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Pitch my scripts in LA -------------------------------------------------- RESOURCES and INDEXHow to pitch your script online 101 |
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Pitching your script is pure Art.
Like a baseball pitcher, you have to gauge your opposition. There of course is the usual opposition of secretarial staff and PA's whose central purpose in life (while they are on the Producers payroll) is to STOP YOU from fulfilling your dreams as a screenwriter*. (*Preface this with AWARD-WINNING screenwriter). Producers are very busy people. Even when they are not, they are busy 'in meetings' or on long distant calls to famous people. Either way, they are not available to take your pitch. So the Art of the pitch begins a LONG way before you ever step onto the diamond. It goes without saying that you have to be prepared and have your pitch word-perfect. In the pitch, you are trying to get the Producer as excited about your project as you were when you first began writing it. If you are NOT excited when you pitch, you might as well sit in the dugout while everyone else gets on with the game of making movies. If your excitement and passion for your project is not infectious, why in the world would you expect someone else to put their hands in their pockets for untold millions of dollars?! It won't happen - UNLESS you are excited. Think of your pitch as a TV Trailer for the movie. Study trailers and model your pitch on them. Notice how there is an immediate 'hook'. Then a little of the story is told - enough for you to CARE about the main characters. Then you are left with the cliff-hanger tease. The tease should provide enough information for them to want to know more, but enough that they can say "I know how it turns out so I won't bother going to see it." In an official pitch (rather than the elevator pitch) you will be allowed about 15 - 20 minutes in which you have to WOW your audience. This will give you enough time to lay out the overall structural elements and be able to flesh out the main characters. For people to care about your characters, they must arc or grow as the story unfolds. You have to know your characters inside out in order to answer any nagging doubts that the producers may have about the story. If you are able to deliver confidently with a secure vision you will more likely to convince the Producer to Greenlight your project. Who would your dream choice be for acting? Show that you have thought it all through - in order to save them the extra work. If they can visualize your choice for actor, they are already considering reaching for the cheque book. Help them to help you! The bottom line you need to understand is : if you are not passionate about your work, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that any Producer will be. You will ONLY get one shot at the pitch. Why not take the time to make it your DREAM pitch and put it up online - ensuring that EXACTLY what you want is delivered - without the nervous tension of blowing it on the day! |
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