Crazy-Swing Pitch De-Risking
Pair an unconventional idea with exhaustive preparation and concrete proof
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 91%
Schur made The Good Place's unusual moral-philosophy premise easier for NBC to approve by reducing execution uncertainty around it. He first chose the idea he found genuinely interesting rather than faking enthusiasm for the requested family-show direction. Because the concept was risky, he developed it longer than usual and mapped the whole first season before pitching. He also approached Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, giving the network evidence that major performers might join. In the room, he explained the pilot, themes, season arc, and philosophy mechanism, invited questions, and said he had considered every aspect. Finally, he confronted the core audience objection directly: philosophy would remain central, but the sitcom would still be funny and would not feel like homework. The novelty stayed intact while preparation lowered the perceived risk.
Origin
Schur used these tactics to pitch The Good Place after NBC guaranteed him a 13-episode season and allowed him broad creative freedom.
Core principles
- 01Use freedom to attempt something meaningfully different
- 02Prepare more deeply when the idea is harder to explain
- 03Answer foreseeable questions before they become objections
- 04Show that the risky mechanism still serves the audience
How to run it
- 1
Choose the interesting swing
Select the idea that holds genuine creative interest instead of manufacturing enthusiasm for a safer premise.
Watch out If you must persuade yourself that the idea is interesting, the pitch will not repair it.
- 2
Develop beyond the pitch
Map the opening, themes, mechanism, and full initial arc before asking others to commit.
Pro tip Increase preparation in proportion to how unfamiliar the proposal will sound.
- 3
Add execution evidence
Secure credible interest, collaborators, or other proof that the project can move from concept to delivery.
- 4
Name the risky mechanism
Explain what makes the idea unusual and why that element belongs at its center rather than in the margins.
Watch out Do not disguise the very feature stakeholders must ultimately approve.
- 5
Resolve the audience objection
Show how the unconventional mechanism will still satisfy the basic promise of the format.
Pro tip State the feared audience experience plainly, then explain how the execution prevents it.
In the wild
Schur entered NBC with a mapped pilot and first-season arc, interest from Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, and answers to expected questions. He openly said moral philosophy would be the show's guts while promising that it would remain funny and entertaining rather than feel like homework.
→ NBC trusted him to make the unconventional 13-episode season.
Common mistakes
Hiding the risky premise
Pushing the distinctive mechanism into the margins creates a safer but less honest proposal.
Pitching before mapping
A bold premise without answers about its arc and execution leaves stakeholders carrying all the uncertainty.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for creators pitching a surprising project to cautious stakeholders who still need evidence of execution discipline.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when the creator has not yet worked out the idea's story, audience experience, or operating details.
From the transcript
“the best and most trustworthy is write what's interesting like don't try to don't fake it”
“i had the entire season mapped out before i pitched it”
“i promise you it will not feel like homework it's going to be funny and it's going to be entertaining”
From the episode
#565: Michael Schur, Creator of “The Good Place” — How SNL Trains Writers, His TV University at “The Office,” Lessons from Lorne Michaels, Wisdom from David Foster Wallace, and Exploring Moral Philosophy with “How to Be Perfect”
Michael Schur