Formatting ideas for television Elsa Sharp
Session Plan 09.30Your presentations on TV shows 10.00Recap on formats, ideas, genres, devices 10.15Show clips of different programme types. Factual Entertainment – The Apprentice Features – How To Look Good Naked Factual Entertainment – The Secret Millionaire 10.30A look at billings- summing up shows in a paragraph 11.30Set task – to brainstorm and come up with a factual entertainment format using grid END
Recap Can you name different programme types? Genres? Devices
Ideas Are a currency Think in terms of formats, that are returnable Can appeal to different markets Adapt existing reality shows – think of the elements that make them work and change them
HOW TO THINK OF TV IDEAS (And what to do with them next)
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
WHATS IN THE NEWS?
WHATS ON THE INTERNET?
Are there any old shows from 10 or 20 years ago that you think could be remade using modern technology or new talent? Simon Cowell has become a multi-millionaire by doing this!
BE CREATIVE WITH TALENT
WHO OR WHAT CAN YOU GET ACCESS TO?
DO YOUR RESEARCH
SOURCING IDEAS Get in the habit of always looking, thinking, making notes, remembering ideas or thoughts. Even the germ of an idea is worth keeping… Think of talent, reversing and extending existing formats and stories Use newspapers, radio, TV, conversations, internet, You tube, dramas, adverts, movies virals, existing formats – fusing formats
WHO SHOULD YOU PITCH YOUR IDEA TO?
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
WHO WILL WATCH IT?
PUT IT IN WRITING - A couple of pages will do – you dont have to write a book!
Big Brother clips Big Brother Celebrity Big Brother Verne Troyer ramraiding the diary room. Highlights of Celebrity Big Brother
The Apprentice Season 5 The teams Task: to start up a cleaning company, with a starting budget of £200. The team that makes the most profit wins (10 minutes)
Common themes Competition Character Story arcs and narrative Tasks Winners and losers
TASK In groups come up with a format for a reality TV series Your end presentation should be no longer than 20 minutes. Use the format grid as a guide Programme type – it should be factual entertainment
Task Come up with a reality show format It must be a show that can run across a period of weeks Must have entertainment value Think gameshow Could have a celebrity element What is the journey? The end?