WHEN Wednesday, May 14, 7-10 pm WHERE mediabistro.com, 7494 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste 303, West Hollywood, CA MORE INFO Email us or call (310) 659-5668 PRICE $65 ($50 for ) more info

Course Details

You've seen the perfect TV show. It's got great characters, weekly cliffhangers, comedy, drama -- everything you could want in a hit series. There's just one problem: it's still in your head.

This seminar will help take your idea from seed to sale. After all, selling your show isn't merely the first step in bringing your vision to life; it's the most important step. What are networks looking for? How should a pitch be structured? When's the best time to pitch? Do you need a franchise? Does attaching talent help?

We will break pitching into three stages: honing your idea, crafting the pitch itself, and getting your foot in the door with producers and executives. We'll examine different kinds of shows and the necessary elements of each. We'll then discuss how to structure a pitch to make it accessible to producers, writers, and executives. Lastly, we'll explore the business of pitching; not only how to gauge the marketplace to make your idea irresistible, but how to navigate television's labyrinthine network/studio system and what you can expect once you get there.

In this seminar, you will learn:

• The necessary elements every show -- and every pitch -- must have
• The difference between different types of shows, and how to pitch them accordingly
• How to structure a pitch, both verbally and as a written document
• Who you want to pitch to at networks, studios, and production companies
• When to attach actors, writers, or directors to your idea, and when not to
• What to expect when you're in the room, making your pitch, and what happens when you leave

Please note:
While we will discuss in class your ideas and how to best pitch them (if you feel comfortable sharing), this class is not about evaluating ideas. To be honest, we have no idea what's a good idea or not. After all, we're not the ones who bought The West Wing. Or, for that matter, Jerry Springer.

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Instructor Bio

Chad Gervich's Courses

Chad Gervich is a television producer, published author, and award-winning playwright who spent five years as a development executive and producer with the Littlefield Company, former NBC president Warren Littlefield's production company with Paramount Television. Chad developed and produced the Style network's hit comedy/reality series, Foody Call, and recently executive produced Celebrity Drive-By, a talk show pilot for E! Entertainment. He's currently working on Dirty Laundry, an internet soap for FOX, and writing on staff for The Daily Grind, an online comedy for Warner Brothers.

Prior to joining Littlefield, Chad worked in development at NBC Studios, Sony Pictures, CBS Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox. He's been instrumental in the development, production, and maintenance of countless pilots and series such as Love, Inc. (UPN), Malcolm in the Middle (FOX), Like Family (WB), Time Tunnel (FOX), Star Search (CBS), and Do Over (WB). His plays have been produced across the country, and his writing appears regularly in Daily Variety, Fade In, Moving Pictures, Writer's Digest and Orange Coast, as well as in several other nationally available books and magazines.

Testimonials

I started this class with a blank writing tablet and ended the course with a spec script that I would be proud to submit to an agent. That's worth the time and the money. -- Dylan Conroy, assistant to Bruce Nash, Nash Entertainment

"I thought the seminar was valuable - Chad was a dynamic speaker and took his time to make sure that everyone in the class participated and got their questions answered. I will definitely take another class with him. " -- Angie Truschel, Research, Marketing, and PR Assistant

"The seminar offers a great overview of the TV writing and production landscape and how the business works. Chad is a very energetic and charismatic speaker with a non-judgmental, supportive teaching style. He outlined a well-prepared, step-by-step approach to determining the kind of spec to write and how to break down a script; explained the structure of the TV business, writing staff hierarchy and hiring practices; and offered various strategies to landing a job. I felt like I left the seminar with tangible tools to move forward with the next step." -- Sue Karlin, freelance journalist Newsweek, Forbes, Esquire

"The seminar is well-organized, entertaining, and packed with information. Chad has valuable insights to share about the TV business and the craft of writing pilots. Whether you're a rookie or a professional, you'll feel focused, smarter, and ready to write after these 3 hours." -- Wendy Calhoun, staff writer, Raines NBC-Universal/NBC

"The course content was fabulous. Exactly what I expected in terms of starting from scratch to getting into the minute detail. What more can you do in 3 hours really? For a 3-hour seminar it was just perfect. We went overtime because there's just so much to know about this subject." -- Georgia Cassimatis