It's FYC season in Hollywood.
FYC stands for "For Your Consideration". It is the phrase used to catch the attention of Emmy voters as they decide on nominations for the ceremony later this year.
No matter where you drive in the Los Angeles area, you will see billboards and signs with the letters "FYC" or the full phrase, "For Your Consideration", plastered across a photo related to a certain TV show. It could be a photo of a certain actor or actress, the entire cast of a show or just a reminder to recognize a certain program, writer or director.
In the past, these billboards along with boxed mailers and "FYC Nights" (where the cast and certain crew members of a show do a Q&A and screen an episode or clips from the program in front of a crowd of fans and industry people) were enough to grab the attention of voters. However, the massive number of "Peak TV" shows means studios have to go to greater lengths to get on the radar of voters.
Here are some great examples of "forward thinking" campaigns from the last few years:
- This year, Netflix used part of Raleigh Studios to do a "behind the scenes" look at some of their shows with costumes, sets and other interactive elements
- Last year, Hulu had women parading around town wearing red dresses and bonnets to promote "The Handmaid's Tale"
- "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is using billboards this year that are supposedly written by the talent manger on the show to describe the various characters
- Hulu did a fashion show at The Grove a few years ago showcasing the clothing selections on "The Mindy Project"
- Silver Lake Dog Park was the site of a promotion for "Triumph's Election Special 2016"
- While ABC hosted a block party and live table read for "Black-ish", they have completely suspended any efforts for Emmy nominations for "Roseanne"
It is helpful to have friends who are voting members of the Television Academy. They receive mailers containing selected episodes of TV shows being used to get votes for a show or certain actors and directors.
Plus, many of these DVD mailers are for online steaming services. If you don't have every streaming service, there are certain shows you can't watch. However, find a friend with screeners and you might be invited over to watch shows you wouldn't have a chance to see on a regular basis. (Cough...."The Tick"....Cough)
The nominations for the Emmys are announced on July 12th. That date will officially mark the end of "FYC Season". Even though the nominations are announced on that day, I'm sure the marketing departments of TV studios will already be making plans for next year.
