Shooting for Discovery?

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nicepants

Member
I'm considering working on a Documentary, which will probably be HD. I've never produced one for the likes of Discovery channel or anything and was wondering what they, or someone like them, usually pays for something like that. I know I won't get rich or anything, but it's something I love doing, and I'd like to know what I could be looking at return-wise.
 
Normally it goes like this: if they commission the work, you can get paid well; if it's something you've already done, you get paid little. With this exact example, Discovery Channel, the difficulty for being accepted in either those mentioned cases is EXTREMELY difficult, but not impossible.

On a technical level, and if you are considering targeting a particular channel, you will need to find out their OWN SPECIAL requirements UP FRONT.
Todays requirements are stringent!!!

PBS, for instance, has what they call RED BOOK: http://www.pbs.org/producers/redbook/
 
So does PBS pay for programming? I'm going about this from a business perspective, as to do some of these productions I'm going to need investments, and I'd like to start trying to formulate a business plan, part of which would include expected returns from the possible sale of HD content to TV channels/networks. I'd just like to get an idea of what kinds of rates are being paid out to people shooting on an HVX-200.
 
I used to have a link years ago for a site that followed how much some documentaries made...but I lost it now.
Your question is nearly impossible to answer though, as there are so MANY variables it's not funny.
 
I understand there's not going to be a set specific amount. Even a general ball park range would be acceptable at this point. I need to be able to tell my investor: "DiscoveryHD has historically paid between X and Y for a 1 hour HD documentary feature". Even if we wouldn't get the same for hours, a historical baseline to start from would be a great help.

For the variables, assume it's a 1 hour production, up to Discovery's specs, documentary feature whose production level equals the features currently airing on DiscoveryHD.

I've seen people here talk about selling content to discovery...anyone care to discuss what type of compensation they received?
 
I think you might be looking at this wrong.
If you wanted to make a marketable production, it would be marketable possibly in other terretories also, not just on one channel.

Payment varies from gratis, to a few hundred dollars to 50000/hour.
 
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