A little Help with a big project.
 

So I am not entirely certain that this would go here but it seemed the best place for it at the moment.

I have written a series of episodes of a new show that I want to create. (Insert just how impossible this really is.)

My question and the discussion I am opening up is what would be the best way to go about making this happen in a NON hobby way. The main idea is find a company either Internet based or television station to produce it.

The thing is I have no idea where to start. Which sucks.

Do I look at places like Hulu (which I don't know makes it's own content) do I go after the big guys (Fox, ABC) which would have very little chance of looking at my scripts.

Is there a good middle ground?

Information about the series, (Because it could be important):

Our world only the monsters are real. The darkness and the evil things in the night are growing restless and a odd group of people have banded together to face them.

In other terms: A mix of Being Human and Buffy. With the emphasis on character and action over relationships. It is about the price that gets paid to stand against the monsters.

Any help or thoughts appreciated.

If you figure out the secret, let me know.

Near as I can tell, you'd almost have to create the pilot episode yourself- pitch it visually- and then have a first season worth of baseline script. After that, well, the hardest part is being noticed in the first place.

Video games are just as bad- I have a fully fleshed script, half the combat system, items, and spells, all mapped out... if I got a foot in the door far enough to get some attention, I could do the rest on merit. It's that window of opportunity showing itself in the first place... THAT is the hard part...

Treat it the same way you treat a book. Search for literary agents on the internet. There are thousands out there, each with different tastes. Some of them accept screen plays. If your idea appeals to them they'll know who to pitch it to on your behalf.

Here's one I found in a couple of minutes http://www.writers.net/agents/52916. It might not be exactly what you're looking for but you get the idea.

Thanks guys, I'll look into agents as an option.

Perhaps a decent agent could bring in more advertising and product placement.

You tube/Local Stations...

Just get lucky and be a big enough hit.

For more independent producers, I'd really check your writing. They'd ask you to come up with a full script first - then they'd probably get you to find your director, actors, etc. And only THEN will they fund you so that they can put their name right over top of your label and put on their channel.

They'll probably even cancel you after one season (especially if they have exclusive rights to your show) - so you'll need to hire some people to pitch your idea to several channels in order to keep you on the air.

I'd say the same thing works for the internet as well - but internet doesn't have time slots, so it gets a little easier.

Big network companies (including websites) are usually very lazy - because people often come to them for hosting/production, they usually like to sit back and wait for it to happen; and it happens a lot - so its really a matter of those companies picking whom they like the best (and screening the shows in front of an audience first if they care enough). Which is often why people are of the opinion that shows could be better but they are well... not. It's dumb and incredibly a product of human nature as opposed to what free market capitalism should be inspiring - but that's the way it is.

Producing TV shows is hard. You can't just have money. You need people to do things correctly.

It's a matter of having a resume, and the right people for the job. You can't expect a company to give it to you when they could give it to so many other people that want the same thing.

The bigger the company gets, the lazier it gets - this is why people hate companies such as Disney and EA.

This. Except erase the almost. You DO have to create the pilot yourself. Then if they like that they will film it again using their pro kit.

Video games are worse- but yes. Video games you have to already have a programmer, artist, designer, scripter and a dialogue editor- not to mention all the niggling bits as well. You essentially already need a staff of about 10-30 before you even start. This is difficult for some. But Game Design studios expectt a Game Design Brief (See: You've written out your entire game from start to finish) as well as at least two to three programmed and rendered levels with dialogue and playability.

Yeah- welcome to the life of a Game Designer getting their foot in the door. It's effing tough.

Right well not exactly but the mans close. They won't expect you to find your actors as they'll likely already have actors on a call list for the lead role, then utilise auditions for the others.

Also, not sure what his assertion of cancelling after one month is born from. But regardless, it can happen so that's why you have a manager/lawyer after being signed.

Where are you getting this information from? That's all personally based. If someone feels a show can be better you can bet your ass there'll be ten thousand other people thinking it's awesome. I could list 20 of my friends that would hate the show the OP mentioned as his idea, then I could find 20-40 more that would love it.

So what is being said is to find networks and give my show and hope they pick me.

For more information the entire first season is already written. It isn't about having it. What companies would be the ones to contact.

Of everyone who has tried to go through the process, which companies seemed the most open? Should I focus on Internet only companies or go for pitching to networks? How do I keep a decent amount of creative control?

Rather than go straight for the networks, I'd suggest you look at agents. They'll take a cut but they know how to get you through the door. I'd pitch ten or so such agents, perhaps more.

Each agent will have a format they want to see. They'd probably want a cover letter explaining a bit about you and your project. They'd definitely want a plot summary from start to finish on a maximum of 1 or 2 pages. And they'd probably only want to see the script for the first episode or so. If they like it, they'll ask you for the rest.

Before you send it, I recommend getting a few people who can give you honest feedback to read it. By this I don't mean family members or friends who are just going to tell you it's great.

I think this is the least of your worries. Finding someone who's prepared to take it on and make it profitable is your biggest concern. And this is what agents and the networks know how to do. No one is prepared to make a series that won't get ratings so you should expect a certain amount of changes.

Initially you don't really have a choice about these changes. If you refuse, the network simply won't want to produce your work. Down the track you'll have more experience and more respect and therefore more leverage. Then you can start challenging some of their ideas.

Getting an agent is something that is being looked into but there isn't a huge wealth of people who want to represent a unknown writer's series.

Usually you need a foot in the door or someone to vouch for you.

I don't have that. So an agent is a fairly good idea but not one real way of getting one.

Creative Control being the least of my worries is sort of a laugh. If I pitch the series and they decided to pick it up and then change it so it is no longer anything like what I have written then that is a huge problem. Small changes or using specific things is not bad, comprises are a part of any collaborative process.

So we have:
- Get an Agent
- Create it yourself and hope you are awesome enough so that your second run at it has money