w w w . f i l m s c r i b e .

c o m
Perfecting the Pitch
As published in MovieBytes, Sept. 2004
(revised Feb. 2006)
Written by
Darren Foster

Page 1 of 5

What is Pitching
Pitching is the art of presenting the story in a truncated and intriguing manner that piques the listeners
curiosity, resulting in the solicitation of the screenplay. Christopher Lockhart

10 Golden Rules for Pitching
1) Be Passionate
! A pitch is a performance. No, you dont have to be an actor to pitch. But it doesnt hurt. The main trick is to have
confidence, enthusiasm and passion for your script and to show that to your audience. Reading the entire pitch from
a piece of paper in a monotone voice will put your producer to sleep in seconds.
2) Practice
! Would you submit a screenplay to a producer without a single re-write? Without a single edit? Of course not. Then
why do you think you can pitch your screenplay without practice. Practice by yourself, but even more importantly,
practice with others. Anybody. Have them ask you questions. Unexpected questions. Be ready. Be flexible. And
youll do great!
3) High Concept! High Concept! High Concept!
! Why High Concept? Because it sells. What else do I have to say?
! Relate your story to the producer before you lose their attention.
" Start with a sentence, or two, or three. Grab their attention.
" A great way to start: What if
4) Sell Yourself
! Youre not just selling your screenplay; youre selling yourself.
! Most producers are not only looking for material, but also for a writer they would want to work with.
! Be fun, smart and likeable.
! There is also the possibility that the producer will not like the pitch, but they may like you. Maybe they have another
project in the works for which they feel you would be a good fit. It happens, so dont sell yourself short. A pitch
session is also a job interview.
5) Maintain Eye Contact
! If you need notes, fine, but its better to work off the top of your head. Have it ready. Have it well rehearsed, yet be
flexible. Draw your audience into your world; the world of your story.
6) Know Who Could Star
! Can you name two or three actors or actresses who could play the lead? Two or three directors who you think would
respond to the material. Can you reference your idea with a few movies that have been successful, including the
amount of monies those films have grossed? This can be very valuable information especially in longer pitch
sessions or meetings. Dont offer this information up front, but have it available if asked.
! Who can be in this? is one of the first questions asked by producers and studio executives to themselves when
considering a script for production. What is more important than explosions, car chases, and alien invasions is
whether the script is cast-able, i.e., has characters that are well-written and challenging enough for A-list actors to
sign on for a role.
! Cast-ability requires writing characters that are memorable and give the reader an idea of the type of actor who can
play it.
! It is also a mistake to write a script that has so many characters that their stories become diluted and none stand out.
Producers, agents and studio executives have a hard enough time visualizing a script and appreciating its story
points in such a short time. Too many characters caught in a jumble of situations will only compound the problem.
Each character should be fleshed out and have a distinct voice or point of view, which can be impossible to
accomplish if there are 40 speaking roles and you try and mention each in your pitch.
7) Keep It Brief
! Most pitch sessions at festivals are 5 to 10 minutes. But you really only have 2 minutes or less.
" Its a well-known industry fact that film executives typically devote about two minutes of their attention to
directors and screenwriters who bring them their ideas hoping for a deal.
! A good pitch should not take more than 2 minutes to get their attention. In fact, if you cant grab their attention in
one minute, you need to rework your pitch.

w w w . f i l m s c r i b e . c o m
Perfecting the Pitch
As published in MovieBytes, Sept. 2004
(revised Feb. 2006)
Written by
Darren Foster

Page 2 of 5
8) Organize
! The key to effectively pitching a screenplay is organization.
" Before you even begin to present your idea, your story line needs to be structured into the key elements
from beginning to end. It means knowing the personalities and intricacies of your characters. It means
rehearsing your presentation so the person you're pitching is hanging on every word. It's your job to keep
the listener, the buyer in this case, perched on the edge of his or her seat. (Syd Field)
! Your idea must be presented with passion, clarity and confidence. You need to know the beginning, middle and end
of your story.
" Think of the entire story as a big box. Within that big box is a smaller box that represents a less
complicated version of the story. And inside of that box is an even smaller box, representing an even more
uncomplicated version of the story and so on. Common sense dictates that we open the biggest box first in
order to get to the smaller boxes. So, a pitch often dives right in and struggles to present the story as a
whole, much like one would tell a joke to a friend or read a book to a child. A once-upon-a-time pitch is
unwise. A pitch hits upon the most crucial aspects of the story. Long and intricate details bring about a
quick and painful death to a pitch. A pitch must avoid opening the biggest box and, instead, begin with the
smallest. As the pitch progresses, bigger boxes are opened as it becomes necessary. It should slowly
blossom from rudimentary to more complex. The listener must understand the arithmetic of the story before
the calculus. (Christopher Lockhart)
9) Keep Pitching Unless They Pass
! If you get good feedback from the producer, Great! Feed off it. Keep going.
! But, if you get the infamous stone-faced producer in front of you, dont let it bother you.
" Many producers have perfected this emotionless response and it often has no relation to whether they like
you or your material. Keep going. If it really looks dead. Move on.
! Still, after you pitched your first story, be ready for your second. When you hear the words What else do you
have?, dont panic. Start with your next story. You do have a next story, right?
10) Know Who They Are & What They Want
! If you are pitching a romantic comedy to a producer who only wants action films, youre wasting your time, and
youre wasting the producers time. Not a good idea.
! Research. If youre at a festival and they post what material the producer is looking for, FOLLOW IT! Dont think,
Oh, but theyll love mine even if it isnt quite what theyre looking for. They wont. Trust me.
! If the information is not readily available, find it. Look online. Call the production company and ask them.
! Remember; know who they are and what they want before you go in.
! If they work for a studio or are connected to some talent, who? Find the edge that will make them interested in your
script.

The Pitch Process Steps (for festival pitch sessions: 5 15 minutes)
1) Enter the room / Step up to the table
! This is key.
! If youre not in the room with the producer they most likely cant hear you. Yes, this is a bit of humor, but it also
brings up a common problem. Dont chicken out at the last moment. You paid the money. You prepared the pitch.
Go do it. Youll be fine. Remember, they want a hit screenplay as much as you want your screenplay to be the one.
2) Introduce Yourself Briefly
! And we mean brief. Hi, Im Jane Doe.
! If you have some experience directly related to the subject of the screenplay, you may want to include it. For
example, youre pitching a story set at a beach and you had five years as a beach lifeguard. You might want to
include that, briefly.
! If youve had produced work, won or been a finalist in a prestigious screenplay competition, or even won the Best
Screenwriting Oscar you can mention it. If you do, do so briefly. They are not here to listen to you recite your
resume.
! Dont forget, the clock is ticking. The longer you talk about yourself, the less time you have to sell your story and
the sooner they are thinking about their dry cleaning.

w w w . f i l m s c r i b e . c o m
Perfecting the Pitch
As published in MovieBytes, Sept. 2004
(revised Feb. 2006)
Written by
Darren Foster

Page 3 of 5
3) Tell Them How Many Stories
! What, you only have one! Oops.
! You should always have more than one idea to pitch. You have their time. If they dont like the first one in the
first two minutes, move on. They may just like the second. They may like the third.
! I recommend three stories for any pitch session. Yes, you can pitch three stories in five minutes. Especially if they
pass on the first two.
4) And BeginName, Genre and GO!
! Dont forget to start with the name of your screenplay.
! Next up, is the genre.
" This is often forgotten. The genre is crucial if the listener is to correctly interpret the story. Many ideas can
be developed in different directions. For instance, the notion of planet earth meeting its demise by a
comet/meteor was explored as melodrama in Deep Impact and sci-fi action-adventure in Armageddon. If
genre is not specified, a World War II POW drama like The Great escape could be misconstrued as a
comedy like Hogans Heroes. This type of error could bring about an early death for the pitch. (Christopher
Lockhart)
! With those out of your way, its time to tell them a story.
5) The Hook
! A good beginning for any story is the hook. How are you going to grab their attention in the first 8 seconds so their
mind doesnt wander the rest of the time?
! Pitches often begin with a question to create an initial desire in the listener. What if
! The Hook can be similar to your logline. You are trying to grab their attention right away, before they start to
wonder if theres any good sushi in this town.
" As an example, a question for a romantic comedy about unrequited love might go, Have you ever yearned
for someone who clearly wasnt interested? This is a way to personalize the pitch and engage the listener.
Of course, like an attorney, a question should never be asked without knowing the answer in advance.
Since the producer could answer with a response other than anticipated, the pitch must be prepared with a
retort for the unexpected. (Christopher Lockhart)
6) Keep It Short
! Think of the big box / small box metaphor by Christopher Lockhart earlier. Start small box. The high level
overview. You dont have time to start with Once upon a time As their interest grows, reveal more and more.
7) Have a Twist
! Have something that grabs them. when Joseph announces hes actually Cindys twin sister who killed her
parents, she jumps off the bridge, or something of the sort.
! If the pitch goes well, they will ask questions about your story. Maybe even about you. Be ready with the answers.
Also, remember, if they have questions, they are probably interested. Otherwise they wouldnt waste their time.
8) Next Story Please
! Once you finish, if they arent asking a lot of questions about your first one, move on. Grab them with the next one.
If not, how about the next one?
9) Be Gracious and Listen
! There are two basic responses from a pitch session
" Request for Script Awesome!!! This is exactly what you were looking for. Make sure you get the
address for which to send the script and when they would expect it.
# Does this mean you sold? Of course not. But it is the first step. Send them your script. The
producer may read it, or more likely, a reader in their company may read it. Either way, youre
getting read. Now, go and pitch to someone else. Oh, and by the way, Congratulations!
" Not Interested Sorry, but thats okay. Thank them for their time and move on to the next pitch.
Remember, be graceful and grateful. Everyone, and I mean everyone, gets turned down. Its part of the
business. Accept it. Learn from it. And try again.
10) Be Thankful
! Dont ever forget to thank them for their time, regardless of the outcome. You may just work with them on a
different project some day. Remember, Hollywood is a small town and you never want to burn bridges.

w w w . f i l m s c r i b e . c o m
Perfecting the Pitch
As published in MovieBytes, Sept. 2004
(revised Feb. 2006)
Written by
Darren Foster

Page 4 of 5
What to Include In Your Overall Pitch
1) Who is the movie about?
! Give the impression the movie centers on one character, the most interesting character the star. Movies are star
driven. Even low-budget independent producers hope the unknown actor they cast in the lead will become a star or
at least look like a star in this movie.
2) What happens to the star?
! Include the arena of the story and the basic situation of the star.
! Tell where the star is at the beginning, where he/she is going, and where he/she ends up.
! Explain the star emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
! Emphasize the conflicts (internal and external) the star faces.
! Describe how the stars crisis changes him or her in some fundamental way.
3) What gets in the way?
! Highlight major obstacles (inanimate or physical situations).
! Describe important adversaries (characters) that try to prevent the star from getting what they want. These blockers
should be worthy opponents, otherwise overcoming them wont be satisfying.
4) Whats at stake?
! Describe a one or two dramatic moments in detail. Choose moments involving the star where the conflicts escalate
or the crisis becomes more complicated. Make it clear the star resolves the climactic crisis or is actively involved in
resolving it.

The Pitching Dos and Donts
DO
" TELL THEM A STORY.
" Introduce yourself (BRIEFLY)! Just your name is fine.
" Tell them something about yourself ONLY IF RELEVANT. Such as, if the story is about a coal mining disaster and
you spent twenty years working in the coal mines, then it would be appropriate. This is especially important in short
time frame pitches. If more time is allowed, and they ask, feel free to expand.
" Tell them the Title
" Tell them the Genre
" Tell a story about a character they will care about.
" If and only if it won a top contest or maybe was a finalist, you might mention it briefly. That is up to you.
" Be specific as possible in the time allotted.
" Allow time for questions.
" Have other material prepared to pitch. If their eyes glaze over two minutes into your pitch. Switch gears. You have
their ear; make use of it until your time is up. Dont give up just because they didnt like your first story.
" SELL YOUR STORY. Be excited about it.
" Be prepared. Know your story inside and out.
" Rehearse your pitch. To friends. To writers. To yourself in the mirror. To your pet iguana. To anybody.
" Have confidence

DONT
" Be late!
" Say Im a first time writer or Im a novice.
" Be nervous. I know thats not easy, but try to have confidence.
" Tell them your life story. Especially if it isnt relevant.
" Bring your story conflicts in too late.
" Bring a cell phone or pager with you. LEAVE THEM AT HOME!
" Pitch just the logline. You can start with a logline to grab their attention, but when they want more, tell them more.
" Tell them that your mom or sister or husband loved it. They dont care!
" Tell them that a top consultant loved it. They dont care!


w w w . f i l m s c r i b e . c o m
Perfecting the Pitch
As published in MovieBytes, Sept. 2004
(revised Feb. 2006)
Written by
Darren Foster

Page 5 of 5

Pitching Q&As
" Should I give away my ending in a pitch?
o It depends on several factors. Ideally, you would build up to a climax and stop. Leave them hanging. When they ask
then what happens?, you know you have them. Now you can tell them the ending. Lets face it, if you dont get
their interest here, thats it, they wont request it and wont read it. So what are you saving it for? Then again theres
the old axiom, Leave them wanting more. Its your decision.
" What should I wear to a pitch session?
o Dress appropriately. Does that mean formal attire, No, but be respectful of the producers. Remember, you may not
offend them with your dress or appearance, but dont you want every factor in your favor?
" What are producers looking for?
o (Syd Field): That's a question I posed to several top film executives and they all agreed; they want to hear something
interesting, something they can turn around and sell. So your manner of presentation, your attitude, even the clothes
you're wearing, goes into the whole package of what makes a good pitch. One executive shared that "when a writer
pitches me, I'm always thinking - would I want to see this movie? Is it different than anything I've seen before, or is
it the same old thing only with a slight twist? I want to see something original, not a variation on a film that's already
out there. I want to see how well the story is worked out. Does the writer know their material cold and, most
importantly, is he or she really committed to it? Don't think you're going to sell something to me that you're not
committed to, no matter what, because I can smell it. Then I say to myself, if they're not committed to it, how can I
be? I look for someone who believes in what they're saying."
" Whats a leave behind and should I have one?
o A leave behind is a one or two page summary of your story plus your contact information. Whether to have one is
up to you. It can be helpful, but honestly, most wind up in the trash can. Still, it cant hurt to be prepared if youre
asked for one.
" How many ideas should I have ready to pitch?
o Depends on the amount of time. Still, even for a 5 minute pitch session, Id have at least two if not three.


REFERENCES Please check them out for further information.
- Article Anatomy of a Logline by Rob Gregory-Browne - 2002
- Article The Art of Pitching from ScreenwritersUtopia.com by Christopher Lockhart June 2003
- Article The Art of Pitching by Syd Field
- Article Concept is Everything When You Pitch! from ScriptforSale.com by Hal Croasmun
- Article How to Pitch Your Movie Successfully from Talking Pictures by Lenore Wright
- Article Really Bad Loglines by Wendy Moon
- Article Whats Your Line? in Scr(i)pt Magazine (Vol. 6, No. 5) by William C. Martell
- Workshop How to Pitch at SCSFe, by Phillippa Burgess, Ginny Cerrella, Kate McCallum May 30
th
, 2003
- Workshop The Lowdown on High Concept at SCSFe, by Scott Myers May 30
th
, 2003