PIXAR's 22 Rules of Storytelling

These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coates, a Pixar Story Artist. Incredible insight into the inner workings of the story juggernaut that is Pixar!  Good stuff and well worth your attention.

1. You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.
2. You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.
3. Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.
4. Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
5. Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
6. What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
7. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
8. Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
9. When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.
10. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.
11. Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.
12. Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
13. Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.
14. Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.
15. If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
16. What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.
17. No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.
18. You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.
19. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
20. Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?
21. You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?
22. What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

Muppet Show - Jim Henson's Pre-Production Designs

I've recently come across Jim Henson's original Pre-Production sketches, designs and photos for THE MUPPET SHOW.  They provide and amazing insight into the man's thoughts and work methods.  The now-legendary Muppet Show was not an easy sale.  Puppets were for the most part, considered children's entertainment and certainly not primetime fare.

Created by Jim Henson for the first, pilot episode of the ''Muppets'' TV show, this fantastic collection includes Henson's hand-drawn ''Muppets'' illustrations, handwritten story ideas, and the very first introduction of several new characters, including ''Piggy Lee,'' who would make her cinematic debut as ''Miss Piggy'' in the episode -- which aired on 13 October 1974 as the ''Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.'' These nine illustrations were sent to ATV in London, to be used at a pitch meeting for the show.

The collection includes: 

(1) ''The Pigs'', with two Polaroids of them, described by Henson as ''Life size -- Piggy Lee and Hamilton Pigg. She is delicate and lovely. He is cigar smoking -- epitome of grossness.'' Piggy Lee would of course become Miss Piggy, who appeared for the first time on this special. The Polaroids that Henson includes of Miss Piggy are an exact likeness of her, although she is perhaps depicted here as a little more demure.

 (2) ''Puppet Comedy Piece / 'Give Me Five Minutes More''' shows a Polaroid of Gonzo, who made his first television appearance outside of a cigar box in this special. Henson handwrites, ''In which a big ugly female monster pursues a meek little guy trying to hug & kiss him, and singing to him, 'Give me five minutes more' etc. At tag - she runs into H. Alpert at band & chases him off. Done against cyc - no set or foreground.''

(3) Henson describes another character ''The Guru [also known as ''Brewster''] / life sized - speaks with slight Indian accent - known to fall asleep while talking.''

(4) A character sketch of ''The Musician / Life size - slightly inebriated - could be part of band'' (Seen here with Muppeteer RICHARD HUNT).

(5-9) Five different sketches, with detailed illustrations by Henson, of ''Muppet Dance Pieces''. In Dance Piece #1, Henson describes, ''Snerf dance - (5 Snerfs) 'In a Little Spanish Town'. Piece starts with one - then 2, 3, 4 & 5 - then Dwight uses technical effect and we get 10 then twenty for big finish.'' Henson continues with staging instructions, ''Can be done on our 6' wall by using risers for puppeteers / puppeteers (5) in black hoods against black background...'' Two Polaroids of Henson with one of the Snerfs are affixed to the story board.

 In Dance Piece #2, Henson writes, ''GAZELLES 'Solace'...Two Gazelles do graceful flirtation - male & female around H. Alpert as he plays solo - do a series of runs and leaps in air...Puppeteers all in black with black hoods / Puppeteers will show - but not very clearly''. Henson sketches the entire scene and also shows himself in 2 photos maneuvering the Gazelle puppets. 

  In Dance Piece #3 called ''Whipped Cream'', Henson draws elaborate color sketches of a ''Cool Cat'' and then ''Cool Cat Freaking Out'', alongside ''Slinky the Vamp'' and a green Groucho looking character called ''Heap''. He writes, ''Three new characters do dance - start with Cool Cat - enter Slinky the Vamp - finally Heap - There is a stand-off between Cool Cat and Heap - Slinky gets them both. Would be done at Muppet 6' wall - actually 6'1'' high. Background could be cyc - any color''. 

 Finally, in Dance Piece #4, starring ''Boss Men'' in ''Love Potion #9'', Henson describes ''Two gigantic feather guys each about 14' tall - work in front of band with H. Alpert. Same kind of set-up as Gazelles - dark background & floor - Puppeteers show, but in silhouette only.'' The two ''gigantic feather guys'' are sketched by Henson, shown towering over the Puppeteers in fuzzy, crazy costumes.

Hey - We Need Your Help!!!

Hey Guys!

Sorry. It's been a while since I last posted.  I've been busy.  In the meantime - I need your help here.

Some good friends (and talented filmmakers) in London are currently busy making their web series 'n00bs'

( http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe_2dxqkeQ50C6bownZRIMwiEFyYNlWiM&feature=plcp )

They recently took part in a 48 hour animation competition (and used it as a chance to see if they could make a n00bs ep in that time) and now there is a chance they could win a nice, shiny award to make their Momma's proud! 

If they get the most online votes, it could tip the judges decision in their favor… It'll take 30 seconds max, please, please vote for it here: http://www.showmetheanimation.com/index.php/anijam-vote/

You actually want to see the film? Ha! Well, they called it THE ORIGIN OF DUBSTEP on YouTube and you can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAN4d5wZ-sE&list=PLe_2dxqkeQ50C6bownZRIMwiEFyYNlWiM&index=4&feature=plpp_video

Thanks guys!  I promise to post more, shortly!!!

Even MORE From The Mailbag...

Sorry for not posting items for the past few months - I've been busily writing on a new project.  But that doesn't stop the cards and letters from pouring in...

Why, just the other month, I got a very nice note from a reader in Australia...(Text is edited.)

Hi Steve,

I've been following your blog for a while and have to give you a big thanks for the tips you've shared; I think it's played no small part to getting my TV series where it is now. 

(edited... edited... edited...) 

A little background on me: I'm 21 and developed this project while attending AFTRS in Sydney, Australia. 

 (edited... edited... edited...) 

Please keep up the great work on your blog; it is an invaluable source of info for people like myself. Also I LOVED Freaky Stories as a kid; I used to come home from school and watch it on ABC. I still maintain that cartoon shows in the 90s are better than ones we have now.

Have a great day, etc... etc..

Sometimes it's almost worth getting up in the morning.  It's nice to help people get their start in the business.  Best of all, she's promised to send me my very own Kangaroo!    I shall name him George...

The Importance of MUSIC

Music makes up 50% of any film/TV/video production. People tend to not believe this, but it's true. Music sets the tone and atmosphere for a film.

Good music can save a bad production.

Likewise, bad music can sink even the best production. So choose wisely.

But what happens when someone uses GREAT music - but the WRONG great music in their film?

Here's what I'm talking about.

Take a few minutes and watch "ADDRESS IS APPROXIMATE" - a brilliant short film by UK filmmaker Tom Jenkins of Theory Films. I love this movie and I hope that you will, too. Enjoy.

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

Okay. Here's another film that just popped up on my radar. It's called "We Stopped Dreaming" by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I believe in and agree with every point that he makes in his film. Great stuff. Have a look...

What's that? It's the same frickin' music!

(Music by the wonderfull Cinematic Orchestra (cinematicorchestra.com) and the track is Arrival of the Birds - please buy the fantastic album: itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-crimson-wing-mystery-flamingos/id297787201)

By "frickin'" - I'm saying that it's such a wonderful, MEMORABLE track - that you can't use it without inviting comparisons to the other, EARLIER film. And when that EARLIER film has had 2.3 million online views - it's a pretty popular film. The net effect is that the music track took me out of "We Stopped Dreaming" and sent me looking for "Address is Approximate".

So what's the lesson? Find a great music track - but make sure that it's an original music track. Not one that's been heard 2.3 million times.

The Three-Act Paradigm in Action

Okay. This as we know, is a diagram of the famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) Three Act Story Paradigm.

I've taken a story that I wrote, entitled "Rule of Thumb" and indicated using subtitles where the story points appear in the episode. Don't worry. It's only about 4 minutes long.

First, the story follows the paradigm like buzzards following a hearse. The story elements are spot on, in terms of timing and placement.

Second - I wrote and produced this story, long before I'd ever heard of the Three-Act Paradigm. Interesting, huh? The Three Act Paradigm is hard wired into our consciousness.

Story structure is a natural part of the storytelling process. The paradigm is most useful when trying to analyse whats gone wrong with your story. In my experience, if the story isn't working well - it's because I've deviated from the Three Act Paradigm Structure.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

At the same time that we were producing FREAKY STORIES, the studio was producing a huge budget puppet/CG show, BRATS OF THE LOST NEBULA. How huge was it? It was a co-production between The Hensons and Warner Bros.

It was huge.

To give you an idea of the scale, our FREAKY STORIES puppets cost between $5,000 and $15,000 each to create. The BRATS puppets cost $65,000 each - created by The Henson Creature Shop - and they were gorgeous. It was an amazing set, huge, lavish. They had monsters. They had spaceships...

We had a cockroach, a maggot and a giant toaster. There was no comparison.

There were tons of BRATS scripts lying around the production office, so naturally - I checked them out. That's when I saw a problem. Here it is, in the finished clip:

"Uh... Houston? I think we have a problem..."

The kids' parents get killed in the first act of the first episode.

That's not good. That's a downer. Anyone who has kids - or works with kids - knows that one of their primal fears is being abandoned. Yeah, yeah, yeah - they do it in every Disney flick - but this is TV. As soon as the action stops, the kids at home will realize that the characters onscreen are orphans and...

So I pointed out the problem to the BRATS production staff. I suggested that they have the parents taken prisoners - so the kids are fighting for something positive.... to be reunited with their families....

But no. They shot it as is. They made 13 episodes. Warner Bros. pulled the series from The WB after only 3 episodes had aired. The audience didn't like the show.

The point is - WE as show creators are not our audience. We have to be careful not to alienate the very people that we want watching our shows.

Questions from The Mailbag

A Reader writes...

Hi Steve,

I'm completely new to the idea of pitching TV shows (my background, such as it is, is in kids' lit), but was hoping you might give me your views on a couple of things? I'd be really grateful for your opinions.

1) I'm getting the impression most cartoon shows are, these days, pitched by those in a position to produce the content themselves, rather than by just 'a guy with an idea', would you agree?

2) Do you have strong feelings (as I believe, for example, John Kricfalusi does) that only animators can write/conceptualise effective animated shows?

Thanks, and thank you for the Pitch Bibles blog.

Best wishes,

(name withheld to protect the curious)

Okay - I would have to disagree with the first one. While all studios pitch concepts, broadcasters are always open to (and the smarter ones welcome) CREATOR DRIVEN MATERIAL. It's as simple as that. No one knows great idea is going to come from.

And... I have to disagree with the second one as well. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I tend to produce strong script-driven stories. I enjoy well written plot, structure, dialogue, etc. Name your favorite movie - live action or animated - someone WROTE IT. It didn't just happen. Writing great dialogue is an art.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong at all with "animation mayhem" like John K produces. It has a wide audience, but it's not my personal taste.

The Suspension of Disbelief

I saw "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Ghost Protocol" last week. It was a good movie and I enjoyed myself - with one exception. There were elements of the movie - events happened where I couldn't suspend my disbelief.

The gadgets? Yep. I believe that all of those amazing gizmos could and do exist - and are being used in the Special Ops field today.

Do I believe that Tom Cruise is 6 feet tall - or at least taller than all of the people around him? Sure. Why not? It's a movie. Go with it.

What I don't believe is that someone (Tom Cruise) can take a hard smack in the head and continue to function normally immediately afterwards. I don't know about you, but I got clobbered a couple of times in my misspent youth. I know from first-hand experience that after you've been hit, you're not seeing straight - let alone saving the world. Your only concern is "Which one of the three images in front of me is real?"

Tom Cruise get hit - and I mean CLOBBERED several times in MI:GP. Any one of those hits would have hospitalized a human being for days - yet, he took the licking and kept on ticking. That totally removed me from the story. The "Wait a Second...!" is all it takes to lose your audience.

In the 1988 movie, "U.S. Marshals" actor Joe Pantoliono's character was T-Boned in a car crash. The character was shown woozy throughout the rest of the movie. Not an ideal situation for a lead character - but perfect for a supporting role. It was 100% real and I loved it. Not only that - but it gave consequences to the rest of the action in the movie.

In CG Animation they deal with it, calling it "The Uncanny Valley" - where the animation design moves beyond cartoon style, becoming too realistic. This alienates the viewer - because the people just don't look or move properly - almost like zombies. This was best shown in the Robert Zemeckis film "The Polar Express".

So what's the point? Stylize it. For CG - 100% lifelike motion and design shouldn't be the goal. For live action - there should be consequences to action sequences. If there's a bone crunching accident, acknowledge the crunched bones.

KidScreen Summit 2012

People have asked if I'll be at the KidScreen Summit in NYC, running February 7th to 10th.

Actually, I won't. While I have a number of projects in play at the moment (and the ultimate WICKED-COOL one that we're about to pitch) - none of my current shows are for... Kids.

Which doesn't mean that I'm not available to help get YOUR pitches and scripts into shape. You've still got a couple of weeks to put the final polish on your work. My clients had a very successful time at KidScreen 2011 with a couple of properties landing development deals.

So, if you're going to KidScreen and want to put the best face on your property, don't hesitate to contact me. And good hunting out there!

Ideas

Hey Steve...

How do I know if my idea is a good idea?

To be honest, that question is irrelevant. It's not the idea - its what you do with it that matters.

Case in point: The famous novelist E.L. Doctrow wrote a book called "The Waterworks".

Set in 1890's New York - The Waterworks deals with a series of grisly murders around the Croton Reservoir. There's a lot of political intrigue and the protagonist is a crusading newspaperman.

At about the same time, a little known writer named Caleb Carr wrote "The Alienist".

The Alienist is also set in 1890's New York City. It also deals with a series of grisly murders around the Croton Reservoir. And yes - there's a lot of political intrigue and believe it or not, The Alienist's protagonist is a crusading newspaperman.

Two identical books? They should be the same, right?

Hardly. The Waterworks is as boring as Hell. The Alienist is a gripping page turner.

Same idea. Same setting. Same time period. Same characters.

One is a failure, the other is a brilliant success. <-- my opinion - but you're welcome to check out the reviews on Amazon.com. I'm not on the minority.

Happy Reading!

30,000 Hits

Well folks, we hit 30,000 on the Sitemeter today. That's kind of amazing. Thanks!

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while. What can I say? I'm busy. That's a good thing.

With 30,000 hits come a number of letters, notes, requests, etc. Got one recently. A gentleman asked if I'd review his Pitch Bible. "Sure", I said. Send it over. Which he did.

In his cover letter, he mentioned that "another" pitch-bible expert had reviewed and liked his pitch. He wanted my thumbs up on it as well.

So here's the situation. Last year, someone asked my opinion of his pitch. I was honest - I said that it needed work and explained what I thought would improve his bible. He replied that (another writer) had reviewed his bible and thought it was fine.

I said, "fine" - accept the other guy's opinion and ignore me. But he wouldn't leave it alone. He called me from England and conferenced in the other writer from L.A. - so the two of us could "debate" the merits of this guy's Pitch Bible.

Excuse me?

My reply wasn't the least bit polite. If you disagree with what I think, you're welcome to find another opinion - but leave me out of it.

Getting back to the recent guy - collecting letters of "support" from Pitch Guru's means nothing. The only opinion that matters belongs to the production company or broadcaster who's prepared to option your property.

I'm always happy to lend and ear and give advice. But please don't go Guru shopping.

Thanks!

The Hollywood Paradigm in Action

Well, I'm back. Sorry for not writing in a while. I've been busy and on top of everything else, just got back from vacation.

While sitting on the plane, I had the opportunity to check out this past summer's "Captain America". It was fun. Mindless fun - and I enjoyed it. I'll be sure to see The Avengers movie that they plugged at the end of the film.

One thing that I noticed was that "Captain America" plotline followed followed Syd Field's paradigm - see my earlier post - to an insane degree. Case in Point: When Captain America raid's Red Skull's base in Norway and frees the captured soldiers - I stopped the film and checked the timeline. It was exactly - and I mean EXACTLY 1/2 way through - to the minute. When Bucky is killed, setting of the final confrontation, it occurred precisely where the second Plot Pinch indicated it should be. You could literally set your watch by this movie. Rarely have I seen a movie that was constructed (in the editing phase) to match the paradigm this closely.

To be honest, I didn't (I should have, but didn't bother) check to see if the inciting incident that starts the second act, hit at the 20 minute mark. I'm sure it did.

So, the end result - while it isn't Shakespeare, "Captain America" is a textbook example of Syd Field's paradigm in action. And it's a fun movie, too. I'd call it a "good renter".

"A" Story - "B" Story - Running Gags

How do you get more ZIP out of your story? Many early writers fall into the trap of writing single plot stories. They follow on group of characters throughout an entire adventure. But life isn't like that - people and events that affect your life come and go. If you can build that element (let's call it the "B" Story) into your story, it'll make for a better script.

Let's get started. You might recognize the diagram below as Syd Field's famous Hollywood screenwriting paradigm. The vast majority of movies and TV shows follow (consciously or unconsciously) this model.

From my own experience, I've found that when a story works - it's on model. If a story isn't working - the first thing I do is check it against this template.

For more information about SYD FIELD, the PARADIGM and all that other good stuff, please visit www.sydfield.com or buy his books THE SCREENPLAY or THE SCREENWRITER'S PROBLEM SOLVER. These books are essential reading. If you haven't read them yet - RUN TO YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE AND BUY THEM.

And now, on to MY paradigm... Which I've scribbled over top of Syd's. Hope he doesn't mind...

You'll see that I've scribbled some lines in pink and green marker. Sorry, they're all that I had available. The Pink lines represent that "A" Story and the Green lines represent the "B" Story (or the secondary characters).

I'm going to use a gross simplification for demonstration purposes. In the FIRST ACT - the main and secondary characters are going about their business together. There's even a GAG or short joke about their situation.

At the PLOT POINT which begins the SECOND ACT - the Primary Characters (A Story) and Secondary Characters (B Story) separate and go about their businesses. Throughout the Second Act, we cut back and forth between the two groups of characters, to keep up with what they're doing.

Likewise, there are situational GAGS - called RUNNING GAGS that mirror the "A" and "B" stories. There's an "A" Story Running Gag and a "B" Story Running Gag.

The "A" and "B" Stories should MEET at the SECOND PLOT POINT or CLIMAX of your story. Then in the resolution or THIRD ACT - if you're very good (and lucky) you get to write a climax for your RUNNING GAGS.

This structure works for a simple short 11 or 22-minute adventure. If you were to write a longer piece, you would add more Stories - "C", "D", etc.

And no - I don't sit in movies counting the number of stories going on. But next time you watch your favorite sitcom, check it out.

Animaniacs Bible

The previous link to the Animaniacs Bible is down. However, I've located a new link, which you can find... HERE.

As noted before - this appears to be a writers guide, rather than a pitch document. Either way, it's fun reading.

Cheers!

S

A Typical Day

A potential client contacted me about writing a pitch bible for him. Only one problem: After speaking with him, I knew that what he wanted me to write, wouldn't sell.

The core idea was okay, but his format was way off. It was confusing - so much so, that anyone reading it would be left scratching their head, unsure what the project was about.

Which left me with the moral dilemma; "Should I take this guy's money and deliver the product that he wants, but which I absolutely believe will fail? Or, should I argue with this man - and get him to see things my way?"

The problem was - if we did it my way and forever reason, it didn't sell - then I'd be to blame.

It was a no win situation. I wished the guy luck with his project and I've moved on to other things. But in the interests of Public Service, here AGAIN are some Things that a Broadcaster looks for in a Pitch.

Ignore them at your peril:

1. A solid proposal must demonstrate:

   • A strong understanding of Network X's audience and schedule;(Hi. This is me, here in the italics, commenting on their notes. About the "Strong understanding of Network X's audience and schedule: In all fairness - don't waste their time. If your show is really not what they're looking for - a knitting show for "The Hunting Channel" - you're wasting their time and your efforts.)
     
   • A strong overall fit with Network X's programming needs; (If they show 1/2 hour episodics, round the clock - don't try to sell them on a Movie of the Week. They've got nowhere in their schedule to run a one-off.)
     
   • Originality in subject or treatment; (This is a bit of a... I dunno. On one hand, they always ask for ORIGINALITY, while on the other hand, they really want "tried and true" - meaning SAFE programming. If the show tanks, "you know who's" job will be on the line.)
     
   • Clarity of approach and focus; (Meaning - Know Your Stuff. If your show is about sea creatures, you should have a pretty good knowledge of sea life.)
     
   • Creativity and imagination; (Goes without saying.)
     
   • Top-quality writing, research and presentation; (Ditto again. Don't go in with some half-baked idea scrawled on a napkin. It ain't gonna fly.)
     
   • Credentials of production personnel including a proven track record with professional and creative broadcast series production;(This depends. When I got my first development deal, my credits were really thin. If you have THE GREATEST IDEA IN THE WHOLE WORLD, the broadcaster may require that you partner with a more experienced producer. Don't let this stop you.)
     
   • A thorough budget and financing scenario, if requested. (You should have a realistic idea of what it will cost to produce the show. Do your research and have it ready if needed.)
     

   Please submit the following with your proposal:

   • Summary of show concept, series focus and treatment; (Hey! They want a Pitch Bible! Go figure...)
     
   • Outline of its relevance and appeal to Network X's core audience;(In your words, why will people watch it?)
     
   • Show format and sample rundown (if applicable); (Ya know? In all my years, I've just done my first one of these. And it was only after I'd done it - that anyone asked. Its a good exercise and it helps you to prepare for the pitch.)
     
   • List of key creative personnel and complete resumes. (Good to have on hand - but the truth is, if you get your show up and running, you can buy all the creative people you want. Make up a "such as" list. Example - "This character will be played by an actor such as Tom Hanks". The reality is, you'll never get Tom Hanks - but it gives them a taste of what you have in mind. Same goes for artists.)
     
   • Corporate profile with credits; Have your resume handy. ( Or, if you're more experienced, a link to your imdb page.)
     
   • Video samples of your past work and, if applicable, of proposed host (Makes sense. It's always good to have a demo reel. I'm sure that I sold Freaky Stories on the strength of the 5 minute pilot that I made in my basement.)
     
   • Signed RELEASE FORM (Yeah, yeah, yeah... They might make you sign one of these to protect themselves. You might have an idea similar to something they already have in development. This actually happened to me - I pitched a show to a network and it was EXACTLY what they had just shot a pilot for. They told me that my pitch was better - incidentally... but no sale...)

NEW EYES

Image from "The Goon" by Eric Powell. Please

check out Eric's work and THE GOON, here.

I spoke recently with the head of programming for a major cable network. During the course of our conversation, I asked what it is, that he looks for in assessing a new show or project. His answer:

"New Eyes" - Will this show bring new eyes (new viewers) to our channel?

In today's market, the goal is not only to satisfy the current viewers, so that they remain loyal to the channel - but to attract NEW viewers to boost the ratings.

So how do you do that?

When we were producing Freaky Stories, we were writing for adults. It wasn't a kids show. It looked like a kids show. It sounded like a kids show - but there was an adult subtext - smart stuff was going on.

The kids would be happily watching the show - while the parents, listening in the next room and interested in what they were hearing - would come in, sit beside their kids and watch the show too. We brought "new eyes" to the broadcaster.

While everyone was watching the episodes - I was watching the commercials - because I knew that the ad agencies had the exact audience demographics. The first couple of weeks, it was mostly promos and PSA's. Then we got commercials for breakfast cereal. I knew we were reaching the right audience when we got our first mini-van ad.

Check out the really successful animated series of the past couple of decades: the Spongebobs, the animated Batmans, the Ren and Stimpys. They're smart. They're subversive. They appeal to multiple audiences. And most important from a show sales point of view, they bring New Eyes to the broadcaster.

There ain't no cure for the Summertime Blues...

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I haven't been writing much. It's Summertime. It's nice out - and as I sit on my hilltop, trusty dog beside me, watching the clouds roll by - I'm thinking of amazing, insightful things to write. Notice how I keep procrastinating about finishing my book?

Nobody to blame but me. My fault. But I promise to put my shoes and socks back on and start writing new material in the next few days. That said, here's something to tide you over...

Collected here are links to The Very BEST of The Pitch Bible Blog.No searching - it's all right here!

NEW!!! (I just want to add one note: You generally get one shot at pitching a project to a broadcaster. If they pass - its over. Got it? You get one try at it. While there is a lot of good info posted below - if you're really set on pitching your Million Dollar Idea, it might be worth your while to hire a Pro - someone who knows what they're doing when it comes to pitches.)
Everyone owns a hammer, pliers and a drill, right? But who among us does his own dentistry?

Subtle Sales Pitch over... Here's the goods...

TOPICS - In No Particular Order - But all very important...

PITCH BIBLES

• Animaniacs
• Freaky Stories
• Weird-Oh's

TOPICS - In No Particular Order

• The 21 Things a Broadcaster Looks For In Your Pitch
• Dressing for Success
• Pilot Reels - Promising too Much? I like this post, because one of our readers challenged my ideas, forcing me to reconsider my position. Interesting stuff. Live and learn.
• Words of Wisdom From Chuck Lorre - This is ESSENTIAL READING.
• Chuck Lorre is God. So pay attention.
• What The Broadcaster Expects From Your Pitch
• MORE - What Are They Looking For?
• Trademark and Domain Names
• Guerrilla Marketing 101
• Submission Release Forms a.k.a. By Popular Request

Happy Reading - More To Come

20,000 Hits

I know that in the big world of the internet, 20,000 hits isn't much - but for the little old PITCH BIBLE Blog - that's a lot. Thanks everyone for your support.

Two Routes to Sucess

I spoke recently with a very successful entertainment entrepreneur, asking (yes - I interview people asking for the secrets to their success - which they usually provide) - about how to produce a successful new show.

His answer: "Do something original. Or do something that's been done before - only do it better."

Let's examine that. Do something original. That's a tough one. I'll be honest - Original is a hard sell, because people have no idea what you're talking about. They've never seen it before, so you probably have to create it - and then sell it. Of course, they'll still have no idea what it is.

I ran into this problem with Freaky Stories. I produced 3 pilots (limited animation, graphics, etc.) and it took many years to get the show into production because the powers that be, didn't grasp the concept.

Here's a brilliant example of something original. It's simple - One guy singing a song - yet has huge "WOW" factor - because it's done in a completely novel way. And brilliantly produced.

Here's something that's been done before: STOP MOTION ANIMATION - but done brilliantly. Two examples from “Sumo Science” (Ed Patterson and Will Studd). The first, "DOT" is the smallest Stop Motion film set ever made.

Next, "GULP" uses the largest Stop Motion setup ever done.

In both cases, the filmmakers were able to rethink a conventional idea and use it to attract attention and financial backing to their very successful projects. Its nothing that hasn't been done before from a content point of view - just very well and in a new way.

Also - the scale of the projects fit perfectly with the content of the films.