How the creators of “Ghost Show” turned a viral idea into a streaming indie hit

Screenwriters are often told to create their own projects. But there’s just one problem: where the hell do you even start? For Ghost show Showrunner Preston Garcia and producer Brennan McNichol began the horror-comedy mockumentary series with a viral TikTok.

Ghost showReleased weekly on the free streaming service Plex, it follows a ghost-hunting crew of infidels who want to get rich quickly from their eccentric clientele. Garcia and McNichol, co-directors of the series, faced the unique challenge of creating a low-budget series that already had an audience.

The Ghost show The duo sat down over Zoom to discuss turning an idea into a full production, embracing creative limitations, and finding distribution for their indie series.

Create Ghost showFoundation

Garcia’s original idea for Ghost show started as a TikTok skit that went viral in less than a day. After pitching the series to McNichol, who has pioneered content creator-led projects in the industry, Garcia began writing the show.

“We sat down to write 14-page scripts, super short. And I think we wanted to do 10 episodes,” Garcia said. “That was the original goal. We knew it would be improvisation-heavy, so we didn’t get too attached to the ideas we wrote down. We just knew they were blueprints.”

With the foundation in place, the duo began looking at their budget and figuring out how they could succeed within the creative constraints they would face.

“I have a very unconventional approach here, which is just write whatever you want to do,” McNichol said. “I think the best content comes from writing what you really want to do. Of course I think: no big crowds, no explosions, no theme parks – you still have to have some guidelines. But I try not to limit creativity too much around the budget. Then we go out and collect money.”

While McNichol has experience raising money for promising productions, novice screenwriters looking for connections and funds to make their projects a reality can take a look at ScreenCraft’s ongoing competitions. Horror projects are extremely successful regardless of budget, and the ongoing ScreenCraft Horror Contest can help you find the right people to get that project off the ground. However, if you want to finance your non-genre project or complete production, the Film Fund’s Scholarship Program can help by offering a scholarship and prizes of $30,000 to the winners.

But finding a budget is only part of filmmaking. Once you have the money, it’s time to kill your darlings.

Read more: 5 Ways to Realize Your Screenplay’s Budget

Accept creative limits

“So we were looking to raise $150,000 for this, and once you get to that $150,000, you’re really working backwards from the budget,” McNichol noted. “We say, ‘Okay, what’s within reason? What are our absolute fixed costs?’”

Garcia, who has no problem creating great content without a budget, and McNichol took on the challenge.

Once fixed costs were determined, the duo began making cuts to achieve their vision within the confines of their budget. They worked with a small crew, limited locations, kept the effects simple and relied on the local community.

“We often work backwards from the budget — here’s the money we have, here’s what we want to do,” McNichol said. “You have to make compromises along the way, but sometimes you get really creative with the locations. For example, we film the outside of buildings when we can’t film the interior. A lot depends on scheduling.”

The Ghost show The crew worked 10 hour days, squeezing in as much as possible. Despite time and budget constraints, McNichol and Garcia managed to balance their creative vision with the practical reality of production.

“I always ask in advance, ‘Later in the day, when we get to this point, how long will it take to set up?’ That’s how I know when to leave a scene,” McNichol said. “Some directors do 20 takes to capture the perfect moment, but we rarely do more than two or three takes – unless it’s a super important moment.”

“Brendan and I are the kind of people who will argue about a joke, and five seconds later one of us will say, ‘Oh, dude, that was a good idea.’ My mistake,’” Garcia added. “Open communication is our motto. I’m very creative and I’ll say, ‘Let’s just do this joke.’ Trust me, you’re all going to hate me now, but in a few episodes you’ll be glad we did it.’ We have a lot of trust in each other.”

Read more: How ‘The Outrun’ Writer/Director Adapted the Unadaptable

“Ghost Show” (2024)

Prepare for success

Being a screenwriter doesn’t always mean choosing your original script, no matter how good the idea is. Sometimes you have to invest in yourself to bring your project to life. The end result may not be a six-figure deal, but it could open new connections and doors.

The Ghost show The duo emphasized the importance of creating an environment where everyone is happy to contribute.

“What helped us was that our actors and everyone on the team were interested in the project,” Garcia said. “Everyone had a great time on set, and when that happens, people want to promote it, come to the premiere and talk about it. I think Plex saw that and found it appealing, which helped us close the deal.”

“For the last four years, I have focused on creator-led projects,” said McNichol. “Creators have a loyal audience that wants to see them succeed. Many are extremely talented and can not only thrive but thrive on these platforms. The key is to package it well, with the right talent and a good product. Plex watched every episode before saying goodbye, and that is the most important thing for a series to be successful.”

Whether you connect with other screenwriters and filmmakers on Coverfly or attend film events, there are ways to find a community eager to help bring your vision to life. The production days may be hard, but the result is worth it.

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Chances are your good idea is actually a good idea. When no one is willing to take a risk, it’s your duty as a creative to build a portfolio that shows decision-makers that your great ideas deserve attention. One way to achieve this is to film the project yourself. Yes, there will be limitations, but that’s part of filmmaking.

Whether your project ends up on a streaming platform like Ghost show or serves as a springboard for larger connections, the realization of your projects can achieve great things.

Ghost Show is now streaming on Plex, with the final episode premiering on October 29th.

Read more: From a Producer’s Perspective: How to Think About Budget, Genre and Distribution