of shows at the last minute isn’t always in their best interest because they don’t get
the best product if it’s rushed. Also, if programs are bought far ahead, then purchases
might be made anytime, not just during this prime season.Cable and Syndication
In the United States there are other places to market television programming as well. TV
series can sometimes be pitched to distributors or to station groups. But you’ll probably
pitch instead to independent animation production companies who in turn sell to networks,
cable companies, or distributors. Or the independent companies will sell market-by-market
and station-by-station at TV business markets set up for that purpose.
A few of the larger and more important markets include NATPE (held in the United
States around January), MIP-TV (Cannes in the spring, less important than MIPCOM and
MIPCOM Jr.), Cartoon Forum (designed to obtain television financing for Europeans, held
somewhere in Europe each fall), and MIPCOM and MIPCOM Jr. (Cannes in the fall).
Events like World Summit on Media for Children (Europe in the spring), Cartoons on the
Bay (Positano in the spring), Licensing International (New York in late spring), and the
international animation festivals also attract cartoon buyers.
If you attend one of the major markets like MIP or MIPCOM, there are strategies you can
use. Schedule your appointments well before the event, as most buyers will be booked prior
to the event. The larger markets are hectic, with many meetings crammed into a short period
of time. If the buyer you’ve contacted is already booked, ask if there’s someone else who might
meet with you. Don’t overschedule. Be well prepared. Research who buys what for each
channel.Animation Magazine,Kidscreen, or AW N online can help you with that. Do lots of
networking wherever you are. Get to know the buyers. At trade shows market yourself, but
don’t interrupt meetings in progress; wait quietly nearby for a chance to say “hello” and leave
a business card. Some people recommend that you do research on who is looking for what at
the major trade shows, asking questions and looking at what is available and who is buying it,
rather than try to pitch when buyers are busy. Many professionals use the markets early in the
year, like NATPE, to do their homework and begin to set up relationships. Then sellers make
appointments to pitch or close the sale at the buyer’s office or at one of the later markets, like
MIP. Let the buyers get to know you briefly. Then pitch on paper after the show or pitch in the
buyer’s office. Another way is to pitch at one of the smaller festivals or conferences that are
slower paced, such as Banff or Cartoons on the Bay. At the festivals meet buyers casually as
fellow fans and let your conversation lead naturally into the pitch.
DVD and Video
DVDs and direct-to-video product often provide what’s in short supply in the network TV
market. This may be soft or educational material for a young audience. Also, DVDs and
videos can be a profitable ancillary market to features, books, or games. In the United States
Focus on Video (an entertainment software show) is held in the fall, and the Video Software
Dealers Association (VSDA) holds a convention, usually in Las Vegas in July.
Marketing experts suggest that you consider your market from the earliest stages of
development. Differentiate your project. Define your potential customers, find them, and go
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