The ideas myth

It's a familiar sight at film festivals the world over: aspiring filmmakers boldly pitching their killer ideas to commissioners with the expectation that if their concept is strong enough, they'll win a commission. Sadly, tv rarely works like that. The assumption that 'the idea is king' is wrong - it's one of tv's myths, widely accepted by commissioners, but rarely admitted to the first-time producers who think a great idea alone will jump-start their careers. As a commissioner, it's much easier, and often much wiser, to go for what might initially seem a less good idea from an established producer than a better idea from an unknown.