Hello Everybody,
I've been developing an animated series for over a year now and finally feel it ready to pitch. I have a team of 5 animators in place, 4 writers, and an entire cast of voice actors. I have 6 questions that I need answered so if anybody can help me I would much appreciate it.
1. How have successful animations been pitched in the past?
2. Do we need an agent or media buyer?
3. What do we need in place to protect the team and it's intellectual capitol?
4. What are examples of pitches that have gone wrong?
5. What is a good model/example for an animation bible, and why is this the best way to put it together?
6. What exactly is a pitch?
Thank you all for your time.
-Houston Roderick
If you search the archives here and at animationnation.com you should find plenty of discussions of pitching, as well as links to bibles. The fact that you're coming in with a team of animators/writers will probably kill the deal, unless you and your team have done a couple of minutes of test work to show that you can do what you say and that you have a unique and professional take on the project. Your problem is that the networks will want to buy your concept, and they won't want to be 'burdened' with your crew when they will either have their own crew, or will have production studios they're already comfortable with.
From the sounds of it, you either need to take a step back and find a way to pitch your concept and basic characters, but keeping it general enough for the network to imagine their own take on the final look and voices of the characters, etc., or just do your own very short pilot and show them the whole complete thing, with the risk that it will be too specific for them.
And yes, you should have a lawyer and/or an agent.