Mastering unscripted TV development: how to devise, develop & sell an entertainment TV format

Would you like to understand the TV development process – from idea to broadcast - why formats are so important and how you can tap into your own creativity and curiosity to create, develop, and sell a successful format?

As part of our wider 'Mastering unscripted TV development' training programme, this live, online, two-hour session will help you do just that. 

Who it's for

This course is aimed at those at entry and early career level in unscripted TV who have an interest in or are keen to work in Entertainment TV development. You may be a runner, researcher or assistant producer who has been working on productions but is keen to add a development string to their bow – particularly in a time when there is a downturn in available production jobs. You may already be on a development team in a junior role and want to accelerate your ability to develop. Maybe you’re a production assistant or secretary who wants an insight into the editorial process involved with development. Or maybe you just have a brilliant TV idea, and you want to know what to do with it.

What it covers

• How and why the TV industry buys and sells formats
• Insight into the commissioning process and the journey of an idea
• Practical hints and tips on how to have great ideas
• Tools to shape and develop those ideas into commissionable TV shows
• How to create materials and deliver a pitch and tips on how to get a job in development.

Course Tutors:

Anna Blue and Will Spokes are Entertainment Execs who each have over 25 years’ experience in TV development and production. Often working together, and sometimes apart, they have co-developed and sold numerous formats including The Mash Report (BBC2), The Magicians (BBC1), You’re Back in The Room (ITV), Got To Dance (Sky), The Big Jubilee Street Party (ITV), Push The Button (ITV), Life Stripped Bare (C4), Taxi of Mum and Dad (C4), The Beat Goes On (C5), and OAP Internet Virgins (Sky). Anna Is currently Director of Entertainment at Gold Dust Films and Will is an Executive Producer at Tuesday’s Child and runs his own development consultancy. 

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘apply for ticket’ and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the 'decline ticket' function on the right hand side of the page so that we can release your place. Our sessions are often oversubscribed, so we’d like to give other freelancers the opportunity to fill available spots. Thank you for your consideration.

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

This course would normally cost participants to attend but, thanks to this support, we are able to offer it to you for free. If you fail to attend, we reserve the right to request reimbursement of costs, unless your place can be taken by someone else.