10 things to check before submitting a TV show pitch

1–2. A specific hook and a repeatable series engine

First, say who the story follows, what changes their situation, and what makes the conflict particular. 'A group of friends has adventures' leaves too much work for the reader. 'Night-shift cleaners discover their office tower resets to a different decade each Monday' creates a clearer problem. The example is invented; your sentence should express your own show.

Second, explain what creates the next episode. A striking premise may resolve after one event. Identify the job, rivalry, recurring task, investigation, competition structure, or changing goal that generates fresh pressure. Test it by naming three distinct episodes. If they repeat the same beat, develop the engine before expanding the mythology.

3–4. Characters with competing wants and a defined audience

Third, check that the characters create drama through decisions. A list of personality adjectives is less useful than a relationship under strain. Write what each central person wants and why another person's goal gets in the way. In documentary or reality work, distinguish actual access to a participant from a type of person you hope to cast later.

Fourth, identify the viewer's experience. A family adventure and a violent adult thriller may share visual influences while requiring very different collaborators and material. Comparisons can help communicate tone, but say what the comparison explains: pacing, humor, emotional scale, or audience. Avoid using the popularity of another title as proof that your show has a ready-made market.

5–6. A deliberate format and an honest materials inventory

Fifth, state whether you imagine an ongoing series, a limited series, or a repeatable unscripted format, with an approximate episode length. Explain why that shape serves the idea. The reader should understand whether you imagine ten-minute animated stories or an hour-long serialized drama.

Sixth, label what exists today. 'Pilot draft complete; deck in progress; no cast attached' is more useful than 'fully packaged' when collaborators are only hypothetical. Check the actual files, not just your memory of them. A beautiful deck with a broken sample link can stop a useful conversation before it starts.

• Put a readable project name and version date on the files.
• Test linked material from an account without your editing permissions.
• Remove tracked changes, private comments, and placeholder text.
• Check that the title, character names, and format agree across documents.

7–8. A clear rights position and a reason for this recipient

Seventh, list any source material and collaborators. If the idea draws on a book, comic, game, podcast, or someone else's characters, identify what rights you control and what remains unresolved. Do not describe an unlicensed adaptation as original IP you own. Keep written records of collaborator permissions and seek qualified advice when the position is uncertain.

Eighth, write the reason for approaching this company. It should relate to its work and role, not just its visibility. A producer, broadcaster, distributor, animation service company, and IP owner may all be involved in a show's life, but they solve different problems. A service company's capacity to animate your scene does not itself establish an interest in financing or acquiring the series.

9–10. Permission to submit and one concrete next step

Ninth, verify the current official instructions. Do not assume that an accessible inbox is an open submissions route. Sony Pictures' FAQ, for example, says that unsolicited projects are not accepted. Where another recipient does provide a route, follow its material limits and terms instead of sending every draft you have produced.

Tenth, state what you want next: a concept review, a requested script read, or a discussion about development. Keep that request consistent with the project's stage. Submit the permitted material, retain a copy, and record where it went. Preparation does not guarantee a response, but it gives the recipient a coherent proposal and gives you a reliable record for the next conversation.

• Sony Pictures: official project submission FAQ