To pitch your PODCAST or FILM idea, read and ensure that it fits the criteria below.
Travel Geek Films & Podcasts
There is very little criteria for pitching us either a film or podcast. We’ve worked with national tourism bureaus, travel agencies, transportation companies (from air to land and sea), hospitality groups (from 4-star hotels to family-owned hostels) and many private business interests (from small tour companies to the entire Sentosa Island business conglomerate). If you’re interested in sponsoring your media in our film, or your location as a Travel Geek destination, just reach out to the director/host, Cyle O’Donnell, cyle [at] cyleodonnell.com, with your idea and budget.
Legally Insane Films, LLC.
Legally Insane Films produces nonfiction, newsworthy audio and video stories that expose injustice and corruption and celebrate the small town heroes fighting it. Corruption comes in many forms, and often includes cases of police abuse, abuse of authority, wrongful convictions and over-sentencing, civil and human rights abuses, gender politicking and domestic assault, embezzlement and fraud, and many other examples of oppression.
We especially like stories that celebrate those fighting abuse in the face of scrutiny, pressure, and harassment, because these garner the greatest potential to effect change and draw discussions in our audiences. Our most successful pitches showcase an especially inventive thrust for fighting corruption. Think grassroots efforts for uncovering corruption through surveillance recordings, or maybe even simple activism that proffers a shift in legislation. It can have a sharp, critical component of the justice system that begs intervention or reform. Or it could expose a local crime affecting multiple residents. If you know of such a story, or one that seems similar, we would like to hear from you.
To submit a pitch for consideration to Legally Insane Films, please ensure that it adheres to the following criteria BEFORE submitting your pitch. If you agree to meet these terms, please use the email address below to submit your idea.
- All pitches are FREE of charge.
- Submitting your pitch neither guarantees your media will be produced, nor obligates L.I.F., or its owners, agents, representatives or subsidiaries (collectively “LIF”) to produce it. LIF may request further information prior to accepting your pitch. Requests for information do not necessarily indicate acceptance.
- If accepted to the consultation stage, you must be willing to upload some or all of the above materials to a secure folder, or mail them to us in an insured, signature received package. By doing so you are NOT signing over any rights or ownership to LIF, and all submitted materials will be encrypted and held in legally binding non-disclosure agreement until such time as an agreement to go forward with your story has been reached. This confidentiality agreement includes your name and contact details, and LIF will make every reasonable effort to safeguard your personal information.
- If your story is current and/or still unfolding, LIF may not be immediately equipped to respond or provide surveillance activities. It is recommended that, where permitted, you undergo as much or as many documentary activities as possible, including hiring private detectives licensed to obtain such materials. Visit courthouses and law enforcement records offices to obtain any related documents. Visit locations where subjects are likely to have been captured on in-house surveillance systems. Visit town halls and city libraries to find out if any documents exist in the historical record, including building or parcel purchases, obituary, marriage/divorce records and other publicly available documentation. Purchase transcripts of ALL related court hearings. Record ALL meetings with police and attorneys, all personal court appearances where not prohibited, all interaction with witnesses, and so on (preferably with video and audio). Check your state’s laws for one-party consent statutes on private recordings, as LIF assumes no liability for such media.
- Where appropriate, and when contact will not compromise LIF’s investigation, speak with neighbors, relatives, coworkers, employees, childhood friends and others associated with those involved in your story.
- Your story must be untold. This does not mean it cannot have already been covered in some detail in the news or on social media, or that a facet or different version of your story cannot already exist. It just means that a dedicated podcast, film series, short film or feature length documentary can not have already been made on your story as you want to tell it. For instance, Ted Bundy’s murder spree was covered in the news for years, and inspired many derivative books, articles and video assets have been released. However, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, released across Netflix on January 24, 2019, is a new version that sheds new light on that story. This is principally acceptable if your case falls under similar circumstances.
- Your story must be true. This should go without saying. Your story must be backed up with considerable, if exhaustive evidence wherever possible. This not only ensures journalistic integrity, it also provides a solid base for the visual landscape of any ensuing media.
- Your story should have a sharp and critical component about the justice system or of would-be abusers of that system. But it must not be vindictive. If the main tenets of your story are strong enough, the truth of any antagonists will be revealed in a natural and newsworthy manner. If it is apparent that your motivation is acrimonious in nature, not only will this sentiment play out negatively in the final production, it will not properly service the notion of equitable debate and social benefit – which is at the heart of journalism, and also the mission of Legally Insane Films.
- Further, your story must be newsworthy. This means that the sole agenda of your pitch must be to help other targets of abuse, harassment and injustice, avoid, find support for, or fight back against similar abuses.
- You must be willing to enter into the public realm with your story. Again, this seems obvious, but knowingly engaging in revealing a contentious story may require a sense of personal strength in the line of public scrutiny. It also brings with it some legal components of which you might not, at first, be aware.
- You must allow LIF to access what may be considered confidential or otherwise sensitive materials – materials for which you must take full responsibility, and hold LIF harmless of any equity or liability as a result of such access and eventual publication.
- LIF works across different states and municipalities, which often have conflicting laws, statutes and regulations on legal, personal, and publication matters. For this reason, the terms of this agreement may be subject to changes or updates based on the location(s) of production, without notice. You must agree to any and all of these modifications from here forward. You may request a copy of these changes at any time throughout pre-production or production.
- By submitting your pitch below, you agree to the terms above. Any participation by any and all involved persons in the production of any media with LIF is considered to be an Agreement of Release governed by our terms and conditions.
Email your pitch to vira[at]legallyinsanefilms.com. In your email, please describe your story. Include dates, locations and people involved. Include any finality that has resulted from the matter. Include any links or attach supporting information. Please allow up to four weeks for a response. If your matter is time sensitive, please note this in the pitch.