Pitching Home & Garden Television

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"The Pitch"

The specialty cable network plans to commission 1,300 hours oforiginal material this year from independent producers likeyou.

A Pie Town cameraman gets down and dirty to capture a neighborhoodrivalry for the best landscape designs on Ground Rules!. The newHGTV show, currently in production and scheduled to air in spring 2003,follows neighbors as they race against an 8-hour clock dueling for curbappeal. Ground Rules! is an example of the new breed of show that HGTVnetwork is developing as it moves away from its instructional roots toincorporate a wide range of historical, vérité, andinspirational programs on home and garden themes. Photo by Jake D.Gibson.

Things have changed at the Home & Garden Television network.After seven years on the air, HGTV has evolved from a steady diet ofinstructional programs into a general lifestyle network. Vice Presidentof Programming Michael Dingley wants producers to know that he's in themarket for story-driven, non-fiction television and documentaries asboth half-hour series and one-hour specials.

Content should emphasize a core program philosophy summed up by whatDingley calls “the three ‘i’s”: ideas,inspiration, and information. Notice that “instruction” isnot included. Recent programs that express this approach include thedocumentaries The Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright and TheShakers. Topics range from the historic, such as Homes of theUnderground Railroad (praised by CNN, CBS Morning News, andnational newspapers), to the fluffy, such as Soap Pads, a tourof the homes of soap-opera stars.

HGTV is also venturing into vérité series likeHouse Hunters, which follows homebuyers through their emotionalups and downs, and Going Home, which accompanies peoplereturning to hometowns they left years before. Although programs musthave a home and garden theme, they don't necessarily have to be aboutan actual structure. “Sometimes our shows are about what homerepresents,” says Dingley, “like comfort or feelinggood.”

HGTV, which is owned by E. W. Scripps Company and reaches 70 millionhouseholds, produced 1,500 hours of original programming in 2001 andplans to produce 1,300 hours in 2002. Almost all of it will becommissioned original productions, in other words, work-for-hirefinanced by HGTV, which retains all rights in perpetuity. The networkdoes not license or acquire existing shows except those featuring highmarquee-value celebrities like Martha Stewart or Bob Vila. It alsoshies away from coproductions.

Budgets range from a bare-bones $16,000 per half hour for daytimestrip shows to $40,000 per half hour for evening prime-time shows.Orders for daytime series vary from 39 to a whopping 130 half-hourepisodes per year, while the usual prime-time order is for 26 halfhours. One-hour specials, which are actually less than 45 minutes ofcontent, may be budgeted from $60,000 to $100,000 depending on subjectmatter. But according to Dingley, who was an executive producer forDiscovery Channel before landing at HGTV, “We make sure the moneyis on the screen and not elsewhere.”

Seasoned producers with national credentials interested insubmitting show ideas should call (865) 694-2700 Ext. 2951 for programsubmission guidelines and a standard release form. The network alreadyreceives 15 full-blown treatments a week. Each proposal should includea synopsis (two-page minimum), examples of the featured topics andlocations, a production timeline, the credits and bios of key personnel(executive producer, director, writer), budget breakdown, the name ofthe host or narrator, and a sample reel. Proposals for series shouldalso include episode descriptions, number of episodes, an episodetemplate, and an outline of a sample episode.

Before jumping into a series, Dingley suggests that first-timeproducers submit a proposal for a one-hour special as a“test-drive.” “Then you can check us out, and we cancheck you out. If it's a great experience, we'll do more.”Currently in the works is Gardens of Alcatraz, which traces ahistory beginning in the late 1800s, when wives of military officersplanted vegetables on The Rock, to today's reform programs for prisongardeners. Also in production is Subterraneans, which profilessix different people who live in sophisticated underground homes.

Producers whose submissions make the cut are sent producerguidelines that outline HGTV's deliverables. Those requirements, suchas the preferred format of Digibeta, may impact production costs, sonetwork and producer engage in a detailed discussion before agreeing ona fee. Dingley points out that most producers “are alwayspleasantly surprised that our requests for deliverables are not asextensive as other cable networks'.” Such considerations make thelean budgets go further. For example, although production companies areresponsible for licensing music rights or commissioning originalcompositions for the show's internal music, HGTV picks up the expenseof theme music, opening graphics, and bump-out graphics. Producers dohave creative input into the graphics and theme music to ensure thatthe tone is right for their show.

Network and producer must reach a consensus on the key personnel,concept, and treatment before any footage is shot. Producers areencouraged to stagger the production timeline to allow them to shootone segment, edit it, and send a rough cut to the network before theyshoot the entire show. Dingley says, “We encourage people. Wehelp them with their production time-line to give them time forapprovals because we do not want people to have to go back into theediting room numerous times. Our goal is to give them as muchinformation as we can early on, so we can all be in an editorialmind-meld in order to avoid unintentional costs.”

Two cameras capture a designer-and- client interaction for Pie TownProductions’ Designers’ Challenge. Photo by MarkDaniels.

When the HGTV production executives find a production company theyenjoy working with, they pile on the work. According to Dingley,“We really look long and hard for quality production companieswho do great work, give us bang for our buck, and are user-friendlylike us. Once we find somebody we like, we say, ‘Let's not do oneproject at a time. Let's look for efficiencies and economies of scalehere.’ We ask, ‘If we do three series and 22 specials, whatwill the price be, and will it help out your businessmodel?’” More than one producer has jumped at the chance tojoin HGTV's extended family.

Glass/Difede Productions produces six series and more than a dozenone-hour specials a year for HGTV. Its relationship with the networkbegan five years ago when Nancy Glass pitched Michael Dingley the ideafor a special called Model Homes, a tour of the homes of fashionmodels. Now she and her partner Kathi Difede produce 12 one-hourspecials a year with a geography theme: Homes Of London, Homes ofParis, Homes of Rome, etc. They also produce Soap Pads aswell as the series At Home With, hosted by Joy Philbin;Fantasy Open House; Public Places, Private Spaces; Mission:Organization; an as-yet-untitled show about collectibles; andSmart Design, which Glass hosts.

“It's a blast,” Glass says. “I really believe Ihave the best job in the world.” Based in Bela Cynwyd, Pa.,Glass/Difede employs a staff of 35 and uses freelance camera crews.Glass calls the budgets “appropriate.” She adds, “Weare extremely efficient. There's nothing wasted. Everybody's busy allthe time.” She has high praise for the network executives ofHGTV: “As a producer, you have such an advantage working for thembecause they are all producers. They have such a clear vision of whatthey want. They love quality. They love ideas. You are working forexecutives who have done what you do, so they are great criticalthinkers. They really help you shape your show into the best possibleshow for their network.”

The acclaimed Historic Homes of Freedom: Homes on the UndergroundRailroad was one of 14 one-hour specials with the theme Homes ofOur Heritage produced by High Noon Productions in Denver. High Noonalso produces a limited series of specials on historic homes: Homesof New Orleans, Homes of Boston, Homes of Miami, etc. Theproduction company currently has an order for 28 specials fromHGTV.

In addition, High Noon produces five series: Modern Masters, IfWalls Could Talk…, Dream Drives, A Place to Call Home, andGreat American Gardens. Of the four partners in High Noon, twowere documentary filmmakers before starting the company. They employmore than 40 people just for HGTV shows and additional staff to work onprojects for Food Network, also owned by Scripps.

Suzanne Whang, the host of Pie Town Productions’ HouseHunters, shoots a standup outside. The Hollywood-basedcompany’s crew shoots in Beta SP using Sony D30 or D35 cameras.Photo by Mark Daniels.

“We get to do wonderful storytelling,” says partner DukeHartman. “As a documentarian, this has been a great network towork for. Our niche is historical work, and we love to be able to dothat for them.” He describes the process of working with HGTV.“They're involved as you're making your hires. They want to havea good rapport with the person who runs the team. Before you even takea trip, you're going to pitch the network ideas for the trip.Typically, if we want to come back with five stories, we pitch eightstories. On a new show, we may submit scripts. On a mature show, we gooffline and send them a rough cut of the story. The whole process isvery collaborative, so we don't surprise them, and they don't surpriseus very often.”

According to Hartman, “The budgets are pretty tight, but theyallow us to do what we need to do. The specials work because we canbatch them together. There's a lot of efficiency then.”Typically, only a segment producer and cameraman go on a shoot.“It's pretty lean and mean, but beautiful stuff comesback.”

Pie Town Productions produces eight series for HGTV. About 100employees work to create Designers' Challenge, Landscapers'Challenge, Weekend Warriors, Homes Across America, House Hunters,Design on a Dime, Ground Rules!, and Designing for theSexes.

“For us, the most important thing is telling a story,”producer Tara Sandler says. “There's information throughout theshows. There are takeaways the audience can get, but we tell a story. Ithink that's the direction of the network and what we bring to thenetwork.”

For Pie Town, the biggest challenge is staying on schedule whiledocumenting actual renovation projects. “We're basically dealingwith real people spending their own money and having to make very bigdecisions. A renovation project, for anybody who's gone through it,never happens on time and never goes according to plan,” Sandlerexplains. “It's pretty tough, but the network isunderstanding.” Working within the tight budgets is also achallenge. “You have to be very creative as a production companyto do the shows on these budgets. It's all about amortizing costs. Themore shows we have, the easier it gets for us to do.”

Although Dingley declares that his fantasy is for his programexecutives not to be hands-on at all, the production companies reportthat the network is very hands-on. “In the best possibleway,” says Glass. “They guide you. I've never had them makea comment on a show or ask for a change that I haven't thought is areally good idea.”

The High Noon Productions crew, led by director Sonny Hutchison(center), on location for Dream Drives, originally thebrainchild of an HGTV executive. Photo by Michael Watson, Great PlainsCreative.

Hartman concurs, “These folks are hands-on, but they are veryreasonable as far as the production schedule and production budget.This is all about relationships and doing what you say you're going todo. We love working for them. They are great collaborators.”Dingley adds, “We do have high standards, but we're very fair. Ifyou will, we try to follow the Golden Rule.”

Presenting positive content seems to be an important plus forproducers. Glass says, “What I love most about it is that whenpeople ask you what you do, and you say, ‘I'm a producer forHGTV,’ they will inevitably say, ‘That's all Iwatch.’ That's a thrill.” Hartman comments, “We'renot dealing with death and destruction. These are just greatreality-based profiles.” Sandler appreciates that the networkexecutives “are very respectful of us. They constantly tell ushow happy they are with our work, which is really nice. I have to say,not a lot of networks are that gracious. It's just a very positiveexperience.”

Budgets: $60,000-$100,00

Formats: Delivers on Digibeta; shot in various formats

What to pitch: One-hour story-driven, non-fiction orvérité specials on themes related to home and garden.Can be historic or topical, should be positive and inspirational.

What to submit: A synopsis (two-page minimum), examples ofthe topics and locations to be featured, a production timeline, thecredits and bios of key personnel (executive producer, director,writer), budget breakdown, the host or narrator, and a sample reel.

For submission guidelines: Call (865) 694-2700 Ext. 2951.

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