Summary
Learn how to pitch remotely from the writer of JIGSAW and SPIRAL (Number one movie at the box office this year)
Includes a live pitch demonstration and an exclusive pitch workshop with 5 volunteers!
As Zoom pitches continue to be our “new norm,” it’s important to know how to deliver the most effective virtual pitches, because let’s face it, it’s not the same as pitching in person. The energy is different, and you need to make sure you keep the energy high and engaging. How do you keep producers interested through a computer screen? Now, more than ever, you have to be quick, clear, and concise. Structure is key, but so is knowing how to handle small talk. Pitching is as much about selling your project as it is about selling yourself. Armed with the right tools, conversation, and materials, your chances are as good as anyone else’s.
Pete Goldfinger is an incredibly successful feature and television writer in Hollywood, perhaps best known for penning the two newest features in the SAW horror universe, including JIGSAW, which grossed over $100 million, and SPIRAL, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock, which debuted at number one at the box office this year. He’s going to teach you how to quickly hook producers and showrunners with the most valuable and authentic pitch. Pete will share his years of experience handling everything from small talk to delivering strong loglines with pitch decks so that you’ll have all the tools to feel confident in your next virtual pitch.
To demonstrate a live Zoom pitch and being quick on your feet with your pitches, Pete will deliver one of his own pitches, and then give you the opportunity to practice your own one-minute pitches and provide you with feedback. This is an amazing opportunity to fine tune and get advice on nailing your pitch from someone who knows just how to do that.
What You'll Learn
- Zoom Meetings and Pitches: An Overview
- Pros and cons of a zoom pitch
- Are Zoom pitches here to stay?
- Preparing for Your Zoom Pitch or Meeting
- Researching the people you will be pitching to
- Are You Going to Be Able to Show Visuals in Your Meeting?
- And How to best find out ahead of time
- Are Pitch Decks Necessary?
- Practicing ahead of time
- What Goes Into a Great Zoom Pitch Presentation
- Logline and hook
- Comps
- Introducing your world
- Describing your characters and their arcs
- For a TV pitch, how much of your series do you need to have already mapped out?
- How You Should Hold Yourself During a Zoom Pitch
- Strategies to calm your nerves ahead of time
- What should you wear?
- Webcam framing, lighting, and background
- The dreaded small talk - what to talk about when the meeting starts or when waiting for more people to join
- Handling the inevitable technical issues that will come up
- Sharing your pitch deck – screen share or sending to everyone ahead of time
- Questions to expect after your pitch
- Tips for finishing your meeting and signing off
- After Your Pitch
- Leave behinds and other materials to have prepared
- When and how to follow up
- Next steps you can expect
- Live Pitch with Peter
- The audience will come up with a story that Pete will professionally pitch on the spot as if he were pitching on Zoom to an exec
- Pitch Workshop
- Peter will hear live 60 second pitches from volunteers in the audience and give notes and suggestions for each
- Q&A with Peter
Who Should Attend
All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to quickly hook producers and showrunners with the most valuable and authentic pitch.
All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to quickly hook producers and showrunners with the most valuable and authentic pitch.
Producers looking to learn how to quickly hook producers and showrunners with the most valuable and authentic pitch.
Actors looking to learn how to quickly hook producers and showrunners with the most valuable and authentic pitch.
Executive
Pete Goldfinger is an incredibly successful feature and television writer in Hollywood, perhaps best known for penning the two newest features in the SAW horror universe, including JIGSAW, which grossed over $100 million, and SPIRAL, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock, which debuted at number one at the box office this year. Other credits of Peter’s include SORORITY ROW, PIRANHA 3D and TV shows like TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES and AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. When he’s not writing for the screen, Pete is running and hosting his own screenwriting retreats, in-person workshops, and Zoom classes. Students of Pete’s classes learn how to turn their projects into marketable, saleable products, and he’s going to deliver these same principles to Stage 32’s community.
Credits
