Your Recipe For A Perfect TV Pitch
A pitch deck has one job: to convert interest into a production partnership or sale.
Today, I'm sharing my proven approach for creating successful unscripted TV pitches that have higher chances of landing and getting green-lit.
My 3 Ingredient Pitch Deck Recipe
1. Create from proven concepts
For my first unscripted TV show, I capitalized on the sports doc trend.
In 2020, with the sudden pause of live sports, there seemed to be an influx of sports documentaries starting with The Last Dance on Netflix.
Just a few years later, it felt like a new sports doc was coming out every week on every platform.
But I noticed a gap.
Most sports docs were focused on male athletes.
In that moment, I knew I wanted to show a different side of sports culture that centers women in sports.
I then went on to create Surf Girls: Hawai'i, which became the first women's sports documentary on Prime Video.
Surf Girls: Hawai'i was also the first women's sports documentary produced at Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine.
There's obviously a lot of other factors that lined up in between the ideation and release, but my point is: breakthrough ideas aren't created in a vacuum.
2. Hit the biggest demographic
The biggest mistake I see people make when they’re trying to sell an idea is keeping it too niche.
If the demographic is too small, there's less opportunity for the idea to be financially justified.
As a creator, one of the biggest hurdles you will need to get over is being too attached to every detail of your original idea.
But going broader doesn't always mean watered down.
It actually gives you a better chance for a sale and green light.
The broader and more sellable your idea, the bigger the audience you can speak to and reach through your show.
Surf Girls: Hawai'i feels niche, I know.
But the way we positioned the show in the pitch broadened the scope.
Surfing made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games and would go on to be included in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Each new season would show a higher level of the sport, the evolution of our cast, and new locations around the globe.
There is truly a limitless amount of talent, storylines, and competitions to follow.
And our show was perfectly timed to tap into a historical and cultural moment in sports.
3. Know your potential buyer
I would never recommend a one pitch fits all approach.
Pitches should be tailored for each potential buyer, so make sure to do your research.
In my experience, you also want to attach yourself to a partner that can move the needle on your project and get it closer to the finish line.
No unnecessary middlemen please!
Knowing as much about your buyer as you do about your TV show concept is key.
When pitching Surf Girls: Hawai'i, I would research my potential partners' mission statements and values, the names of the executives I was speaking to, what projects they've worked on, and where their passions lie.
Everyone I pitched to was interested in expanding their slate with stories around women in sports.
I knew this before going into all conversations, which definitely made things easier for me on the other side.
You'd be surprised how many times people have asked me to executive produce their random TV show idea.
I can tell right away that they haven't done their due diligence on what I actually direct, produce, and specialize in.
Action Steps & Summary
In my experience, this high-level approach will give you a huge advantage.
1. Create from proven concepts. But just because a show is on Netflix doesn't mean it was successful. I would recommend researching any available metrics. You don't want to pull inspiration from an unsuccessful show.
2. Go big or go home. Keep your POV, but try to expand and hit the biggest demographic. Ask yourself what season 2 or 3 or 4 would look like.
3. Know your buyer. Put on your investigation hat and make sure your vision and mission is aligned with each potential partner, producer, and platform you are pitching to.
