UPDATE: Nearly two years later, we can tell you that we sold this show to MTV, it’s CAGED on MTV and will premiere in 2012.
A while back, I posted a story about a couple of hopeful producers who weren’t prepared to meet with us. Today, the opposite happened.
The meeting was with a different duo we first met several months ago, a couple of editors who want to make the leap to producing. At the time, we explained what we looked for in aspiring producers, and told them if they produced great tape for one of their ideas, we’d be happy to take a look.
Fact of the matter is…we give a lot of people that advice. Very few take it. (An expanded version of this advice can be found in our comprehensive guide about pitching unscripted television and documentary series.)
They Took Our Advice
They produced their own pitch tape (a short reel that highlights what the show is about) for a reality doc-style sow. It was really well done for two first-timers. Here’s the lowdown on what we saw on the tape:
- A unique world
- Engaging characters
- Acceptable cinematography
- Some good sound, some bad sound, but all intelligible
- Solid editing
- Simple, effective title cards throughout
- A very attractive show logo
Not Perfect…
There were a couple issues with the tape. The overall structure needed some tweaking. Some of the footage had a few too many effects stacked on top of it. The cinematography’s not going to win an Emmy. In places, the sound was less than perfect.
That’s Okay!
These guys want to be producers, just like you. They’re not selling themselves as sound guys or cinematographers. What they are selling is that:
- They have the drive and determination to be real producers, proven by producing great tape.
- They possess an overall understanding of every single job on set. After all, they were the driving force behind this tape, and physically produced most of it themselves.
- They have a solid understanding of what makes compelling TV.
- These guys are definitely on their way to becoming Hands-On-Producers.
These are People to Watch
While we have to weigh whether or not this is a show we want to be a part of, there is no doubt that these are the kind of up-and-comers we want to work with. You can bet the next time they want to show us one of their tapes, we’ll be paying attention.