WHEN Saturday, June 14, 1:00-04:00 pm WHERE mediabistro.com, 7494 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste 303, W. Hollywood, CA 90046 MORE INFO Email us, or call (310) 659-5668 PRICE $65 ($50 for ) more info

Course Details

American Idol. Deal or No Deal. My Super Sweet 16. From the multi-million-dollar series of broadcast television to the low-budget niche shows of cable, reality programming dominates television. But are reality shows really "reality?" How much planning and production goes into unscripted storytelling? And, most importantly, how can you get in on the action?

This seminar lays the groundwork for anyone wanting to break into the lucrative world of reality TV. We'll look at various types of reality shows and what makes them tick, from docu-dramas and docu-soaps (Dog the Bounty Hunter, The Hills) to game shows and elimination-style competitions (The Biggest Loser, Survivor) to personality-driven and "aspirational" series (Tasty Travels, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition).

We'll then discuss how to conceive, develop, and sell your idea. What are the critical elements of a pitch? Should you attach talent? Does your series work as a strip? We'll explore how to structure your reality pitch and get it to the right people. Who are the major players? When should you attach a senior producer? What networks are best for your concept? Whether you're a writer, producer, or host, reality television's waiting for you.

In this seminar, you will learn:

• The difference between reality shows, and how to pitch them accordingly
• The critical elements every reality show and pitch must have
• How to structure a pitch both verbally and as a written document
• How to pitch to networks, studios, and production companies
• When to attach hosts or producers to your idea, and when not to
• What to expect when you're making your pitch, and what happens when you leave

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Instructor Bio

Chad Gervich's Courses

Chad Gervich is a television producer, published author, and award-winning playwright who spent five years as a development executive and producer with the Littlefield Company, former NBC president Warren Littlefield's production company with Paramount Television. Chad developed and produced the Style network's hit comedy/reality series, Foody Call, and recently executive produced Celebrity Drive-By, a talk show pilot for E! Entertainment. He's currently working on Dirty Laundry, an internet soap for FOX, and writing on staff for The Daily Grind, an online comedy for Warner Brothers.

Prior to joining Littlefield, Chad worked in development at NBC Studios, Sony Pictures, CBS Productions, and Twentieth Century Fox. He's been instrumental in the development, production, and maintenance of countless pilots and series such as Love, Inc. (UPN), Malcolm in the Middle (FOX), Like Family (WB), Time Tunnel (FOX), Star Search (CBS), and Do Over (WB). His plays have been produced across the country, and his writing appears regularly in Daily Variety, Fade In, Moving Pictures, Writer's Digest and Orange Coast, as well as in several other nationally available books and magazines.

Testimonials

I started this class with a blank writing tablet and ended the course with a spec script that I would be proud to submit to an agent. That's worth the time and the money. -- Dylan Conroy, assistant to Bruce Nash, Nash Entertainment

"I thought the seminar was valuable - Chad was a dynamic speaker and took his time to make sure that everyone in the class participated and got their questions answered. I will definitely take another class with him. " -- Angie Truschel, Research, Marketing, and PR Assistant

"The seminar offers a great overview of the TV writing and production landscape and how the business works. Chad is a very energetic and charismatic speaker with a non-judgmental, supportive teaching style. He outlined a well-prepared, step-by-step approach to determining the kind of spec to write and how to break down a script; explained the structure of the TV business, writing staff hierarchy and hiring practices; and offered various strategies to landing a job. I felt like I left the seminar with tangible tools to move forward with the next step." -- Sue Karlin, freelance journalist Newsweek, Forbes, Esquire

"The seminar is well-organized, entertaining, and packed with information. Chad has valuable insights to share about the TV business and the craft of writing pilots. Whether you're a rookie or a professional, you'll feel focused, smarter, and ready to write after these 3 hours." -- Wendy Calhoun, staff writer, Raines NBC-Universal/NBC

"The course content was fabulous. Exactly what I expected in terms of starting from scratch to getting into the minute detail. What more can you do in 3 hours really? For a 3-hour seminar it was just perfect. We went overtime because there's just so much to know about this subject." -- Georgia Cassimatis