36 A couple of years ago a South African newspaper got into predictable trouble when it published a cartoon of a historical figure, much revered by a certain religious group, lying on a psychiatrist’s couch, saying, “The trouble is, doctor, that some of my followers take it all so seriously!” It is funny, but is the joke on us? Do we take this business just a tad too seriously? And what role, if any, is there for humor this week in the screening rooms of the Palais? Nordic World’s COO and Sales director Jan Salling was unequivocal: “Humor has a very important role to play in our business.” As an example, Salling recalled a recent conversation with “a young hot-shot television executive who attended MIP for the first time last April and swore never to return because, he said, he found it ‘full of suits who only wanted to talk numbers and who knew nothing—and cared less —about creativity.’” This is a criticism of the presentday market with which Salling enthusiastically agreed — even if, as he said, “in so doing I was very busy ignoring the fact that, at the time, I was also wearing a suit!” Paul Heaney, managing director of TCB Rights, is also convinced of the valuable role humor has to play in pitching. “The television business is all about relationships. In order to create relationships you have to break down barriers and build trust. Humor can be a very valuable tool in that process. At the end of the day, before you can sell your programs you first have to sell yourself.” David Lyle, creator, buyer and seller, wholeheartedly concurred with that last sentiment, saying, “When a buyer is deciding whether or not they wish to go ahead with a show, assessing the show itself is only one of the factors they will be taking into account. They will also be asking themselves whether they really want to spend the next nine to 12 months of their lives working closely with the person standing before them making the pitch.” That said, Lyle noted one important distinction, “Humor’s role is very much settled in the pitching of the show, rather than in the negotiation of the terms.” In addition to breaking down barriers and establishing good working relationships, both Lyle and Salling believe that humor serves one other very important purpose— it makes you and your pitch welcome and therefore memorable — even if it isn’t always successful. Lyle recalls making a pitch for a dance show to MTV during which his very reserved, suited colleague treated the assembled office to an impromptu display of hip-hop. They didn’t get the show, but, as Lyle commented to his colleague as they left, “you’ll always be welcome back there to make another pitch!” As if anyone needed reminding, Salling pointed out that, “in Cannes everyone has back-to-back meetings, so, at the end of the day…no one can remember who said what to whom, which is why we all take notes. But if your pitch was enjoyable, funny and comfortable, chances are it will also be remembered.” One of the largest international distributors of comedies is Carsey-Werner’s Herb Lazarus, who prefaced his answer as to whether humor is needed to sell sitcoms by stating, “It is not true that comedy doesn’t travel internationally.” He added, “Naturally, it depends on the buyer, but usually humor helps sales. Not as much in the U.S. domestic TV market where negotiations are a matter of numbers and ratings, but internationally, people appreciate humor. Among our buyers with the greatest sense of humor are the Australians and among the non-Englishspeaking buyers, our sitcoms have had success in territories such as Germany and France.” TCB Rights’ Heaney also made a few cautionary notes: “It really only works vocally — you have to be face-to-face, or at least on the telephone. The reason for this is that it is important to get feedback and to react to it — you have to play the room, which is not something you can do via email, and you also have to know what sort of humor will, and will not, work with people from the sort of cultural background to whom you are pitching. The Brits, for example have a very deprecating sense of humor and there are some people who, if they hear ‘I’m really not very good at this’ will believe it — even if it is David Beckham talking about football!” Heaney’s last word of caution: “I really should also stress that I am talking about wit — a pitch is no place to be telling jokes!” Alaska TV’s creative director Ian Lamara agreed. “Building relationships and getting on with people is half the battle in the television business and humor can certainly play a useful role in creating that all important feeling of liking and ease. Although, I am not sure that ‘humor’ is entirely the right word.” Danger lies in cultural pitfalls, as “not everything that is a real corker in English will work for people for whom English is a second or even third language.” Of course, humor isn’t the only important element of a pitch. Indeed, it may well not even be the most important element. Both Heaney and Salling stressed the importance of listening to your client and understanding their needs. Discretion also helps —Salling once threw “some very senior executives from a major German broadcaster” off his stand after they arrived drunk for a presentation. Happily, they and Salling now enjoy what he described as “a great relationship.” Although he acknowledged that, “this might be because I never tell anyone who they are!” BJ Having a Laugh Is Good For The TV Business — Seriously October 2014 Opening Wallets With Humor Carsey-Werner’s Herb Lazarus and Alexandra Taylor Jan Salling, Nordic World’s COO and Sales director Paul Heaney, managing director of TCB Rights
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