In the panel on Pitching For Film, producer Marshall Herskovitz (The Last Samurai, “Thirtysomething”) gave the best and most concrete advice for pitching I’ve ever heard. This is from his experience of pitching and then listening to pitches.
First, tell your idea in ONE sentence. The logline.
Then tell the idea in THREE sentences. Elaborate on the logline.
Then tell the idea in TEN sentences. Here is where you go through Act 1, 2, and 3.
He developed this format because he was just as anxious listening to a pitch as the person pitching. What this format does is force you to really understand what you’re pitching so then it’s clear when you pitch it. It is the road map for you and the executive hearing the pitch. Then, if the executive is engaged, they’ll start discussing the project and character even before the pitch is over.
This advice comes from multiple panels talking about many areas of producing. Producing requires a mindset that adapts to change. If you can’t handle quick problem solving and change, maybe this job isn’t for you. The industry is constantly changing and producers need to be flexible about the types of projects they work on and where those projects can live in order to survive. Consider multi-platforms. Don’t be afraid to work on big projects as well as small projects. Each project will be its own learning experience. *Just don’t do a project you don’t like creatively.
Every producer on every panel clearly has tenacity. The reason they get things done and projects made is because they don’t wait around for other people to open doors. They open the doors themselves. Even with an agent or representation, there’s still a lot of hustle to this job.
That was actually written in upper case in my notes: MAKE YOUR FILM RELEVANT. This was stated at the financing panel, the pitching panel, and the advice for producers panel.
Have an understanding of who your audience is and why this film matters. Why is this film relevant? If it is something that speaks to our culture, our time, political climate, important themes, etc, then you’re allowing for a more meaningful connection with your audience and increasing the chances of better word of mouth.
Then based on how your film or series is relevant, use that to help finance the film in reverse. When you know where the film will best live because of the content, audience, and social relevance, then you can construct the road map of what companies to target to help finance and distribute this content.
This is advice that appeared in almost every panel. Being honest about your work and what you want to create affects every aspect of the producing process. As a producer, you need to know what kind of content you want to make and then go after that. It’s fine to be flexible and like a lot of different types of projects and genres, but when you’re honest about what you like and don’t like, you’ll start to see what your style is. Hone your taste and be proud of what you’re trying to make because you have to live with these projects for a very long time.
The producers on the panel giving general advice all agreed that schlock will come back to haunt you. Never produce a project you don’t feel good about. Trust your gut.
This advice helps a lot with pitching. When pitching for film and television, convey what is exciting, what you love, what is your personal connection to the story, and why the story is important to you. Excitement is infectious and we’re in the business of entertainment. Audiences want to feel something from content so that feeling needs to be conveyed during the development process.
Honesty and passion will help with confidence and that’s important for any pitch or meeting with anyone about a project.
The one thing that was said in ALL panels regardless of the topic. CONTENT IS KING!! At the end of the day, all that matters is what’s on screen or going to be on screen.
In the panel on pitching for film, producer Graham King (Argo, The Departed) talked about how there is a lack of ideas and original stories in the industry right now. If you have an interesting story that you’re passionate to tell that could find an audience, you have something of value.
Content is king across all platforms and higher quality and well-crafted material will stand the test of time. A great script is the foundation for any project, and if the producer is passionate, tenacious and fearless enough to fight for it, it will get made. Don’t give up!
The seventh annual Produced By Conference was held May 30-31, 2015 on the historic studio lot at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.
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Very interesting stuff here, I like the idea that CONTENT IS KING and that one should be HONEST AND PASSIONATE about one's work. I am also encouraged that Graham King thinks that there is a lack of new ideas and original stories in the industry today, being "out there" myself...but none of this ties in to the fact that one's chances of getting a film made are reduced if one is an outsider. Maybe that's the problem...or part of it...it feels to me like they are contradicting themselves in some of these comments? I wonder if anyone agrees??
Great post! And yes, Philip, you are right about the contradictions. I think there are a lot of story ideas that industry outsiders, women and people of color have pitched in the past that have been ignored. Hopefully, now that films with women and people of color have proven their ability to make money and engage audiences, we will see more innovative content. It will take producers with vision and the desire to take risks to usher in a new era of original storytelling. America and world is waiting for us.....the outsiders!