Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgements
1 What Is a Format?
Going in Circles?
Why Do Formats Matter?
What Is a Format?: Three Paradoxes
A Good Story
Exercise: Getting Your Eye In
References
2 Be Creative
What Is Creativity?
Getting to Know You: Some Insights From Jungian Psychology
The Conscious and Jungian Typology
The Jungian Unconscious
But What About the Brain?
Being Creative?
Exercise: Flipping Modes
References
3 Do Creative Creativity as a Process: Some Background
Prepare
Play
Participate
Identify the Purpose
the Big TEASER
TE: Topics Or Trends Into Emotions
A: Access
S: Success
E: Extremes
R: Real Life
Exercise: Practice Makes Perfect
Get Picky
References
4 Shape It
Story Shapes
Popular Format Story Shapes: The Three "Cs"
Competition Formats
Change Formats
Choice Formats
And Then There Was One..
Exercise: Start at the End
Building the Contours
Exercise: Where in the World?
But You Do Make the Rules
Exercise: Who's in Control? Story Dispensing
Exercise: What Is the Trajectory?
Back Round Again
Exercise: Yes, But What Is It Really About?
References
5 Build It
Format Points
Exercise: Stepping-Stones
A Class Act
Exercise: Act Up
Keep the Beat
Exercise: Finding the Beat
Challenge It!
Exercise: Set the Challenge/Get the Emotion
A High-Wire Act
Exercise: Take the Strain
The Pot of Gold
References
6 Design It
Exercise: Getting Your Eye In (Again)
Where in the World?
Exercise: How Special Is "Special"?
Sensible Advice
Setting the Right Tone Exercise: Striking the Right Note
Good Value(s)
Exercise: Set the Code
Bringing It All Together: Mise-En-Scène
Exercise: Detail It and Style It Out
It's the One Where..
Exercise: The One and Only
Move Away From the Obvious?
Exercise: Change Your Tune?
References
7 Populate It
What Is a Character?
Story World Participant Roles
Exercise: Hero of the Hour?
The Antagonist
Exercise: Opposing Forces?
The Companion (Dispatcher/Helper/Mentor/Changemaker)
Exercise: Three and Three
Format Participant Roles
Exercise: Who Is Invited? Exercise: A Class Act
Casting
Finding Motivation
Exercise: What's My Motivation?
Note
References
8 Drive It
Driving Yourself
Exercise: Know Your Drivers
An Ideas Team
Is Your Ideas Team "Just Right"?
Exercise: Team Goldilocks
Is Your Creative Climate Right for Ideas to Flourish?
Driving Others to Believe in You
Exercise: IWISHU
Driving Others to Give You Feedback
Exercise: Staying Positive
Driving Others to Buy Your Format: Pitching!
Different Forms of Pitches
Pitch Content
Bringing It Together and Keeping It Simple

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Creating TV Formats: From Inception to Pitch takes the reader through a step-by-step process of how to generate ideas, develop story lines and characters and hook an audience, whilst staying aware of the realities of the media landscape. Beginning with a discussion about what a TV format is, each chapter then introduces a key aspect of the development process, such as looking for ideas, shaping the underlying story and thinking about participants. Practical exercises guide the reader through each stage of turning an initial idea or subject matter into a hook or insight; the importance of incorporating storytelling principles and techniques for designing and populating a story world. Examples from successful television formats such as First Dates and The Great British Bake Off are interwoven throughout the book alongside exclusive insights from the key industry professionals who brought them to the screen. From short-form digital content to longer unscripted series, this is an essential guide to discovering and developing formats for any media or television production student or early career development professional.