Pitching #3

So this post will be a bit more abstract. We've covered the types of pitches, as well as the elements of a pitch, and pitch materials. But even if you have all of that down pat, how do you really impress the execs?

Many writers get extremely nervous talking in front of people. Especially important people. Especially when their hearts and souls (not to mention hours and hours and even years of hard work) are on the line. But to have a successful pitch, the first thing you need is confidence.

Okay, but how do you get confidence?

• First, know your story inside and out. Love it. Believe in it. Your story and your execution of it are so fantastic that they're worth six figures or more from these executives. If you don't that walking into the room, you'll never convince anyone else of it. But, there's a fine line between confident and cocky. Maybe you wrote the next Juno. You will be laughed at if you say that. Your story is great. You're great. But you're not better than anyone else.
• Practice your pitch. In front of people. In front of a mirror. in front of your action figure collection. But it's best in front of people, because they can actually give you feedback. Maybe the first time you'll practice reading off your note cards. Hopefully, when you're ready to pitch, your note cards will have a bunch of chicken scratch on them that only you can sorta read, and you're not going to need to refer them. I hate pitching with notecards. It makes me nervous, makes me lose my focus, and inhibits my concentration on the pitchees expressions. I've always been a bit off-the-cuff, and I totally get that not everyone is. But try to memorize your pitch (or better yet, know your story well enough) that you can go off the cuff. This will help you pitch outside of formal pitch meetings, say, at a networking event.
• Don't get caught up in the wording of your pitch. Maybe you wrote something great on those note cards. Shakespearean even. If you sound like you are reciting a speech, you will lose interest. This isn't a speech, it's hopefully a conversation. If you fumble a word or two of your memorization, remember this: no one knows what's on your note cards. No one knows your script, so they won't know if you get something wrong. So don't get flustered. Because the only way anyone can possibly know if you got something wrong is if you show it all over your face, or if you correct yourself. However, if you've been calling your main character Jack, and then slip into his name from a previous draft, Steve, correct yourself so the execs don't get confused.
• SMILE! Even if you're shaking inside, a smile will make you come off as confident and enthusiastic. It will also relax you. You know that trick that if you're on the phone with someone you can't stand, you should smile, because it will make your voice sound happy? It works in real life too. Fake it til you feel it.

Next up, the difference between selling and a conversation, plus words you really shouldn't use.

What Does a Pitch Look Like?

So, more technical stuff in the second part of the pitching series.

There are a few necessary elements to a pitch. First, introduce yourself, schmooze a little. People like to work with people they like. So be likeable. Ask about the projects they are working on, what they think is doing well -- and if it's applicable, adjust your pitch to meet the needs to glean from them. Be a polite snoop, in other words. They'll let you know when to begin the actual pitch. Start with the concept. Some people suggest doing a match-up kind of thing to give a frame of reference. For example, "It's I Love You Man meets Doubt." Some people hate that, though. Try to learn as much about the person you're pitching to as possible to see if they'd appreciate something like that. But at least give a logline so they know what's coming. Unless you established it prior to the pitching meeting, mention the form. Is this a movie? A pilot? Unscripted or scripted? Then, tell them why you think they'll be interested. Are you pitching to get a deal to write the script? To get money to fund your indie project? To get an actor or director on board? If the pitch is based off another source, mention it. Explain that you have the rights. If you don't have the rights -- get the hell out of the room! If you have anyone attached to the project mention that. (and by this, I mean real names. If your cousin is an actor and he's agreed to star in it, don't mention it. Unless your cousin is Zac Efron). Then, begin the story. The story is the most important part of your pitch. Like I said in the previous post, the story should include a beginning, a middle, and an end. Make sure you have enough time to get to the end. Only stress the important beats. Leave some things to the imagination.

The people you're pitching to will have feedback for you, most likely. Well, hopefully. Feedback means they're listening. Take notes. I like to paraphrase their feedback and repeat it back, with a specific way of incorporating into my story. That way they know you're listening, interested, you value their opinion, you aren't stubborn, and you're easy to work with. But keep it short. The feedback portion isn't really about you. There might be feedback mid-pitch as well, and accept it gracefully. The more feedback, the more engaged they are. Most execs I spoke to have said they know if they're interested in a pitch within the first 5 minutes. If that long. Another line I've heard a lot is that pitching is like dating. You kind of get a feel for the person at the outset (How I Met Your Mother fans will recognize this as the lemon law). You're also trying to feel out if you'd be a good match for the person you're pitching to.

Here's a tricky subject: pitch materials. An all-too-often-asked question. If you're pitching an unscripted show, having a sizzle reel is generally a must. Just a short cut of what your show will look like or an ad for your show. Something to give them an idea of the show's style and your talent. So many reality show ideas are alike, but what sets them apart is how they're done. If you're pitching something scripted, it's okay to bring materials, but don't expect to hand them out. You can bring a treatment, a synopsis, a copy of the script, exciting visuals. Some people feel more comfortable if they have them along. But don't hand them out at the outset. Because as soon as you hand someone a piece of paper, what do you think they're going to do? That's right, they'll read it. You want their focus to be on you, not your papers. If, at the end, they ask if you have something, give it out. If you really have to, and you've gauged the people well enough, you can offer to give them more to look at.

Pitching #1

We're writers, right? We like to sit by our computers typing away, not really doing the public speaking thing so much. But when it comes to getting someone to read our scripts, or better yet, buying our scripts, we have to talk it up to them. We have to pitch.

A lot of people get really intimidated by the idea of pitching. Telling someone your 110 page story that you've slaved over for months in only a few short minutes? How can you possibly get it all in there? Plus, what if they hate it? Won't you just be utterly humiliated?

Not if you follow these tips. I'm going to do a short series on pitching over the next few days or so, with some techniques and guidelines.

Let's start off with the three kinds of pitches. First, there's the elevator pitch, which is a 30 second pitch in case you randomly bump into someone, say in an elevator. This is generally impromptu, so it's good to have something always memorized in the back of your mind. This pitch should include the main character, the journey, and how the script ends. If your story works, this should be a breeze to figure out. I found that I had some trouble with my elevator pitch until I really figured out the heart of my story. What is the most important part of your character's journey? The inciting incident, the main obstacle, and the ultimate goal? Practice this pitch on your friends, in networking events -- this should be your answer to "Oh, you're a screenwriter? What's your latest project?" No one wants a long answer. The key is to leave the person wanting to read your script. Remember to smile. If you're excited about your pitch, they will be too. Just an aside -- it's a good idea to have elevator pitches prepared for 1. your current script 2. any previous scripts 3. yourself. Come up with a personal pitch for networking events. This should include your current job, the fact that you're a screenwriter, and the script you are working on. Unless your current job is more interesting.

The next pitch is the 3-5 minute pitch. It's for a script you've already written. This should have more details than the elevator pitch -- the act breaks, major story beats. Mention your protagonist and maybe some other main characters. Make sure you get to the end of the story. No one wants a hidden ending, an exec wants to know the twist ending before they read your script. Imagine if The Sixth Sense had a different ending -- would it be the same movie? The twist can make a movie, so don't leave it out. The way you tell the story should be indicative of the tone. The funniest comedies are funny to talk about, the best dramas are dramatic just in story. I'll be talking a bit more about this pitch in upcoming posts. It's the most common for new writers, and also is a follow-up to an elevator pitch that has established proper intrigue.

The third is the professional pitch. This is 15-20 minutes and it's usually to get a check to write the project. So it's not really going to happen until you're more established. This includes a lot of detail, everything in the 3-5 minute plus more supporting characters and other incidents. The general idea is to tell such a good story that someone pays you to write it.

Notice that none of these pitches include the marketing strategies for the script. You may be able to throw some of that in during a professional pitch, but for the other two, it's best to let your story speak for itself. There are marketing people to decide how to find a target audience. Your job as a writer is to tell a good story. And if your story is good enough...finish this sentence please...your audience will find you.

Check back for upcoming posts on the specific elements of the pitch, strategies for delivering the pitch, and what it takes to sell a pitch.