Packaging is a critical part of shopping projects to networks and studios. While this fact has its critics, it’s worth putting that aside if you’re keen to get your indie film or TV production in front of eyes from the top studios. Indeed, smart packaging can be a considerable boon to the indie producer, elevating your pitch to the right level to attract bigger interest then you may have thought possible. Today BLAKE & WANG P.A take a closer look at why packaging works, and how to make it work for you.
The ins-and-outs of packaging
The term may sound mysterious, but the concept is simple. You ‘attach’ an A-list celebrity (or three), and possibly a major director or other notable crew, to your project-in-development before you pitch it to the studios.
In other words, you ‘package’ some big name stars up with your work to make it more attractive to the development execs you’re pitching to. Typically this is done between script and pre-production. The question you’re probably asking, however, is why you would do this. You have a killer pilot script and a great pitch package, do you need all that extra work?
The answer is yes, you do. Packaged projects are getting the bulk, if not all, the attention from studios and production companies currently. It’s not being arbitrarily done, either-there’s sound business logic behind the packaging model.
Why studios love packaged projects
Seeking out performers, especially quality A-list performers, takes time. It’s also not always easy to sell a project to a top-class performer. Of course, each actor or actress is unique, and some can even have unusual things they’re looking for in a project. As the entertainment lawyer San Francisco trusts most, Brandon Blake even once had to find an interesting Western for an actor with a thick Irish accent, as he wasn’t interested in accepting any other work!
Yet there are some generalities that hold true. The A-list wants to play the hero, or at the very least a character it’s easy to have empathy for. They want to be attractive, and have a meaty story to bite into. If you’re not bringing their usual salary to the table, then there had best also be potential for a great run in the festival scene and stellar reviews.
Does that already sound intimidating? It’s no less work for the studio, either! Imagine being a newer development exec with a script to take forward to the bosses. Wouldn’t having a major name already interested and committed make that pitch less intimidating? Seeing‘ important’ names approving a script or concept before they get involved gives the studio added confidence in the appeal of the project overall-and it’s potential to become a money-earning finished project and not die in development hell.
What documentation your packaged project needs
Of course, the studio isn’t just going to take your word for it. You will need to document the attachment of your prime cast to the project. This will vary slightly, depending on if you are creating a TV series or feature film. In TV development, especially for reality TV, the attachment of a performer or celebrity host is even more important-perhaps even the single most important factor.
While managers and agents are often blamed for ‘getting in the way’ of development, Brandon Blake’s experience has been otherwise. The talent makes the decisions, no matter how excited a manager or agent may be about a variety of projects.
For sure, however, you will need the assistance of one of the top entertainment law firms. Los Angeles can be a crowded place, and most agencies and management companies will require producers to be represented by either an entertainment lawyer or an agent. Luckily, BLAKE & WANG P.A has the experience to help you get your film or TV project packaged today. This article is, of course, provided as information only, and should not be assumed to replace qualified legal counsel at any time.
Film and Television 