A network picks up a show based on its pilot. And pilots generally do cost way more than an episode does. So you can do more in a pilot. You have more time to shoot it, and usually some fancy-pants director. Then, if you're unlucky (and you probably will be), this happens:Again, for Canadian readers above, you probably have to swap in the Production Co. (No studios, remember...) saying that they really, really need to get the CTF envelope if they're going to make the show, and they probably need to shoot in Wingnut, Alberta for the extra tax credits -- and the Network correspondingly will probably come back and say that, Okay, then they can reduce their license fee to only 15% of the budget, for which they want a cut of the Itunes sales and streaming forever, and free webisodes, and hey, they've cleared a great timeslot for you -- Saturday night at 10pm, starting in July!
NETWORK: Whoa. This shit looks GREAT! We want that every week. Here's your licensing fee.
STUDIO: Hmmm. That fee translates to a budget that's a fraction of what we spent on the pilot. Hope you like interiors.
NETWORK: Hey, where are the fucking car chases? Don't you have a crane?
STUDIO: Crane? Please. Do you know how much we'd charge the show for that?
NETWORK: We bought a show with car chases and exteriors.
STUDIO: Give us a higher license fee, if you're so up in our kitchen about it.
NETWORK: No. Make the show cheaper.
The studio fires a bunch of writers.
NETWORK: Still not seeing our crane. Figure out how to make our show or we'll cancel you.
STUDIO: Go ahead. Our only investment in this show is monetary anyway. We're already moving onto development.
WRITERS, ACTORS AND CREW: Um, guys? Hi, remember us? We're all working our asses off to make this show as best we can. A little help, maybe?
NETWORK AND STUDIO: Fuck you. You're canceled.
Of course, with the change at NBC, this conversation will be a lot creepier because there's only one executive. Will he be angry with himself for not giving the show a higher licensing fee? Will he also be angry because the budget's too high? Will he go all Travis Bickle in the mirror? We'll never know.
Awesome stuff. I'm going to go eat my sleeve now.
7 comments:
I dunno about "Wingnut, Alberta", although I have relatives in assorted cities out there whom I think would love to partake in a film shoot someday. And I still miss Tom Stone, the Rockford of Calgary. That was Fun TV.
Still...yeah, if that conversation happens as imagined...weirdness.
*splorfle* And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I haven't quite brought myself to watch actual episodes of Leverage yet. 'Cause I thought I'd seen pilots that looked blaringly like movies in my time, but DAYum. (Not to mention first unit in recognizable Chi locations; I'll be pleasantly shocked if that continues past the pilot. At least Swayze loves us.) I'm sure they're perfectly capable of making a smaller show equally worth watching. I'm less sure the network will let them.
(Have some balsamic vinegar for that sleeve. Makes practically anything edible.)
I think the Leverage location shooting issue's been discussed elsewhere...?
Dwight - I figured it had been; just hadn't had a chance to hunt for where. Thanks for the link!
Especially since if hubby knew about Waid's involvement, he hasn't mentioned it to me. Which, considering the large autographed Kingdom Come poster in our living room, is a bit odd. (I've only watched the pilot once, and almost never read any credits on one because my brain is too busy orienting itself in the story, so I hadn't noticed his name myself.)
Also, given where TNT's success lies at the moment, I should give them more benefit of the doubt on the letting-the-creatives-make-that-smaller-but-hella-cool-show front.
And, er, never mind. Am an idiot. Had to go back to notice that three people write that blog. D'oh!
No worries. Seeing as you noticed within minutes if not seconds...your self-accusation of "idiocy" cannot stand.
Hey, that's a pretty scary view of the TV industry. I hope my pilot gets the green light and then makes it past go (and has enough money in the budget to shoot in exotic locales...I need to work on my tan, after all!)
A Toronto-based production co. has optioned the rights to my book based on my career-ending blog, Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant. If anyone has a moment, could you please take a peek at my blog and give me some feedback on my pilot outline?
Many thanks!
-Ellen aka the blogger formerly known as "Queen of Sky"
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