QUESTION FOR FILMTVLAW.COM:

Hi. What’s your thoughts for TV pitching season in 2022? I’ve heard it’s starting soon, but am not sure when is the best time to take my current projects out ‘into the world’? Is this even something to worry about with streaming networks?

ANSWER BY BRANDON BLAKE, ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER:

This is a great question about pitching in 2022 and pitching in general, thank you!

Traditionally, the Upfronts wrap up the third week in May, after which pitching season kicks off as execs get down to finding the right projects to develop for their network over the next year.

What to Expect For 2022 TV Pitching Season

While we’re still feeling some echoes from the pandemic, a lot of things have gone ‘back to normal’ across the industry. This year, the Upfronts are planning to go back to in-person events unless something very disruptive occurs.

Do they matter in the era of year-round streaming? While the window to pitch has certainly opened up, and you’re going to be able to get some industry interest at all times of the year, it’s still a mistake to dismiss broadcast and cable linear TV.

Also, we’ve seen a big move very recently into the Upfront space for YouTube this year. While it’s not the first streaming network people think of, YouTube has come to dominate with a big chunk of viewership. Plus, of course, where one streamer goes we will soon see more and more enter. There’s also a lot of cross-over in this space, and many streaming hits continue to start on a cable or broadcast network.

Overall, as we’ve also seen big players in the industry reform around the streaming model, many ‘traditional’ TV spaces are blurring with streaming more and more, and it’s not unreasonable to anticipate that this will continue as the kinks are ironed out of streaming as the go-to model.

As a producer in 2022, it’s still wise to broaden the number of places you pitch to, as it can considerably increase your success rate. In fact, Blake & Wang P.A assist with getting pitches to more eyes and places than most producers can access themselves. We have major networks, TV studios, and streamers alike reading client’s scripts at the moment.

Key Things to Know About TV in 2022

There’s some key things to understand about the TV and streaming space at the moment. Firstly, 2021 saw a flurry of mergers, acquisitions, and reformatting in major industry players. Some key aspects to remember are:

1.     There’s been a rise in interest in non-English streaming content that’s set to boom throughout 2022 and likely beyond. It’s been primed and driven by the massive success- and global connection- with some key South Korean content over the last few years, including the massive and unanticipated interest in Squid Game and, on the film side Parasite. We’ve very recently seen Netflix amp up its non-English content spend in French, European, Asian, and even African 'homegrown’ content. This is set to become a new area to push for TV producers capable of delivering compelling content in this area. A non-English script is no longer a niche area of focus.

2.     This year we will see the final closing on the Warner Media-Discovery Merger. This has a lot of implications for what sort of content will be being pitched and what will be most desirable. I’ll take a look at this below.

3.     The pandemic-driven domestic subscription boom is over. Now we’re seeing streamers reposition themselves to find new ways to appeal to a saturated market. A key part of this is through lower-tied AVOD (ad-supported) tiers. This will bring the Upfronts back into key focus and make them much more relevant again, as that is where a lot of advertising deals are closed. Another reason I say we will see streamers moving into the Upfront space over the next few years, rather than a move away from them.

What’s Hot to Pitch in 2022?

The Warner Media-Discovery merger is going to be a big shaper for the reality/unscripted TV industry. Discovery has become known as something of a Netflix for reality TV already, and the upcoming merger and refocus on Discovery+ is only going to enhance this.

Of course, a lot of subjects fall under ‘unscripted’, and not all of them are going to pitch equally as well. For some, the market is saturated, for others, the market could still be developing. It’s not a given that unscripted is a better area to focus on than scripted, and many quality scripted pitches will be picked up this year. While demand for content is high because of streaming, oversupply is still a risk. Although looking away from staples and spinoffs is risky, this is a year where that risk may pay off.

In short, pay attention to these key factors and let them guide you, but a quality concept with a strong potential will be well received no matter what, so don’t chase the trend dragon to the extent you lose sight of the intrinsic value of your productions and projects.

Blake & Wang P.A is here to help you find the right home for your pitches, especially through the 2022 pitching season. We have a vast network of contacts and access to a range of industry ears that a producer will not be able to replicate through their own contacts. Sometimes, the difference between a successful or a failed pitch is getting the right eyes on it, not what the subject matter is. With streaming hungry for content, there’s room for a wide variety of projects.

As always, it’s a complex arena, and one in which experienced entertainment legal counsel is essential. We’re offering this piece as a general guideline, but it doesn’t replace personalized, specialized legal counsel. If you need help getting your pitch to the right people this pitching season, we are here to assist.