The Journey from Seed Idea to Pitching TV Networks with Abra Chouinard
Many people visit this site to learn how to pitch their own TV shows. Today, we give you an inside look at what happens when our production company teams up with an aspiring producer. We met Abra Chouinard through this very podcast and our newsletter. We did not know her before she submitted her concept and package to us. Now, she’s joining us for pitch meetings at major TV networks (and getting great response!) Abra shares the whole process, from pitching to us, to teaming up, making a tape, and meeting network execs. Plus, she shares actionable tips to help you stand out when pitching your first concepts…whether to us or anyone else. A Work Ethic to Admire Abra is one of the hardest workers we’ve had the pleasure of teaming with. She credits this to growing up on farms and mountains, where everyday was tough. Says Abra: I just grew up in the mountains where you got up before it was light out, you put your boots on, and you got to work. So that work ethic just carries through and in any industry, including this industry, you just get up and you work hard. There’s no room for crying. It’s “buck up buttercup.” With that attitude, it’s no wonder she did everything right when pitching to us. Abra Chouinard – Getting Everything Right and Standing Out We receive many, many submisions (and are truly grateful to everyone who trusts us with their pitch materials). However, like we say here, we can’t make “all the shows.” No one can. We have to be very selective with which concepts we put our resources into. So what is it that made Abra’s pitch rise above? Why did we immediately want to meet with her? Off the bat, she did a few things right: 1. She was pitching a package and not an idea. 2. Abra already had access and permission to film real people and a real place. Both were TV friendly. 3. The pitch she sent included cast bios and a potential story engine. 4. She included short videos she’d put together without spending too many resources. (Smart!) Long time listeners to this podcast will recognize these as “good things.” (Not sure why that is? Check out our two free ebooks. How to Pitch a Reality Show, and our newest – Unscripted Televsion: 100 Tips for Breaking in and Career Success). But Abra had one other thing going for her that made all the difference. The Secret Sauce in Abra’s Pitch Abra watched television and analyzed what is currently on air. That taught her where her show might work. No matter how much we love a project, if we can’t set it up at a network, we can’t be helpful. The fact that Abra developed with a target in mind meant we could not ignore her pitch. She understood the tone, style, and content that appeals to her key potential networks. Every aspect of her pitch package reflected that. Some Amazing Farm Analogies Abra uses farming analogies to showcase her approach to TV and film. There are several really good ones in today’s episode. Here’s one of our favorites, Abra’s thoughts on coping with the Hollywood Waiting Game: The little farmer who’s pulling on those seedlings is not gonna make the seedlings grow any faster. All you’re gonna do is kill your crop. A Jam-Packed Episode