Pilot fees?

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  • Pilot fees?

    Hi guys,

    Long story short I have a big TV prodco really interested in a series pitch of mine. They've read a writing sample and liked that too. There's no pilot yet, and next week we will be discussing specifics.

    Just wondering what to expect. Will they ask me to write the pilot on spec? I know that happens a lot but I also know a lot of times they will contract the writer to write the pilot. My thinking is if I were to write it on spec I could take it somewhere else potentially.

    Has anyone had experience with this? I don't want to damage the deal but I'd really prefer to take a small fee for writing it so I can make it my primary focus.

    I'm totally new to the TV world so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

  • #2
    Re: Pilot fees?

    I'm relatively new to tv. Jeff knows 100 times more than me.

    But here's what I've got...

    The fees would be guild.

    The prod/co will likely do an "if come" deal. You will see some amazing numbers in there. You will hope to Jesus that you sell the show. It's a deal that basically says, "if we sell this project, you will be paid this much." Gets the negotiating out of the way in advance.

    There is a good chance that you will take it to networks as a pitch. If you sell it to them, obviously you get paid to write it.

    Seems like it'd be a waste of time to have you spec it before knowing what a network's input is gonna be.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Pilot fees?

      Originally posted by BattleDolphinZero View Post
      I'm relatively new to tv. Jeff knows 100 times more than me.

      But here's what I've got...

      The fees would be guild.

      The prod/co will likely do an "if come" deal. You will see some amazing numbers in there. You will hope to Jesus that you sell the show. It's a deal that basically says, "if we sell this project, you will be paid this much." Gets the negotiating out of the way in advance.

      There is a good chance that you will take it to networks as a pitch. If you sell it to them, obviously you get paid to write it.

      Seems like it'd be a waste of time to have you spec it before knowing what a network's input is gonna be.
      How AMAZING are we talking in terms of numbers? Because my pilot is out to a ****-ton of TV co's (hbo, showtime, amc, on and on...) at the moment and I'd love to be harboring that little flame of "oh god please let this happen" desire for a bit longer before the inevitable passes start rolling in

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Pilot fees?

        Well, the cables are not guild as far as I know, but cable numbers are damn good numbers. I'm not gonna get into specifics but my deals, because I'm new to tv, are probably not far off from what yours will be...you will be happy.

        Unless you're making a lot of money now.

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        • #5
          Re: Pilot fees?

          Originally posted by BattleDolphinZero View Post
          Well, the cables are not guild as far as I know, but cable numbers are damn good numbers. I'm not gonna get into specifics but my deals, because I'm new to tv, are probably not far off from what yours will be...you will be happy.

          Unless you're making a lot of money now.
          I'm not.

          But then again I only work about 100 hours a month and all my bills are covered so who's complaining?

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          • #6
            Re: Pilot fees?

            Do brand new writers sell pilots the way they sell specs? I never read much about that kind of thing.

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            • #7
              Re: Pilot fees?

              Originally posted by Gillyflower Cooms View Post
              Do brand new writers sell pilots the way they sell specs? I never read much about that kind of thing.
              My understanding is that it's very difficult. The stories I know of where they did get something on the studio radar was that it was an option and they wound up getting staffed on another show and their pilot was never made, but down the road they wound up being a showrunner for another show so it worked out but they had to prove they could write consistently before the network would go out on a limb for them.

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              • #8
                Re: Pilot fees?

                Hard to say without more details.

                Rare that a company would just hire you to write it. More likely, you'd go out and pitch it. If you didn't sell it as a pitch, MAYBE they'll hire you to write it... But unlikely.

                Usually no payday without selling it.

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                • #9
                  Re: Pilot fees?

                  Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                  Rare that a company would just hire you to write it. More likely, you'd go out and pitch it. If you didn't sell it as a pitch, MAYBE they'll hire you to write it... But unlikely.
                  Exactly right.

                  And get your reps to resist an "if/come" deal if it is proposed. It benefits everyone with you by attempting to make you negotiate at a time when you have no leverage.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Pilot fees?

                    Originally posted by HomerS3 View Post
                    Exactly right.

                    And get your reps to resist an "if/come" deal if it is proposed. It benefits everyone with you by attempting to make you negotiate at a time when you have no leverage.
                    Disagree.

                    If/comes are standard. Don't wanna advise people on stuff that's gonna explode their project.

                    OP will get an if/come and the OP will like it!

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                    • #11
                      Re: Pilot fees?

                      Originally posted by BattleDolphinZero View Post
                      Disagree.

                      If/comes are standard. Don't wanna advise people on stuff that's gonna explode their project.

                      OP will get an if/come and the OP will like it!
                      I've never signed one on the various pitches I've developed. Maybe my agent's more of a hardass than I give him credit for!

                      But clearly, if it's a dealbreaker for them, sign it and say "thank you sir, may I have another?"

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                      • #12
                        Re: Pilot fees?

                        Thanks to all, great info here.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Pilot fees?

                          I agree with BattleDolphinZero. I think if-comes are standard once a studio gets on board. No paperwork when you're just developing with production companies since they are not the buyers.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Pilot fees?

                            I've been in development twice in the past year with two different production companies.

                            My advice to you would be to go ahead and write the pilot now because (at least in my experience) the first thing they're going to want to do is set you up with a showrunner before they take it anywhere. You're going to want as much of your voice in it as possible before they bring it to the table.

                            When you're an "unseasoned writer- in television, it seems to take forever before any money lands on the table. I've found that it isn't an option until a network gets involved.

                            Unfortunately for me, both deals fell apart because the development exec in charge left the company before we took it out to pitch. (My bad luck).

                            Fortunately for me, since I came in with a concept and pilot already written, I'm free to have my manager take it elsewhere and hopefully get it back on track.
                            If it weren't for people like me, people like you would have nothing to talk about.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Pilot fees?

                              I'm a newbie also so my experience is extremely limited. But it's pretty much what Tazak said.

                              We have talent and a producer with a big swing arm attached. But the missing ingredient (for a writer with no track record in TV or features) is a showrunner to carry it. It's hard getting a showrunner to run with someone else's idea since, more than likely, they have their own projects they want to do. I think getting a partner of a big-3 agency to carry it is another option before going to buyers.

                              I think it's tough for a newbie to get these sorts of people attached on pitch alone, so I'm guessing more than likely you'll be asked to spec the pilot and write a bible. But I've been told that if you do sell your show like this and it goes to season, you would have leapfrogged so many traditional years/steps to get to where you are.

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