’ll have to sign a submission agreement (part of the submission process…see below.)

The submission agreement acknowledges that we develop many shows, are pitched many more, and it’s possible or likely we’ve heard or are working on a similar concept to what you are pitching.

While pretty standard in the entertainment industry, we know not everyone likes these, and we understand if you choose not to submit your concepts to us. However, per our lawyers, we simply cannot accept show concepts without a submission agreement. If you’re uncomfortable with our submission agreement, do not submit a project to us.

If you’d like to hear from a brand new producer who did sign the submission agreement, who we subsequently set up a TV pilot with, check out this podcast ep with Abra Chouinard.

All of this said, every bit of the info on this site is freely available to you, and we hope you’ll use it to find success in your endeavors even if we never work together.

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What Are People Saying?

We wanted to share some quotes from folks we’ve met through this podcast, our blog, and other outreach.

Some People We’ve Set Up Shows With

Travis Bible was an editor and aspiring producer who pitched us the concept that became MTV’s CAGED. Here’s what he had to say:

One of the biggest obstacles when you’re starting out trying to get a show made is getting production companies to actually listen to the pitch. Joke and Biagio took time out of their schedule multiple times to meet with my producing partner, Steve Harris, and me, listen to our pitches and provided constructive feedback on what was working and what wasn’t. We took their suggestion of producing and editing our own pitch reel for one of our concepts, Caged. We showed it to them and they liked it enough to team up with us on the project and develop the tape and project further. They were able to sell it to MTV.Throughout the entire process, they were great to work with and we all shared a vision of what the show should be. They saw that I wasn’t just interested in some fancy credits and a little extra cash, but wanted to be involved in all aspects of the show. After proving I could handle it on the pilot, I took on a full Co-Executive Producer role. They always respected my opinion, and it was great being able to collaborate from pre-production through post. In the end, Caged is the most creatively satisfying project I’ve ever worked on and a large part of that is because of Joke and Biagio.

Suzanne Stratford is a newscaster in Cleveland who pitched us her initial concept for what became Ghost Inside My Child on BIO and LMN:

Working with Joke and Biagio changed my life. They believed in my idea, my dream and me: bolstering my vision, creating a riveting program in less than a year, while staying true to the concept. They might be a Hollywood power couple, but they treat you as an equal and always listen to your thoughts and feedback. For that, and so much more I’m eternally grateful and look forward to making many more programs together.

Joey Gemelli is a casting director who, along with his partner Natalie, brought us a great concept. We set up a television pilot at Oxygen called Sister Witches:

I worked for Joke and Biagio as an employee and later teamed up with them as an independent producer and we quickly sold a pilot. I learned invaluable skills from the experience and there is no duo in the business that I’m more proud to work with/for. Some of my greatest experiences as a producer have been as a part of the Joke family.

Some Good People We’ve Met And Hope to Set Up Shows With

Brian Speciale is a talented filmmaker we’ve met through our podcast. We’ve teamed up on several of his concepts and while we haven’t set one up YET…we hope to soon:

I’ve been fortunate enough to team up with Joke & Biagio, and can tell you from experience that everything you hear in their podcasts is true: you can pitch directly to them (through their website), they’ll personally review your pitch, and if they like it, they’ll team up with you. Dealing with them is exactly as you’d expect after listening to their podcast – they’re attentive, incredibly smart, and very inclusive of you in the process of pitching your dream to their network partners. Before pitching to Joke & Biagio, I made the mistake of thinking I could break into this world by myself. It’s just not that easy, and you’ll likely waste a lot of time (and $$) doing it that way. These two are the way to go. They’re established, they have the connections, and above all they’re fun & genuine people; I can’t recommend them enough!

Ben Grynol is new to filmmaking and producing. But he listened very carefully to our podcast and sent over a very worthwhile submission. While it wasn’t right for us, we were very impressed and are keeping in touch. Here’s what Ben had to say:

In the fall of 2016, I decided that I wanted to cut my teeth in the film game. I knew nothing – and I mean nothing – about what it would take to pitch and produce a TV show.

I started Googling “how to make a TV show” and read as much as I could from many different resources about the process of pitching and producing film. Eventually, I came across the Producing Unscripted website, and I can honestly say that Joke and Biagio have the most insightful, helpful and digestible material to help people learn more about producing unscripted film. Without their great blog posts, e-book, and podcast, I would still be at square one.

To learn as much as I could, and eliminate as many rookie mistakes as possible before pitching to Joke and Biagio, I listened to every single episode of their podcast. I took notes and referenced their e-book – many times. After finishing the podcast (all 88 episodes, at the time), I put together a pitch tape and document, and I submitted everything through their online portal. About four weeks later, I got an email back from the studio saying that Joke and Biagio had reviewed the package, and although they weren’t sure my show concept was the right fit for the current TV landscape, they wanted to have a follow up conversation about everything.

Despite their busy schedules, they graciously took over half an hour out of their day to provide me with feedback about the pitch package. Their feedback was very honest, and it helped me understand how to improve my pitch. Although we won’t be moving forward with the project that I pitched them, Joke and Biagio kindly offered an open door so that I can keep soft pitching them ideas. Even if we don’t end up getting to work on a project together down the road, I can’t thank Joke and Biagio enough for making themselves so accessible to the general public – through the podcast and online resources. They are as authentic and genuine as they come. They are the real deal.

I feel like I’ve been to film school and back thanks to @jokeandbiagio! Subscribe to their #podcast and check out! https://t.co/CbalBk6xVM

— Ben Grynol (@bgrynol) November 7, 2016

Do We Provide Long, Detailed Responses and Phone Calls to Everyone Who Pitches Us?

Unfortunately, no, we do not. However, both of us (Joke and Biagio) personally review every single submission. It usually takes 6-12 weeks from the time you submit until the time it comes up in our ques.

That can take even longer if we’re in production (which is often.) If you don’t hear from us, it means we didn’t think we could be helpful this time around. Keep pitching! Everyone – including us – pitches more projects than ever gain traction.

Remember, it’s a numbers game. 

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Can We Guarantee You A TV Show?

No, we can’t do that. In fact, like most producers and creatives, the vast majority of shows we pitch, whether we develop them ourselves or team up with others, do not make it to air. As mentioned above, the entertainment business is a numbers game, and you always pitch more projects than you actually set up.

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Will You Get Rich? Is This A Lottery Ticket? What’s realistic?

This is not a “get rich quick” scheme. Like any career, working in unscripted television, whether pitching shows, or making them, is hard work. That goes double if you’re going to be “on camera.”

In the unscripted TV industry everyone (us included) gets paid for the work they do on projects. Depending on your experience and what you want to (and are qualified to do) on a show, that could mean “nice vacation money” to “great full time pay” money and a new career in unscripted TV.

Salary or salaries in this business, like any other, are dependent on experience and services provided. Every item in a budget (including salaries) is approved by the network funding the show.

And no, in unscripted television, reality TV, and documentary series there are almost never “created by” credits or large fees for the person who came up with an idea. Unless you’re a Hollywood A-Lister or have a crazy-successful track record in unscripted, it’s not even a point of discussion.

Now that you know that…what is it you want, and are your expectations realistic?

We’ve spent hours and hours answering those questions on this site and on our podcast, so please have a look around and get to know a bit about the business before pitching us – or anyone – anything.

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Will We Work With Someone Like You?

Whether you want to work full-time in unscripted film and television, or just want to be a “part-time” player, there are paths for you to explore. That’s true whether you want to work with us or anyone else.

Here is a post and podcast ep that will help you think about how you might like to work on shows you pitch:

Five Ways You Can Break Into Unscripted Television

Wait — Who the Heck are Joke and Biagio again?

Glad you asked. We make film and television, specializing in unscripted projects like documentary series, true crime, and reality TV shows, and we’ve been at this for over a decade.

We started out shooting, editing, creating graphics, and onlining our own projects — a crew of two — and eventually made our way into the world of unscripted TV and Film.

We’ve now produced and delivered TV series, specials, and pilots for just about every TV network out there. You can see a list of some of our shows and promos on our Joke Productions Projects page, and read the shocking true story of how we got together by visiting this blog post entitled Joke and Biagio: The Shocking True Story.

Because we’re “third party approved” (networks trust us to deliver TV shows) all of our TV shows are edited, on-lined, and delivered from our production company (you can see a few shots of our office in the video on the front page of Producing Unscripted.)

Is This Legit?

For those among you who would like some external sources that verify what we do, feel free to check out any of the articles on the Joke Productions Press Page, from places like Deadline Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Check the press releases for our names, Joke Fincioen, Biagio Messina, and our company, Joke Productions, Inc.

Also see this article in Realscreen Magazine that goes in-depth into our company and why we love working with new people.

Or check out this very nice article in MovieMaker Magazine from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who talks about working with us on our show Scream Queens.

I cannot stress enough, the greatness of Joke and Biagio, the creators and Executive Producers. The atmosphere of a set almost always trickles down from the top, and Joke and Biagio made the show an absolute joy to work on.

– James Gunn, director Guardians of the Galaxy

Aw, shucks.

You can read more testimonials on our Joke Productions Reviews page.

Joke?

Yes, Joke’s name is really Joke. Blame it on her parents. And for those the right age to remember, Biagio played “Marc Cram” on Nickelodeon’s Kenan and Kel.

We love what we do — traveling the world capturing real stories from incredible people. And we’re always looking for talented individuals who love to tell real stories, that’s why we’re reaching out to you through this podcast and blog!

Oh, yeah, we’re married — to each other. Biagio knows he lucked out.

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How to Pitch Shows to Us

Two steps to get started:

Step 1: Get the Joke and Biagio Newsletter

Not only is our newsletter packed with real-world tips to help you quickly:

1. turn your ideas into unscripted films and television shows
2. improve your filmmaking skills
3. give you confidence to do well in Hollywood meetings

You’ll also receive the link to your members page, where you can pitch shows to us, and even see a list of the kinds of shows we’re looking for right now.

(Already on our list and need the page? Just re-enter the same email you signed up with and you’ll be taken right there.)

Step 2: Listen to Producing Unscripted and Read this Blog

Everything you need to know to pitch an unscripted TV series or documentary Film is on this site. Whether you pitch to us, or anyone else, you’ll find what you need to know on these pages. We suggest starting with How to Pitch a Reality Show and Unscripted Television: 100 Tips for Breaking In and Career Success.

We’ll update this blog and put out new podcasts as often as we can. (As of 2021, that’s a lot less often. But with over 100 podcasts, you’ve got what you need.) Yes, we’re off making TV shows and films, and sometimes it may take us a bit longer to release the new content, tips, and insights we want to share. So make sure you’re getting the newsletter, and we’ll make sure you have all the latest.

Hope this site helps you in your career, and maybe we’ll even get to work together soon. Start here.
Best,
Joke and Biagio