Guest Post: THAT’S MY SONG! by John Cee Stannard

or

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?

You have a great idea …

You have lousy timing …

What have you got? …

… Nothing

… or have you?

Several years ago I was watching a TV talent show and thought there should be a show specifically for songwriters – I even had a name for the show “That’s My Song”. Then a couple of years later, along came The Voice, and again I thought there really should be a show like this – just for songwriters.

After a couple of years of thinking about it, I decided I should try and do something about it.

I should develop the idea, take it to a production company, get backing to produce a pilot, and then go on to do the TV show that in turn becomes syndicated around the world.

So I set about making notes of all my ideas, devising aspects that would make my show unique, captivating and entertaining.

Yes – there would have to be judges – probably a singer-songwriter, a radio presenter, a record producer, a pop star. Maybe have 3 or 4 fixed judges and a different guest judge each week.

The judges would comment – as they always do, but would then mark on certain criteria such as melody, story line, lyric, entertainment value, is it captivating and believable. That sort of thing. The judge’s marks would put them into the winners chart in order of achievement – the public vote would then also put them into order – and the two combined would give the result of the weeks show.

The top three (in no particular order) would be in the A list, and could then not be eliminated the next week, even if they were bottom of the achievement chart.

The bottom two would be in the C list. One is eliminated and one stays in the C list and in the following week is in the sing off with that week’s lowest chart listing – UNLESS s/he has elevated him or herself to the A list. (in which case the bottom two become the C list)

There would of course be different themes each week.

The application round being any self penned song.

One week, a movie clip is shown, and they have to write a song that would be ideal as a soundtrack.

Another week, they must write a song that might be suitable for a particular artist.

Another week they must write a song in a particular genre.

Another week (have brokered a wonderful deal for myself) they must write a song for the Eurovision Song Contest – the winner of this round has his song entered for consideration as possible choice in the competition.

Another week they have to write a Christmas song. (Oh I sense a marketing opportunity coming on – it’s all about multiple income streams you see.)

I started writing the ‘treatment’, drafting ideas as to how it would appear on screen. I also started drafting the rules. Who could enter? How they enter? Etc. There were lots more ideas, and clearly a lot more work would be need to produce a viable format. But it was a good starting point.

Next – I realised that I have absolutely no clout with any TV production company, which means that they would probably not listen to me at all, or, if they did, would quite likely ‘borrow’ my idea, and go ahead with it without me. So I needed a partner, someone who was respected in the industry and would carry weight – and possibly favour. I would be quite happy to give away half the idea to the right person.

As luck would have it, circumstances contrived to put me in touch with such a person. Whoopee – was it all coming together?

Not exactly – he informed me that he had been trying to get such an idea off the ground for quite a long time. And there were several other people who were already actively engaged in exploring this idea. His current stumbling block was finding someone to finance a pilot.

So – beaten to it. I suppose I could carry one anyway – raise £60,000 or £100,000 through crowd funding and produce a pilot myself – but I don’t know how to do that – so it’s just another one of those great ideas that might have worked if it had come five or ten years earlier.

Or –

It would be a shame to completely waste all by thoughts – so you can get a taste of what it might have been like at www.thatsmysong.org.uk Of course this is a slightly altered web version rather than the TV version, but it could be fun, and you never know, it might still be a nice idea.

So – roll up roll up – If you want to enter your song into possibly the greatest song writing competition of all time – log on now – and enter – it’s easy – it’s fun – and it’s free (for now) as it’s just for fun… www.thatsmysong.org.uk

JohnCee