Thinking about pitching and how to sell my script to producers has been the highlight for this week.
I believe that I have a bit of an advantage when it comes to pitching because I work as a full-time producer’s assistant and could experience the pitch from the producer’s perspective as well. One thing that has stuck with me is to research the filmography of the producer before trying to arrange a pitch meeting. Most independent production companies develop a slate of projects that have a certain artistic direction and would be open to films or TV series that are a fit to that same type of cinema. Therefore, it might not be a good idea to contact an arthouse producer about an action film.
Getting back into the screenwriter’s shoes, I admit that pitching could be daunting. However, it definitely shows when one has done the preparation. A clear premise could lay a good foundation for the pitch. From there on sharing information about the story, characters and the underlying theme seems to be the recipe for success. It is important for producers to understand why the writer cares for the project and on what level they relate to the characters. Basically, why the person pitching the script is the right person for the job.
Furthermore, there is something to be said about the screenwriter’s attitude while pitching because that is another aspect to evaluate. The producer looks at the story quality and what type of person the writer comes across as. Pitch meetings don’t last long enough to get to know somebody but you can get a feeling of whether the writer could be a potential collaborator or not.
I am looking forward to pitching because it is the screenwriter’s responsibility to not only come up with the story but to also find the right partners who have the knowledge and experience to bring it to the big screen.