I got this email today:
I have a
friend who’s pitching a show to NBC and they want him to deliver a sitcom
writer/show runner. Do you know of any looking for
shows?
The sitcom writers I know are interested in pitching shows of their own — besides, I would never pass along their names and contact information to a stranger.
I suspect the reason why NBC wants your friend to bring in a showrunner is
because they have no faith in him to deliver a series. The network needs someone
they can trust…and your friend doesn’t have the experience or skill yet.
because they have no faith in him to deliver a series. The network needs someone
they can trust…and your friend doesn’t have the experience or skill yet.
Showrunners work hard to earn that trust — it takes years of work on sitcoms to get it. Naturally, writers who have reached that point in their careers are reluctant to let someone ride on their hard-earned coat-tails — unless it’s someone who
brings something worthwhile to the table like a star with an enormous following or
a successful stand-up comic with a development deal.
Most showrunners can get pitch meetings on their own. They don’t need your friend, or his series ideas, for that.