Shiny Decks Won’t Win You Commissions (But Here’s What Actually Does)

I’ve sat through hundreds, if not over a thousand pitches as a commissioner at National Geographic and Discovery.

Most of them? Easy to dismiss.

Not because the ideas were terrible. Not because they weren’t ambitious. But because they fell into one of three camps:

1. They had great talent attached but weren’t thought through properly.

2. They were thought through—but I didn’t believe the company could deliver.

3. The idea was closed and had no chance at returning.

That’s it. That’s why I said no.

Commissioners Are Not There to Solve Your Idea

Yes, I tried to help companies shape their pitches—sometimes just to soften the blow of turning them down. But don’t expect a commissioner to fix your idea, find you a producing partner, or solve your execution problems.

Unless your idea is so uniquely compelling, or has access that nobody else could possibly get, I’m not going to spend time pairing you up with a bigger production company that can actually make it happen.

If you want a commission, you have to do the work upfront. That starts with understanding what really gets an idea across the line.

The Big Myths of TV Development

There’s a lot of noise in this industry about why ideas don’t get picked up. You’ve heard it all before:

• "Commissioners aren’t taking enough risks!"

• "They stole my idea!"

• “I spent thousands on that deck but they didn’t even open it.”

Let’s be real.

• Commissioners DO take risks—but only when an idea is packaged as a ‘safe bet.’

• Ideas aren’t stolen as often as people think. If someone else pitched the same thing and got it away, yours wasn’t packaged correctly.

• A shiny deck or a slick sizzle won’t get you a commission if the fundamentals aren’t there.

And here’s the big one:

Having a Good Idea Means Nothing

Sorry, ideas are two a penny. People get obsessed with the ideas, thinking they’re some kind of rare commodity. They’re not.

The reality? Your idea has already been thought of and pitched. You’ve heard of the the old saying, there are only three good ideas in Telly, and Every Idea has already been made. Well, they’re kinda true. What matters is not the idea itself, but how you package it (and eventually make it - but thats a different post).

And if you’re worried about someone stealing your idea? Sure, it happens - I’ve had it happen to me. But here’s the brutal truth:

If you only have one good idea in you, you shouldn’t be in development.

The Ultimate Package

Let’s talk about risk.

Imagine you’re looking at a glossy brochure for the most amazing house. It has stunning views, the latest tech, designer interiors—a dream home.

But then you realise… It’s built on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sea. Are you still going to buy it? No. Because no matter how good it looks, it represents a risk.

That’s exactly how commissioners evaluate TV shows.

They don’t just buy an idea because it sounds amazing—they buy it because they believe it can actually be made. This is where most development teams fail. They get so obsessed with how brilliant their idea is that they forget to ask:

• Does this look like a risk to a commissioner?

• Does it look doubtful our company can actually deliver this?

If the answer is yes to either of these, then you have three choices:

1. Partner with a bigger, more established producer—someone who gives commissioners confidence that the show can be executed properly.

2. Scale the idea down—make it something that doesn’t represent an outrageous risk.

3. Reduce the exposure - bring other funding to the table so, in the hopefully unlikely event it fails, it hasn’t ripped their shirt off their backs.

All of these solutions means you wont make as much money unfortunately. However, its worth thinking that a smaller percentage of something is always better than a larger percentage of NOTHING.

What’s Really Going Through a Commissioner’s Mind When You Pitch

I’m going to tell you what’s going through a commissioners mind whilst you are sitting across from them at the restaurant table trying to charm them into taking your idea.

They’re listening, nodding along, but in the back of their mind, they’re running through a checklist—just like you do when you pick up a menu.

Because a commissioner doesn’t just buy a show because it sounds great—just like you don’t order a dish based on the name alone.

They’re asking themselves:

• Can this production company actually deliver it?
  That trendy builder’s café you’ve taken them to serves linguine alongside ham, egg, and chips—but do you really trust them to cook fine Italian food properly? It could be amazing… but it’s doubtful.

• Does this company have a good reputation?
  You’ve seen the reviews. Some say the service is excellent. Others hint that the chef might have spat in the food. A commissioner is thinking the same thing: What’s this company’s track record? Have they left previous commissioners burned?

• Is this idea actually as good as it sounds?
  A steak might be the best dish in the world, but what’s the quality of the ingredients? Is this really Wagyu beef—or cheap minced meat from the local supermarket?

Because your show isn’t just about the idea—it’s about proving:

✅ You can deliver it without going over budget.
✅ You have the right team to execute it.
✅ The ingredients (format, talent, access) are top quality—not just dressed-up filler.

In other words, you need to create something a commissioner can actually buy—and trust to deliver what’s promised.

Would You Spend Your Own Money on This?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my time as a commissioner. I had one question I always asked my team when we were evaluating an idea: “Would you spend your own money on this?"

Because when it’s your money on the line, suddenly you start looking at things differently.

• You interrogate the idea properly.

• You find the areas where there’s risk.

• You start thinking like a buyer, not just a seller.

And if you’re in development, you should be doing the same.

Close the Door to NO

Commissioners—and everyone else in the channel—are looking for reasons not to commission your show. Budgets are tight. Timelines are impossible. Risk is high. So don’t give them an easy excuse. Close the door to NO.

How?

• Show you’ve thought through the weaknesses before they can point them out.

• Anticipate their objections and already have the solutions.

• Make it so bulletproof that the only option left is to say YES.

Here’s another hard truth thats worth bearing in mind: It’s always easier for a commissioner to say “no” than to fight for a show. Your job is to make sure they don’t have a choice. So how do you open the door to Yes?

You need a Good Deck…

What??? I know that I have spent most of the time telling you that decks dont work, but what I meant was that most peoples decks are WRONG. Too many people think a deck is just about making something look nice.

It’s not.

A good deck has one job: to make the commissioner’s life easier.

Here’s how:

1. It sells the idea clearly—so the commissioner doesn’t have to do mental gymnastics to explain it to their boss. And let’s be honest, some commissioners are hopeless at selling. It’s VITAL to understand that the its not the commissioner who greenlights the idea - it’s their bosses - so make it easy for them to pitch it up when you’re not there to do so.

2. It proves you’ve actually thought this through. A four-page deck saying “this will be great” means nothing. A detailed breakdown of how it works, what’s in an episode, and why it’s repeatable? That builds trust - especially amongst people who haven’t been present at the meetings.

3. It shows structure. The single most important thing in any deck? A running order. What actually happens in an episode? What are the hooks, the format beats, the series arc? This shows everyone in the process you know how to put a show together.

Stop Wasting Time—Start Getting More Work

TV development is brutal. The competition is insane. But the truth is, most companies aren’t doing the hard work of packaging their ideas properly.

So be the company that does.

• Make your ideas easy to buy.

• Make the commissioner look good.

• And most importantly—close the door to NO so the only door left is YES.

That’s what gets commissions.

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This is the kind of hard truth I usually charge companies for or tell students at the NFTS when I'm being a guest tutor there - but I want more people to know about how commissioning actually works so we can keep this industry alive.

If this hit home, please share it, drop a comment, and hopefully start a conversation about what is the best way you find to win commissions.