FORMER MERV GRIFFIN TV EXECUTIVE KICKS DOWN HOLLYWOODS "CLOSED DOOR",
LETTING IN A WAVE OF FRESH WRITING TALENT AND MAYBE THE NEXT HIT TV SHOW
Dateline: January 25, 2005 ... Los Angeles, CA
Contact Name: Kimberly Chambers, Tell A Vision Ventures, LLC
Contact Phone: 310-281-1158
E-mail: PublicRelations@tell-a-vision-ventures.com
Web Address: http://www.tvwritersvault.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - January 25, 2005 - Anyone who has ever tried to
"break-in" to Hollywood knows the following truth: the door is closed,
its padlocked, and sticking out the bottom is a frayed telephone line
(explaining all those unreturned phone calls). But that's all about to
change. Former lead development executive for Merv Griffin
Entertainment, Scott Manville, 33, is driving a wedge into that door,
betting that on the other side there is a veritable Pandora's box of
new writing talent with fresh ideas and scripts just waiting to break
the mold of today's TV programming.
Always one to buck the system, Manville's first television project
that sold for Merv Griffin Entertainment went directly against the
company's general policy of rejecting unsolicited concepts, when he
took a call from an unknown writer living in Florida who had an
"idea".
Manville explains, "When you're in the development game at a large
company, you only have time to deal with established writers and
producers. But when you hear a great concept, it's undeniable and it's
worth fighting for." The "outsider's" project won immediate approval
from Griffin and within a few weeks of in-house development the show
was sold to Disney's Buena Vista Television on its very first pitch.
That experience planted a seed.
Although Manville continued to work with Griffin for several years
developing and pitching everything from game shows to movies, he never
forgot the impact of that first project. He recognized that there was
a fantastic opportunity in the market if he could just devise a way to
cross the chasm between new writers with fresh ideas, and the
producers who needed them.
"I knew that if I could create a method that was safe and effective
for both the writers and executives, I could give production companies
an unparalleled tool for scouting new material. But even more
exciting, I could open doors for someone who otherwise would never be
awarded the opportunity to have their work considered." Continues
Manville, "I've been on both sides of the coin so I understand the
needs and concerns of both parties."
That seed of an idea grew into what would eventually become The
Television Writers Vault (http://www.tvwritersvault.com), a unique
interactive tool for Producers and Writers alike that dramatically
shortens the distance between the two camps and provides direct
contact and feedback for projects submitted by writers.
Manville left Merv Griffin Entertainment in 2003, and dove head first
into the development of his vision. Engaging the talent of renegade
web-developer Ian Bergson of U.K.-based Altis Design, The Television
Writers Vault (http://www.tvwritersvault.com) was born in March of
2004.
The TV Writers Vault not only provides professional insight into the
creation of TV show ideas and scripts, it boasts several particularly
powerful and unique features, the least of which is the direct review
of projects by production companies who produce some of the most
popular TV programs of today.
Projects submitted to the TV Writers Vault are categorized by genre
(Reality, Sitcom, Drama Series, etc.) and are archived in a database
where production members make monitored searches for new material, and
writers can view real-time activity and requests from any executive
selecting their project. This is the real bridge that allows
unprecedented access for both parties, and gives the writer electronic
proof of review - something a new writer doesn't get when making cold
calls in the real world of pitching to producers.
Additionally, members have access to a coveted "Mandate Report" that
compiles information on specific types of projects being actively
sought by production companies. Manville explains, "Development
executives keep a finger on the pulse of what buyers want. Why
shouldn't the creators of new concepts have the same information? It
benefits everyone involved." He later added, "The Mandate Report is
quickly gaining it's own momentum and will eventually be spun off for
use by the industry as a whole."
"I wanted to do more than just open the door for writers with great
ideas and stories. I saw the need to educate new talent in the
principals of successfully marketing their projects to the industry,"
says Manville who quickly adds, "I believe in the power of 'Idea', and
the TV Writers Vault is redefining the way the industry interfaces
with creators of original concepts written for television."
For safety, there are links to the Writers Guild of America and
Library of Congress for time-stamped proof of creation. The production
company members using the service agree to a Non-Disclosure Agreement,
and writers are required to agree to an industry standard Material
Release upon submission of their projects.
Manville's business model won't be limited to the TV industry. Music
and other industries dealing in intellectual property exchange will
benefit from plans of expansion that are already in the works.
With more than twenty leading production companies in the fold, and
over a thousand professional and aspiring writers already using the
service, Manville's bet may very well pay off in the near future.
Manville is available for personal interviews for all media outlets.
For more information, contact:
Kimberly Chambers, Tell A Vision Ventures, LLC
Email: PublicRelations@tell-a-vision-ventures.com
Phone: 310-281-1158
Add this page to
 Blink
 Del.icio.us
 Digg
 Furl
 Google
 Simpy
 Spurl
 Y! MyWeb
Got Internet
Marketing?
Write
Press Releases | Press
Releases | PR
Strategy
|
