Producing the Pilot

[L1nk1]

Hey,

It's been awhile since I have been on here, but I require some expertise.

Long story short, an independent director (a friend of a friend) is interested in my tv pilot that I wrote. He wants to help film it (so we can show the networks). Hes got a lot of connections, so hes pretty much ready to book the camera crew/everything we need. Then start getting in the process to get auditions rolling for the rolls. (Non-union actors who won't be paid, unless the pilot gets picked up)

At the moment budget wise, I will be paying out of my own pocket (few thousand).

Was wondering if there was any necessary steps I need to take or should I look out for anything.

(I do not have an agent of any kind)

 

[nmstevens]

Hey,

It's been awhile since I have been on here, but I require some expertise.

Long story short, an independent director (a friend of a friend) is interested in my tv pilot that I wrote. He wants to help film it (so we can show the networks). Hes got a lot of connections, so hes pretty much ready to book the camera crew/everything we need. Then start getting in the process to get auditions rolling for the rolls. (Non-union actors who won't be paid, unless the pilot gets picked up)

At the moment budget wise, I will be paying out of my own pocket (few thousand).

Was wondering if there was any necessary steps I need to take or should I look out for anything.

(I do not have an agent of any kind)

I don't know how things are being done in Canada these days, but in the U.S., I can tell you this --

a very-low-budget pilot, show with no-name non-union actors will probably have a smaller chance of selling your show than a "presentation piece" consisting of a few scenes shot as professionally as possible and, if it can possibly be managed, with the actual talent that you want to be in the final role.

That is -- a real star -- at any someone with genuine "TVQ" name recognition who might mean somebody to the people who you'd be taking the presentation piece to.

This may sound completely impossible and undo-able, but you would be surprised at how often it is possible to get a star, even to meet a star's rate - when you're only paying that rate for one day.

And to shoot a couple scenes and get some publicity stills, which is what you'd need for a presentation piece -- that's all you'd need. One day.

And after all, you're going to whoever-it-is with the promise of a potential series. Of course, they all know that such promises almost never come through, but what the heck. For most of these guys, it's a day's work.

Seriously, most of these folks are working actors and in the same way that they're happy to take VO work or do a commercial, they'll take a day's work like this and get paid.

But you should also realize -- you go SAG (or the Canadian equivalent), there are probably going to be various pension and insurance issues that you'll have to deal with.

Again, I'm not quite sure how it works when you're only staging what amounts to a couple scenes for a pitch/presentation for something that's ultimately not for broadcast or commercial purposes but strictly in-house marketing purposes.

That's something you'd have to check with them about.

But seriously, whichever way you go, you're going to end up investing a lot of time, effort, and money in this process, and at the end of the day, it will still be one heck of a long shot -- that is, that you'll end up with something that you'll be able to leverage into a sold TV series.

So you want to come up with something that gives you the best possible chance -- that gives the people you're selling to the best possible sense of what your show will be like. Often a slick presentation with (potentially) the actual star you have in mind, is going to go farther toward that end, than a not-so-slick very-low-budget complete pilot episode with non-union actors.

NMS

 

[gotchan]

You should also check out the Writers Guild of Canada page. http://www.wgc.ca/ They really, really don't like writers working for nothing or below scale. They do have a list of situations in which it's okay. One is when the writer is a producer. You're paying out of pocket, so you sound like a producer to me. Do you have producer authority? You should. This is all being done to sell your product so you want it to be the best representation of your work. Who else is a producer? What rights, if any, are they claiming? For example, is your independent director friend of a friend acting as a producer or just as a director for hire?

Back to the WGC. If you haven't registered your work with them, you might want to do so before this goes any further. Also check anyone taking a production role against the collective agreement signatory list and the unfair engagers list.

Once the pilot's made, who is going to shop it around the production companies? Who, if anyone, is claiming to be the producer? Who expects to be attached to the project if it gets picked up? In what capacity?

Just be very careful you aren't giving anything away. And be careful everyone above the line is in good odour with prospective buyers.

 

[L1nk1]

Thanks for all the input,

I have registered my work with the WGC.

I am the sole producer of this project, all money is coming out of me. Yes this will be used for internal marketing.

The independent director isn't investing any money in this. He offered to film it for me for free. He'll be helping me shop it around, he has called a few people up to get his own research done on how to get a tv pilot/trailer in the right hands. He's done film/music videos in the past. I met him through acting school, my teacher (actor/producer) introduced us to him. I originally sent her my script and she told me to send it to him to get an idea on how much it would cost to produce a pilot or trailer.

Nothing has been done officially yet (aside from script registering).

I just wasn't sure if this was normally how things can be done. I haven't pitched/sold a show before. I will be getting in contact with my teacher today (when she wakes up) to discuss this matter.

 

[nmstevens]

Thanks for all the input,

I have registered my work with the WGC.

I am the sole producer of this project, all money is coming out of me. Yes this will be used for internal marketing.

The independent director isn't investing any money in this. He offered to film it for me for free. He'll be helping me shop it around, he has called a few people up to get his own research done on how to get a tv pilot/trailer in the right hands. He's done film/music videos in the past. I met him through acting school, my teacher (actor/producer) introduced us to him. I originally sent her my script and she told me to send it to him to get an idea on how much it would cost to produce a pilot or trailer.

Nothing has been done officially yet (aside from script registering).

I just wasn't sure if this was normally how things can be done. I haven't pitched/sold a show before. I will be getting in contact with my teacher today (when she wakes up) to discuss this matter.

Something else you should probably understand before moving forward.

If you're going to be a producer -- then you don't just need to spend money on stuff. You actually need a business entity.

You need a company. And you may now be saying to yourself -- oh, that's way premature. I'm just doing this little thing now. I'll wait until something happens and *then* I'll do all that business stuff.

The trouble is -- you really can't. If you're going to go out and *do business* as a producer. Buy things, hire things, try to *sell* something -- you have to do it as a business.

Who, or what, is it, that's going to go out and try to sell this pilot? You, private person? No. It's going to be a business entity of some kind.

A business entity that has some legal existence, that's registered under Canadian law, that has a tax code number -- that, and I shiver to use this word -- files tax returns (I presume Canada has business taxes).

Because *that* is what it means to be a producer that goes out and tries to sell a pilot. They need to know that they are in business with someone who can do business. And that means you have to actually *have* a business.

That is -- an actual company.

What you have to realize is that I'm just a screenwriter and *I* have a company. I am incorporated. It's called a loan-out company. When I write a screenplay, a studio, or whoever pays my company and my company, consisting of my wife and I "loan out" my services to write the screenplay.

This may sound needlessly complicated but dividing up my "self" from my business protects my assets and allows me to do things in terms of pensions, taxes, etc., that I couldn't do if I was simply writing and putting the money in my private bank account.

It also means that we have to pay people to keep our corporate books, we've got to have an account pay our corporate taxes quarterly. It is, in every respect, a real business.

And you're talking about a business that, ultimately, if you're successful, will be producing a television show -- an exceptionally complicated enterprise employing hundreds of people and involving literally many millions of dollars.

So you have to, at the very least, lay the groundwork, in a business sense, for being able to do that.

You have to have a company.

NMS

 

[gotchan]

It sounds as if you've considered all my concerns. It isn't how things are normally done, but as long as you conduct yourself professionally and protect your interests, I don't see anything wrong with being innovative. Some people might be put off by the atypical. Some might be impressed.

On professionalism, I agree with nmstevens' second post on business matters. In Canada you can do up to $30,000 a year in transactions without registering for a business number, but if you don't have a number, it will be obvious and look unprofessional. You can register yourself as a business, but that exposes every penny you own and every penny of joint property. Not a good idea if other people have claims on you, like actors, electricians, cameramen, soundmen, editors, caterers, etc. Given your first reply, I suspect you already have this covered.

 

[L1nk1]

Hey,

Thanks for all the replies.

*Quick Update*

Everything seems to be progressing at an excellent pace. I'm at the stage where I will be doing auditions for actors over the next few days. I have already found a location/editor/cameraman/sound/rights to music.

Sadly, I have not been able to personally seek out a 'hit name' within the industry to start in the show.

I've managed to get all the forms done, to shop my product to different networks + I have gotten CRTC approval.

I still need to register myself as a business (which I wll be doing this week).

All in all it has been a lot of work, but an enjoyable ride.

I appreciate all the help,

Cheers.

 

[Stijn Hommes]

Since you pay for it, you should write a contract so you both know exactly what you expect of each other.