How to Submit a Proposal to UKTV
We've tried to make submitting your ideas to us as easy as possible. Simply send us an email with the idea attached. If approaching one of the Commissioning team directly then please always copy in submissions@uktv.co.uk to ensure that your proposal is logged and tracked. Our aim is to acknowledge receipt of your email within 2 days and feedback within 2 weeks. Then by 4 weeks we'll let you know if we want to continue to progress or whether it's not right for us. Please note we do not accept proposals unless affiliated with or from an independent production company. You can search for production companies within your genre in the PACT directory. Please also take a look at our channel briefs as we don't commission across the whole network.
What happens after?
Development
Once you've pitched the original idea and worked it up with the Commissioning Editor, we may put the idea into paid development. This usually means working up a more extensive treatment with additional research as well as budgeting and scheduling for a series. It can also involve taster tapes/ casting tapes through to full blown pilots. We have a fund specially set aside for development work which we can call upon instantly to make sure we never lose momentum on the best ideas.
Decision Process
Our decision making process involves a two tick system between the commissioning department and the channel editorial team. We believe that this allows for creative debate and ensures that we're rigorous about commissioning the most exciting ideas.
Once we've agreed to proceed with the programme, our Production department will work with you to finalise the budget and schedule, and a member of our Business Affairs team will pick up with you to agree the rights position. The programme will then be taken in to our version of a programme finance committee backed by the General Manager of the channel and the Director of Commissioning.
Green Light
Once the programme is signed off, you we'll ask you to fill out a Commissioning Specification form this will be used to form the basis of the commissioning agreement that will then be negotiated with a member of our Legal and Business Affairs team. We will then send out an official green light for the programme by email.
Pre-Production Meeting
These are integral to each of our commissions and happen soon after the green light has been given. This is a large meeting with all of the departments from UKTV that you'll be working with and key members of the production team to discuss the project as well as schedules and deliverables required. They're informal and a good opportunity to meet face to face with our Marketing and Press teams as well as the channel itself.
Production
Throughout production you will work closely with the Commissioning Editor or Commissioning Executive who will be your main point of contact across UKTV. Our Marketing and Press departments will start to work on campaigns for the show and we will have a weekly internal commissioning routine with the channel teams and anyone involved in the project to update on how the project is going. Once you're in the edit, viewings from both the Commissioning Editor/ Executive and Compliance Manager will begin and once the finished show is signed off our Production Manager will coordinate delivery ready for transmission.
TX
When the programme is transmitting, we'll keep you up to date throughout TX on overnight viewing figures, consolidated figures and press campaign evaluation reports and any other information that may prove valuable to you. Our relationship definitely doesn't end with delivery of the show; after all we'll be hoping we can pick up on conversations around series two pretty quickly!