Advice sought on selling documentary to TV

**Xendar** · February 2nd, 2006, 10:58 PM

Hi Guys,

I'm filming a charity event later this year with a view to creating a 30 minute documentary about it. I believe it will make an interesting documentary and will cover various aspects of the event including people behind the event, participants, location / countryside ect.

I'm hoping to try and sell it to TV. I was thinking mainly cable / satellite channels but also thought of approaching Yorkshire TV too as the event is in Yorkshire. I've seen similar documentaries shown on Yorkshire TV in the past.

What I would like to know is what sort of things I should be considering. For instance what is the best way to approach TV companies? Should I contact them now before I have the finished product?

Regarding the technical side of things I'm thinking of shooting it all on HDV using Sony Z1 cameras. The reason for this is that they're not too expensive to hire and I am relatively familiar with them. I was thinking about filming it all on my PD150 but it isn't widescreen.

Any thoughts or suggestions are much appreciated.
__________________
Mark Smith Media Services
www.marks-media.co.uk

**Matty2phatty** · February 2nd, 2006, 11:21 PM

I'm not quite sure what a Z1 camera is, but my first thought it to suggest that you shoot on something higher than standard definition. For all i know the Z1 is high def though, in which case, ignore me [img]smile.gif[/img]

Television stations usually have a department specifically for handling the purchase of material and you could call them up for advice while you're still shooting.

If your product is good it won't matter if you approach them in a certain way, they'll want to buy it. You just have to be selling something they want.

**Kigo** · February 4th, 2006, 03:02 PM

Funnily enough I was researching this the other day. You should check out the broadcasters websites. Here's ITV's:

http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partID=1099

C4 and C5 have stuff on their sites as well. ITV's is the most detailed though, in terms of specs. Didn't look on the BBC's but I assume they'll have something. The ITV tech spec one tells about camera formats and stuff...basically do it in 16:9 and don't use a cack camera.

**curtinparloe** · February 13th, 2006, 09:35 PM

Commissioning Editors, that's who you need to talk to. Contact the companies and find out their submission criteria. You may well have to pitch it.

**Xendar** · June 19th, 2006, 11:39 AM

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your advice. In the end we went for a Z1 as main camera and the PD150 with anamorphoc adapter as second camera. The shoot went really well. I have enough footage to make something entertaining out of it. Whether it is technically good enough or shot well enough for TV remains to be seen. The main reason we went for these cameras is budget above everything else. I think the conent is of a fairly high quality. This is more a "labour of love" than anything else and selling it would be a bonus.

I'll keep you all updated as I get it edited and then try to sell it.

Regards

Mark

**Xendar** · May 14th, 2007, 06:00 AM

Following the posting by Ray Addison from the Community Channel my documentary on the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride will be shown on the Community Channel as part of the Charge TV show. It will be shown daily from the 21st of May at 10am, 1pm, 6pm and 10pm.

The Community Channel can be found on:

Sky channel 539
Virgin channel 233

If anyone gets chance to see it I'd be keen to know what you think.

**miker** · May 15th, 2007, 02:01 PM

I guess you found out that broadcasters generally only actually buy stuff from preferred production companies, and those same production companies generally get the commissions too ....

Or are you now sitting on a stack of lolly?

**Xendar** · May 15th, 2007, 02:22 PM

Oh no, I haven't received anything in the way of payment for it but that was never my real goal. It's just great to have it shown on TV.

To be honest haven't tried as hard as I could have to sell it. Too many things happening in my life at the moment (birth of my daughter and busy with work which actually pays). Plus it didn't turn out exactly as I'd hoped due to a buget of about ?250. I'm still very pleased with it and it was a great learning experience. I'll do things differently next time.

I hope you get chance to see it and would be very grateful of any feedback.