I've recently finished a television project that I would like to get out there, but I'm having a much harder time finding television agents then I did with movie agents...anyone have any good directories or the like to find television specific agents?
Check out www.tvwriter.com ... Larry Brody's site.
It has a wealth of information for those looking to sell to TV.
You probably won't like the answers to your questions, though !
Good luck,
Mac
It has a wealth of information for those looking to sell to TV.
You probably won't like the answers to your questions, though !
Good luck,
Mac
What do you mean by "a finished TV project"?
Pilot script? Episodes shot and in the can?
What length and genre of show? Which audience are you targeting?
Pilot script? Episodes shot and in the can?
What length and genre of show? Which audience are you targeting?
Pilot script, rest of the season outlined with a few episodes written/partly written...hour long...teenage/adult audience but nothing Hboish...
dpaterso
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If you haven't already, you might consider script contests -- check out the Screenwriting Competitions, Opportunities, Member Videos & Announcements thread which has links to various contests and lists:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98274
Just one example plucked from MovieBytes.com's lists,
Acclaim TV Screenwriting Competition:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?ContestNumber=361
-Derek
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98274
Just one example plucked from MovieBytes.com's lists,
Acclaim TV Screenwriting Competition:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?ContestNumber=361
-Derek
As Derek noted, there are contests. A win can get you an intro to agents and/or managers.
It's also worth cold calling managers in particular. The success rate wil be abysmally low, but even if you can get one out of a hundred to read your pilot, it's time well spent. This can also work with production companies, assuming they do TV, and they are generally interested in stories like yours.
If you have a feature agent, it would be best to go through him/her.
Pilot scripts are more likely to be used as work samples for staff writing jobs these days. TV agents are generally more interested in placing new writers on staff, so they can earn steady commissions and build careers. It's possible for new writers to sell pilots, but it's uncommon.
The standard approach to getting a TV agent is some combination of networking, working lower level industry jobs, getting recommendations from connected people, and doing whatever you can to stand out from the crowd. Recently I've heard people recommending attendance at out of California festivals and conferences as a way of getting closer to power players when they don't have their defense screens all the way up. Haven't tried this myself.
One woman I worked with followed these steps: office PA > set PA > writers' assisstant on that same show > one script as a freelancer on that show > other staff jobs and writing assignments. Another man I worked with followed a similar track: writer's asst for one showrunner, then staff writer on another show.
It's also worth cold calling managers in particular. The success rate wil be abysmally low, but even if you can get one out of a hundred to read your pilot, it's time well spent. This can also work with production companies, assuming they do TV, and they are generally interested in stories like yours.
If you have a feature agent, it would be best to go through him/her.
Pilot scripts are more likely to be used as work samples for staff writing jobs these days. TV agents are generally more interested in placing new writers on staff, so they can earn steady commissions and build careers. It's possible for new writers to sell pilots, but it's uncommon.
The standard approach to getting a TV agent is some combination of networking, working lower level industry jobs, getting recommendations from connected people, and doing whatever you can to stand out from the crowd. Recently I've heard people recommending attendance at out of California festivals and conferences as a way of getting closer to power players when they don't have their defense screens all the way up. Haven't tried this myself.
One woman I worked with followed these steps: office PA > set PA > writers' assisstant on that same show > one script as a freelancer on that show > other staff jobs and writing assignments. Another man I worked with followed a similar track: writer's asst for one showrunner, then staff writer on another show.