What's It About?

When I was younger I wanted more than anything to become a theater director. When Carnegie-Mellon accepted me to the oldest graduate program in the U.S., I was very proud and excited -- especially since I had applied to 8 other programs that didn't accept me! I eagerly anticipated my first directing class with Drama Chair and Tony-Award winning director (for The Two Gentlemen of Verona) Mel Shapiro.

In the first class, Mel told us the secret to becoming a good director. "The first thing," Mel said, is you have to know what the f*** the play is about." I had never heard a professor use that particular expletive in a class before, and I admit it distracted me from fully contemplating the beauty and simplicity of that statement. That's the first step, not only for directing, but for all story telling. You have to know what it's about, or it's easy to get lost and end up with a mess instead of a program.

Once a content company licenses your program, all of sudden you'll be working with an army of collaborators -- designers, actors, writers, producers, prop masters, location scouts, company executives, and others. You must be able to articulate to them what it's about, so that they don't set your story about oil fields in Oklahoma in Beverly Hills, or dress your set with modern furniture when the family in your story collects antiques.

It also guides you while you develop your idea. When you must write an extra scene because the teleplay is too short, or cut something because it's too long, remembering what it's about will help you write a scene that fits or make the cuts needed to enhance the story.

Remember that other people working on the project may make a decision based on their own narrow understanding of the story. For example, it's said that the actor who plays the small part of the psychiatrist in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (he only appears in the last scene)was asked what the play was about. He said, "it's a play about a man who takes a woman off to the crazy house." He may have been right from his perspective, but you need to worry about the big picture.

Write what your project is about in simple, declarative sentences, and put it above the computer where you're writing. Keep it with you in your wallet so that when an idea strikes you can write it down while it's fresh and know if it fits your current project. Memorize it so you can tell others and observe their reaction. You must protect it to the death.

Why Won't They Listen to My Idea?

I spoke recently with a colleague of mine who is the Executive Vice President of Programming for a major network. He tries not to tell people what he does for a living. Once people find out, they can't keep from pitching him stories. He's been on the receiving end of pitches from doormen, barbers, caddies, policemen, firemen, convenience store clerks, and dentists (try turning down your dentist's program idea when he's holding a drill!) among others. He says that his answer to the question, "Would you like to hear my idea for a show?" from anyone other than a professional is an emphatic "No!"

Why is that? Shouldn't he be on the lookout for the best stories and ideas, wherever they come from? It may surprise you to find out that most programming executives do not face a shortage of ideas -- they face a shortage of creative people who can make those ideas into compelling television shows.

That's why top producers can earn lavish amounts of money. They have proved they have the creative discipline to create quality programs every week or ten days, maintain that quality through all phases of show creation, and get the best work from their staff week after week of twelve hour days.

To make your program idea a success you must start cultivating your own creative discipline. Work on your idea every day. Develop your characters and situations in detail. Visualize how it will look on screen. You must act like a professional, if you want professionals to take you seriously. Otherwise programming executives like my friend will file your idea the same place they file the ideas they receive from all amateurs: the circular file under their desk.

How to Win the Pulitzer Prize

Paul Harding won this year's Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel Tinker, a 191 page story of a dying man and his relationship with his father in Maine. Harding, a 42 year-old former rock drummer started writing his novel when he was studying at the Iowa Writer's workshop. He took some years to write the book, and once he was done he submitted it to every major publisher -- and every major publisher rejected it!

He was told the story didn't move fast enough -- no car chases, or big romances, or action scenes. However, he didn't give up. Eventually Bellevue Literary Press, a small independent publisher affiliated with NYU Medical School, published the novel. Before the news about the Pulitzer Prize came out, it had sold 15,000 copies since January, 2009. The book had become a favorite amongst independent bookstore owners, and they recommended it to clients. Now, of course, it will sell more. (By the way, I found most of these facts from stories in USA Today and the New York Times). Harding now teaches at the Iowa Workshop, and recently won a Guggenheim fellowship. And he will have a much easier time selling his next novels.

But this is a programming blog. Why am I telling you this? Take a minute and think about it. Figure it out yet? Here's why -- Paul Harding is a lesson for all of us. He wrote the book he wanted to write. Clearly he wrote it well. His success came from sticking to his vision, and not changing it just to be commercial. If you've read my other posts, you know that what's commercial today may not be tomorrow -- but quality programming endures.

Secondly, the best advertising is good word of mouth. If you have a program or an idea that people recommend to their friends, you've got a great chance for success. You don't have to start with a splash. Start with a small ripple, and let your network build.

One final lesson: Paul Harding put in time over several years and finished his novel. He didn't win a prize for his idea of a novel. What are you doing to make your idea a reality?

Middle School gets on Oprah; why can't you?

Let me tell you the story of how Ocoee Middle School here in Central Florida created a video that Oprah played on her show. After seeing the Black Eyed Peas 'Flash Mob' video of their song "I Gotta Feeling", the Middle School reading teacher decided to make her own video based on it to promote reading. They got permission from the Black Eyed Peas. The teachers wrote new lyrics and called it "Gotta Keep Reading." Full Sail, a local media training school, supplied the video equipment and editing services. A PE teacher created choreography, a music teacher sang the song and created a professional recording. With the support of the principal and administrative staff, the entire school turned out on the grounds in December, each holding their favorite book, and joined in the dance.

The video premiered at the school to much acclaim from the parents, and was posted on the school web site. The students loved it, and were inspired to double the number of books they read over last year. That's where it could have ended -- except that one of Oprah's researchers found the video on line. Last March Oprah aired the video on her show and interviewed the principal and reading teacher via satellite. In addition to garnering great publicity for the school, Oprah convinced some corporate donors to fund a new media center for the school!

This story should be inspiring and instructive for you as you create your own programs. Here are some things I'd like to point out:

1. They didn't wait for some big company to fund their idea. The faculty and staff went ahead and worked with the resources they had on hand.
2. They thought big. Maybe the Black Eyed Peas won't give you the right to their music for your idea, but you don't know until you ask.
3. They didn't wait for the distribution pipeline to work. They put their finished project on the web, where it went viral.
4. They kept true to the original vision throughout the creative process, and remained passionate about their project.
5. They did it for the right reasons -- they wanted to create something to inspire kids to read -- getting on Oprah was just an added benefit.

If a Middle School in Florida can do this, so can you.

Make Contacts Friends

Have you ever looked a job description for Vice President of Program Development at a television network? Even if you don't want that job for yourself, you should know what they do. After all, you may someday be in that Vice President's office pitching your program idea.

You would see that one of the key requirements of the job is "good relationship with producers," or, "a good rolodex or contact list." Development executives are expected to know the best producers in the business and be able to leverage their relationship to bring the best shows to the network.

Last week I wrote that every contact counts. But making a contact is just the start. Follow up with your contacts. Let them know what you're doing. Ask them about themselves. Become a resource for them. Make your contact a friend.

Mark McCormack, the legendary founder of IMG, put it this way. "All things being equal, people prefer to buy from their friends. All things not being equal, people still prefer to buy from their friends."

This is important for you, and not just for business reasons. At the end of my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, the angel Clarence leaves these words for George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart):

"No man is a failure who has friends."

There's great truth in that.

Can Books Help?

Recently I checked out the entertainment section in my local Barnes and Noble. I saw lots of books about how to write screenplays, several on how to break into the business as an actor, and a bunch about how to write songs. There were very few on how to produce your own film, and none on how to break into television programming.

One of the reasons I'm writing this blog is because there are no books on how to get into television programming. But the question before us today is: can the information in these books help you?

Certainly, if you've never written a screenplay before, a book that gives you the proper format and some basic information can help you. If all you've ever done is act in your school play, you should read a book about how the professional acting business works before getting on that bus to Hollywood.

However, there's no substitute for talking to people actually in the business. (See my previous post, 'Fish Where the Fish Are'). If your town or city is of any size, you probably have a production company (or several) located there. Go talk to them. Find out what they know, and what they think. They might even connect you to people they know in Los Angeles or New York.

Books can help you, but they have their limits. Your particular path to success may not follow the one laid out in the book. Make the information work for you.

I know it can be intimidating to call people cold. But you have to get over that, if you're going to make your program idea a property. The more you can learn from people currently working in the business, the better chance you will have for success.

Of course, continue to read this blog for regular information updates. Recommend it to your friends.

Every Contact Counts

Every time I speak to someone in the entertainment business I am reminded of the words of that great philosopher Ed Norton -- no, not the actor -- Ralph Kramden's downstairs neighbor on 'The Honeymooners'. Ed, played by the great Art Carney, was a New York City sewer worker. Ed often repeated a piece of advice he heard from one of his mentors -- "Be nice to the people you work with in the sewers. You're going to meet the same people going down as you do going up."

That's good advice for you when you're trying to get your program idea heard. Every person you speak with is a potential contact. Your dry cleaner might have a cousin who works for Warner Brothers, or your son's teacher might have a friend who went to Hollywood. That's why it's important to make every interaction with people a positive one. Remember to tell them you have a great program idea. People can't help you if they don't know.

Of course we are all human and not every contact will be positive. Give yourself a break if one or two contacts don't work out. But your overall average will be better if you remember that every contact counts.

What's true in your everyday life is particularly true once you get to meet the executives at a television or film company. Be nice and positive to the security guards, receptionist, and assistants also. If they're interested in your idea, the executives may ask their employee's opinion. You want them to like you and become your advocate inside the company. And you never know; one of them may end up running the studio some day.

People Respond to Passion

Before starting this post I want to thank those of you who are now following me regularly. In honor of your interest, I am starting this week to post two new pieces instead of one. This is the second piece for this week. Feel free to e-mail me back questions or comments.


What gets you excited? I bet that you have a hobby, a sport, a craft, a book, a movie, or a television show that you love. You spend a lot of time in activities related to it -- you speak enthusiastically about it to others, and your family either enjoys it too or is sick of you bringing it up all the time.

It doesn't matter what it is -- it could be anything from riding mountain bikes to hook latching rugs -- but chances are there are several other people who share your passion. You probably know many of them.

Why not make a program about it?

People respond to passion. Your audience will only get excited about your program if you care. Your passion will sustain you through the long development process, pitches, and rejection by various studios. The entertainment world is full of examples of shows people created because they have a passion for something that everyone wrote off. Until 'Antique Roadshow' became a hit who thought a show about stuff in people's attics would make sense? Now there are imitators on every home and lifestyle channel. No one thought shows about re-doing rooms would work until 'Trading Spaces.' I had the personal experience of running the Golf Channel's programming at launch. Many people thought it would never work, but we pursued our passion and became a worldwide success.

Of course, if you want a network or movie studio to buy your idea you still must put it in a professional package. You should have learned something about how to do that through this blog, and I'll be writing more about it in the future.

For now, start with your passion. Turn your passion into a property.