My internship this summer was in the development department of TLC, a sister channel of Discovery. Although I hope to pursue writing and developing scripted material, I am really fascinated by the storytelling process regardless of genre. I was excited to be a part of this process for the summer, and was hopeful that the main principles of storytelling – finding compelling characters, discovering the most suitable narrative structure, establishing the viewpoint – would apply to both scripted and unscripted spaces. As it turns out, although reality TV has many significant differences from scripted TV, the basic tenets of storytelling absolutely cross over. When the development managers take a pitch from producers, they are always looking for the following general qualities that are paramount to any great project: a unique idea, captivating but relatable talent, and a solid format.
In addition to these general requirements, there are also other very specific issues that the managers always consider. This was one of the most important lessons I learned at my internship: when to pass on a project…and why. Every time the TLC managers passed on a project, I always made sure I understood why. As an aspiring writer, I felt lucky that I was able to have a sneak peek into what distinguishes between good and great, into what, ultimately, affects the decision to pass or not. There were so many different reasons to pass, and some of them were surprising. For instance, a producer might approach TLC with a great show idea, but previous ratings (and earlier attempts at the idea, failed shows, etc.), research and focus groups have shown that it hasn’t or won’t work for the network. A sizzle reel may have an interesting idea, but boring or forgettable talent; conversely, there may be exceptional talent stuck inside a poor idea or format.
Another instance that we ran into a few times this summer was an “MOP” or “most often pitched.” As you can gather from the title, this phrase means an idea or ideas that are pitched with the most frequency. The managers consistently seemed to pass on MOPs. In this case, I think it’s important to note here that having an original voice, or a solid point of view from which to tell your story, is of the utmost importance. If you pitch an MOP but you have a fresh take on it or a unique perspective, the idea suddenly goes from stale to something exciting. For example, TLC has found immense success with shows like “Say Yes to the Dress,” “A Baby Story,” and “Bringing Home Baby” (among others). Traditionally, marriage and children are watershed moments in a woman’s life, and it seems that TLC programming has really struck a chord by emphasizing these special events. These shows place the focus on the woman – it’s all about her and her special day. The drama in “Say Yes to the Dress” is entirely drawn around the protagonist’s (in this case, the bride) journey to find the perfect dress. As such, if a producer pitches a wedding show that doesn’t place the focus on the woman, but rather stretches itself thin with all of the other aspects of the wedding, then TLC is not as likely to be interested. Other times, the network may just be looking for something very specific; that is, a certain space, time, or genre that needs to be filled in the schedule. Finally, a pitch may be amazing, but it’s just not “TLC.” This has certainly happened several times this summer. We’ll receive a pitch and many of us will agree that the idea would make for a great show; indeed, we often say how we would definitely watch this program if it were to air. However, like most networks, TLC has a very specific vision or mission statement that it attempts to adhere to. For TLC, programming is best-suited when it finds and explores unique worlds and subcultures, when it opens the viewer’s eyes to the extraordinary things about ordinary individuals, and when it challenges its audience to discover new and different people. While some managers may be interested in pushing and testing the boundaries of this vision, others stick more strictly to this mantra. It’s a nice combination that allows the network to continually evolve while still retaining its essential core values.
It was very eye-opening to see the creative and business reasons behind the decisions that development managers make every day. It is my hope that I’ve gained a better understanding of when and why the decision to pass is made, and that this understanding will help me to become a better writer, pitch-maker, and student of story.