I am looking for resources detailing tips and tricks for writing an
effective synopsis/treatment for the purpose of pitching a TV show
idea to a network. I am NOT interested in anything overly 'American'
in style as it will be pitched to an Australian network, so local
information would be most sought after. Anything that is valuable
though from anywhere is fine, just from what I have seen some seem to
be far too Hollywood in style. I would appreciate some online guides
which are available in addition to information available in
books/texts/papers/essays on the subject. I dont need info on contact
numbers for networks etc, just tips and tricks from successful
industry insiders and 'pitchers' on how to get noticed from the crowd
and how best to convey your idea. Incase it helps: the type of show
that is to be pitched is comedy/infotainment, with both scripted and
reality elements and would be 6-8 30 minute episodes or similar.

Hi dsaffan,

As the Aussie film & TV industries rely to an extent on government
funding, a lot of good sales-oriented information is available on
government and non-profit websites:

Australian Film Commission - Pitching Your Screenplay
http://www.afc.gov.au/faqs/greatidea/pitching/faq_92.aspx

The Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) runs the annual
Film Victoria Pitching Competition as part of the SPAA Fringe
conference.
http://www.spaa.org.au/

Metro Screen in Sydney runs an Annual Pitchfest in conjunction with
the Australian Screen Directors Association (ASDA) and FILMINK.
http://www.metroscreen.com.au/

IF - Inside Film Magazine
What's going on in the industry.
http://www.if.com.au/

The Australian Film Institute has an excellent library with the kind
of resources you need.
http://www.afi.org.au/

Tertiary institutions offering film & media courses are another good
source of topical info:

AFTRS
http://www.aftrs.edu.au/
RMIT
http://www.rmit.edu.au/

I hope this helps. Good luck with your pitch.

* j *