All you need to do know is sell this idea to the Discovery Channel - "Southeast Metal Benders" vrs the "Cold Canadian Connectors" - couldn't be any less interesting than say Choppers or Monster Garage could it?
More like The Great Biker Buildoff, only better. And coming from me,
that’s saying a lot! For something like this I’d do something I
never would, otherwise - buy a pay-per-view!
James in SoFl
How about making this project a part of the annual auction. It
could be called “The Box Project”.
The donors would be individuals or dealers, each compiling a package
of materials, enough to complete a project with no specific end
product in mind.
The parameters would be that the items would all be packaged in a
sealed, uniform sized box, possibly labeled as to appropriate skill
level needed to use the materials within.
The boxes would be available to purchase as auction items, or at a
fixed price.
Purchasers would take the boxes home and make their item, then
donate the finished product to the auction the following year for
display and purchase.
Boxes of materials would be solicited each year, making this an
annual (and I think popular) ongoing and creative fundraiser.
Karen Olsen Ramsey
I like the title of “Junk Drawer Wars”! Lets keep this idea going.
It might have a future.
Chuck. “portray a specific concept”. Sounds kinky to me. You can be
in trouble now.
Bill Churlik
@Bill_Churlik
www.earthspeakarts.com
I have a friend who has done some writing for the Discovery Channel,
and I asked him who to contact about our “Iron Jeweler” project. He
contacted the production company he worked for, and received the
following reply, outlining the way we should contact the Discovery
Channel. (I think someone who has some real-world credibility ought
to
be the one to pitch this project- just my opinion.)
Janet Kofoed
From Warren Weidner of Grinning Dog Pictures:
While my contacts at DCI [Discovery Communications, Inc.] are
rusty--I would simply suggest your friends call the DCI
offices in Bethesda, MD. and ask for the name of and extension
for the V.P. of Programming Production and Development--and
possibly even an e-mail address [if they'd prefer to contact
them that way]. Then...what will [inevitably] happen is the
DCI V.P. (or their secretary--secretaries are usually the best
ones to "pump" for this type of info--will suggest they go
through the "standard procedure for submitting a program or
programming concept"--whatever that is these days! And a "kit"
will then be sent to your friends which details the format to
which their submission must conform, the neccessary elements
their pitch must contain, the number of pages it must be, etc.,
along with the address and contact where it mus t be sent.
This is virtually the only way DCI will accept submissions!
Now...they can ask the secretary when the next "review and
selection period" is--when DCI programming execs review and
consider any new submissions for air on their networks. This
info--if you can sweet-talk the "gatekeeper/secretary into
divulging it--will tell you when the best time(s) is/(are) to
get your concept in to the networks.
Another thing they may want to consider ahead of time is to
which DCI cable network their pitch is best-targetted (The
Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Animal Planet,
Discovery Kids, and any other new ones they now have which I
don't know...). A visit to www.discovery.com might be a good
place to start--as it will at least give them an overview of
the many varied channels/networks that fall under the Discovery
banner--along wi th a brief description (I think) of the
programming & content focus for each one.
The point here is, I guess, that if they're serious about
going through these motions they ought to do a considerable
amount of homework first, so they have a pretty good idea at
the start of where they want to begin their attack. Believe
me...this is the exact same process I go through each time.
No matter how many quality shows with record-breaking ratings
I've made for them, they always make me jump through the same
damned hoops over again each time. For awhile, at least, we'd
gotten to know the V.P. of Program Production and
Development--so we could at least "get-in" with a phone call.
But--that person left awhile back--and went to HG-TV to
develop their "how-to" line-up of shows--so I have no idea who
replaced her.This morning my friend’s contact at Grinning Dog Pictures sent me
this addendum to his e-mail from yesterday, a rather discouraging
note.
Janet Kofoed
After writing up and sending the previous info for your friends
I realised one very crucial distinction that I thought may not
be readily apparent from what I sent you--anyone can submit an
idea to DCI, but noone EVER receives any payment for it. Ideas
are a dime a dozen--maybe even a nickle a dozen by now, with
inflation. And if your friends intend (or hope) to make
anything for their idea--well, forget it! There are many
reasons why--but the primary one is no matter how unique, or
how utterly original, special or valuable you believe your
idea to be, there are always at least two or three proposals
submitted that are identical to yours[usually submitted at the
exact same time, too, oddly enough]. I've seen it happen over
and over again. And it happens to me, too, when I send-in
ideas. They'll say, "Nice pitch. We've got a show just like it
already in production. And--they're not kidding ! When I was
Executive Series Producer for one of their Global World
Premiere Science Series I saw an average of three or four
identical pitches come across my desk for every one that was
unique--and almost all of those submitted were concepts I had
already had in-the-works, myself, in the research and write-up
phase. What sets one pitch apart from another--even if they
are on the same topic--is the "treatment" of the topic...the
proposed look and feel of it...how it will play-out on-screen,
including its visual and audio production style. These are
what DCI looks for--not just a proposed program or series
topic! This point is extremely important!Dear Janet
Nice job on the contact procedure for Discovery Channel: I hope
somebody wil take it up. And BTW and as Discovery Channel is rather
an international Channel, why not try to suggest that the competition
be held simultaneously in a number of countries; - I could think of a
few Danes who would consider participating.
Niels Lovschal
from snowy, winterly Bornholm, Denmark, where the snow is pouring
down and blown into huge drifts and the local authorities stop
fighting the snow at 18.00 hours (Wonder if I can get out tomorrow)