Screenwriters: How to Nail Your PITCH

Writing is only half the battle. The other half is selling someone on your writing.

Here is what happens all too often: Your screenplay is polished to shining perfection. It has an engaging story, three-dimensional characters, scintillating dialogue, and it’s even marketable. All of the above finally gets you in the room. In fact, several rooms! You find yourself on a so-called bottled water tour meeting industry people who can advance your career. And… and… and…

Nothing happens.

Look, we get it. We’re writers–natural hermits, not social butterflies. And sitting in a meeting that could potentially make your career is terrifying.

Still, here are some scenarios you should avoid at all cost:

1. Coming across as a Nervous Nelly who can’t make eye contact and “um”s and “ah”s your way through a conversation

2. Being unable to put together a coherent sentence when asked to pitch your ideas

3. Worst of all, being the name-dropping, false bravado guy who pretends to have a ton going on – but it’s all vapor

Here is how you should present yourself:

1. A storyteller. Someone who engages them with exciting tales.

2. An idea machine. Not only do you have the polished script they’re meeting with you about, you also have a head full of additional (and marketable) ideas.

3. A cool and interesting person. Fun to be around. The type of person anyone would want to have a beer with.

Tall order, you say? Well, yes.

So how do you get there?

Well, it’s like the old joke: Question: “How do you get to the Met?” Answer: “Practice, practice, practice.”

Yes, you can train yourself to be good in a room.

Step One:

Write out your pitch. What are the most interesting and marketable details? What do they need to know to understand the story? Please, please, please–whatever you do–don’t write a four-page synopsis including every subplot. Think of it as an overview that’ll take a couple of minutes max.

Step Two:

Practice your pitch. Start in front of a mirror and then graduate to your friends. Do this until it feels solid and doesn’t include any “um”s or “ah”s. (Fun fact: former super agent turned producer Emile Gladstone used to send his writer clients to acting class in order to ensure that they were good in a room.)

Step Three:

Repeat the above process for all of your pitches.

Step Four:

Research the person you are going to meet with. Did they work on a movie you really like? Represent someone you’re a fan of? Are they cheering for the same sports team you are? IMDbPro and social media are your friends here. Find topics you can connect over. Also, there’s nothing an executive likes more than hearing what a big impact their last project had on you.

And if you’re panicky that you’re going to screw it up, just remember: the person you’re pitching to is actually human and will most likely cut you some slack. Think about all those times the entrepreneurs freeze up in front of the “sharks” on “Shark Tank” (“Dragon’s Den” outside the US.) Do the sharks demolish the poor pitcher? Nope – they’re always nice and gently advise them to take a moment, regroup, and start again.

One final note: remember that as much as the producer or rep is looking for a great story, they’re also hoping to meet fascinating creators. It’s not just about screenwriting kudos (although hey, that doesn’t hurt). It’s about your vibe and life experience. What about you is compelling or cool or weird or interesting enough to make you memorable? Now in a 7-minute video pitch you may not have time to do anything but be personable and pitch your story. But if you get the opportunity to organically engage them in conversation, that’s where “what makes you you” can really pay off. That summer you spent hiking Tibet, that time you repaired the councilman’s toilet, your vegan tofu sausage recipe – any of that could serve as a memory hook as well as hint at the interesting perspective you might bring to a story.

Now go and become good in a room.