In my time interning for a producer, I’ve been lucky enough to hear quite a few executive pitches for various television shows we’ve been working on. I’ve also learned a TON about different networks, streaming services, studios, etc. who are all buyers of the various shows we have pitched out. One of the things we always talk about are a) how many seasons do we envision this show to be and b) how much of that do we tell executives during the pitch.
Now, the answer to all of this is: it depends. To start, here’s a little theory on television performance. Network television makes their money on ads and advertising, so they are prioritizing viewership for their programming. Loyal viewers each week are key to their ability to sell ad space, so long-running shows with many seasons and audience investment are their highest priority. The longer “legs” a show has, the more likely audiences get hooked and the more viewership (read: ad sales) they can get. (It should go without saying that the show also needs to be good for this to happen.)
On the streaming side, it’s actually quite a bit different. Streamers make their money on subscribers, so they don’t actually have as much emphasis on show viewership. They also target potential subscribers based on new television, so the longevity of a show is not nearly as important. Said another way, Netflix is not going to get you to subscribe to their platform because they released season 5 of hot show X. But they WILL get you to subscribe because they have new hot shows Y and Z. Additional seasons of programming, no matter how popular the show, is not going to get new subscribers. The loyal fan base of a show has already given Netflix their money, and Netflix just has the much easier job of retaining them.
So what does that mean for your pitch? Well, when you’re conceiving your show, think about how many seasons your storyline should last. If you have a strong story with a compelling 3 seasons, perhaps the streamers are who you should target. If your premise has true “legs” with a huge world a story can continue on through episode 100 (or is a strong procedural), then perhaps network is who you go after. Targeting the right buyers based on where your material fits in is an important part of selling your show.
Well, what if you have a great idea and just want to try selling it to everyone? You know it’s amazing, and just want to see it on tv no matter where! That’s where you start tailoring your pitch.
For Shorter, Serialized Shows
When you’re pitching to a streamer, talk through your pilot and season 1 in good detail, then give a brief overview of your following seasons. If you have a definitive ending, feel free to talk about that in your pitch if the buyers seem engaged.
When you’re pitching to a network, talk through your pilot and season 1 again, but elaborate on your following seasons with general ideas rather than being specific about an ending. You don’t want the executive to feel like it’s going to end quickly, so make it seem as long-lasting as possible. Sometimes that means being more vague, and being receptive to the idea that you can open up the world more.
For Longer and/or Procedural Shows
When you’re pitching to a streamer, talk through your overarching storylines and give episode ideas. Don’t give 100 ideas, but just your best 5. If it’s compelling, the streamer will be interested but know that you’ll have to keep the overarching storylines short and concise.
When you’re pitching to a network, you can give more episode ideas and talk more broadly about the show. Say how many seasons you realistically envision it to be (should be at least 5), and make those longer storylines huge ideas that can take many seasons to unravel.
In summary, you’ll want to target buyers that are the best fit for YOUR type of show. It’s much more difficult to sell programming that goes against the nature of a network or streamer. But, if you’re taking a shotgun approach to sales, make sure you are tailoring your pitch to the buyer and keeping their overarching business goals in mind.
