6 Tips For Pitching A Non-Scripted TV Show Edit

Think you can come up with a rockin’ reality TV show idea? So do we, which is exactly why we’ve launched a $4000 contest, in partnership with the creators of Big Brother.

Not sure how to get started? Well, Talpa, who have also launched Fear Factor and Deal or No Deal, gave us a list of 6 Tips For Pitching A Non-Scripted TV Show.

1)Think about your pitch thoroughly.

Describe the participants, the contestants, the challenges, the game, the rules, the audience, the set/location, the host, the judges, the prize, etc. Help the reader picture the show as you’ve imagined it.

2) Make sure your show has dramatic, visual potential!

A TV show about writers struggling to write the great American novel, or accountants aspiring to become the world’s best accountant might be fun ideas on paper, but portraying those sorts of activities on TV in an entertaining way could be a challenge. Keep in mind that some subjects have stronger dramatic and visual possibilities than others.

3) Ensure your idea is more than a casting idea approach. 

Building a format around an interesting combination of people is a great start, but it’s not a format yet. Go back to Tip #1 and think through the key details.

4) Create an exciting ending for your show.

How does the tension escalate and how do you raise the stakes in the final episode or round? How and when does it end?

5) Do your homework. 

If you come up with an idea about undiscovered singers who want to become AMERICAN IDOLS, or a group of people stuck in a house whose every moment is captured by BIG BROTHER-like cameras, you might want to go back to the drawing board. Try to develop fresh ideas, not variations of TV shows that we’ve all already seen before. 

6) Be creative, think big, and have fun!