Grads Pitch a Series

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/14929884[/vimeo]

When we run the video bootcamps we always tell students that the holy grail in this business is getting a series on cable.

And the best way to get a series on cable is not to pitch an idea.

Everyone has ideas.

Also.. don’t write up a proposal. Waste of time.

What you need to do is to make it real.

A few years ago, this was not good advice. Shooting video was far too expensive.

But not now.

So here’s a pitch reel for a series from two grads: Chris Kohatsu, who took the Travel Channel Academy and her partner, Lashan Browning, who took the training when she was a producer at Oxygen Media. Now Lashan has her own production company, NOLA.

Here’s the reel they sent me.

In my own opinion, it has potential but a few problems:

too long.. mucb too long.

too much like a Public Service Announcement than a TV show.

besides Chris, the other characters are all straw men. they have no personality.

It lacks an arc of story and any kind of dynamic tension.

I hate the graphics – too preachy.

but that’s just my opinion.

They’re headed for a recut before they pitch, but any other feedback would be much appreciated.

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 35 years, Michael Rosenblum has been on the cutting edge of the digital video journalism revolution. During this time, he has lead a drive for video literacy, and the complete rethinking of how television is made and controlled. His work has included: The complete transitioning of The BBC's national network (UK) to a VJ-driven model, starting in 2002. The complete conversion of The Voice of America, the United State's Government's broadcasting agency, (and the largest broadcaster in the world), from short wave radio to television broadcasting and webcasting using the VJ paradigm (1998-present). The construction of NYT Television, a New York Times Company, and the largest producer of non-fiction television in the US. Rosenblum was both the founder and President of NYT TV, (all based on this paradigm (1996-1998). The President and Founder of Video News International, a global VJ-driven newsgathering company, with more than 100 journalists around the world. (1993-1996). Other clients include Spectrum News, Verizon and CBS News.

5 Comments
  • Miss J September 25, 2010

    I agree with Aaron. I didn’t get the concept. It started as a travel show centered around food, which didn’t seem to offer anything different than what’s already out there. On the first viewing I missed the host saying that she would use her media skills to help restaurants connect to locals, but that could just be my fault. It presents itself as a happy version of “Kitchen Nightmares”. I’ve never seen that show, but no one should want their show to immediately remind viewers of something else.

    I like Chris Kohatsu. She seems a little amp’d, but also like she is genuinely enjoying herself.

  • Nino September 25, 2010

    WOW, A SHOW ABOUT FOOD

    What a brilliant idea, an earth-shattering concept.

  • Tom Weber September 24, 2010

    Absolutely no sense of a target audience. Comes across as a rather pedantic training video for restaurant owners in how to use social media. It’s not about the food at all, nor is it about the fun people who work at the restaurants, nor about the fun people who eat at the restaurants, nor about the food. Just some platitudes about Twittering and Foursquaring and Facebooking.

    Kind of a cliched production style, looks like everything else on cable. Nothing unique in the audio/visual area at all.

    Chris and Lashan are no doubt nice, well-meaning people — and that IS a cute car!!! — but this trailer shows a complete lack of understanding of the medium and audience. Pitch your show at people who are looking for a good restaurant, and show them how to use social media to find one. Forget cable, practice what you preach and put this out online, where people can access it with mobile phones.

  • Aaron W September 24, 2010

    The real problem is the concept, sadly.

    1) Is this a travel/food show or a business strategy/marketing show? If it’s the latter, what network would run it? If it’s the former, is there an audience for a travel show about marketing? Travel TV is all about escapism, not taking your office problems on vacation with you.

    2) Given how quickly the social media space is evolving, won’t any advice given out on the show be ancient and inapplicable within a year? The show has no shelf life.

    And the dealbreaker:

    3) Social Media Experts(tm) love talking about and to other Social Media Experts(tm). They don’t realize the rest of the world finds Social Media Experts(tm) absolutely intolerable.

  • Malcolm James Thomson September 24, 2010

    If this was conceived as a ‘pitch’ then it is a well meaning fail. It offers the network exec the prospect of show which would hammer viewers with pitilessly patronizing foodie do-goodery, delivered by a host who may in reality be quite friendly but comes across here as slightly scary.

    Surely a ‘pitch’ must entice, as a good trailer does, rather than bludgeon with PowerPoint bullets.

    I am reminded of the advice of one of my first bosses, when I was the very callow manager of a small arthouse cinema in Dallas. He said “Sell the sizzle, not the steak!” Advice surely particularly apposite in the context of this reel.