History Channel Deadline Extended!

You have a few extra days to get your pitches together for the History Channel. Submit them by Sunday, January 23rd. Take a shot, you might get some free feedback.

Great Opportunity to Pitch

Following up on her visit in November, Nancy Dubuc is sending three of her top development executives at the History Channel to Drexel on Wednesday, January 26th, to continue the conversation. They will walk us through the show production process and show us how an idea goes from a post-it note to a full-blown network production.

I thought it might be fun to include the students in some way. Here is what the History folks are proposing. By January 20th or so, any students who want to can send in a pitch for something they think could work on History. The executives will go through them and pick a few to talk about at their presentation on the 26th.

Students should send the pitches to Karen Curry at karen.curry@drexel.edu. The slug should be History Channel.

Here are the instructions for the students:

Think of non-fiction shows you like on other networks and why.

Watch a sampling of prime time programming on the History Channel.

Then, after getting a sense of the History shows, write a pitch for the kind of prime time show you like, tailored to the style and audience of History.

It is a terrific opportunity to interact with some key players. They will only be able to give feedback on a few pitches, but all the students will learn from the feedback those pitches get.

The presentation will be at 11AM on Wednesday, January 26th, at Stein Auditorium.

The people coming from the History Channel are:

David McKillop, SVP of Development and Programming (He is responsible for the development, creation and execution of all programming for HISTORY)
Paul Cabana, History Executive Producer
Russ McCarroll, History Executive Producer

Dreaded Deadline Doom

I think that's the way they used to put it at Marvel Comics every time they had to issue a reprint of a comic story instead of having new material: we fell prey to the Dreaded Deadline Doom.

Don't let that be you. For the new people, you should have at least established a blog outpost and made a couple of entries by now. For the rest, you're on the block for your first drafts. DON'T lose track of the dates when we expect to see things. Be a pro.

The Weather Question

A couple of people have asked what the story is with the impending snow. If the university cancels classes, our meeting will be rescheduled. Otherwise, come ready to pitch. Check the main university web site for weather announcements before you leave for campus.

Workshop Meeting Scheduled

The first meeting of the workshop and senior project groups for winter term has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 12, 10:00 AM in UCross #030. New students be prepared to pitch.