John de Mol goes hunting for reality
Reality guru looks to audiences for ideas
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Endemol co-founder John de Mol's Talpa Media Group has launched a website, TalpaCreative.com, that reality fans can visit to pitch ideas.
The site launches this week. Users will register as members and then receive an opportunity to submit ideas as well as respond to assignments posted by de Mol and Talpa execs.
"Everyone has an opinion about TV," de Mol said. "But for people not a part of our business, it's extremely difficult to get a meeting with a network. This is a platform where people with good ideas can come."
According to de Mol, users will be compensated on a scale depending on how far their idea goes. Some website users may even be asked to join the production as full-fledged producers, depending on their TV expertise.
"It depends on the state of the idea -- is it a one-liner? A one pager with some structure? That will determine our option price in the beginning," he said. "At the end of the day, they will still remain on board with a certain percentage as co-owner."
Site is open only to U.S. audiences at the moment; Stefanie Gelinas, who serves as de Mol's U.S. managing director for Talpa Media Group, will take a look at the submissions with her team, then pass along the best ideas to de Mol and company in Holland.
De Mol said he'll develop the best of the entries in Holland with an eye toward bringing a show to the States if they prove successful.
"There are 300 million people in the U.S. A few hundred of them must be able to come forward with a good idea," de Mol said.
