[Closed] How can I get a TV programme made about cycling?

Sounds crap to be honest. You'd need folk getting fingers sliced off in disc rotors as an absolute minimum. Probably need a bit of Badger tyre gunk action also.

Preferably to be shown on BBC

I think you're aiming to low.

So do the Beeb have an email address for suggestions or what?

More than likely, but only to make the people sending in suggestions feel better about themselves. Television isn't a meritocracy, knowing someone is better than having a good idea.

Molgrips, email me , i have had a request about appearing on a bbc documentry about cycling, being made by an indepaendant company for bbc 1.

I will then send you the email.

You may be better off trying a more niche broadcaster first, maybe an online one, something like Lovevelo, go for a feature in a current show rather than a full show.
If that works try a full show. If that works see if they will help take it to a bigger broadcaster, maybe a sattelite channel of some sort. If that works try the BBC.
Start small and build up. It;s very rare for a first-timer (are you a first timer?) to get the channel they want and even the time slot they want. Rob Grant and Doug Naylor did with Red Dwarf, I beleive they even turned down an offer from Channel 4 as they didn't want adverts in the middle ruining the flow. You need to be confident in it to turn down an offer like that though!

What about doing a podcast?

You may be better off trying a more niche broadcaster first, maybe an online one, something like Lovevelo, go for a feature in a current show rather than a full show.
If that works try a full show. If that works see if they will help take it to a bigger broadcaster, maybe a sattelite channel of some sort. If that works try the BBC.
Start small and build up. It;s very rare for a first-timer (are you a first timer?) to get the channel they want and even the time slot they want.[b] Rob Grant and Doug Naylor did with Red Dwarf, I beleive they even turned down an offer from Channel 4 as they didn't want adverts in the middle ruining the flow. You need to be confident in it to turn down an offer like that though! [/b]

They had already done a fair bit of radio for the beeb and some writing for Spitting Image though.

Hmm.. I like the podcast idea.

Even a blog would help.

However what I want is a big programme, probably one-off, on some prime time slot that get watched by the proles raising the issues around cycling - perhaps with a follow-up audience participation programme. It should show people how to go about cycling, why it can be good, how to do it safely - give all those 'oh I'd like to cycle but....' people a bit of a nudge. And also bring up drivers v cyclists - have opinions on both sides and hopefulyl bring up a debate where we can get motorists and cyclists talking to each other instead of hating.

You need more of a "populist" angle to get the media interested.
Start by having an affair with that well known cyclist's wife SAMCAM or cut out the middle woman completely and just mow down the man himself in a classic SMIDSY.

If you could introduce a cooking angle you could have it running on five channels at once.

sounds boring, will it be presented by someone hilarious, have crash footage and use pounding exciting music?

the crash footage would have to take up more show time than road safety for it to keep my interest.

I'd probably put it on at 7pm when no-one really watches telly properly anyway. Everyone knows the One show is just filler.

Molgrips you have mail

Ta

You could try pitching it with the bike week people, maybe as extended feature on the one show. At least get CTC or bc involved and get some celebs in. Miss Pendleton always makes good tv...

Richard Hammond would probably host seeing as he is an avid driver and cyclist. Plus his teeth would attract the right broadcasters.

His teeth will attract moths and flies. Giving us an Bbc nature watch angle.

A one off tv show is not the way to get his to the public. It's a one off. How about this...

Make it yourself, with a semi pro maybe student team.
Get cycle industry sponsors to help
Sustrans may be interested
Host in on line where it will be available forever.

On the bbc, you would be lucky to get a 3 minute slot on the one show.

I'm pretty certain that you will need to do slightly more than email a large and faceless cut throat business corporation..

who will take the credit for your idea..?
who will sift through the hundreds of thousands of emails that get sent to 'the bbc' by various ne'er do wells each and every day..?

What you will probably need to do (and I'm only guessing here) is approach an independant film company with your idea.. and a filming schedule.. and a script.. and a business plan..

otherwise it's probably a bit like posting on an internet forum trying to get someone to design a company logo for free..

I don't think there's any wizard of oz at pebble mill..

another avenue would be to obtain a very good relevant degree.. then apply for a job as a runner.. then work your way up through the ranks until you have earned yourself a position where your ideas will be taken seriously by someone with the power to act on them..

A one off tv show is not the way to get his to the public.

Hm but there's not enough material to make a series out of it. Wouldn't want to be one of those lame single issue series.

I don't care about credit or money or anything. I just want to get the message out to as many people as possible.

I just want to get the message out to as many people as possible.

obtain a very good relevant degree.. then apply for a job as a runner.. then work your way up through the ranks until you have earned yourself a position where your ideas will be taken seriously by someone with the power to act on them..

It won't fly on mainstream tv.. I don't see an audience

. Cyclists already know what they need to know and it would have to be pitched below them... And non cyclists won't give a hoot.

But I bet the one show or panarama or ???? Will cover the subject this year. It's a very hot topic, our transport minster wasvknocked off, the times loves us and it's the Olympics.

monkey tennis?

britains got talent

There was something like this on a while back, but more about whose fault it is for crashes. e.g. cyclists getting doored and the like.

Plus has been bits on the news regarding cyclist safety - Magnatom in Glasgow was on STV.

I think it would work, but programme would have to cover all aspects of cycling, from the grass roots work by guys like Ed's Cycle Co-op and Bike Station to Sportive's, MTBing, touring, etc etc.

Sounds very interesting, needing a hand?

Richard Hammond would probably host seeing as he is an avid driver and cyclist. Plus his teeth would attract the right broadcasters.

Oh please, not more of him on the telly. A biking Topgear is not whats needed.

A mountainbiking slot on Countryfile would probably work better (Pedalfile, anybody?)
John Craven, now there's a man with television-friendly teeth!

there's not enough material to make a [s]series[/s] programme out of it.

FTFY

You could try going on Dragons Den with it as a business idea - at least then you might get some publicity out of the Dragons laughing at you.

Cyclists already know what they need to know

I don't think they do though, that's the problem. And there are a lot of people who might like to cycle to work, say, but just haven't got round to it. A bit of promotion and good vibe might help here.

This is mainly not about mountain biking by the way, more about cycling as transport.

It's occurred to me though that there arne't even a published set of guidelines specific to cycles. The highway code has some stuff but I reckon it'd help loads if there was say a cyclists handbook as well.

is it a sports programme, consumer, childrens?

Work out who its for, write up a pitch. Then find out the names of the exec producers in the department you want and contact them. "No Ta" will be the first response, keep going.

The other option is to make the programme and then try to sell it to someone. To be honest this has discovery channel, or Quest written all over it.
Bear in mind there is much more to just getting you're mate to film you, bolting it together in imovie and handing over a dvd. You'll have to worry about tech compliance, editorial compliance etc.

Where in the world are you??
I don't know much about the commissioning prosess, but I have a vague idea how to make 'em

[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclecraft-complete-enjoyable-cycling-children/dp/0117037400 ]Cyclecraft[/url]

if there was say a cyclists handbook as well

There is! Its called Cyclecraft by John Franklin, see link above. Very good book. 8)

sound like the kind of thing that could get a 4 minute slot in "The One Show", but you still need a gimmick and a lot of luck.

I know there are lots of books, I mean an official govt one. Govt advice carries a lot more weight than some guy's advice.

The other option is to make the programme and then try to sell it to someone. To be honest this has discovery channel, or Quest written all over it.

Yeah that would make it pointless. It would hav eto have mass distribution, that's the point. The main aims are to just get cycling and cyclists into everyone's mind, particularly the entrenched motorist, and to help encourage people who feel like cycling but don't really feel it's their thing.

A newspaper thing could work, like the Times - but more educational I reckon. Although I don't know what htey have in mind.

why would "entrenched motorists" watch a dull program about cycling? if that's the aim then a short slot on a more general magazine kind of show might be more appropriate anyway. the kind of thing you hope they can't be bothered to change the channel for.

Cycle craft is recommended reading for the Bikeability scheme http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/

Better idea IMO would be to get someone like Holly & Phil on board and do small slots on ITV during Bikeweek

Do you already have a Bikeability quali?

There will be local campaigns where you live encouraging cycling, join up with them. I would love to see more cycle commuting in Glasgow, and would happily help achieve this.

I haven't read all the recent replies, however my Sister in law, who used to be with the Beeb says's this.....

Yes all proposals for BBC TV and online content ideas must be submitted online through e-Commissioning ...check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/pitching-ideas/e-commissioning.shtml. He would probably have to mock up a programme 'treatment' (a detailed propsal with a 30 min episode idea) but all the info should be on that link.

The direct people concerned with that programme idea would probably be someone like Alison Kirkham (Commissioning Editor for Factual formats and features) or Abigal Appleton (Commissioner for BBC Learning).
I reckon it's a good idea as there aren't any really bikey programmes on the Beeb at the moment - but it would need a bit of an edgy quality to it (think Top Gear for bikes!)

why would "entrenched motorists" watch a dull program about cycling?

Because it would have to be not boring. If it was about cycling and traffic issues it would get as many hating motorists watching as it would cyclists I reckon. The edgy quality could be something like a debate getting anti-cyclist people face to face with cyclists but properly managed so it dind't end up as a bun fight. You could have a panel of say, people from RAC, Clarkson, someone from Sustrans, Boris, Victoria Pendleton and so on.

I think a lot of people have an opinion on cycling and cyclists (just look at the comments sections on the news articles or the threads on Mumsnet), this could get people watching.

Molgrips have sent you a ladies email who may be able to help,

Possibly more chance of this happening on the back of the Times campaign. Good luck with a good idea.

Thanks for the encouragement some of you 🙂

I considered starting a blog called 'I hate cyclists' or some such, just to get people's attention. Then invite submissions and complaints from either side and post them up and have moderated comments. Get people talking. Not as much exposure but I could control how it went.

Does anyone know how I can go about getting a Hollywood blockbuster made about cycle maintenance? I was thinking of getting someone like Brad Pitt to do the basic instruction maybe with Kiera Knightley also cast as a mechanic to make it more appealing to Brits. I reckon it has real scope to be a sort of Harry Potter-style, multi-part franchise.

I've done some basic research and I reckon there'd be loads of interest in it. I'm wondering if maybe someone like the CTC or British Cycling would be up for financing it? Or maybe a wealthy private investor who might otherwise buy a football club or a Carribean island.

It seems like a no-brainer to me. All I need is a few million quid and to borrow a few tools and a workshop. Has anyone done anything similar? I was thinking of asking Quentin Tarantino to direct it, but I guess he might be booked up, so if anyone knows any other leading film directors, that would be ace. Thanks.

ps: I'm not trying to stomp on your territory, Moley. This would be strictly big screen stuff, maybe even IMAX.

Sweet baby Jesus ....

I'm really trying not to engage full on critical mode, but molgrips....

You can't decide what to have for your tea without reference to a diet, but now you'll need a prime time slot on the BBC to tell people how to ride a bike?

Er.. crikey? You miss the point of my diet posts. I muse on the best approach based on the results of the continuing experiment. That is not the same as dithering.

And obviously it's not about teaching people to ride a bike. It's about raising cycling issues. If you didn't already think I was a pillock you'd read this thread more favourably.

I'm really trying not to engage full on critical mode

You've failed badly then.

I don't think you are a pillock. Not at all.

I'm trying to point out that ' Let's make a cycling programme on the BBC ' is an approach which suggests a certain degree of entitlement and no small amount of middle class dinner partyism.

It's something-must-be-done, but only by other folk, and in a tasteful way...

Maybe it is me, I'm aware of a growing chip on my shoulder as the chattering classes discover cycling, but there you go.

Just to reinforce as previously, I don't have any kind of negative view of you, but this subject does fit with your persona on here.

Let's make a cycling programme on the BBC ' is an approach which suggests a certain degree of entitlement

Entitlement? I'm not sure about that. It was just a thought that occurred to me whilst cycling through London the other day. Looked like a lot of people were doing things I didn't think were a good idea, and there seemed to be a lack of common approach unlike with drivers.

It's something-must-be-done, but only by other folk, and in a tasteful way...

Well no, I was asking people for opinions in general and I was hoping someone with a bit of industry knowledge would give me some tips about how *I* might get something done. I just thought it was a good idea and it could help a lot of people.

And I dunno about chattering classes discovering cycling, I've been cycling for transport since I was 14.

Go vira...Staged / bloody realistic driver / cyclist altercation............

facebook, youtube, millions of hits, then add more videos build the cyclist into a character...character asks same question...different result...

run over a meerkat

errr viral 😳

Right then, forget auntie beeb. Frankly, unless you are someone with a track record in media, the BBC aren't going to give you even the steam off their shit. Forget them.

Secondly, you are the wrong person to make a cycling show. You like it too much. Have you watched cycling on telly? ITS BORING AS FVCK!!! Unless theres a 'road rage' corner and maybe a 'high speed crash of the week' Joe public is not going to watch a bunch of semi lycra clad middle classers having a fwappathon over a push bike.

That's the problem you see. Essentially although we are right about cycling being ace, we're totally wrong about it being ace to the rest of the non cycling world. And if people already know it's ace, then they'll already be doing it, not thinking about doing it.

And if people already know it's ace, then they'll already be doing it, not thinking about doing it

Now see, I don't agree here. Loads of people I've spoken to said stuff like 'yeah I would ride my bike but...' and reeled off a series of reasons why they couldn't. Some were just making guilty excuses but some really did want to but thought it was too dangerous, or you needed certain kit or whatever. One woman actually told me she couldn't ride to work because the dual carriageway was too busy - oblivious to the fact that there is of course an alternative on normal roads that is shorter, quieter, and much more pleasant. She'd never driven it and it never occurred to her to even look for an alternative.

The show wouldn't be shots of people cycling about. I'm sure I've seen programmes like this (educational one-off types) on other subjects but frustratingly I can't bring to mind examples.