GRcade

Probably the silliest thread I've ever made!

We've been working on something at work, it started out as a silly idea for a daytime TV Game Show, but we kept working out new ideas for it, adding rules and extra steps, and somehow we have ended up with a solid idea for a game show that we could definitely imagine seeing on TV!

We've even tried it out at work during lunch and it's been great fun and genuinely competitive

But - how on earth do I go about putting this in front of someone without them nicking the idea?
Or, even someone in the "Biz" to say if it's a gooseberry fool idea or not?

GRcade game show, yeah!

LewisD wrote:Probably the silliest thread I've ever made!

We've been working on something at work, it started out as a silly idea for a daytime TV Game Show, but we kept working out new ideas for it, adding rules and extra steps, and somehow we have ended up with a solid idea for a game show that we could definitely imagine seeing on TV!

We've even tried it out at work during lunch and it's been great fun and genuinely competitive

But - how on earth do I go about putting this in front of someone without them nicking the idea?
Or, even someone in the "Biz" to say if it's a gooseberry fool idea or not?

GRcade game show, yeah!

The simple answer is ask DML as making game shows is literally his job.

DML wrote:.

Cheeky Devlin wrote:

LewisD wrote:Probably the silliest thread I've ever made!

We've been working on something at work, it started out as a silly idea for a daytime TV Game Show, but we kept working out new ideas for it, adding rules and extra steps, and somehow we have ended up with a solid idea for a game show that we could definitely imagine seeing on TV!

We've even tried it out at work during lunch and it's been great fun and genuinely competitive

But - how on earth do I go about putting this in front of someone without them nicking the idea?
Or, even someone in the "Biz" to say if it's a gooseberry fool idea or not?

GRcade game show, yeah!

The simple answer is ask DML as making game shows is literally his job.

DML wrote:.

DML told me my idea for a Southampton FC trivia programme was a bad idea.

Try approaching Endemol or someone similar.

Does the game have a wicked wango card?

Vermilion wrote:Does the game have a wicked wango card?

There's only one Bamboozle

The short answer is its not going to be easy.

When I first started in TV over a decade ago in my first stint before getting back in, it was very much the dying breaths of a guy with a suitcase shopping TV formats around. The one time I saw it happen it didn't result in a commission - in fact the idea seemed out of its depth, and it got a little bit ripped apart in the room.

Nowadays, buying formats from outside people (we're not talking foreign formats, just new formats from the general public) is very much a rarity. It has happened, but really TV companies want to own 100% of the rights and not give anything away unless they have to. Therefore they tend to back their own ideas rather than put precious time into someone elses idea who may therefore demand a fee or slice. This situation changes somewhat if what you bring to the table is a brand or technology or access to someone or something that the channel maybe could not get otherwise, but for just a paper format it is much harder. Another factor is the TV channel is backing the company as well as the idea, maybe because they've got a track record of doing that kind of programming, so before an idea goes anywhere it would need to be taken seriously by a suitable company who have a track record of getting TV shows made in that genre.

Also, really important point, is your format fun to WATCH? Lots of games are fun to play, but many of those games are not compelling to view. Its an important thing many people forget. If you were going to talk to people, you would be best not targeting your Endemols which are mega-conglomerates very unlikely to take your idea seriously and target smaller companies who do make gameshows. You should not contact channels and they do not decide what get pitched, only what gets made. I did try some schemes to get ideas into TV before I did TV so maybe they exist, but I was never successful, and thats why I wanted to get INTO TV so I could try and get ideas made.

In summary, it would need to be really bloody good. Not impossible mind, but go in with a half baked idea and it'll get short shrift. I can take a look over if you want.

Do it yourself on YouTube!

Jenuall wrote:Do it yourself on YouTube!

Yep, that's definitely an option as well.

GiveMeLotsOfMoneyForMyIdea @ Netflix.com

Imagine a cross between Telly Addicts and Noel's Houseparty. Youve just imaged "Upstairs Downstairs", a new quiz show created and hosted by LewisD

aayl1 wrote:Imagine a cross between Telly Addicts and Noel's Houseparty. Youve just imaged "Upstairs Downstairs", a new quiz show created and hosted by LewisD

Victor Mildew wrote:

aayl1 wrote:Imagine a cross between Telly Addicts and Noel's Houseparty. Youve just imaged "Upstairs Downstairs", a new quiz show created and hosted by LewisD

I was waiting for this.

I dont understand why I havent had a PM.

DML wrote:I dont understand why I havent had a PM.

The PM from Lewis:

LewisD wrote:

That's Numberwang!