How to work for Discovery Channel

J

Jacquesstar

Member
I found out that Discovery Network is one of the few that produces their own programming, instead of just buying completed programs from production companies as vendors.

I spoke with someone who freelances for the company. I would like to approach them myself, and become a production company that provides camera crews and editing services for them.

I went to the Discovery Communications website, but all they have are sales people's contact info.

Does anybody know where I can find the information to sign up as a vendor?

Thanks.
 
That's funny because I always shoot for Discovery as a freelancer for a production company that's been subbed out as a vendor : )
 
Discovery Canada is a completely different animal.

We do a lot of work for Discovery. Feel free to PM me.

Most work is still subbed out. Discovery Studios is the 'in house' production unit for Discovery, just as National Geographic Television is for Nat Geo Channel. Good people at both places.
 
I saw this thread and I thought long and hard about bringing this up. So let me start by saying that this is one experience and may not be indicative of overall company practices, and this happened several years ago.

In 2001 I had spent about 4 months developing a documentary that I knew would be of interest to Discovery. I had come to the conclusion that submitting the idea (as an independent) to this network was my best chance of getting funding for this particular project. I had a close relationship with my main character, who was/is a very interesting and eclectic person doing really interesting things, but NOT well known (all I'll say is that it was in the area of automotive customizing). I had prepared a treatment and was ready to pitch the network, when I mentioned what I was doing to a friend in the industry. He told me to watch out, that this network had a reputation for stealing pitches and producing them in-house. So I plastered my copyright notices all over my pitch and crossed my fingers. I even warned my main character that he might get a call from the network after I made the pitch, and he assured me that he did not want to work with any total strangers.

A few weeks after submission I got my rejection letter. Exactly two weeks later my main character called me to say that he had just taken a call from a producer at Discovery and they wanted to talk with him about doing a show on him. I could tell from the tone of his voice that the Discovery people had won him over, so I told him not to let me stand in his way of fame. The network ended up doing a two-hour piece on him and a few others in his unusual field, I never got my project off the ground. This left such a sour taste in my mouth that I ended up taking the next 13 years off from the film biz (for other reasons as well).

Was it coincidence? That's hard for me to believe. Do they do this all the time? I have no idea. Are they any worse than any other network in this area? It's hard to say. It's just something one might want to know about if one is considering working for this network. Of course, maybe it will make you want to work for them even more, since things look pretty bleak if you stay independent and start pitching programming.

Either way I like to quote Hunter S. Thompson after I tell people this story:

The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.
Which is more or less true. For the most part, they are dirty little animals with huge brains and no pulse. Every once in a while, they will toss up a token human like Ed Bradley or Edwin Newman or Hughes Rudd... and there are others, no doubt, like Studs Terkel in Chicago and the twisted Rev. Gene Scott

But these are only the exceptions that prove the hideous rule. Mainly we are dealing with a profoundly degenerate world, a living web of foulness, greed and treachery... which is also the biggest real business around and impossible to ignore. You can't get away from TV. It is everywhere. The hog is in the tunnel.

Hunter S. Thompson, Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s (New York: Summit Books, 1988).
 
stevedocmaker said:
Was it coincidence? That's hard for me to believe. Do they do this all the time? I have no idea. Are they any worse than any other network in this area? It's hard to say. It's just something one might want to know about if one is considering working for this network. Of course, maybe it will make you want to work for them even more, since things look pretty bleak if you stay independent and start pitching programming.
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Its horrible what happened to you. In the conferences and training I've received there is a strong emphasis on copy-write protection in this business. I would have copy-write protected my work carefully prior to pitching or discussing it with anyone. In your case you would most likely have won in a lawsuit (at least here in the USA). In case others don't know its not very expensive to copy-write something either.
 
You cannot copyright an "idea". You can copyright a script, a film treatment, a finished documentary, but the basic idea itself cannot be copywritten. That's why there are so many copycats of successful ideas.
 
The pitch was copyrighted. But Discovery Communications has a building full of lawyers and a skyscraper full of money. What chance did I stand? I thought it best to just take the lesson learned and move on, and I'm glad I did. It was never about making money for me anyway.
 
stevedocmaker said:
The pitch was copyrighted. But Discovery Communications has a building full of lawyers and a skyscraper full of money. What chance did I stand? I thought it best to just take the lesson learned and move on, and I'm glad I did. It was never about making money for me anyway.
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I understanding your wanting to move on. If they have a lot of money and lawyers that's even a better reason to sue, because you can get more! If the case is good you should win in my opinion.
 
arniepix said:
You cannot copyright an "idea". You can copyright a script, a film treatment, a finished documentary, but the basic idea itself cannot be copywritten. That's why there are so many copycats of successful ideas.
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Once its written down its not an "idea". It does not have to be finished, it can be a very rough draft. The classes (by copy-write lawyers) I had were clear about that. If they copy the premise etc. (but you have it copy-writed) and its stolen etc. that's grounds for a win in court. I know it does not always work out that way. I personally would not be intimidated if my rough script was stolen and turned into a feature, if I had it copy protected. This subject is better covered in the screen writing areas.
 
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I did some editing work for Discovery 3D. It was sub-contracted through a smaller production company. They worked a lot with Scripps which I believe is the umbrella for a bunch of networks (HGTV, DIY, etc.)... I would advise anyone who has any expectations to work with them to consider that many of their shows follow a very rigid (and IMHO boring) formula which is strictly adhered to -- "Herzog's" need not apply :)
 
steve4505 said:
Once its written down its not an "idea". It does not have to be finished, it can be a very rough draft. The classes (by copy-write lawyers) I had were clear about that. If they copy the premise etc. (but you have it copy-writed) and its stolen etc. that's grounds for a win in court. I know it does not always work out that way. I personally would not be intimidated if my rough script was stolen and turned into a feature, if I had it copy protected. This subject is better covered in the screen writing areas.
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It's not that hard to change a few things around and claim it's original. This happens all the time, and it's why you will sometimes see a bunch of similar movies or TV shows spring up around the same time.

Look at how many different shows there are by different production companies about tattoo parlors, auctioneers, custom cars or motorcycles or guns, etc. Or that there were 2 volcano movies and 2 asteroid/meteor movies released in the same summer.
 
I read in the book No Logo by Naomi Klein, bad stuff about Discovery Networks. After all it's a business and business are maximum profit makers not humanity focused. Cool thread and sorry for the person that submitted his idea to Disc.
 
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