# Can I Sell an "Idea" For a TV Series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759 "2008-06-22T04:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/1 "2008-06-22T04:32:48Z")
I was having b’fast this AM with friends and mentioned an idea I have for a TV show spin-off. They really liked it and suggested I write a “treatment” for it and submit it to a studio. I’m no writer, but I think I could cobble together a coherent few pages. In fact, the basic idea could be easily expressed in one or two sentences. Is it really possible to sell an “idea” for a show? ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/2 "2008-06-22T05:29:43Z")
Yes and no… You can certainly submit an idea fora TV series, but as we all know, Programming execs are paradigmn of virtue, honesty and ethics. So don’t be surprised if you get no response and see your idea, mildly modified (the main charachter has red hair, instead of blonde and a pet chimp instead of a pet snake). Pitching an idea for a show means that you have the wherewithal to prove it was your idea… (Thank you very much for your recent submission, we welcome ideas, but at this time … blah blah blah)… Then Three months from now you see “I married a red haired snake charmer”… there is a great publication called “the Writer’s Guide” check it out, it tells you who is buying, how to submit and how to protect your ideas… Good luck, and BTW, I have this great Idea for a show called “I was a blonde monkey trainer for the CIA” grin and regards FML ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/3 "2008-06-22T06:10:07Z")
No, but you could have the King of the Pitch, [Bob Kosberg](http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/29/mrpitch.html), do it for you. Fascinating story ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/4 "2008-06-22T06:11:21Z")
If you look at the credits of any TV show , you will see the words “created by” so and so. If you research so and so, you will find he has a long list of other stuff to his credit. The chances of some one off the street selling an idea for a show are astronomical. Studios want someone who has a track record, someone they can say, “How soon can you deliver a finished product?” You stated you could dash off a few pages. A prime time show requires a lot more than that before it gets on the air. Who is going to do it? ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/5 "2008-06-22T12:03:19Z")
My brother-in-law and his friend have been trying to pitch a comedy show for _years_. It first had life on a small cable network, and was pretty funny, if low budget. They spent the better part of a year writing a pilot treatment to pitch to the big networks; Fox picked it up but then dropped it before it got anywhere. BIL and friend were very lucky and got the rights back (with some help from the production company they were working with); it’s very rare for the creators to retain rights once a network buys a show. In short, if you are serious about it you will need to bust your ass and maybe get nothing. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/6 "2008-06-22T15:41:34Z")
[QUOTE=audit1] IfYou stated you could dash off a few pages. A prime time show requires a lot more than that before it gets on the air. Who is going to do it? [/QUOTE] No, I realize that. I have neither the talent nor inclination to actually write scripts. I was just wondering if I could really pitch the “idea”. If there are any real writers on the board who are interested I’ll share my idea with you. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/7 "2008-06-22T15:54:43Z")
[QUOTE=Hometownboy] No, but you could have the King of the Pitch, [Bob Kosberg](http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/29/mrpitch.html), do it for you. Fascinating story [/QUOTE] OK, I’m going to try that. I’m probably throwing away $20, but life is short. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sell-an-idea-for-a-tv-series/453759/8 "2008-06-22T22:49:39Z")
Most large entertainment companies don’t want the hassle of people claiming that their story ideas were stolen, so they don’t even accept unsolicited submissions. You have to work through an agent in most casts, unless you have the wherewithal to put together a pilot yourself.