Dallas Tanner Hollywood Director/Writer And Producer Offers Tips On How To Get Your Television Or Film Project Distributed

Hollywood producer’s projects have been distributed to as many as 66 countries worldwide, on USA television networks and online.

Dallas Tanner got his start in television and film by buying an action sports television show that was broadcast onto Fox Sports. He said he immediately recognized that having distribution was the key to seeing your ideas for television and film being realized.

I sat in Time Square at a sports lounge and asked the manager to turn on FoxSports to my action sports show, and when it came on the sets all over the sports lounge, it hit me, distribution is key to lighting up TV sets and ipads and other devices all over the world says Tanner.

So just how did a former government contractor turned producer get his projects onto networks in the USA, Europe, Latin America, Asia and The Middle East?

Dallas Tanner says the formula is simple but often overlooked by new producers. First, you have to find out what the audiences wants, not what you want to produce. Find out if there a demand for such programs. Action sports, comedy, whatever it is make sure there is a market for it first.

Many first time producers design a TV show in a vacuum, they never consulted any experts or did research to find out if there is a market for the show, and it fails to get launched. Tanner says.

Tanner says every single project he has launched has cleared getting onto television networks or launched as a TV series. We are batting a 100% batting average on taking projects from conception to distribution and the key for us, was making sure there was a market for this program, and designing an idea around the market before we started producing it.

So just how do you get this information on whether your show has a market?

Ask programming executives or distributors, the people who have to sell the shows further along the process. Ask them first, a good sales agent will give you lots of valuable information says Tanner. Our company has built a network of TV agents, programming executives at TV networks and distributors all over the world, we go to them first before we start up a project and we ask and now many first time producers approach us to help them get started and I really think we can save them years of learning.

Tanner says his ideas come often from working of all things in the government contracting industry. What real estate developer or office building or airport that has not potential nearby market, if they knew buyers did not exist, this mistake happens often for first time producers, they make programming that has no market for it because they loved the idea. Like they say in real estate development, don’t fall in love with a house because it wont love you back and don’t fall in love with a TV show because if there is no market and you are the only one in love with it, you may fail.

First you carefully design a project and than you execute it by bringing talented people and crew around your project. Tanner says.

So just how do you get the capital and connections?

Just ask. says Tanner, who actually had some of the biggest executives in the entertainment industry believe enough in his projects to joint venture with him. And if you get turned down, ask for referrals and leads to others who may want to take a look at your project, don’t give up.

Tanner also recommends getting good legal and financial advise from the experts. You can’t possibly know all of the pitfalls in the entertainment industry, so be sure to get good legal and financial advise tanner says.

Tanner’s claim to fame is that he is one of the only producers to actually forge joint venture partnerships with the producers of Twilight and also one of the heirs of James Bond for his television projects. “I showed them my work, and they seemed impressed and the rest is history. So doing good work and building an impeccable portfolio in this industry is important as well.