Search form

Pitching and Networking at the BIG Shows

Many creator/producers and independent studios have found that recently a new path needs to be taken to get a show made. Instead of just looking at the domestic market, the international marketplace needs to be pursued in order to open up an entire new realm of possibilities.

Rob Davies of Atomic Cartoons feels it's imperative for small independent companies to network at festivals and marketplaces. All Atomic Cartoon images © Atomic Cartoons.

Rob Davies of Atomic Cartoons feels it's imperative for small independent companies to network at festivals and marketplaces. All Atomic Cartoon images © Atomic Cartoons.

Editor's Note: Independent studios have to be ingenious in order to bring work through the door. More and more frequently, depending solely on domestic broadcasters isn't going to work. Branching into international markets is a crucial move for many companies that now need to pull together a blend of service, production and co-production work. Rob Davies and three other artists banded together to form Atomic Cartoons, an independent studio in Vancouver, Canada that is making its way in the international animation arena. Now a regular at the markets, Rob sat down at October's MIPCOM and decided to write a few pointers for others as we head to New Orleans for NATPE 2003 and then back to Cannes in March for MIPTV.

Showing up is 80 per cent of life. —Woody Allen

Ever consider making your own cartoon? Well, if youre working in the animation field or even just a fan of animation, chances are the answer is Yes. If you are one of only a handful that has actually done it, then bravo, hats off to you. On the other side of the coin, if you are like the majority of people in the animation field, chances are you have not followed the dream of creating your own cartoon through to fruition. Or even attempted it. Thats a shame.

A large part of Atomic Cartoons' business plan revolves around pitching our show ideas and networking. I believe that a large part of our young companys success has been a result of our attendance at many different markets over the past four years. What could have been a much longer growing curve has been shortened substantially because we have been able to concentrate our efforts and really find and approach our target market at festivals and trade shows. Granted, everyones results from attending shows will be different from each other, but consistently making the trek to markets creates invaluable opportunities to meet key industry contacts. This is why I am so positive about the trade shows as a venue to showcase properties.

Atomic Betty is a project Atomic Cartoons has been pitching at markets and is inching toward a production deal.

Atomic Betty is a project Atomic Cartoons has been pitching at markets and is inching toward a production deal.

Trevor Bentley, Atomic Cartoons CEO and VP of co-productions, adds, While we pride ourselves as being one of the leading service studios around, in conjunction we are also striving to create our own proprietary properties. Having a participating presence at the trade shows is helping us to accomplish this goal.

Success from attendance comes in a variety of forms.

The first, and the ultimate in my mind, is having a network or large studio shake hands on your pitch. I personally equate much, if not the majority, of our proprietary series Atomic Bett ys successful green light to pitching at markets such as MIPCOM, MIPTV, NATPE and others like them over the past two years. It has been a long process that has paid off through the propertys exposure to the right people. Because we go to the dance, our chances of getting a date are much better than those folks who never go. A persons level of success will also depend on how organized he/she is prior to a market. Make sure to have all your ducks in a row. Have all your support materials organized and ready well ahead of time, and be prepared for any eventuality. A good plan is to have someone play the role of buyer with you before the trade show so that no questions catch you off guard. Beware: not being 100% clear on your idea is a quick way to be shown the door.

Blair Peters of the highly successful Studio B Productions suggests that sellers research potential partners thoroughly before pitching them on a new project. Photo credit: Cindy Obermiller.

Blair Peters of the highly successful Studio B Productions suggests that sellers research potential partners thoroughly before pitching them on a new project. Photo credit: Cindy Obermiller.

The second benefit for us from traveling to venues has been networking. It has become increasingly difficult to sell a show directly to large North American networks these days. A straight one-on-one deal is almost unheard of in todays competitive, cash-poor animation climate. International co-productions and multi-partner relationships are now a very common way to bypass the old way of getting a show on the air. Finding the right partnerships has become one of the biggest reasons for our participation at trade shows. As well as meeting representatives from international broadcasters at the markets, we are also gaining access to potential co-production and strategic alliance partners, which are also a key factor to many a shows successful birth.

Another positive from attending markets has been for us to get feedback on our premises and ideas. We use this in our development process to either fine-tune or scrap our pitches before taking them to the next level. Both positive and negative industry feedback is essential to the creative development of a show. However, I do strongly recommend taking some advice with a grain of salt, as you want to be sure you are not watering down your original ideas in the hopes of pleasing everybody. If you want to create a property with originality and a unique edge, you have to realize that ultimately your show cannot be everything to everybody.

The knowledge gained from feedback helps us to determine if an idea is a keeper or not. Truth be told, we have more failures than successes, but the process is much like investing. If the development of a show is regulated by some kind of system that incorporates industry feedback and data, it stands to reason that it will become less of a gamble and have a better chance of success. We find that although it is disappointing for us to hear that an idea of ours is not working or is just not a commodity at the time, its better that we find this out earlier in the process rather than later. Ive seen people go to a lot of trouble and expense bringing their property to an advanced state, only to fail during their pitch, proving that spending a lot of money and time on a weak idea will not polish a lump of coal into a gem. One group I saw last year had an entire pilot episode of a show fully animated, complete with top voice talent and music, only to see it fall flat because nobody wanted it. In my experience, it is much better, and easier on the pocketbook and blood pressure, to find this valuable information out at the one-sheet stage and then moving the project forward only if it warrants further development based on industry interest.

Dog in a Box with 2 Wheels is currently an Internet co-production between Atomic Cartoons and Honkworm, which will be pitched as a TV show at NATPE and MIP.

Dog in a Box with 2 Wheels is currently an Internet co-production between Atomic Cartoons and Honkworm, which will be pitched as a TV show at NATPE and MIP.

Look at the markets as a learning experience, as education, suggests Trevor Bentley of Atomic Cartoons. Worse case scenario: If you get nothing else out of a market but a little more knowledge and insight than what you had before, you come out ahead and can use this information in your pitch for next time. He goes on to add, "It sounds cliché, but generally the positive results you get out of a show are directly related to the amount of energy you put into them. If you just show up expecting stellar results without being prepared, you will be sadly mistaken. We may not have the large budget of some of the big players, but we compensate through attention to detail and preparedness. We spend a lot of time putting together our support materials and lining up meetings well in advance.

Other than following the trades (magazines and Websites), there is no better way to see what is going on in the industry, good, bad or otherwise, than by attending a large trade show. We go to the markets to see where things are at and where they are headed. As with feedback, one has to be cautious as to not read too much into everything others are doing. Take others creations and direction with a grain of salt as well and do not interpret all that you see at a market as what is expected in the industry. Believe me, if you have never attended a market before, I can tell you there are a lot of poor ideas on display there (as well as many good properties, dont get me wrong) and in my opinion this is all the more reason for creative independents and studios to show up with their good materials.

Four BIG Misconceptions

All too often good ideas go unnoticed. Creativity is not explored fully. Plans and schemes fall through. Potential goes unrealized. Why? Well, lets first look at some of the common misconceptions that people have and try to clear them up:

1. If I show somebody my idea/premise/pitch they will steal it, Ill get ripped off, and end up with nothing.

Sure, it could happen, but life involves risk. If you are second-guessing showing your idea to a producer or broadcaster, ask yourself how you think other people got their ideas onto the air. Obviously someone who makes decisions at the executive level had to see the idea at some point. If you have an idea, nobody is going to knock on your door and say a little bird told them about it. You will have to do the legwork and present your concept to someone at some time. The best thing to do is protect yourself by employing an experienced entertainment lawyer as soon as your project is at a stage where you start showing it to people. Good legal council from the get-go is always a good plan. Many people who have been burned by someone stealing their concepts have had absolutely no recourse because their bases were not properly covered. Legal counsel is a form of insurance against this piracy. Of course, nothing is ever fully guaranteed. In animation, as in any artistic endeavor, there will always be ideas that are similar and are developed around the same time as each other, but an artist has to move forward with their project or not at all, and legal protection is at least a little peace of mind.

2. I cant compete against the big guys in the pitching arena.

Not true. Having a great idea is only half the battle, but it's a terrific start to approaching broadcasters on a level playing field. For now, lets say you have that idea. What additional firepower do you need to compete with the big guys? The next thing you need to do is research your audience. Who is the show targeted at? What age group? Boys or girls, or maybe both? Most broadcasters want you to know exactly what your target demographic is, so take the time to really think this part of your pitch through.

Dave Warren, founder of channelzero, recommends that new sellers to the marketplace try to create trends instead of following others' leads. Photo credit: Frank Longford, Studio2 Productions, Santa Ana, CA.

Dave Warren, founder of channelzero, recommends that new sellers to the marketplace try to create trends instead of following others' leads. Photo credit: Frank Longford, Studio2 Productions, Santa Ana, CA.

The next weapon in your arsenal is knowing who the person is you are pitching directly to and what their company is about. You wouldnt want to pitch a series about buxom latex-clad prisoners that escape from a secret underground gladiator arena (Gladiatrix Slave Babes from Middle-Earth © 2003 Puddin n Pie Films) to Disney, just like you wouldnt want to pitch Huggly Wuggly Purply Bunny Pals © 2003, Monty Krueller to HBO or MTV. Knowing who both the audience at home is and who the broadcaster you are pitching to is essential information to have for getting the attention and results you are looking for.

Blair Peters of Studio B Productions in Vancouver says, Put the time and effort into your creative materials and know who you're pitching. Do your research. Potential partners' Websites, broadcasters current slates, etc. are invaluable information tools. With regards to Studio B targeting their pitches, Peters goes on to say, We look at our slate on a property by property basis and determine who the best partners (broadcasters/co-producers) will be and take next steps from there. Studio B Productions is one of the many studios that has found success at industry shows over the past ten years. Studio B has made the jump from service-only to proprietary production and has successfully produced over 100 half-hours of their own series over the past five years. Much of their ability to produce proprietary product comes from pre-sales generated at markets and from meeting the right co-production partners and distributors there.

Mike Kubat of Duck, You Sucker! Productions is currently pitching Chicken Rad, the story of a brave and heroic chicken, who stands up to a tyrannical general in a futuristic America that's become a blighted wasteland. © 2003 Duck, You Suc

Mike Kubat of Duck, You Sucker! Productions is currently pitching Chicken Rad, the story of a brave and heroic chicken, who stands up to a tyrannical general in a futuristic America that's become a blighted wasteland. © 2003 Duck, You Suc

Mike Kubat, animation writer and owner of Duck, You Sucker! Productions in Los Angeles, suggests: Do your homework! Know whos going to be there. What people, what networks, what studios. Anyone you know? Make sure you specifically hit that person. Lie, cheat, steal, what have you, just bring your best stuff because you may actually have to impress somebody Kubat goes on to say, Staying current is as easy as picking up a trade or checking out AWN or Animation Magazine s daily emails. Its important to keep informed of whats going on and whos doing what because youll be surprised how many people you know are in those articles and just knowing them opens up opportunities you didnt think about before.

Executives at markets are busy people. Their time is typically tight, and they generally have a full day of meetings lined up back-to-back for the duration of a show. This being the case, dont assume that you will squeeze in a meeting on the spot; ideally you should have the meeting scheduled before the market. It is incredibly important to have your meetings lined up at least two weeks prior. Any last minute attempts to line up a meeting and you run the risk of having the contact persons schedule already full up. We start organizing our calendar a month and a half before any show, says Atomics Trevor Bentley. Even if the person is not ready to commit to a time, we quickly find out if they are going or not and break the ice that we are wishing to meet with them there. This way it is not a surprise when we contact them again for a meeting closer to the show date.

SoSophie, described by creator Dave Warren as

SoSophie, described by creator Dave Warren as "The Simpsons meet The Dukes of Hazzard," is making the rounds to buyers for financing. © 2003 channelzero. All rights reserved.

Most trade shows have a list of companies that are registered for the market. If you can, try to have yourself signed up well in advance so that you can gain access to the shows contact list. Most trade show directories have company contact peoples names, phone numbers and emails listed, but you cannot get to this information until you have registered. You also want your name in the directory well in advance, in case someone is wishing to set up a meeting with participants who offer your type of services. A special bonus to signing up early is that most trade shows, festivals and summits offer a discount for early registration.

Channelzero founder and creator of SoSophie, Dave Warren, a relative but extremely motivated newcomer to the international market scene, offers up his insight to other people who also want to participate in the pitching frenzy of the trade shows: Dont follow trends, create one. Dress and act like a professional if you expect to be treated like one. Animators can be their own worst enemy. If youre lucky enough to get a meeting to pitch your idea, dont show up in clothes that look like you slept in them the night before.

Trevor Bentley, Atomic Cartoons CEO and VP of co-productions, suggests sellers dress professionally, prepare their pitch thoroughly and set up meetings times well in advance.

Trevor Bentley, Atomic Cartoons CEO and VP of co-productions, suggests sellers dress professionally, prepare their pitch thoroughly and set up meetings times well in advance.

Trevor Bentley reinforces this notion, "If you are a newbie to a trade show it is important that you dont come off like one. Part of a professional presentation at a big-time event is having a professional dress code. It is especially helpful for those who are just making the difficult leap from artist-for-hire to content creator and producer. Sure, Id rather show up in jeans and a T-shirt myself, but its not about me. Unlike a trip to a ballgame, the whole reason for being at a market is personal presentation and delivery. What executive is going to take you or your project seriously if you look like a bum? The last thing I want is to have someone negatively judging my appearance even before theyve seen what I have to offer. By the time the pitch comes around, the damage is already done.

At one show, Bentley recalls, "In an effort to shake the casual artist stereotype, three of us from Atomic showed up on the morning of the first day dressed in almost exactly the same sport coat as each other. Without knowing beforehand what jackets each of us had, we ended up looking like we had tweed Atomic Cartoons uniforms. The only thing missing was nametags. We joked that we looked like real estate agents, but at least we were professional in our appearance.

3. "Its just too costly to get to the shows!

Well, it does cost money, but consider the networking possibilities at a trade show or festival. Where are you going to get such a concentration of key people outside of that environment? Shaking hands and meeting face to face with people may not have direct results, but it sets up potential long-term relationships with top people and decision makers.

Mike Kubat understands the financial pitfalls of attending the markets, but has a few ways of dealing with this issue proactively: Depending on your size (and your juice for that matter), I think local markets are the best to start out at, just until you network and build your repertoire enough to join into the big leagues (MIPCOM for instance). Not everyone can afford airfare to France, especially the independents

D'Myna Leagues is a baseball flavored 2D/3D animation blend series appearing on the CTV and YTV networks in Canada. © Studio B Productions 2002.

D'Myna Leagues is a baseball flavored 2D/3D animation blend series appearing on the CTV and YTV networks in Canada. © Studio B Productions 2002.

Okay, so your materials are prepared, youve got your pitches targeted at the right people, now the next thing youll need to address is the funding for attending the market. If you are like most people (individuals/independents) who dont have deep pockets or a giant studio behind them, you may have to decide on whether or not you really need to lease that new car this year, that maybe the personal loan for the business endeavor is a better option. Besides loans, some countries also offer funding programs for small businesses and individuals. Look into these by accessing the appropriate government Website. Venture capitalists are another route, but really a tough sell after the dot-com bust of the past couple of years. One cost saving route is to run expenses through a registered company. This way, more expenses can be accounted for and used as tax write-offs at years end. Avoid paying for anything with personal out-of-pocket money. This can make the pennies stretch further. Eating macaroni and cheese for a year to finance a venture is a reality for many people looking to fund their own travel and marketing expenses, but thats part of the cost of making your own show. Blair Peters stresses, Be passionate about your creatives and believe they deserve to be made."

The beauty of getting a pick-up for a show is that you can work your development and travel costs into the budget and it will come back to you off the back-end, but obviously only if the series is picked-up. A gamble, yes, but if you have a good idea and a good presentation, and if you show up to a trade show, the odds are in your favor. Why? The simple fact is, not many independents actually attend the markets. So, by sheer default, you are already in a better position than the person who didnt make the show.

Trevor Bentley suggests to start saving early for a show if you are on a tight budget. Be realistic. If you cant afford to go this year, shoot for next year. This will also give you time to prepare all your materials and be totally ready for the big market. Maybe you only go to one market a year, but if you pick the one that is right for you, it is a terrific way to get your feet wet. We are not a huge studio, but we make a point of setting aside a certain percentage of profit to pay for our market participation. Like advertising, it comes under the heading of marketing for us. Im always miffed that more start-ups and small studios dont show up to the markets. Seems obvious that if you want to meet prospective clients and partners, a trade show is the place to bebut perhaps its not that obvious. Maybe they [trade shows] just seem inaccessible to most individuals and small companies.

Dave Warren emphasizes, Networking is key to success. The sharing of information is crucial to knowing whats selling and who is buying. Knowledge is power and the more you know the more youll grow. This is especially true for the independents. Besides, a sense of community makes the difficult task of selling a show much easier when you realize that you are not alone in the universe. In my opinion this is something sorely lacking in the American independent animation community.

Linda Simensky feels trade shows are difficult places to effectively pitch a creative idea. She advises sellers to keep it simple when it comes to presenting projects in distracting situations. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network.

Linda Simensky feels trade shows are difficult places to effectively pitch a creative idea. She advises sellers to keep it simple when it comes to presenting projects in distracting situations. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network.

Warren goes on to say that, They [trade shows/markets] are an excellent opportunity to present your idea to a concentrated group of industry professionals. A few days of hard work at a market can equal months of similar work outside of that forum.

Bottom line: If nobody knows who you are or sees your work, then it will be darn near impossible to get that idea off the launch pad. If a person in todays stingy entertainment environment really wants to get their name and face out there in the international industry and receive the attention that they desire, perhaps the question should be, Can you afford not to attend these shows?

4. There are disadvantages to pitching at the markets.

All things positive about the markets aside, Linda Simensky, senior vice president of original animation at Cartoon Network, has a slightly different view of the market scene, stating that trade shows tend to be more business oriented and therefore may not be the best environments for pitching. She adds that Cartoon Network does not typically send development people to the markets. This is good advice, as meetings at these events are generally 15 to 30 minutes long at best and it can be a challenge to generate the maximum effect from a pitch. She advises that a simple pitch pack is best, concise and to the point, and subscribes to the K.I.S. (Keep it simple) philosophy. She points out that really looking at the characters, having a basic but solid idea, a strong one-line hook for the show, and a well defined one-sheet are all very important elements for a pitch. Simensky also says that Cartoon Network typically deals with people who dont normally attend trade shows, primarily small companies and artists. These creative folk generally cant afford to make the markets or dont see a need to, and approaching a network such as Cartoon Network directly does have its advantages, provided you know who the right development executives at the networks to approach are. Simensky notes that the Ottawa Film Festival, which she has been a supporter of, has an actual pitch session. A terrific article "Pitching Perfect: A Word From Development" on pitching by Heather Kenyon cites tips from Simensky and others.

Another prominent Canadian market, The Banff Television Festival, also has a pitch session attended by many key decision makers from international networks and studios.

"Markets are a bad place to pitch your idea, but a good place to pitch yourself so youre in a better position to pitch your idea when you both sober up enough to go back to work. Thats been my success, at least. Its important to understand that they are looking at many different properties in a short amount of time, so to me, its better to make a friend and then talk business later, but show them enough that they know youre not talking out of your ass, says Mike Kubat on the subject of the negative aspects of pitching at a trade show.

Atomic Cartoons unveiled its new property, The Carneys in October 2002 at MIP. Currently, a pilot script and an animated trailer are being prepared for MIPTV.

Atomic Cartoons unveiled its new property, The Carneys in October 2002 at MIP. Currently, a pilot script and an animated trailer are being prepared for MIPTV.

Dave Warren also believes that the markets and festivals are not the only place to pitch and cites going directly to the networks, film festivals, the Internet as market alternatives for pitching and networking.

To improve the trade show environment for pitching and to make it more independent-friendly, Warren suggests: How about kiosks at the markets that allow everyone with a show to sell to put a preview of their property up there? This could be tied into a Website specifically set up for this purpose, along with a messaging system to allow interested parties to hook up. This would create more opportunities and waste less time. Not a bad plan; trade show planners take note.

Improvement from Within

The current state of animation, with all the cutbacks and its hunger for lower and lower production budgets, is making it extremely challenging for artists and writers to create and express themselves freely. This is not a particularly good breeding ground for the next great cartoon. Perhaps if more creative types showed up to the markets, and if executives were more receptive to unsolicited pitches, this kind of exchange of new ideas and concepts might produce more spontaneous and sincere properties.

Sometimes it's better to make friendly contact with a buyer at a market and then follow up afterward with your pitch, advises Mike Kubat. Photo courtesy of Duck, You Sucker! Productions.

Sometimes it's better to make friendly contact with a buyer at a market and then follow up afterward with your pitch, advises Mike Kubat. Photo courtesy of Duck, You Sucker! Productions.

I dont feel its the markets responsibility to improve the animation industry, says Dave Warren. The markets are a forum open to anyone with a good idea and the willingness to do the work necessary to bring it to fruition. Improving the current state of the animation is up to those individuals who are passionate about their craft and willing to do something about it. Sitting in a cubicle complaining about how bad things are isnt going to change things. Change requires action and action speaks louder than words.

A wiser man than me once said, Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it. So, when making the big decision to brave the trade show circuit, use your common sense. Remember, no amount of money or smoke and mirrors can cover up a bad idea or presentation. Before you make the commitment to become part of the market scene, be honest with yourself and be sure you have all the right goods to make a sale. As well, the importance of being properly prepared for a trade show, in order to get the desired results, should once again be stressed. Another fitting quote on the subject of success comes from Secretary of State, U.S. General Colin L. Powell: There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Be aware too that all creative endeavors are at the mercy of others criticism, so there is never really any guaranteed success.

On a closing note, keep in mind that there will always be a need for fresh, new content. Whether to pitch and/or network at the big shows ultimately comes down to personal opinion and circumstance. If you have an idea you feel strongly about, all you have to do is decide what you want to do with it. Good luck out there and no matter what, stay positive, believe in your shows, and yourself.

Rob Davies is an Emmy award-winning director, co-founder and VP of business development of Vancouvers Atomic Cartoons, and president of the Association of British Columbia Animation Producers. Creator credits include Atomic Betty, Dog in a Box with 2 Wheels, Dysfunction Junction, and Dirty Lil Baster.

Tags