by Bob Schultz
If you plan to attend the Great British PitchFest at this year’s London Screenwriters’ Festival, the time to begin preparing yourself is now, weeks before online booking opens. Here is a schedule to help you get the most out of your pitch. I am also running a one day class on Pitch Mastery this Saturday, August 5th for just £48.50 – more HERE.
What you can do now
What you can do now- Finish your script. If you get a script request, you’re going to want to be able to send it right away. Plus, a tight, effective script makes it easier to…
- Develop a logline. Title, genre, protagonist, goal, obstacles, ending. Tight and engaging, and reflective of your script: If the script is funny, make the logline funny. If your script is a thriller, make the logline thrilling.
- Visit LSFConnect. Previous attendees, LSF staff, and Pitching & PitchFest experts spend time in LSF’s online community, ready to offer advice. All you need to do is visit LSFConnect.com and get engaged right away.
- Check out the execs. You can now see who will be present at the PitchFest. One or two may drop out and more will be added, but it’s 85% complete.
Go The Extra Mile! Design a one-sheet. It should look as professional as possible – spend money on a professional graphic designer (try www.PeoplePerHour.com and offer £20). If you can’t afford one, do the best you can. Include an eye-catching image (like you might find on a movie poster), a logline, and your contact info.
What you can do a week before
What you can do a week before- Print business cards. These will be valuable throughout the festival, not just at the pitching, but can easily be forgotten.
- Research all of the companies who will be attending your pitching session. Even the ones you think you might not be interested in. Know what they’ve done before, what they have in the pipeline, and what they are seeking at the pitchfest. Google is your friend. So is IMDb Pro and Deadline.com. Pitching isn’t a performance, it’s a business meeting. Go in prepared.
- Practice, practice, practice. Note that practicing is different from rehearsing. Don’t recite your pitch. Instead, develop pitching SKILLS. Convince your friends to see movies and shows you’ve already seen. Try to convince the barista to draw a dinosaur on your cup instead of writing your name. Engage with cahiers at the supermarket. Get accustomed to listening closely and engaging strangers on their terms.
Go The Extra Mile! Print your one-sheets so you have it on nice glossy paper. Make them look as professional as possible. If execs are unsure about the script, they will check out the one-sheet the next day. Wow them.
What you can do a day before
What you can do a day before- Re-read your script. Proofread, yes, but familiarize yourself with your character and story arcs, act breaks, A and B stories, themes, story beats, structure, and every other aspect of the craft. Have an idea of other projects it is similar to (financially successful ones), who would be good to star in it, and any elements outside of the script you have access to (locations, cars, money, etc.) You never know what questions the executive might have.
- Upload your script and one-sheet onto your phone. Nobody accepts hard copies anymore, and even memory sticks are passé. Be ready to email your script at a moment’s notice. It’s the 21st century, act like it.
- Choose your outfit. Professional and comfortable. If you have a costume you’d like to wear, now is a great time to put it in the closet and never, ever take it out again.
Go The Extra Mile! Meet with other LSF delegates BEFORE LSF and pitch and coach each other.
What you can do a minute before
- Relax. This pitch isn’t the whole world. The worst that can happen is the executive says no. You have no deal now, so you have nothing to lose.
- Pop a mint in your mouth. Obvious reasons.
- Body language. Does she look bored? Anxious? Tired? When it’s your turn to pitch, adjust your energy level to engage with her.
Go The Extra Mile! Don’t fixate on your pitch, instead build a relationship.
What you can do during your pitch
What you can do during your pitch- Don’t overestimate the exec. Remember, that exec across from you is just a person who has made a career telling stories. You have a story. Tell it.
- Be concise. You have five minutes for your meeting, but there needs to be room for questions and small talk. If you can start your conversation with a 1 minute pitch, that’s good. With a 30-second pitch, even better. Try to get it down to 10 words. If those ten words result in the exec saying, “Tell me more,” they’ve done their job.
- Once she say yes, all she can do is say no. Thank her, shake her hand, and head to your next queue. If it’s a long one, take the time to email your script right then and there.
Go The Extra Mile! Ask the executive about herself. What does she want to produce? Why did she get into the business in the first place? Favorite movies/TV shows?
What you can do after your pitch
- Send the script to everyone who requested it. You would be surprised how many writers chicken out, plagued by self-doubt. If you pitched a script that’s ready to go, then let it go. If not, then get it ready and send it when it is. But don’t let a script request evaporate.
- Follow up six weeks later. If you haven’t heard back, a polite follow-up is appropriate, but don’t act entitled or angry.
- Be open to notes. Writing is solitary, but filmmaking is collaborative. A producer must juggle a long list of conflicting priorities. If she makes a suggestion you disagree with, politely ask the motivation for the change and suggest an alternate solution to achieve the same goal.
- Keep on writing. You don’t want to be a one-and-done writer. Agents will want to represent a writer who can earn them more than just the one commission. Producers, if they like your material, will want more as you become less of a risk. A writer writes. Don’t just sit around waiting for your ship to come in. You go get some lumber and build your own ship.
Go The Extra Mile! Approach your executive contacts at one of LSF’s networking events and chat longer about her goals and favorite shows. Make that connection personal and stronger.
Above all, be professional and courteous, always. A producer isn’t just looking for quality writing, she will be looking for a quality person who writes. Best of luck!
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Posted by a member of the London Screenwriters’ Festival team.
