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Television - how to make money from TV
 Put yourself in the picture
If you thought that sitting around watching TV was just a leisure activity, think again. Although there are countless wannabes desperate to see themselves on screen, it's easier than you might think to be on TV - and make some money in the process. Got some family bloopers on tape? If not, could you set some up? People falling over, children and babies doing cute things and crazy pets are all particularly popular fodder on this long-running ITV show. They pay £250 for every clip they use. We suggest that you send as many as you have - they might like two or three of them.
Post tapes and DVDs to: FREEPOST YOU'VE BEEN FRAMED! No stamp is required within the UK. If you have filmed some funnies on your phone and it has email capabilities, or you want to send your clips from your computer, email your videos to framed@itv.com. Be sure to enclose your name, address, telephone number and a note explaining how many clips you are sending, and where they can be found on the tape or DVD. Although your tapes are returned to you, it's a good idea to send in a copy, and keep the original for yourself, especially if it is irreplaceable.
Via email: When formatting your video, send it as either a Windows Media file (WMV, MPG, AVI) or Quicktime (MOV) file. Real Media Player files are not accepted. Also, the bigger your file size the better. PAL format is preferred, but if you have to send it as NTSC please state in your email that it is an NTSC file. Via tape/DVD: Send your clips on a regular video tape, CD-R or DVD. Don't edit down your clips. You've Been Framed! needs lots of run-up to the funny bit, and they want to be able to see everyone's funny reactions afterwards, so leave it long. Do not add graphics or slow-motion replays on the computer. This may prevent your clip from being useable.
You will receive a confirmation of receipt card within three months of posting your tape, with your own reference number. It is sent back via recorded delivery, to minimise the possibility of accidents in the mail. If there are any hassles, you need to notify an address change, or you don't receive a card within three months, you can call the tape dispatch company BSS on When your tape is returned, you will receive a letter from Framed! informing you whether you have been short-listed and your clips will have been copied and placed on the Framed! files, and asking you to fill out a copyright and consent for use questionnaire that you need to complete and return. From here you are not guaranteed that your clips will be viewed, but a series is made each year, which means it could be several years before your clips are chosen. If and when it is selected, you will receive a letter informing you of the transmission date of your clip. Several weeks after the clip has aired on TV, you will be sent a one-off payment of £250 in the form of a cheque. You won't know if your tape is suitable unless you send it in, and if it's not right, other ITV shows need home video footage, and it could be used for those. For more details and tips, check out the You've Been Framed! page. "It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts", they say. No, actually, it is the winning if you want to make money out of being a contestant on a gameshow. Yes, it can be fun - and nerve-wracking - but the main point is...you can make big money. Of the gameshows being aired at the moment, some can make you serious cash.
Recently voted as the best game show, Millionaire now exists in more than 100 countries. Ten contestants qualify to take part, and the one in the hot seat is chosen via a timed question, giving them the chance to play for the £1mn prize money. The contestant must correctly answer 15 multiple-choice questions in a row to win the jackpot, but they can quit at any time and keep their earnings. They are also given three lifelines to aid their choices. Brush up on all things trivia. Questions range from history, to sport, geography, popular culture - basically anything you're local pub quiz might throw at you. Read the newspapers, research online, and watch the show for the kinds of questions that are asked. Remember to have a smart knowledgeable friend for your 'phone a friend' lifeline, and trust the audience most of the time! The show has made five millionaires to date, with the average contestant earning just over £45,000. Because of its popularity, the show constantly has a backlog of applicants. Keep a look out on the Millionaire website for casting auditions - they only become available for short times. Known as entertainment drama, this big-money guessing game involves: "a quarter of a million pounds... 22 identical sealed boxes... and no questions. Except one: deal or no deal?" There are 22 contestants, each holding a numbered box containing an unknown cash prize of between 1p and £250,000. One random contestant becomes the player, and the boxes are opened one by one with a banker offering the player money to buy back the box and leave the game, based on the values of the boxes left. It is a game of pure chance, and past occurrences show that the top prize is more likely to be won by recklessness than good judgement. The £250,000 top prize was first won on 7 January 2007 by Laura Pearce, a civilian police worker from Hemel Hampstead. Again, because of its popularity the show constantly has a backlog of applicants. You can apply to be a contestant on the Deal or No Deal website, but be aware it could be some time before you take the hot seat! A quiz show where the contestants vote each other out until the last person left wins all the cash that they'd accumulated as a team. There's a possible £50,000 up for grabs amongst the nine contestants. Failure to "bank" or safeguard the money won so far - or worse, answreing the question wrongly and losing the lot - is guaranteed to earn you an early exit from the game. The winner gets all the money won over all the rounds. The highest prize ever won on the daytime version was £5,420. The lowest was £750. To get involved, send an email to weakestlink@bbc.co.uk or write to FREEPOST, THE WEAKEST LINK.
Get a team of six together - friends and family - and challenge the Eggheads in the BBC quiz show. Email for an application here, or visit the website. Deadline is 1 July, 2008. If these don't take your fancy, click here for the latest updates on contestant calls. This really is something that anyone can do. As long as you have time to spare during the week and you live relatively close to a big city where filming happens, you can make money just by standing around! Extras are used in all kinds of TV programmes as well as films. Dramas, soaps, even documentaries use "walk-ons" regularly. You can earn between £65 and £200 a day doing walk-on work, depending on the hours you do and if you bring your own props. Generally you will get the work through an agency but be careful when you choose - find a list of UK agencies at www.ukscreen.com, and double-check agencies on the UK entertainment union websites Equity or BECTU. See our article here for a full rundown on how to become an extra. Useful links |
Jasmine and the Moneymagpie team
Moneymagpie Moneypedia
29.04.2008
