What is packaging, and do you need it? Will a network really only look at a packaged project? Today, BLAKE & WANG P.A demystify this common term, and take a closer look at everything you need to know about the world of packaging.
What is packaging?
Simply put, packaging (in the feature film/TV series context) is when your project-in-development already had one or more well-known performers attached to the project before you pitch it. Potentially, this can also be a famous director or other notable parties. The packaged project will typically be between script and pre-production at the point it’s packaged. The idea can seem intimidating on paper, but it’s more than doable, even for indie productions. Indeed, as the entertainment lawyer Los Angeles trusts with its pitches, our very own Brandon Blake has been helping clients package projects successfully for many years now.
Why you would want (and need) to package your project
That’s all well and good, but why would you want to be packaged? Many screenwriters feel like a great pitch package and pilot script will sell itself. Maybe that should be the case. In truth, however, it’s the packaged projects that will get the majority of studio or production company attention. The studio has many reasons for doing this, and most of these make good business sense. Despite there being some push-back against packaging currently, it’s a model that does make sense.
Getting performers, especially A-list, attached to a project takes time, and time burns money out of a project. While all actors and actresses look for different things in projects, the A-list typically wants to either play a heroic role, or one which will gain audience empathy. They want to be portrayed attractively, and they want a story with life and potential. If the role is low-paying, like a typical indie film, they will also want to know their name will be tied to a film with solid potential for good reviews and a strong festival run. Lastly, they may be looking for specific, idiosyncratic things they want to experiment with-for example, Brandon Blake once managed to source a project for a star who wanted to try a Western, despite a strong Irish accent!
The studio, packaging and you
That’s a lot to manage. Seeing that someone ‘important’ likes a script/concept before they get involved tells a studio that the project is potentially viable before they get involved. Maybe a studio development exec is nervous to put a script from an untried source to their boss, in case the idea falls flat. Having a major name attached to a project in this way makes it feel so much more comfortable to put in front of them.
Fair? Perhaps not entirely, but you can’t deny it makes economic sense. Packaging creates a more attractive ‘package’ of your pilot script and pitch, giving the studio the added perception of security that weighty names can lend to the project, and encourages them to take a chance on indie developers and projects that may otherwise seem too risky.
The documentation of your attachment will be particularly important if you’re looking to produce a TV series, even more so for Reality TV. Attaching performers, or a celebrity host, may even be the most important factor needed to get eyes on the project.
While packaging has sometimes created backlash that agents and managers are ‘getting in the way’ of development, it’s been our experience at BLAKE & WANG P.A that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Agents and managers can get excited about projects the talent declines. You can certainly expect it to be them driving the decision about whether they wish to attach to your project or not with confidence.
It’s highly unlikely that most agencies or management companies will accept your approach without representation from one of the trusted entertainment law firms. San Francisco, L.A or New York, BLAKE & WANG P.A has helped producers successfully package their productions, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
As always, we present these articles for information purposes only, and you should always consult an experienced entertainment lawyer before acting on any complex legal matters.
Film and Television 