Format Development Elsa Sharp

Session Plan 2.00Introduction Company Brands 2.30Formats & Genres 3.00Break 3.30Ideas Creator - The device 3.45Brainstorm 4.30Reveal brainstorms 5.00END

Session aims To identify that different companies have brands To recognise programme types, genres and devices To teach you how to come up with ideas

Brands What is a brand? A brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer.trademarkproduct Brands have become increasingly important as production companies specialise in producing certain types of show

Company brands All Independent production companies and different departments at the BBC and ITV have a brand. They are known and associated with making a particular type of show. Most TV Production companies focus on making one particular type of programme, for example – factual, specialist factual or entertainment. Larger companies will make different types under different brand names.

Company Brands Effective brands build a connection between the brand personality as it is perceived by the target audience and the actual TV show. Some types of shows and companies target a certain demographics or certain sexes, and are show at certain times and on particular channels. For example, Channel 4 prime time is aimed at women, five and Bravo at men

Endemol UK ENDEMOL UK is one of the largest independent production companies in Britain It produces over 5,000 hours of output. It incorporates a number of production brands including Brighter Pictures, Cheetah Television, Initial and Zeppotron.

Endemol has four different brands BRIGHTER PICTURES produces factual entertainment shows, reality programming, live events and popular documentaries. Big Brother Big Brother’s Big Mouth

ZEPPOTRON produces comedy for example Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe A successful scripted comedy show for BBC4

ZEPPOTRON 8 out of 10 Cats An award winning, long running, comedy gameshow on Channel 4

INITIAL Produces prime time studio based entertainment music, sports and childrens shows for example, Golden Balls an ITV 1, daytime, game show

INITIAL Total Wipeout – a game show format that has been sold and produced around the world but it airs on BBC1

CHEETAH Is Endemol UK's factual production arm. It produces The Sex Education Show a primetime series on Channel 4

CHEETAH – produces factual Gok’s Fashion Fix – a primetime Channel 4 features show

RAW TELEVISION– factual producer An independent TV company that specialises in factual shows - such as Neighbourhood Watched, an observational documentary for BBC 1

RAW TELEVISION factual producer Locked up Abroad – a documentary series on it’s fifth UK series on five, has been sold around the world.

OBJECTIVE PRODUCTIONS Objective Productions one of Britain's most influential independent production companies responsible for producing comedy and entertainment Star Stories, a comedy series on Channel 4 which spoofs celebrities

OBJECTIVE PRODUCTIONS It is known as a major supplier of magic shows in the UK, for example several different series with Derren Brown

PROGRAMME TYPES There are different types of TV programmes – from factual shows like documentaries to factual entertainments series where the idea is factual but constructed for the purposes of entertainment Programmes can be studio based or on location They can be presenter lead of use voice over

Programme Types Factual Entertainment, for example Supernanny, made by Ricochet who specialise in factual entertainment brands. A formatted, factual show with a strong narrative

Programme Types Factual – for example documentaries The Girl with Eight Limbs

Programme Types Entertainment - includes chat shows, studio based, multi item magazine shows and game shows. For example – X Factor

Progamme Types Daytime - daily, same slot, long running magazine format. Usually cheap to make and ordered in volume. This Morning, ITV 1

Programme Type Children’s – for example - Blue Peter, Hider in the House

Programme Type Current Affairs – topical, news related programmes, for example – Newsnight

Other Programme Types Reality Comedy Drama Specialist factual

GENRES The programme content This can vary from serious documentaries on science to sex

GENRES History Geneology Cooking, food Property Parenting

GENRES Music & Arts Youth Sport Chat Shows Gameshows/Quiz Shows Health

DEVICES Live Event – Britain’s Got Talent Swap – Wife Swap Reveal – How to Look Good Naked Social Purpose – Jamie’s School Dinners Social Experiment – The Baby Borrowers

DEVICES Philanthropic – Secret Millionaire Hidden Camera – Hider In The House Undercover Filming – Watchdog Reality – The Games/I’m A Celebrity Viewer Votes – Strictly Come Dancing

FORMAT FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT – Weight Loss Show HEALTH – where a doctor helps a dangerously obese person lose weight DEVICE – Social Purpose

COMING UP WITH IDEAS It’s important to understand existing genres and formats in order to have ideas. You need ideas to work in TV. It’s a creative medium You need ideas for new shows or to breath new life into an existing format by thinking of new twists or a new direction.

‘Blue sky’ ideas brainstorm 1.Programme Types 2.Programme Genres 3.Programme Devices

Developing ideas Think of programme type, genre and device. Develop an idea by brainstorming in groups Think of – Punchy title One line pitch What would you see? How would it develop?

Create A Format Write a punchy title Sum it up in one line What would you see? How would it develop? How many episodes? Think about format points Who is the target audience? What is the budget? Where is it set?