Can TV producers be trusted with ideas?

OK, so this is not so much a conspiracy, as a question. Not sure where else to ask it, so I though I would try here.

Does anyone know how trustworthy or not the big wigs are at the studios? The reason I ask is that I have thought up what I think to be a great new idea for a game show, but I am concerned if I start pitching the idea, they will just run with it and claim it as thier own, leaving me out to dry.

Anyone have any dealings with TV producers?

Virtually no one in the entertainment industrty --- music, television, movies, etc. --- will even accept unsolicitied original ideas. They will return it unopened with a pilite letter saying the foregoing. This policy, obviously, is in-place to protect them from lawsuits should they happen to already be developing an idea that later crosses their desks.

You could consider contacting the public relations contact at one of the networsk and ask them the proper process for submissions. Good luck. I hope you have bullet-proof patience.

I figured they would have something like that set up to protect themselvs. I just want to protect my idea, in case it realy is that good. Who knows, it may blow, and I just think it is good. In that case, it is just another get rich idea gone bad. It would be fun if they at least heard it.

If you have a legitimate idea for a game show, you can copyright it, or register it with the Writer's Guild of America. That will make it less likely to be "stolen."

That being said, TV producers already have people on staff developing ideas for shows that are probably just as good or better than yours. So it's unlikely they'll want to pay you for your idea, since they already have plenty of their own, as well as the connections to get them produced and purchased by the networks. And to avoid any potential lawsuits, unless you are represented by a legitimate agent, they will return any unsolicited ideas without looking at them.

This goes for game shows or TV shows of any kind. You want to get a TV show on the air? Go out, spend the money, film a pilot and take it to NATPE and see if you can get a buyer.

Show business (entertainment industry) is an oligopoly.

It's all them baby. New 'people' on the scene are created or inducted into their 'circle'. Don't believe me? You will discover it for yourself if you try to get in.

OR... they will rip you off and be done with you (on the rare chance that they want to take your idea 'as is.') ((and I do mean 'take')

TV producers are clearly out of ideas. Look at the crapola that is playing now. It has gotten so bad that they have brought back Card Sharks on GSN. If the new Knight Rider isn't bad enough...............I am eagerly awaiting the return of Fantasy Island with Emanuel Lewis as Tatu; Sheriff Lobo and BJ and the Bear.

If you presented any new idea worth two cents they would swipe it out from under you in a heart beat. By the way.. I miss Silver Spoons. Lets resurrect Ricky Schroeder as the new president of his dads toy company.

Usually the way it goes is that you copyright your idea then you have to go to the studio's and pitch the idea.

Also, you need to keep the ideas flowing because it isn't like you do one thing and get rich. Your going to have to take a few loses before you really see any decent money.

I know in the music industry the top producers don't really even make their own beats anymore. They have people that do it for them and they sign their name to them and pass them off as their own.

For instance I know a guy that does beats and he made a beat and somebody from the Lil' Kim camp called him offered to buy the beat for 2g's, but he wasn't going to get credit for it they were going to say Swizz Beats did it.

Just the way the industry goes. The entertainment industry is very nasty, grimy, back stabbing, cold business.

Originally posted by Hastobemoretolife
Just the way the industry goes. The entertainment industry is very nasty, grimy, back stabbing, cold business.

And sadly, they are our primary source of information for news.....


pathetic, no?

being an industry insider; (i work at an Informerical TV station in nc ), there is only one thing anyone ever needs to do to make it:

know someone in the industry. it is that simple. everything in hollyweird is about who you know.

[edit on 7-11-2008 by drsmooth23]

Originally posted by drsmooth23
being an industry insider; (i work at an Informerical TV station in nc

), there is only one thing anyone ever needs to do to make it:

know someone in the industry. it is that simple. everything in hollyweird is about who you know.

[edit on 7-11-2008 by drsmooth23]

Well, now I know an insider don't I.

I know it is a long shot, and probably be just passed off, but it might be fun to try. Believe me, i have no intentions of quitting my day job.

Originally posted by KnowMore


Well, now I know an insider don't I.

I know it is a long shot, and probably be just passed off, but it might be fun to try. Believe me, i have no intentions of quitting my day job.

haha totally. I have a pretty nice Sony-Fx1, if your ever in NC we can shoot a demo!

reply to post by drsmooth23


Sweet, I don't know when the next time I will make it to NC though.

Anyone know anything about this site? www.tvwritersvault.com...

Anre they legit?