How Not to Choke During a Pitch!!!!!

Propranolol, 80mg.

Ouch, yeah. That's the aspect of the job that I'm not very comfortable with either. Luckily I don't have to do it often (not so much a pitch-oriented environment here).

What also helps for me: I have a writing partner. Not that he's a pitching-whiz either, but at least he's naturally a bit more fast-talking and socially comfortable, so while he's dealing with the major blows, I have a bit more time to breath and think, and chime in with the occasional well-timed remark. (Obviously I didn't hook up with my writing partner just for the pitching and meetings, but it's a nice bonus. I'd probably be pretty disastrous without him.)

It does get better the more you do it, though. I don't have that many pitching sessions/meetings under my belt yet, but I already feel a lot less nervous and am getting a bit better at thinking on my feet.

One piece of advice: don't over-prepare. Know your stuff, obviously, but don't hang on to a memorized speech which falls apart as soon as you forget a piece or somebody interrupts.
Try to be yourself. You're just having a conversation with a few people. You're passionate about something, and that's what you're trying to convey.
I know that's easier said than done. But they're only human.

Picturing them naked is one of those cliché pieces of advice. I think that one is overrated though.

-Johan

The first step is know what you're going to say, rehearse it clear up to the point, if you need to, make sure you have the main points written down on a piece of paper so you have a reminder right in front of you.

Second step, rehearse it in front of the mirror first, then in front of your friends and family. The more you practice it the easier it becomes.

Prepare for a few questions so they don't totally throw you.

Be willing to throw your prepared ideas out the window if they engage you in a Q & A so to speak.

Confidence is a hard thing to come by and pitching is the most challenging step for me. I get shaky and nervous.

My first phone call from a Production Company I was like a deer caught in the headlights. I don't think I said seven words. It didn't help that it was a surprise phonecall and I couldn't remember which script I had sent them so I didn't really know what to say about it. I said less than seven words and most of them were "uhuh".

Needless to say I never heard back from them, they probably thought I had issues or something.

Good luck, I think quite a few writers struggle with the whole pitching thing which is the blessing of an agent once you get one, they do it for you.

Julie Worth said:

Propranolol, 80mg.

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Effexor, 75 mg.

I read this in the blog of a literary agent who was talking about pitch sessions at conferences, so I'm not sure if it would apply to a screenwriting pitch, but she said that it was okay to write down your pitch on a card and read aloud from it. When it comes to calming nerves, she said the best thing was to remember that the agents are people who love books and reading, just like you. Thinking of them as a fellow reader, sitting comfortably somewhere and getting lost in a book might help dispel the image that sometimes gets built up of a stern gatekeeper who is judging your every stammer. I'll try to dig up the link.

I hate pitching. I've done it a fair bit and am never very good at it but I know what makes me better and that's having the confidence to believe in my work.

When I pitch, at the back of my mind is this voice going, "You're boring them. They don't care. This idea is lame and they know it. Stop talking. Wrap it up. Escape." And that's the death toll for anything I'm trying to pitch.

What I had to do was allow myself to get excited about my work. Which sounds crazy but it's true. If I don't pitch is passionately, why should anybody listen passionately. It only helped a little at first but it's been getting better every time. Once you believe that what you're trying to sell really is a fantastic idea, that confidence will come across in your delivery and there's nothing more engaging to a producer than a writer who cares and gets excited about their ideas when they talk about them.

Kristy101081 said:

So I work really hard on my script, got coverage and I'm doing well with story but I need to tighten up a few things here and there. I do and now I'm ready to pitch my idea to people, i.e. agents, execs, etc.

I get there and I'm confident because I know my story and characters, I've spent like nine months working on the thing, I better know it! And then the moment of truth comes. I'm in front of whoever and I totally FREEZE!!!!! I can't remember a thing I had planned to say and by the time I do recollect, I've lost their interest. Horrible mess, that is!

So, my question is really two-fold. Does anyone have any tips (aside from practicing in the mirror and on friends and family, because I did that) and the second part is does it get better the more you do it?

I've never been good in a sales job which is why the business side of screenwriting is tough for me. *sighs* I'm just going to have to get used to it!

Thanks for your insight!

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Something that might be helpful. It's something that I read about the relationship between producers and writers. Really just a way of thinking about it, but it can be a useful way of turning the process on its head.

We tend to think of the relationship between the producer and the writer as one in which the producer has enormous power and the writer has none -- because there are countless writers and very few producers with the money to pay them. So we've all just got to line up and essentially throw ourselves at their feet.

But the fact is, there are so few really good projects out there -- tons of crap, but really very few good things, that the reality is really the other way around. When you weigh the number of producers looking for good projects against the number of writers who actually have good projects -- that puts us in the cat bird seat.

Now -- is your project one of those good ones? Do you really believe it?

Well then -- you are *in* the cat bird seat. They should be coming to you with their hats in their hands. Because what you have is a rare and valuable commodity.

Maybe this producer or that producer is too dumb to see it. Well -- they passed on E.T. They passed on Star Wars. How many publishers passed on Harry Potter.

That makes them jerks. That makes them schmucks who are going to kick themselves backwards when your project gets made and makes a fortune.

Because if you really know that it's good, then you know that you have a valuable commodity. You know what works about it. You know why it's better than all those other crap scripts.

You know why this is a kick ass piece of work with great characters and great set-pieces and an incredible pay off.

So these guys who are just coming in on their knees pretending to be important -- but who, until they get a script are actually just a bunch of jokers with nothing to do -- you just have to explain it to them.

And in small words, because, as a rule, they have short attention spans and no imagination (although they don't know it).

NMS

clock_work9 said:

What I had to do was allow myself to get excited about my work. Which sounds crazy but it's true. If I don't pitch is passionately, why should anybody listen passionately. It only helped a little at first but it's been getting better every time. Once you believe that what you're trying to sell really is a fantastic idea, that confidence will come across in your delivery and there's nothing more engaging to a producer than a writer who cares and gets excited about their ideas when they talk about them.

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This is 100% on the mark. Remember the ultimate purpose of a pitch is not to tell someone what your story is about - the purpose is to make someone want to read it and also to make a connection with the person you are pitching to. Of course telling them what your script is about is part of the package, it's just not the goal. Conveying enthusiasm and passion is a great way to engage others. Although don't tell them how much passion you have for the project, show it through how you talk about it.

I don't suggest reading your pitch, because most people don't convey passion when they are reading.

I do suggest practicing your pitch - so that you become comfortable with what you want to say and some specific phrasing here and there, but I don't recommend memorizing a pitch. More often than not a pitch meeting is a dialgoue rather than a monologue, so you need to remember to listen. When people recite a pitch, they are often so focused on remembering each word of the ptich, that they don't listen and if they are asked a question in the middle of the pitch - they can totally lose their rhythm and stumble through the rest of it.

Creative Screenwriting sells a couple of different DVD's on pitching. Ken Rotcop's is particularly good. He not only explains how to pitch, but he takes and critiques pitches from people in workshops. Ken's the master of the pitch (he's also got a book on the topic) not to mention a fabulous guy.

Devorah Cutler-Rubenstein at The Script Broker offers private one on one pitch coaching to help you develop and perfect your pitch - she coaches in person or by phone. One amazing thing about Devorah is that as she helps you develop your pitch - you find yourself being able to identify problems (if there are problems) with your story that you hadn't seen before. Some writers might not think that's a good thing, but it's better to find and fix the problems before you pitch rather than after.

One important thing to remember is that pitching scripts is not like selling any other product, in that, in most cases, sales people are trained to push past the buyer's resistance. But when you are pitching to a producer, no actually means no. If they let you know that they are not interested, move on. Do not tell them they haven't heard the best part or try to change their mind. Pitch other projects if you have them, and/or ask them about what they are currently developing and what they are looking for - you may find that you have a long forgotten script idea that's a good fit for them.

Again remember, a pitch meeting is an opportunity to create a connection. A connection you can build into a professional relationship, even if they pass on the project that you are in the room to pitch.

yeah - NEVER read your pitch and don't rehearse it so that you have it down verbatim like a speech. this is mainly b/c if they stop you and ask questions then you feel like you've lost your way.

personally - i love pitching. i start out from day one -- even before i start writing. i pitch my idea to people as if it was a movie that i saw last night -- not a script that i'm planning to write. if they're into it and ask questions and ask where it's playing or if it's available on dvd then you know you have a winner of a story idea.

pitch like it's this great movie that you've seen and the passion will come through. how easy is it for you to tell someone about a great movie that you really did see the other night? treat your story in the same way.


tips:
don't get bogged down in the details. have your great opening scene. then break it down by the 3 acts or by characters (depending on your storyline and character arcs). jump quickly to your third act/finally and make it sound as good as your opening scene... which better be good too.

you can pitch with an actor in mind. and use his name every time. Keanu did this and Keanu totally freaks out and Keanu was so cool that... this makes it easier for the listener to see your protagonist doing all those things.

but if you don't want to do that then you should have your first and 2nd choice of actors who you want to play the main roles. if they like your story then they will ask and you better have an answer that they can relate to.

also if they don't like your idea for whatever reason they may ask, "what else have you got." then you should have another one ready to pitch... even if it's a condensed version. they may have something specific in mind that you didn't know about prior to pitching.

know who you're pitching to. if you don't know who they are then ask them what they're looking for. your back up pitch might be better suited. if they don't have an answer to what they're looking for then tell them you about your best script. if you really do your research then you'll already know what they've done in the past and can express to them why you've selected them to pitch to... why they might consider your story (and it better not be a duplicate but... more of the same, but fresh and different - does that make sense?)

Propranolol, 80mg.

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Effexor, 75 mg.

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Ethanol, 2 oz. or as needed. Unlimited refills.

I highly recommend Stephanie Palmer at Good in a Room. If you live in the Los Angeles area, one session with Stephanie will change your life. She's a little expensive but worth every dime.

OR- a cheaper and easier alternative is her new book Good in a Room.

Full disclosure: Stephanie is a friend of mine and is donating an hour pitch session to the Silver Screenwriting Competition. She really is amazing though. I took a weekend pitching workshop and it has helped me immeasurably. Biggest take away: The executive WANTS you to be successful.

Do you pitch the story in present tense like the script is written or in past tense like you might tell a story.

I think I can convey more enthusiasm and passion in present tense.

jonpiper said:

Do you pitch the story in present tense like the script is written or in past tense like you might tell a story.

I think I can convey more enthusiasm and passion in present tense.

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You do whatever feels the most comfortable and you can be most passionate about. There aren't really any rules in pitching, (other than don't bore them to death) just make it stick.

1. Realize that there is only the most vanishingly tiny chance that the person you're talking to can get a movie made. Those posters on their wall? They were probably the guy who picked up the real producer's Pomeranian from the dog groomer.

2. Multiply that by the vanishingly tiny chance that they will want to make your movie of the hundreds of scripts they read every year. Because the odds are really just that bad.

3. Even if you get past one and two, the odds are terrific that (a) they won't be able to interest the right attachments and/or raise the money, or (b) they will be out of business before the end of the month, or (c) they will be distracted by something they like more. Like anything shiny.

4. For extra credit, remember that the later in the week you have your meeting, the more meaningless the meeting will be. By Friday they're just trying to fill their schedule. That's what you are: fill.

You'll find these realizations are very relaxing.

Unique Pitching Practice

One group of crit partners I know uses this method to get ready for conferences or meetings with editors/agents. It works well, and is very effective, so it should work with script pitches too.

A month or two before the pitch, they begin calling each other at all different times of the day - randomly. When the writer picks up the phone, the caller says, "So...tell me about your book." The writer has 30-45 seconds to nail the pitch before the caller hangs up. They repeat as often as necessary during the time leading up to the pitch. It works wonders, and amazingly, it keeps them relaxed and excited all at once.

Contracts have been offered, too - and that's what it's all about!

TracyR - Wow, that is very cool. I can't tell you how often I'm talking to one of my clients and they say they have a new idea and just casually, I say, okay what is the logline? And they laugh and say oh my god, I'm not ready, I'm not sure....and they try but they really botch it and it's like GUYS, be ready, you know?

But I got a taste of my own medicine just the other day. I was talking to a manager about my business relationship with him when suddenly I realized I have a client with a script that he might love. He said great, what is it? I had to think on my feet and pitch it, totally unprepared, immediately. My client getting a read or not was hanging in the balance. I hadn't actually read the script in MONTHS. But apparently I did well because he asked for the script. It was good exercise for me. Be prepared, right?

I actually do the pitch over and over in my head and even start the pitch again AS I AM SITTING DOWN TO MEET THE PERSON.

You dont want to clear your mind or think about something else.

Also, it is one thing to know your pitch in your head. It is something different to be able to recite it without thinking. The way to get good at it is to get your pitch down to one minute long and then say it to different people over and over again. You will SUCK at first. But eventually you will learn it from memory and actually be able to shorten it and smooth it out.

NEVER make it seem like you are saying it to the people for the first time. And in the meetings I have seen I watched people mess up because although they knew their story they did not know their pitch.

You are selling the pitch, not the story.

And you need to know the pitch from memory because you might have people say when you are speaking......what season is this set in or is this live action or CGI? And it could throw you way off if you dont have a quick answer and the ability to go back into your pitch. The only way to do that is to write down your pitch on paper, read it out loud to people, learn to say it without reading it, put the paper away and say it to different people without reading it, on the day of the pitch say it over and over again. NEVER go in there trying to explain your story. You want the pitch ironed out and learned until you can say it in your sleep. When you know it that well then you can go in there and pause in parts to answer questions, otherwise you will get lost.

Another example is this......

Have you ever seen and hear how bad something goes when someone tries to repeat a funny joke they just heard? They always mess it up, get it backwards, screw up the punchline. Why was the joke funny in the first place? Part of it was the delivery. Someone KNEW the joke by heart and told you it effectively and smoothly. Comedians know their lines long before they speak them. Oscar winners often go up to the microphone and flub stuff up because they "think" they know what they want to say but the next thing you know your mind is blank and the band is playing loudly to boot you off stage. BE THE COMEDIAN. Learn the pitch so well its like telling a joke.

jonpiper said:

Do you pitch the story in present tense like the script is written or in past tense like you might tell a story.

I think I can convey more enthusiasm and passion in present tense.

Click to expand...

icerose said:

You do whatever feels the most comfortable and you can be most passionate about. There aren't really any rules in pitching, (other than don't bore them to death) just make it stick.

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Kristy101081 said:

I always pitch in present tense, provided of course that I don't go blank and they simply leave the room.

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I always do the main/current storyline in present tense, and if there's any backstory I'll do THAT in past tense.

(And when I'm starting to HINT about the ending, I sometimes shift to future tense.)

kullervo said:

1. Realize that there is only the most vanishingly tiny chance that the person you're talking to can get a movie made. Those posters on their wall? They were probably the guy who picked up the real producer's Pomeranian from the dog groomer.

2. Multiply that by the vanishingly tiny chance that they will want to make your movie of the hundreds of scripts they read every year. Because the odds are really just that bad.

3. Even if you get past one and two, the odds are terrific that (a) they won't be able to interest the right attachments and/or raise the money, or (b) they will be out of business before the end of the month, or (c) they will be distracted by something they like more. Like anything shiny.

4. For extra credit, remember that the later in the week you have your meeting, the more meaningless the meeting will be. By Friday they're just trying to fill their schedule. That's what you are: fill.

You'll find these realizations are very relaxing.

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Ethanol, 2 oz. or as needed. Unlimited refills.

And remember that the meetings a new writer has are different than the meetings a working writer has. A working writer may well be called in to pitch their take on a story the production company or studio wants written. They will come in and do the whole twenty-minute-to-hour-long pitch of the whole script.

The new writer? Not so much. Remember, if they hadn't read your script, you wouldn't be there in the room. They don't want to hear your story again.

Here's how most of my meetings go. This can be anywhere from a half-hour meeting to a two-hour meeting:

1. Chitchat (75-85%). This can be about their office decor, movies, football (which I love), Kauai (where I have a home), UCLA's film school (where I got my MFA), etc.. Have some topics. Have one sport you know well. I walked in to one office and the guy had a football signed by the '84 Raiders sitting on his sideboard in a glass case. I was in there.

2. "So, what are you working on now?" (10-15%) This is casual. Start with a log line. See if they are interested. They will elicit information until their interest runs out. Do not become a wall of sound pitching machine.

3. The script they read. (0-15%) Yes, you can get entirely out of the room without discussing the script that got you in the room. How does this happen? Usually it happens because they liked the writing but not that script. It can also happen because they booked the meeting after they read your script, then they thought about it some more or asked someone else to read it and they killed it.

The basic rule is to think of a meeting as a meet-and-greet rather than a pitch meeting. Relax. You're not walking out of there with a deal. There's a 95% chance you'll never hear from them again. Just be someone they'd like to work with, or at least have in their office.