Vin Di Bona & Syd Vinnedge Q&A followup to 'Reality Bytes'

[David Metzler]

Monday April 28th The Caucus and NATPE hosted 'Reality Bytes: The Ins & Outs of Developing, Selling & Producing Your Reality Series'.
As a special follow-up to that event, Caucus members Vin Di Bona and Syd Vinnedge have agreed to join us online and take some questions from visitors here in the forums. This is an informal Q&A, so feel free to jump in with a specific question for either one or both, or a followup to the reality panel on Monday. Just post a 'reply' to this message or any post below to get started.

This online session will be open for a limited time - through May 11th. Vin is busy producing America's Funniest Home Videos, and Syd is doing The Price is Right, so get your questions in quickly - they will answer as many as they can.

If you have a question about producting, writing, directing, pitching or selling reality TV - we've got two TV veterans here for you.

Please join me in welcoming Vin Di Bona and Syd Vinnedge!

[TDeVolld]

Syd and Vin:

Thanks for participating in the panel event and for taking these additional questions.

First question:
I once pitched an NBC/Uni cable development exec who liked my show very much, but whose superior decided it was “too dark for the network" based almost entirely on his reaction to a single graphic included in our leave-behind package. Am I doing myself in by arming myself with support materials beyond a simple three-minute tape and a well-defined concept?

Second question:
Over the last ten years or so, I have noticed that newer show creators are usually partnered with producers or production companies known to the networks, which only makes sense. Is it wiser for me to have an arrangement with an established producer/prodco in place at the pitch or will the network more likely suggest a pairing at the time the concept moves forward (as was the case with a WB series I worked on)?

[Syd Vinnedge]

If you have a well defined concept and a good three minute tape....get out of the room. We all have a tendency to keep selling even though the pitch is over and any additional info runs the risk of sending the train off the rails. Hopefully they buy into your concept, they become your "partner" and are invested. Then you begin sharing all the additional bells and whistles.
The obvious exception (as was suggested Monday night) is a star or rights/info from another country or something that gives the buyer enough comfort to mitigate their risk.

[Syd Vinnedge]

If you can go into the room with Bruckheimer then it is to your advantage. You are then using a partner as a star and frankly they are not going to be a lot of help down in the trenches.
Otherwise pick your partners because they enhance the project relative to how much they are going to take. And if they do enhance the project then their value should be apparent to the buyer.

[TDeVolld]

Title says it all. Thanks, Syd.

[docsam]

Thanks for taking the time.

I have a question about something that was mentioned at the panel on Monday - I think Vin mentioned going to Brittan and sitting in a room taking a meeting every 30 minutes. What are those meetings like? Are they all producers trying to sell their show in the US? And if so - are we outsourcing reality TV development just like we outsourced customer service to India?

[Vin Di Bona]

Originally Posted by TDeVolld

Syd and Vin:


First question:
I once pitched an NBC/Uni cable development exec who liked my show very much, but whose superior decided it was “too dark for the network" based almost entirely on his reaction to a single graphic included in our leave-behind package. Am I doing myself in by arming myself with support materials beyond a simple three-minute tape and a well-defined concept?

Second question:
Over the last ten years or so, I have noticed that newer show creators are usually partnered with producers or production companies known to the networks, which only makes sense. Is it wiser for me to have an arrangement with an established producer/prodco in place at the pitch or will the network more likely suggest a pairing at the time the concept moves forward (as was the case with a WB series I worked on)?

About NBCU pitch graphic:

It’s hard to second guess what to leave behind. Recently, before the shake up at NBC, graphics was a real problem. I did a pilot 2 years ago in which I showed the execs what the look of the show would be BEFORE we taped the show. The graphics were based on a demo from Japan. They were approved before we taped and then changed 6 times before we turned in the show….made me nutz! We sometimes say to ourselves….”is this and NBC, ABC, FOX show?”
Then we realize that we may be selling ourselves short by trying to guess what the network wants. If the log line in the pitch is short, usually you’ll know in a few minutes if you’ve got their attention…if not move on to the next pitch. Always try to take in two, at the most three GOOD pitches into a meeting if possible.

About partnering…it always helps to have a STRONG partner on a project. If you have a relationship with a junior network exec, it’s not a bad idea to find out who they like to work with. If you don’t know anyone at the network, do some homework and look at producer credits at the end of the network’s shows…those are the people to pitch to. If you are a first time producer, don’t try to “cash in” on your project. Make a fair deal, after all the production company you partner with will take all the risk if the project goes over budget. The learning experience is the most important aspect here. Try to get a fair production fee a format royalty if possible and be tied to the show for its entire run.

[Vin Di Bona]

Originally Posted by docsam

Thanks for taking the time.

I have a question about something that was mentioned at the panel on Monday - I think Vin mentioned going to Brittan and sitting in a room taking a meeting every 30 minutes. What are those meetings like? Are they all producers trying to sell their show in the US? And if so - are we outsourcing reality TV development just like we outsourced customer service to India?

About the UK meetings…It’s a two way street. We pitch to them and they to us. We see if we actually like the people pitching us and if their ideas will work on both sides of the pond. Yes it’s mostly producer to producer; moreover, this is one of the few times a paper pitch may actually work because it is producer to producer and there is a short hand here that often doesn’t happen at a network pitch. It turns out to be a long, long day as we try to maximize out time there. Most of the important contacts happen at lunch or dinner…what else is new!

[TDeVolld]

Thanks, Vin.

[David Metzler]

Caucus Members: Audio of the Reality Bytes panel is now online. Click here to access it. NOTE: the link will only work for caucus members; if you have trouble accessing it please contact Penny or I at forums@caucus.org to verify you have access.