So you have a TV Show idea and you want to sell it. Before we get into some action steps you can take, it's important to understand how TV works in comparison to film. A lot of times people think TV is the same as producing feature films, where you can just make something and then sell what you've made.
Unlike film, selling a TV Show to a network doesn't work that way. Most of the time, if you shoot a pilot episode, even if it gets picked up by a network, it will be reshot. When it comes to selling your TV series, you usually focus on selling your concept.
Sell A TV Show
When it comes to pitching your TV series, networks need to see something, so they can have an idea of what the show is going to look like. And two tools you can use is something called a Show Bible and a Sizzle Reel.
A Show Bible is simply a document that provides an overview of the show. It usually starts with a synopsis that includes pictures and visualizations of your TV show. That will be followed character descriptions. And then your Show Bible will also have a section that shows how your show is similar, and different from other shows. And finally, you'll also include a season breakdown. This is literally a brief summary of every episode in the season.
While not always used, a sizzle reel is simply a 2-3 minute video (which is basically a trailer) for your show. This gives networks a visual representation of how . It needs to have FANTASTIC production value. And when done well, it should do a good job of highlighting the look, tone, and feel for your story.
Having a professionally created show bible, and a well produced sizzle reel puts you in great shape to get in front of the right people and sell your TV show. If you'd like more info on prepping your projects so you can pitch networks, check out TV Plan Professional and take action!
