Pitch-me sesh homes in on docs & fantasy
Solid advice for aspiring scribes
Eleven students of the Independent Filmmaker Labs and two surprised audience members pitched their works-in-progress to a three-member panel of experts.
Stephanie Palmer, former director of creative affairs for MGM and current prexy of Good in a Room, a consulting firm aimed at pitching, served as moderator. Ivan Oyco, director of development for Spyglass Entertainment, and Peggy Rajski, executive producer of "Bee Season," provided feedback and tips.
Works pitched varied from docs to fantasy, action and comedy -- the panel heard of Mexican coyotes and kidnappers, a chai-tea latte-fueled Mary Poppins, and the story of a tribe of Los Angeles orphans -- but the advice was universal:
- First, show, don't tell. If it's a comedy don't tell them it's funny, make them laugh. Rajski said potential buyers don't want to hear adjectives but want examples.
- Second, conversational and interactive is always better than a too-rehearsed speech. Know your material, be passionate about it and let your aud know why.
- Third, don't tell too much or too little. A pitch is like a resume: Execs are not going to buy a script or project based on the pitch. But a successful pitch will lead them to read the script. The script will hopefully land the sale. So let them know the twists, but don't overwhelm them with complexities. A good one-liner is key.
Other advice touched on the need to keep concepts simple and conveyable to others; relating to those listening to the pitch; and the need to have a thorough knowledge of the subject matter.
Remember, execs who are pitched will also need to persuade their bosses and their bosses must convince theirs, so keep it simple. Give them the one-liner that will appear on posters to take away from the meeting.
