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PITCHING A CARTOON SHOW

By John Fountain

CHAPTER 8 - Post Mortem

Let’s talk about pitching a cartoon show, shall we?

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve tried to give you all of the practical information I have based on my experience on how to pitch a cartoon.

Not as easy as you thought, huh?

Everything I know came from trial-and-error on my part.

You will try.

You will error.

Don’t let it eat you up.

One of the major, emotional milestones I wish I had gotten over sooner is that - as corny as this sounds - life IS, in fact, all about the journey - not the destination.

If you choose to pursue pitching ideas, you need to accept early on that they may go nowhere, but that it was the TRYING that was the real “art.”
I’ve heard people say the words, “All I want is my own show.”
(I’ve probably said those words myself)

Really? Is that “ALL” you want?

What you’re asking for is huge. It’s the kind of thing spend their entire lives pursuing and NEVER achieve. Having a show, making a movie, generally seeking a career as an entertainer in ANY capacity is a rare and wonderful thing.

But that’s just it… it’s a RARITY.

Now, looking back, I’m still grateful for every minute of it.

You learn things about yourself and your “inner fire” that you never would have learned if you hadn’t tried.

And THAT needs to be enough.

Anything else that happens is icing on the cake.

Because, guess what?

Let’s say you get your show… next, it goes through development - which is long and painful. Then you make a pilot - which is long and painful. Then the show gets reconsidered - which is long and painful.

The let’s say you get a series/movie deal - PRODUCTION is long and painful… then it makes it to the public and you have to worry about ratings and promotion and advertising and a million other REALLY “not fun” ingredients to this gumbo.

My point is, the IDEA of making a cartoon is a lot more fun than MAKING a cartoon.

Making a cartoon is WORK.

Yes… it beats flipping burgers (unless flipping burger is your passion - in which case, I envy the hell out of you).

But when you endeavor to pursue a career in “The Arts” you are signing up for some grueling times.

This is why I highly recommend you ALWAYS make stuff and put it out there for your own enjoyment without concerning yourself about the confines of “commercial” entertainment.

It’s why I have my dopey YouTube channel.

It’s one thing to make art… it’s another to put it out there… it’s yet ANOTHER to put it out there as a COMMERCIAL VENTURE.

And that’s what we’re really talking about here.

When you pitch shows, you are pushing your artistic soul into the very uncomfortable and often unforgiving waters of commerce.

And, for good or ill, “MONEY” changes EVERYTHING.

I’ve enjoyed deconstructing this process. I hope you have found it helpful and enlightening. Please keep me posted on your ambitions and I wish you the best of luck.

Be sure to mention my name when you’re accepting your awards!

Zig-a-Zig-AH, Party People!

THE END

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