Cable movies

It may not be the first thing you think of when you write a spec script, however, cable TV networks continue to produce movies. One of the more surprising nets to get in on the action of late is Spike. Here is an excerpt from a PR piece about Backwoods, a movie that premieres on Spike in June:

Danny Nucci (“World Trade Center”), Haylie Duff (“Napoleon Dynamite”) and Ryan Merriman (“Comanche Moon”) star in the Spike original movie, “Backwoods,” premiering on Sunday, June 8 from 9 p.m. — 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Spike TV. “Backwoods” premieres in HD and is slated under the “Spike Guy Movies” umbrella that will air throughout 2008. Spike TV’s original “Spike Guy Movies” average nearly 1.5 million viewers each month. “Backwoods” is a terrifying thriller centered on a group of young colleagues who set out for a fun company retreat in the remote woods, only to find themselves hunted by the unknown and fighting for their lives. Each year, Global Gaming invites seven up-and-coming employees to participate in a company-sponsored weekend getaway to challenge their survival skills and build camaraderie. Knowing that this is their chance to make a good impression, Perry (Nucci), Lee (Duff), Adam (Merriman) and several others leave the city behind and prepare themselves for some friendly, competitive games. However, upon arrival, they split into two teams and immediately begin to notice that things aren’t quite right. The uneasiness quickly turns to horror when one team loses its way and the members find themselves under attack. The surviving team must now fight to save its friends, all while being viciously hunted in the booby-trapped backwoods.

There are cable nets which have made movies for years including Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and Sci Fi Channel. The budgets are smaller than theatrical movies, however, these do represent opportunities for screenwriters. Something to bear in mind as you generate story ideas.