Good article over at Hollywood Reporter on pilot season today.
My favorite quote:
But as broadcast execs begin scrutinizing tapes of each project, here's something to keep in mind: Pilots don't get series orders on creative merit alone. A complex web of factors dictate their desirability, and none of them is more important than the scheduling needs of each network for the fall and beyond.
Link: 2006-07 pilots
7 comments:
Here's hoping that they get smart and screen all of the pilots online so people can vote FROM ALL OVER AND NOT JUST SOME SF VALLEY FOCUS GROUP, and they get some honest feedback.
But hey, that would mean they would have to think about that sort of thing.
Hmm...that sounds very much like an interesting new business proposal.
www.pilotyourpilot.com
Here at "Pilot Your Pilot.com" we provide server space for 10 pilots a day taking votes from viewers as to which they would like to see aired. At the end of each day we retain the highest vote receiver and load 9 new episodes. When an episode wins votes for 10 consecutive days, we pick up the show on the "You Asked For It" Network.
Or something to that effect.
I love this idea. I doubt the networks will do it this season, but I do think they should start thinking in these directions. Further, when a pull a show from the schedule, they should offer the unaired shows on iTunes or some other service. I bet they'd at least make some of the production budget back.
You have no idea how many hits this blog gets from people looking to see if certain shows are cancelled. If a show even has several thousand fans willing to pay 2 bucks to download episodes of a cancelled series, it could be profitable.
But then, at some point, we're entering the brave new world of VOD, where the network might not even be needed...
It's not that brave nor is it that new. It's the usher tearing your ticket in half...
but in a new theater.
Read in Variety today that Cheng is supposedly walking around the Mouse House "reassuring" everyone in Television about their new online program.
Just tell sales they will have more opportunities to sell advertising space. People will get all the "reassurance" they need.
Product endorsement heaven. Pay $2.00 to watch "Desperate Anatomy" with product endorsements, or pay nothing to watch it after a 30 second BMW spot. Not a bad deal if the spot is entertaining.
If they'd made the never-aired GLOBAL FREQUENCY pilot available for a buck or two, I bet they could've recouped a good chunk of its production budget.
Thought you might like to read my article on the subject.
(This isn't comment spam... I have you on my Rojo and noticed you'd blogged about something I'd too blogged about, so thought I'd share.)
;)
Cheers,
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