Television School

My questions this time are about the content development process in TV channels and services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

I understand they all have different strategies and org charts, but:

1- Do they all have a Head of Content (Development)? If so, what is his/her role in the overall process?

2- Can a Head of Development order a new project to a production company based on an internal idea or do they only receive third-party projects and listen to pitches all the time?

3- What is the procos' level of autonomy and independence during that process in relation to the Content Development Department?

Selling a show to a platform ie Netflix, Amazon, Apple or Hulu is not very different then selling to the premium or basic cable networks.

1. Yes most have a head of programming. Under that personnis a team of execs that work on different projects.

2. Most projects are developed by writers, directors and producers bringing in the project from outside the platform and selling it. Occasionally projects are developed internally by programming execs but that’s usually when they have acquired IP: a book, a magazine article etc and they they go out and find a writer to come up with a take and write a pilot script.

3. Usually once a project is sold the prod co does not work independently. The buyer is ultimately the prod cos boss.

Some differences are:
Netflix prefers spec scripts to pitches. Whereas Amazon and other platforms will buy pitches and spec scripts.

If you bring a project to a platform as the prod co there isn’t any difference with how the development process or production process goes. The Buyer is still the ultimate creative decision maker not the prod co.

Hope that helps.