“WHAT gets me hooked on TV these days are episodic content that packs enough interesting plot twists and character development into each installment, making for highly engaging viewing. Ugly Betty is a good yardstick,” explains Danny Chan, Editor, Asia Image. As for what a Superpitch 2.0 entry needs to capture Chan’s attention, he says he’s looking for a well researched business proposal that is pitching a novel idea/ concept. “Of course, we’re also looking for practical cross media promotion andistribution ideas that areexciting and fresh! The crossplatform proposal must be practical – in line with the 4Ps of marketing – yet possess elements that are fun and attractive to consumers in an interactive way.And Chan’s advice for aspiring TV professionals looking to get their pitches noticed and commissioned? “Think ‘Different’. Think ‘Feasible’. Think ‘Big’.”Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Cubix International Pte Ltd Benjamin Toh says the sort of content that appeals to him includes action/adventure 2D/3D animated TV series with minimum 52 episodes. To catch his attention, pitches need unique characters and story line, as well as being marketable, with a high recall rate from the audience focus group.“Possibilities for electronic games, Internet and mobile presence will be a big plus,” says Toh of this year’s cross platform requirement, and his overall advice to aspiring TV professionals, “Good design, scripting, budgeting, production timeline management and marketing planning are essentials to creating a product that attracts attention.”“With so much TV content out there, it’s difficult for any idea to be dubbed truly ‘original’ these days,” says Television Asia Editor Magz Osborne, “but, as an avid TV watcher, I am constantly encouraged by the ways in which content continues to evolve, by putting original spins on established ideas.” Osborne says she loves anything that keeps her guessing, and still enjoys ‘appointment-to-view’ TV – despite the myriad other ways of accessing content. “I’m looking forward to season two of Heroes in the new year, and after all these seasons, still follow well-done reality TV like Idol, The Amazing Race and Survivor.”For Superpitch 2.0, Osborne says she’s looking for ideas with sound foundations but an original twist. “This is what makes the cross-platform element so exciting, you can take a relatively tried and tested format as your base, but put a completely new spin on it by allowing viewer interaction.” She advises against paying ‘lipservice’ to cross-platform, as has often happened in the past. “It’s no good just saying there will be an on-line or on-mobile element, it has to have a real function to engage the viewer – whether that be voting, or blogging, or gaming.”For Patrick Schult, Managing Director, FremantleMedia Asia Pte Ltd, he says his first reaction to a good idea is often a smile spreading across his face, usually caused by a simple but clever concept which is very, very easy to describe.“The impatience of audiences (in all media) requires ideas to be simple to grasp – we don’t have the time to be given lengthy detailed explanations. Furthermore, I think a good concept needs to be much more than the destination of the show (i.e. a big prize is not enough)….. traveling is better than arriving is a saying that resonates across good shows for me. At this time – I am not so interested in programming contending to be serious, unless it is truly provocative and powerful enough to shift perceptions. I think humor has a more important place in content than in the past, given the serious world we live in now. But I have no problem with serious content – it just needs to be very authentic and not over dramatized (but this is just me).”Schult says good ideas and good pitches are very considered, “I would like to feel that the pitch has been rehashed dozens of times in order to maximize the good delivery of the key messages of the concept. I don’t really want too many questions swimming around in my head after the pitch. The question presenters should make sure no one ever asks is, ‘so what’s the point?’”As for the cross-platform element, Schult wants to feel that the idea lends weight to the notion that the appetite for more will lead viewers to other media – such as more background info, more facts or a view of the event not seen on television. “The key to driving traffic to other media is to make sure the viewer wants more…and to make sure your idea has more content than you can fit on the screen or squeeze into the time-slot provided.”Schult’s overall advice: “Provide some evidence on why the show will work – i.e. if theshow ‘appears’ to be niche try to qualify with data that what appears to be niche may in fact be mainstream. Have your idea endorsed somehow. Getting commitment from good talent is sometimes a good idea to strengthen a pitch or getting certain organizations (related to the concept) to endorse it may also be worth considering. And make the presentation look professional even if you are new to the game.

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