So you have written a tv show that you want to sell, but how do you do it? How do you get people to become intrigued and vested in your idea? How much should you practice your pitch, and can you use gimmicks in the pitch meeting to grab attention?

In today’s episode, No Film School’s Charles Haine, GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman and the team behind the show, Chanshi discuss:

Defining what an “If Come” is
Realizing that the showrunner must have past experience on other other tv shows
Answering the ‘why now’ and ‘why you’ in a pitch meeting
How to not feel icky when selling an idea
Evaluating agents and managers just like they evaluate you
Using unique gimmicks and stunts when pitching
Chanshi - a hilarious, heartfelt, yet dark tv show filmed in Israel
Why they didn’t write the main character as ‘more likable’
Difficulty casting American actors in Israel
What it was like having two directors on set for the show

Memorable Quotes

“Your excitement for the idea will be contagious.” [13:10]
“When you’re selling anything, you’re not just looking to sell it. You’re looking to find the right partner.” [14:02]
“You cannot practice your pitch enough.” [27:09]
“We both hated writing. That’s what brought us together.” [51:25]
“Finish on time or we’re going to shut your cameras off.” [60:00]