CONSULTANCY | Grand Scheme Media - Channel Media Commissioning drama

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WHAT WE DO

We are extremely successful Television & Media Development Experts and Industry Trainers.

We work with clients to devise formats, write pitches and package ideas for production.

We broker projects and open doors.

We fast track projects from page to production.

We have success in winning commissions. Recent hits include: Alan Davies - As Yet Untitled (Dave), Mr. Sloane (Sky Atlantic), I Love Sitcom (BBC 1).

Development clients include CPL Productions, Curve Media, Squire Media, Drum, Open Mike, Phil McIntyre Television, Aloof Hat Productions, Nippon Television, 1+1 Ukraine, PBJ Management, and Independent Talent.

We also run highly praised training courses.

These include Format Development and Creation, Television Production, Pitching, and Programme Commissioning. We specialise in Comedy, Entertainment, Factual Entertainment and Drama.

Training clients include the BBC Academy, The Indie Training Fund, Creative Skillset and the National Film and Television School.
CONSULTANCY

Grand Scheme Media is a unique Consultancy run by award-winning Television Executives MARK ROBSON and GRAHAM SMITH.

Our extensive Commissioning and Production experience means we know how to win commissions in the UK and Internationally.

We transform ideas into pitch-ready packages and help broker deals with programme buyers.

We work by the hour or the day, advising a very broad range of clients. We make introductions to broadcasters where needed.

We enjoy a successful retainer relationship with key clients. They retain our services and can call on us at any time for advice, production expertise and development skills.

We re-format International Productions and advise International Broadcasters.

We can source talent to work with Channels or Media Companies anywhere and we have consulted on Format Development across the globe.

We work with a very broad range of first class clients: Individual Creatives, Indies, Agencies, Brands, Artists and Writers.

PICTURE AT TOP: MR. SLOANE for SKY ATLANTIC.

Commissioned by Lucy Lumsden at Sky, and produced by Big Talk, this comedy drama series was created and directed by Bob Weide. GRAND SCHEME MEDIA packaged the project here in the UK.

FEES

We are paid consulting fees on an hourly, daily or retainer basis plus negotiable shares in IP, where appropriate. GRAND SCHEME MEDIA is not a Production Company.

THE TEAM

GRAHAM SMITH

Graham has been an Executive Producer for the BBC and a Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 and Channel Five. He has also run his own successful independent production company.

graham(at)grandscheme.tv

MARK ROBSON

Mark Robson has been an Executive Producer for key British broadcasters, including ITV. He has worked as a successful development executive, devising and producing shows for Granada, ITV, Endemol, Channel 4, CBBC, Channel Five, Discovery and Disney. He has also run an interactive, multi-platform gaming channel for Sky.

mark(at)grandscheme.tv

TONY ORSTEN

Tony was CEO of twofour54 in Abu Dhabi. He has launched and run Television channels around Europe for Viacom, Paramount Pictures, MTV and Comedy Central. Tony is a board member of the Media Zone Authority, Abu Dhabi and now runs The Imaginarium Film Production Company.
TRAINING

"Inspirational!"

"I was craving for more"

"Incredibly useful"

"Fantastic course. Highly recommended"

"Thoroughly enjoyed it...learnt tonnes!"

"Grand Scheme Media have created and run hugely popular training programmes for Creative Skillset, all of which have been unanimously applauded by those who attended. Mark and Graham have fantastic industry contacts and a wealth of knowledge of their own which they generously share with participants. Grand Scheme Media are not only brilliant at what they do, they are also a joy to work with."

CREATIVE SKILLSET

GRAND SCHEME MEDIA provides a highly praised range of Training for the Television and Film industry.

Our courses deliver practical insights into key television creative and craft skills, including Script Editing, Development, Script Supervision, Production Accountancy and Line Production. We pride ourselves on being independent and we are dedicated to delivering training right across the United Kingdom.

Our courses are part-funded by CREATIVE SKILLSET (The HETV Levy Fund or the Skills Investment Fund).

All our courses can be booked on our EVENTBRITE page: http://bit.ly/2gvNBoJ

GRAND SCHEME MEDIA delivers training on behalf of the National Film & Television School, The Indie Training Fund, BBC Academy, Creative Skillset and Guardian Masterclass.

We use professionals currently working in the industry as our tutors and guest speakers.

We are proud to offer unique, independent, informal and informative training across the UK.

Our ambition is to bring inside knowledge to the wider freelance production community.

Our training is often funded by The HETV Levy Fund or the Skills Investment Fund; both have been set up to encourage new skills training in the media industry.

We also work with independent production companies, content agencies, brands, educational institutions and private clients to deliver incredibly popular and highly praised training in leadership, writing, team building, development, commissioning, pitching, script editing and programme making.

We have a roster of incredibly talented experts. If we could design and deliver training for you, please contact mark@grandscheme.tv

RECENT COURSES

BBC ACADEMY

We are proud to deliver training on behalf of the BBC Academy. In 2016-2017 we are presenting a series of courses on Development, Pitching and Selling Programme Ideas.

Grand Scheme also ran regular sessions for the BBC Academy at their regional Fast Train Events and were involved in hosting seminars on Entrepreneurship for executive level employees.

TV DRAMA TRAINING FOR THE HIGH END TV LEVY FUND

SCRIPT EDITING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR FILM AND TV DRAMA

PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANCY FOR TV DRAMA

SCRIPT SUPERVISION FOR TV DRAMA

Feedback on our sessions was amazing!

Or Creative Skillset Script Editing workshops were presented by script consultant PHILIP SHELLEY. He has worked with many of the best British drama production companies and key writers over the past 20 years.

Philip's website can be found HERE.

The two-day workshops for TV staff and freelancers were designed to train up more script editors to meet skills shortages resulting from the rising demand in the Drama Production sector.

Sharon Martin from BIG TALK has helped design our most recent course: PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANCY FOR TV DRAMA. This is a two day insight into the skills required to manage big budget productions. We also continue to deliver our two day sessions on SCRIPT SUPERVISION for both Chidlren's TV and High End Drama. CARYN LANGRICK is our tutor.

THE INDIE TRAINING FUND

We run regular training events for The Indie Training Fund. We cover all aspects of programme development, pitching and understanding the commissioning system.

We also run a regular session on creating comedy for television, with the emphasis firmly on what will work for the UK market.

Details on Programme Development courses can be found HERE.

GUARDIAN MASTERCLASSES

HOW TO GET A JOB IN TELEVISION

Television is a demanding industry to work in, and an even tougher one to break into. Just knowing who does what, how the business is structured, where the jobs are and what skills each department needs might feel like a full-time occupation in itself.

This no-nonsense evening seminar is designed to take the guesswork out of getting started. Leading TV training experts Grand Scheme Media present this capsule guide to how television networks and digital channels operate, how shows get commissioned and the variety of job opportunities available in the field.

HOW TO PITCH A TV SHOW

So you’ve thought of a great concept and outlined a great script. But your show isn’t going to make it onto the small screen unless you can deliver a powerful pitch. This one-day course, created and led by programme-making consultants Grand Scheme Media, provides insider knowledge and practical experience of every element of TV’s complex pitching process.

You’ll learn not just what commissioners expect from a good a pitch, but also the presentation they find most persuasive. You’ll also get an up-to-the-minute breakdown of what channels are looking for what content, which will help you to target your pitch. As well as workshopping your own ideas, the course also give you a hands-on lesson in programme development, giving you the chance to interpret a real programme tender brief.

THE NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL

We are tutors and consultants for Britain's most famous media training institution.

In 2014 we ran a twelve week course in Entertainment Format Development. All of our students achieved placements and contracts working in TV.

You can find a link to the course here.

Grand Scheme continues to assist on the Entertainment Television MA Course at the National Film And Television School. Mark has mentored a number of award-winning productions for the School and we run two annual sessions on Format Development, called The Format Garage.

BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

We have advised Bath Spa University  on the shape and content of their Television Production Course. https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/

SPIKE COMEDY FESTIVAL

We were invited to run a one day session on working in Television Comedy by this prestigious festival. Info HERE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON

We participated in Advisory Panel meetings on behalf of The University of West London.

If we can assist you with any form of Training, Mentoring, Lectures or Workshops, please contact: mark@grandscheme.tv.
NEWS

INSURRECTION TEAMS WITH GRAND SCHEME

LA-based production outfit Insurrection Media has linked up with three producers from UK firm Grand Scheme Media to develop and produce dramas for European networks and streamers.

Kiliaen Van Rensselaer

Former BBC and Channel 4 exec Graham Smith, ex-ITV producer Mark Robson and former Chrysalis Television CEO Tony Orsten will all join Insurrection’s development efforts.

Ex-Village Roadshow exec Jordanna Fraiberg, who is now head of development at Insurrection, will oversee the UK division alongside the company’s general counsel and head of production Deborah Henderson, who previously worked at Zodiak Americas.

Insurrection was launched by former Fox exec Kiliaen Van Rensselaer in 2015 and in the same year struck a multi-year production partnership with The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and David Alpert of Skybound Entertainment.

Its pilot slate includes a coproduction with Keshet Studios based on novel trilogy The Dead Girls Detective Agency from HarperCollins, with which the prodco has a strategic relationship that gives it rights to selected sci-fi, drama and comedy novels for TV.

Charlie Redmayne, CEO at HarperCollins UK, said he wanted “to build on the US collaboration between Insurrection and HarperCollins by jointly identifying and developing key UK imprints into compelling television shows.”

He added: “I’ve been impressed with Kiliaen’s vision of a faster pace and a more agile approach to TV development and look forward to launching hits based on our authors’ exceptional stories.”

Insurrection is also behind comedy Drive Share, produced for Verizon’s mobile-first on demand service Go90.

CREATIVE SKILLSET & THE HIGH END TV LEVY - IRISH WRITING EVENT

THE BELFAST COMEDY WRITING EVENT culminated with a live read of six scripts at the 2016 BELFAST MEDIA FESTIVAL. From over fifty entrants, the final six scripts were edited and rehearsed before being performed in front of delegates at the festival. Some of those works have now gone into development.

ALAN DAVIES - SERIES FIVE!!

The 5th series of the show Grand Scheme Media helped devise for the DAVE channel, and which is produced by clients PHIL McINTYRE TELEVISION ibegan broadcasting in February 2017.

CLEMENT & LA FRENAIS THREE HOUR DOC SERIES

We packaged and pitched this idea in collaboration with key clients. These Entertainment Documentary specials for GOLD were incredibly well received. Produced by LINDSAY JEX for PHIL McINTYRE TELEVISION and SERIOUS COMEDY.

Find out more...

TV DEVELOPMENT COURSE - STUDENTS ALL FOUND WORK!

Grand Scheme ran a three month, part-time course for BBC ACADEMY and THE NATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION SCHOOL. All students went on to achieve professional work in Development.

Find out more...

WORKING WITH ANDY SERKIS!

We were delighted to spend three months assisting on developing formats for THE IMAGINARIUM'S television division. Programme ideas revolved around utlising their state of the art performance capture technology.

GRAND SCHEME SECURE JAPANESE CONTRACT

Calling on our expertise in international formats, we were honoured to work closely with this major Japanese broadcaster to create and sell new formats.

UKRAINE 1+1 CALLS ON GRAND SCHEMERS

We were also involved in providing intel and advice to this key Ukrainian broadcaster.

USP CONTENT

We devised a number of projects for USP CONTENT. This included the BBC THREE commission "Tim Lovejoy's How To Be England Manager".

SILVER BULLET PRODUCTIONS

We have worked on development projects for TV with digital music content providers, Silver Bullet.

WALL OF FAME

We co-devised this SKY ONE comedy panel game series with clients CPL Productions.

PBJ/JBJ MANAGEMENT

PBJ is one of a number of key talent management and agency groups that we have worked with. We specialise in working with their talent on ideas, advising them how to shape them for broadcasters and helping with pitch writing and brainstorming.

NATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION SCHOOL

We ran a successful Development training initiative for the NFTS and have worked in the department as industry experts, mentors, and tutors.
CLIENTS
I find Grand Scheme to be not only lovely people to work with but inspiring, refreshing and totally unique in their proposition to the TV industry .

DANNY FENTON ZIGZAG Productions

Graham and Mark are an intrinsic element in developing the USP Content offering. The creativity and contacts they offer has proved to be an excellent ontap resource for us.

ROB JONES USP Content

Grand Scheme media are a great team. They get Entertainment in all its forms and, for a company like ours, they’ve been very useful in formatting and shaping our ideas.

ROY ACKERMAN FRESH ONE Productions
CONTACT US

Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you

Grand Scheme
Media Ltd.

27 Maiden Lane,
Covent Garden,
London, WC2E 7JS
T: +44 20 7836 4504
hollie(at)grandscheme.tv

We are successful Television Development Consultants and Training Experts.

We deliver highly praised regional training courses. Click HERE for details.

We work with Indies and Talent to help sell formats to broadcasters.

To contact us, click HERE!

And see our new blog HERE!

Or give us a call on +44 (0)207 836 4504.

We work with clients to devise formats, write pitches and package ideas for production.

We broker projects and open doors.

We fast track projects from page to production.

We have success in winning commissions. Recent hits include: Alan Davies - As Yet Untitled (Dave), Mr. Sloane (Sky Atlantic), I Love Sitcom (BBC 1).

Development clients include CPL Productions, Curve Media, Squire Media, Drum, Open Mike, Phil McIntyre Television, Aloof Hat Productions, Nippon Television, 1+1 Ukraine, PBJ Management, and Independent Talent.

We also run highly praised training courses.

These include Format Development and Creation, Television Production, Pitching, and Programme Commissioning. We specialise in Comedy, Entertainment, Factual Entertainment and Drama.

Training clients include the BBC Academy, The Indie Training Fund, Creative Skillset and the National Film and Television School.

Grand Scheme Media is a unique Consultancy run by award-winning Television Executives MARK ROBSON and GRAHAM SMITH.

Our extensive Commissioning and Production experience means we know how to win commissions in the UK and Internationally.

We transform ideas into pitch-ready packages and help broker deals with programme buyers.

We work by the hour or the day, advising a very broad range of clients. We make introductions to broadcasters where needed.

We enjoy a successful retainer relationship with key clients. They retain our services and can call on us at any time for advice, production expertise and development skills.

We re-format International Productions and advise International Broadcasters.

We can source talent to work with Channels or Media Companies anywhere and we have consulted on Format Development across the globe.

We work with a very broad range of first class clients: Individual Creatives, Indies, Agencies, Brands, Artists and Writers.

PICTURE AT TOP: MR. SLOANE for SKY ATLANTIC.

Commissioned by Lucy Lumsden at Sky, and produced by Big Talk, this comedy drama series was created and directed by Bob Weide. GRAND SCHEME MEDIA packaged the project here in the UK.

FEES

We are paid consulting fees on an hourly, daily or retainer basis plus negotiable shares in IP, where appropriate. GRAND SCHEME MEDIA is not a Production Company.

THE TEAM

GRAHAM SMITH

Graham has been an Executive Producer for the BBC and a Commissioning Executive for Channel 4 and Channel Five. He has also run his own successful independent production company.

MARK ROBSON

TONY ORSTEN

Tony was CEO of twofour54 in Abu Dhabi. He has launched and run Television channels around Europe for Viacom, Paramount Pictures, MTV and Comedy Central. Tony is a board member of the Media Zone Authority, Abu Dhabi and now runs The Imaginarium Film Production Company.

"Inspirational!"

"I was craving for more"

"Incredibly useful"

"Fantastic course. Highly recommended"

"Thoroughly enjoyed it...learnt tonnes!"

CREATIVE SKILLSET

GRAND SCHEME MEDIA delivers training on behalf of the National Film & Television School, The Indie Training Fund, BBC Academy, Creative Skillset and Guardian Masterclass.

We use professionals currently working in the industry as our tutors and guest speakers.

We are proud to offer unique, independent, informal and informative training across the UK.

Our ambition is to bring inside knowledge to the wider freelance production community.

Our training is often funded by The HETV Levy Fund or the Skills Investment Fund; both have been set up to encourage new skills training in the media industry.

We also work with independent production companies, content agencies, brands, educational institutions and private clients to deliver incredibly popular and highly praised training in leadership, writing, team building, development, commissioning, pitching, script editing and programme making.

We have a roster of incredibly talented experts. If we could design and deliver training for you, please contact mark@grandscheme.tv

RECENT COURSES

BBC ACADEMY

We are proud to deliver training on behalf of the BBC Academy. In 2016-2017 we are presenting a series of courses on Development, Pitching and Selling Programme Ideas.

Grand Scheme also ran regular sessions for the BBC Academy at their regional Fast Train Events and were involved in hosting seminars on Entrepreneurship for executive level employees.

TV DRAMA TRAINING FOR THE HIGH END TV LEVY FUND

SCRIPT EDITING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR FILM AND TV DRAMA

PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANCY FOR TV DRAMA

SCRIPT SUPERVISION FOR TV DRAMA

Feedback on our sessions was amazing!

Or Creative Skillset Script Editing workshops were presented by script consultant PHILIP SHELLEY. He has worked with many of the best British drama production companies and key writers over the past 20 years.

Philip's website can be found HERE.

The two-day workshops for TV staff and freelancers were designed to train up more script editors to meet skills shortages resulting from the rising demand in the Drama Production sector.

THE INDIE TRAINING FUND

We run regular training events for The Indie Training Fund. We cover all aspects of programme development, pitching and understanding the commissioning system.

We also run a regular session on creating comedy for television, with the emphasis firmly on what will work for the UK market.

Details on Programme Development courses can be found HERE.

GUARDIAN MASTERCLASSES

HOW TO GET A JOB IN TELEVISION

Television is a demanding industry to work in, and an even tougher one to break into. Just knowing who does what, how the business is structured, where the jobs are and what skills each department needs might feel like a full-time occupation in itself.

HOW TO PITCH A TV SHOW

THE NATIONAL FILM AND TELEVISION SCHOOL

We are tutors and consultants for Britain's most famous media training institution.

In 2014 we ran a twelve week course in Entertainment Format Development. All of our students achieved placements and contracts working in TV.

You can find a link to the course here.

Grand Scheme continues to assist on the Entertainment Television MA Course at the National Film And Television School. Mark has mentored a number of award-winning productions for the School and we run two annual sessions on Format Development, called The Format Garage.

BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

We have advised Bath Spa University on the shape and content of their Television Production Course. https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/

SPIKE COMEDY FESTIVAL

We were invited to run a one day session on working in Television Comedy by this prestigious festival. Info HERE.

THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON

We participated in Advisory Panel meetings on behalf of The University of West London.

If we can assist you with any form of Training, Mentoring, Lectures or Workshops, please contact: mark@grandscheme.tv.

INSURRECTION TEAMS WITH GRAND SCHEME

LA-based production outfit Insurrection Media has linked up with three producers from UK firm Grand Scheme Media to develop and produce dramas for European networks and streamers.

CREATIVE SKILLSET & THE HIGH END TV LEVY - IRISH WRITING EVENT

ALAN DAVIES - SERIES FIVE!!

CLEMENT & LA FRENAIS THREE HOUR DOC SERIES

TV DEVELOPMENT COURSE - STUDENTS ALL FOUND WORK!

Grand Scheme ran a three month, part-time course for BBC ACADEMY and THE NATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION SCHOOL. All students went on to achieve professional work in Development.

WORKING WITH ANDY SERKIS!

We were delighted to spend three months assisting on developing formats for THE IMAGINARIUM'S television division. Programme ideas revolved around utlising their state of the art performance capture technology.

Grand Scheme
Media Ltd.