Producing Unscripted Blog - Page 7 of 15

Shopping Agreements for Reality TV Concepts

April 19, 2016 by Biagio

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A production company (maybe ours) wants to team up with you on your reality TV concept. The idea of “shopping agreements” comes up. But what does that mean? How long should you agree to let someone pitch your idea? What will that process be like? Let us answer all these questions…and more. If you have EVER thought you might want to pitch your unscripted TV idea to a production company, this episode is a MUST LISTEN.

Sizzle Reel Secret: How We Sell TV Shows

March 22, 2016 by Biagio

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It is a truism of reality TV. There’s no better way to sell a show than to produce a great pitch video. Most pitch reels are low-budget. But, even if you have no money there’s one thing you can do to make sure your tape stands out. In fact, we used this secret to sell many TV shows, and give you three actual examples. PLUS: a bonus graphic tip you can’t live without! Here it is: our own secret revealed…

Making TV Pilots: 5 Practical Tips You Can Use

March 8, 2016March 8, 2016 by Biagio

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We just came off of an exhilarating – and exhausting – weekend shooting a cable network pilot for a huge, formatted TV show. In our sleep-deprived, semi-delirious state, it occurred to us this is the perfect time to discuss something we’re asked about often: making TV pilots. Rather than just blathering on (we did mention we’re a little loopy, right?) we’ve put together a list of 5 practical tips to both explore how TV pilots work, and help you when you’re out making TV pilots for yourself.

7 Must-Know Tips for Pitching Reality TV

February 23, 2016 by Biagio

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It’s episode 70, and we’re sharing 7 Must-Know Tips for Pitching Reality TV. These are hand-picked to help you avoid the mistakes we see new producers make over and over again. Whether you’re pitching to us or anyone else, by using these 7 tips you’ll look like a pro and drastically increase your chances of moving your project forward.

Pressure is a Privilege. Here’s Why…

February 9, 2016 by Biagio

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“Remember, pressure is a privilege.” It was some of most mysterious — and meaningful — advice we’ve ever received. Today, we explain why this nugget of knowledge will keep you sane, drive you to new heights, and sleep better at night. Sometimes.

TV Versus YouTube – Where Does Your Show Belong?

January 26, 2016 by Biagio

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TV versus YouTube – it’s something that comes up in discussions with aspiring producers on a daily basis. Why do some shows work better on YouTube than TV? Is TV always better than YouTube? What are the pros and cons of each? Today we’re going to tell you exactly why you may want one platform over another — and we bet many of the reasons will surprise you!

Art of Starting: Your Big Picture Guide to Making Film & TV

January 12, 2016 by Biagio

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Happy 2016! Today’s episode is all about new beginnings — in fact, it’s a big picture guide to making film and TV as seen from the point of view of new starts. We’ve made over 100 hours of TV and film. Every second of those final projects exists because we’ve embraced…the art of starting.

3 Cheerful Filmmaking Facts for 2016

December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 by Biagio

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As 2015 comes to a close, we decided to make this episode our “end of year special!” And what could be more special than cheerful news for every kind of filmmaker? Get ready for three things we’re super jazzed about as 2015 ends and 2016 dawns…

Casting Tapes: Show, Tell, or Both?

November 24, 2015 by Biagio

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As you already know from reading our in-depth guide on creating and pitching reality shows, there is no better way to quickly break into the business than building your show around a great, real life character. But when you’re putting together very basic casting tapes to test whether or not someone might be great TV, there’s a HUGE mistake you need to avoid.

Casting Agreements for Reality TV: What-When-Why-How?

November 10, 2015 by Biagio

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Casting Agreements for reality TV and unscripted television — what are they, and do you need one? Do you need casting agreements for all reality TV projects, or just some? Will they cost you money? Should you get a lawyer? Could not getting those casting agreements come back to bite you? The answers are not easy to figure out, but we’re here to talk you through them.