Breaking into the TV Movie Market

While some markets have been closed to new writers, there are still opportunities out there. One of them is in the TV movie market. Why? Because many of their writers have left the market to find higher paying gigs.

It's not a place to make a killing, but you can make a living ($50,000 to $75,000 a script) and get the credits that will have you taken more seriously. In a recent Sherwood Oaks event, I had the opportunity to speak to some top TV movie producers. Here's what they said about their market.

What the market is like:

The TV Movie business is an EVENT BUSINESS. They are market driven, ie. they put movies on that they believe will garner a high market share. The key is in the title and concept. They all are searching for high concept with a "recognizable promotability."

First, they want a short title that instantly gives you a picture of what the movie is about. Like "Houdini." Just from the title, you instantly have a strong idea about what the movie is about.

Second, they want a concept that can sell in one sentence. Consider "Atomic Twister: A tornado hits a nuclear power plant." The title is strong and the concept causes you to visualize the main conflict and ask what-if questions.

So the formula is:

"Short descriptive title + high concept = easy to promote on TV."

Other forms of recognizable promotability are known books, events or people. A best selling book with a recognized author is an easy project to promote. A famous person who has caused quite a stir works well. Look at the recent Billy Knight movie. As for events, there are already some 9/11 movies in the works.

But if you don't have access to famous people, real-life stories of people who have had some astounding event occur in their life sell also. Of course, you'll want to come to the cable network with the life rights of the person.

Also, remember that cable wants to do little or no development. That means anything you write for them must be well written. It also means that your work will actually get to the screens and probably won't be rewritten. How nice!

What specific cable networks want:

HBO: Looking for new ways of telling stories (non-linear?) and new talent (writers and directors). As always, they want to continue to push the envelope. $5-6 million budget movies. Some max out at $10-$12 million, but the project has to warrant it.

SHOWTIME: Wants anything with a star attached. They want to look like HBO and if possible, one-up HBO.

LIFETIME: Instead of women as victims, Lifetime now wants "Women who take control" stories.

TNT: Wants movies that get critical review. They're focused on promoting their network. They want movies that bring awards and recognition. $5 million budget movies.

COMEDY CENTRAL: Big idea, male oriented, comedy. $2 million budget movies.

A&E: Americana. Willing to do period pieces. $5 million budget movies.

VH1: They're done mining the 60's and 70's and are tiring of bio pics. They want movies about music that changes someone's life.

How to break in:

Potential targets for query are production companies with TV movie credits and the cable networks themselves. Almost all the Sherwood Oaks guests said they're looking for good writers to write their ideas.

An excellent strategy they recommended is to call with a great idea and the spec script to back it up. They may not buy the script, but if they see you can write, they may hire you for one of their current projects. Make sure you have a great title and one sentence logline.

So if you're looking for another way to break into Hollywood, this might be it. And once you're there, call me and we'll do lunch."

Would you like to make a huge jump in your writing?

The GREAT WRITING SERIES begins soon.

Three 10-day programs that will change your writing.

• 1. Seducing Actors: Creating Characters and Dialogue Actors Love
• 2. Dramatic Devices: Building Fascinating Scenes
• 3. Writing With Boldness: Creating Anticipation, Expectation and Compelling Description

Don't miss an interview! Sign up for our free newsletter. It provides tips on screenwriting, marketing, and dealing with producers. It will also alert you when new articles, interviews, or classes are posted to this web site.