Summary
The producer of NatGeo's limited series GENIUS will teach you how you can get your own limited series off the ground.
Includes a case study of a pitch document that helped sell a limited series.
Over the last several years, the limited series has become one of the most exciting, competitive, and acclaimed formats in the entertainment industry. Series like PAINKILLER, THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT, CHERNOBYL, and DAISY JONES & THE SIX have become global phenomena and greatly boosted the careers of the creatives behind them. It’s no surprise that buyers and big names on all sides of the camera are hungry for binge-worthy event programming like these limited series and are looking for the next hit to make. If you have your own idea for a limited series, there’s no better time than now to get it in front of executives and decisionmakers looking for this content. But how does one develop the material and package it together to increase the probability of a sale or production order?
Sam Sokolow is a two-time Emmy-nominated producer, perhaps best known for his work in developing and producing the Emmy nominated limited series GENIUS for National Geographic Channel, one of the first prestige limited series to find a wide audience. The 4th season of GENIUS - GENIUS MLK/X, which depicts the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X - premieres on Nat Geo on February 1st 2024 and drops on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. Over his career, Sam has executive produced 19 original TV series and set up dozens of television and film projects at major studio and distributors in Hollywood and is well-versed at finding success developing, pitching, and selling his projects.
Exclusively for Stage 32, Sam will teach you how to develop, pitch, and sell limited series to a streamer or network by first learning how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers. He’ll also show you how to build the pitch, approach the buyers, and even share what the deals look like.
Sam will even share examples of the emails and finders fees he used to package his projects. Plus! Sam will walk you through a real pitch deck he used for a limited series he worked on, so you can see how he put all the pieces together to ultimately pitch and sell the project. You won’t want to miss out on this detailed on-demand webinar!
What You'll Learn
- How To Identify Source Material For A Limited Series
- What Makes a Limited Series vs. a Movie or Series?
- What Type of Intellectual Property Should You Look For?
- Whose Life Story Rights Could Work?
- Packaging Talent Into Your Project
- What Talent Truly Moves The Needle?
- How To Approach Talent?
- Mistakes Commonly Made when You Approach Talent.
- How To Leverage Existing Overall Deals.
- Email Example
- Finders Fee Example
- Identifying the Buyers
- What Outlets Are Looking For Limited Series?
- What Type Of Programming Does Each Outlet Want?
- What Is Already In Development?
- How to Build The Pitch
- What Materials Do You Need To Generate?
- Financing A Script vs Pitching With A Writer
- What Do You Need To Walk Into The Room And Sell?
- Case Study: Sam will walk you through a real pitch document he used to help sell a limited series
- How to Approach Buyers
- How to Set Meetings and Present Yourself
- Tips On How Best To Pitch Your Limited Series
- The Art of Not Giving Up
- What Do The Deals Look Like In Success
- Once You’ve Sold Your Limited Series What Comes Next?
- Tips and General Parameters Of Limited Series Deals.
- Q&A with Sam
Who Should Attend
All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers.
All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers.
Producers looking to learn how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers.
Actors looking to learn how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers.
Executive
Sam Sokolow is a two-time Emmy-nominated producer, perhaps best known for his work in developing and producing the Emmy nominated limited series GENIUS for National Geographic Channel and Disney+, one of the first prestige limited series to find a wide audience. In his career, Sam has executive produced 18 original TV series and set up dozens of television and film projects at major studios and distributors in Hollywood and is well-versed at finding success developing, pitching, and selling his projects. Previously, he co-wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning independent feature film THE DEFINITE MAYBE, starring Josh Lucas, Roy Scheider, and Bob Balaban. Sam is currently the Head of Education at Stage 32.
Credits
