This installment of realscreen magazine’s annual Radarscreen global pitch guide profiles Ann Harbron, director of commissioning and production, Discovery Channel Canada.

WHAT SHE’S LOOKING FOR:

Harbron advises potential pitchers to take a two-pronged approach to bringing projects to the network, a joint venture between Canada’s Bell Media and Discovery Communications. “First, be familiar with our core mandate,” she says. “We are seeking dynamic series and specials in the science, technology and adventure space.”

Second, know its audience. She cites Licence to Drill as an example of a type of programming Discovery Canada viewers gravitate towards: “Great stories with compelling characters, locations and peril.” She also says viewers are looking for “the wow with the how,” as typified by the CGI doc Last Day of the Dinosaurs, and that the net’s programming is intended to entertain while educating.

“The best element is to be as curious about the world and how it works as our viewers are,” she says. Series can start at 6-8 x 60-minute episodes, or 8-13 30-minute eps, and the net is always on the hunt for “audacious, landmark” 120-minute specials for its ‘Discovery Presents’ slot.

The net’s audience is in the 18 to 49 age demo, skewing 60% male. The common thread through its range of programming, Harbron says, is “a tone of smarts, confidence and curiosity.”

WHAT SHE’S NOT LOOKING FOR:

“Don’t pitch topics, thoughts or profiles,” she warns. “Don’t pitch shows we already have on air. Don’t pitch a noisy concept with a hollow core.” As for subject matter, sports, medicine, politics or biographies don’t work for the net.

HOW TO PITCH:

All pitches should be sent to Heather Williamson, manager of development, Discovery Networks, via Heather.Williamson@bellmedia.ca. Harbron says a two-to-five page treatment with a clear focus works best: “What is the story, who is in it, how many episodes, where is it set and why will our audience want to watch it?” should be the questions your pitch will answer.

Character-driven pitches should include a demo with the proposed leads. More information on the process can be found at www.discoverychannel.ca/Article.aspx?aid=13726.

Also available are guides to U.S. networks (part one and part two), as well as international previews with Current TV UK’s Lina Prestwood, France 2’s Fabrice Puchault,RAI’s Lorenzo Hendel, ORF’s Andrew Solomon and CBS Reality’s Sam Rowden.