How should a proposal for a reality show be structured? My research to date suggests that reality shows have been evolving towards a more “scripted” format, although I understand that writers don’t get credited (yet). I have an idea for a reality show (doesn’t everyone, eh?) – so how should it be presented to a producer? An overall description of the premise, and ideas for several episodes? What level of detail is needed (or not needed)?
New Orleans, LA
There are already too many reality TV shows, which are taking jobs away from writers. So I won’t answer your question. . . . Okay, I will. But you have to promise your show will be something inspiring like the Amazing Race and not soul-destroying like, well, anything that starts with My Big Fat Obnoxious Dot-Dot-Dot.
There’s nothing approaching a standard format for something like a reality TV show, or, surprisingly, a scripted show. In the Downloads section, you’ll see my initial write-ups for The Circle. The format seems pretty standard and straightforward, but I wasn’t trying to match any template. I just wrote what I thought needed to be explained.
For your reality show, I think the proposal would need to include:
- The premise
- The people (host, contestants, whatever)
- The tone, including some sample dialogue/narration if appropriate
- The reward or outcome
- Structure of a typical episode
- Future episode descriptions
I think you need to present enough detail so that the producer really understands what the show is, and how it differs from anything else on television. If you have a background in physical production, you might include more detail about shooting days, crew or locations, but if you don’t know, don’t try to fake it.