Done writing a cartoon. Now what?

[batman2million]

Mods, if this is in the wrong place please move it. And if this has been asked before, please refer me to the place it was before.
I apologize if I made any mistakes.

So, I've been working on writing a cartoon series. I've got the script to the first episode and I've written the next 13 episode summaries, which is known as the bible.

I am now going to work on the character concepts then go back and check the continuity.

My question is, what's next? My goal is to have this one a television network.

The show is relatively for kids around the age of 8-13.

What are my options and what do you guys think would be my best option?


Thanks guys!

[nmstevens]

Mods, if this is in the wrong place please move it. And if this has been asked before, please refer me to the place it was before.
I apologize if I made any mistakes.

So, I've been working on writing a cartoon series. I've got the script to the first episode and I've written the next 13 episode summaries, which is known as the bible.

I am now going to work on the character concepts then go back and check the continuity.

My question is, what's next? My goal is to have this one a television network.

The show is relatively for kids around the age of 8-13.

What are my options and what do you guys think would be my best option?


Thanks guys!

You've set yourself a very difficult task on a number of different levels.

I'm presuming, since you're asking this question here, that you haven't sold anything at a professional level before.

It is an extremely difficult challenge to sell a series of any kind, for anybody.

For someone who has never had a professional sale, it is almost impossible because, as a rule, what producers or networks are looking for in someone who is not simply able to write a pilot or a bible, but is able to work as "show runner" -- that is, to come in and supervise a staff of writers, to literally run the whole writing end of the show.

To be able to do that, you have to have extensive experience, either writing or producing or both for television or theatrical features.

Obviously, you don't have that kind of experience. You couldn't assume the responsibilities of a show runner. They would have to buy your show and find someone else to assume that role.

But most people who can do that job -- work as a show runner -- are either gainfully employed or are out pitching their own projects and don't have much interest in tying themselves to yours.

Presuming that you found a producer who liked your concept enough that they were willing to option your show and essentially bid you a fond adieu and go looking for someone to actually run the show and they could find someone - which is, I'm afraid, about the best you could hope for, you would not be able to expect to have any further involvement in the show.

It might even be tough to get a "created by" credit, which is something that is ferociously fought over because it carries with it such an enormous financial reward (it appears on every episode and you get a royalty payment in perpetuity on every show on which it appears).

Don't imagine that the mere technicality that you "thought up" the show means that automatically would get such a credit. It doesn't necessarily work that way in the real world.

So you might get an option on whatever it is that you wrote. If the show went to a pilot you'd get paid for that. If it went to a series, you'd get something for that. But no other involvement. And likely no other credit beyond your name on the pilot.

Maybe.

That sounds pretty grim -- but you've actually set yourself an even more difficult task because you've written an animated series, which is an even more insulated community than the world of television generally.

That is because animation, as a rule (and sure, rules are broken - but usually they are not) is driven by artwork more than script.

And so when animation series are pitched, they are generally pitched as *presentations* -- not as scripts/bibles.

That is, you have an animation director/designer who comes in with a show concept that involves who the main characters are *what they look like" -- and thus what the style of the artwork for the show is going to be like, something that is central not only to the show, but to the budget.

Is this Powerpuff Girls or Batman or Ed, Edd and Eddy?

If someone is going to buy an animated series -- and there aren't many buyers -- not only do they have the same expectation that other producers have -- namely that the person who is selling the show is going to be able to act as the "show runner" -- but first and foremost, they also want to be able to "see" what they are buying.

Which means that, unless you are animator, or at least a more-or-less professional cartoonist who can draw the characters that are central to your concept -- I just don't see how you're going to move forward with this.

Now, again, if you were a professional working in the business (and over the years, I've known a bunch of guys who wrote for animated cartoons) you might be better placed to pitch a series.

But you'd be in a place where, first, you'd have written three or four or five hundred episodes of various cartoons (because the pay is so low, you have to write a lot of cartoons to stay alive) -- and because even if you couldn't draw yourself, you'd know a lot of animation directors and you'd be in a position to team up with somebody and go in and pitch with one of those guys.

But you're not in that position.

Does that mean that it's impossible? I would never say it's impossible, but you've certainly set a very imposing challenge for yourself, as have most people who imagine that they can, out of the gate, write and sell a television series of any kind.

If you want to give it a try, then you need to find out who the "producers" are of the series that are, first, currently in production, second, in the same category of the kind that you are trying to sell -- and then you have to get in touch with them and find out if they are willing to look at series pitches that aren't developed internally.

Many are not -- they only develop series internally.

If they are, then you can send it to them.

But they may very well ask you some tough questions -- like are you an animator? Where have you worked before? Do you have an agent?

The last one, you can generally get around by saying, "No, I generally submit through my attorney." That can get you over the "no agent" hump (but of course, then you need to get an attorney to submit for you.

But for the rest -- you're on your own.

I wish that I could be more upbeat, but as I said, you've set yourself a very tough challenge. That's not to say you may be able to achieve it, but you need to be aware that it's not going to be easy.

[batman2million]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.

This is something I've been working over a course of time and was trying to see where I could take it, if anywhere.

I have not sold anything on a professional level and I don't even know how to.

That's why I'm asking on this forum :P

I've wrote a lot of things and I'm just trying see ways to get my foot in the door. I know a couple of independent film makers and they all advised me that this was a good option.

They told me it was the "back door" to the television industry.

Either way, thanks for your feedback.

[RexZentah]

Hey Batman, I just came across your post here. Have you tried writing your series as a children's novel? The Princess Bride was a children's novel written by a film guy that was made into a movie.

The story with children's books is pretty much the same when it comes to odds of getting published, but it is cheaper. I daresay it's easier to get published in children's books. Unlike Hollywood, you send in your submission and it will be read. Maybe 1-3% of all children's books submisions are sold. The payoff is lower but the chance of getting a movie made out of your story, if successful, is higher. There were ten feature length movies made from children books in 2010.

Mr. Stevens, thank you for your post. I knew screenwriting was a dead end for me, but I have a friend who made the sensible observation that my latest children's book reads like a tv show. My reply was "it's by design." I am looking forward to optioning the book as a movie. I'll keep working on my children's books rather than making a detour into TV/Movie writing. Thank you again.