***This article originally appeared in the December ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 315)***
Streaming services continue to redefine how people view content. Long gone are the days of only a few networks having a stranglehold over the country’s television options.
Giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, Apple TV +, Hulu and many others have completely taken over traditional television stations and even movie theaters to provide seemingly limitless on-demand movies, cartoons, series and shorts, all available instantly all the time with a click of a button and a small monthly fee.
With hundreds of millions of subscribers worldwide, it’s no surprise that these companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars producing their own content and scouring the globe for the best already-produced content available.
While this may seem like a modern-day gold rush for content producers, trying to get your show on any of the bigger streaming services comes with all the traditional trappings of old Hollywood.
However, with a little guidance and a whole lot of effort, you just may be able to crack the code and get your show on a streaming service.
Focus on Concept
More than anything else, you need an idea that is instantly engaging. Or, in some cases, an idea that is similar to but not a direct copycat of another highly successful show that is currently leading the genre.
You need to have millions of viewers identify with your characters, at least on some level. People need to care about the characters and what happens to them, otherwise viewership will fall off quickly and permanently.
Moreover, if your concept doesn’t jump out in front of the competition, your pilot episode may never be viewed by a potential buyer.
The show needs to be sustainable. Think long and hard about how you can keep your show fresh and moving forward for 10, 20 or even 100 episodes. While some streaming services use their platform as a real-time focus group where they test a single episode or a small number of episodes before committing to a full season, they are always looking for a show that can keep viewers engaged for episode after episode, season after season.
Quality Matters
Make sure your production quality is top-notch. Once in a blue moon, a show comes along that gets away with amateur-looking animation and even excels because they wear the low production quality on their sleeve as if it’s a red badge of courage, but never aim for the bottom — always keep things as high quality as possible if you hope to attract interest from a streaming service in today’s competitive climate.
Know Your Audience
It is crucial to be crystal clear on your target demographic. Nothing says “I really don’t know what I’m doing” like trying to promote your show as something that appeals to all ages and everyone in the world. Have a firm grasp on the target age range of your show as well as other target viewer statistics as you will need to present this information in your pitch.
The Pitch
Now that you have your pilot episode of your blockbuster show ready to showcase and your pitch has become pitch-perfect, there are only a handful of ways to get your foot in the door to see if your show has what it takes to land a deal.
The best option is knowing someone in acquisitions at your target streaming service. As they say in the entertainment biz, “It’s who you know.” When ready, reach out to your contact and politely ask if you can show your amazing animated show that you think they could be very interested in acquiring
Secondly, you could work with a producer or agent. A seasoned veteran of the industry with connections is invaluable in your pursuit to land a streaming deal. They can serve as a consultant and will more than likely be brutally honest about your project and if impressed, could help fine-tune your project and schedule a pitch session with an appropriate streaming service.
The most challenging option is trying to do it yourself. If you have no experience in this realm and no contacts of the sort, you would be much better off spending your time and money making these types of contacts and researching and reaching out to producers and agents to see if you can find someone to be your aggregator.
If you’re passionate about your project, have a great idea, know your target audience, can make viewers care about your characters and have excellent production value to boot, with time, persistence and connections, millions of people may one day see your show on a streaming video service.
Martin Grebing is the president of Funnybone Animation Studios. He can be reached at funnyboneanimation.com.
