Pitch ​Catherine Keithley-Lawson (Monday, April 6th 2020)

• About ​Catherine Keithley-Lawson
• Pitching Tips

Catherine Keithley Lawson is an Emmy Award-winning Producer and Senior Vice President of Current & Development at Brian Graden Media. Catherine joined BGM as the first development hire at the company’s inception in 2013. Since 2013, Catherine has produced season 1 of Tastemade’s Street Somm, season 1 & 2 of Create Together with Joseph Gordon Levitt (Emmy Winner), season 1 & 2 of Instant Influencer, seasons 1-4 of Escape the Night, Band Together with Logic (Emmy Nominated), all for YouTube Originals, Ms. T’s Music Factory for Lifetime, Walk of Shame Shuttle on VH1, & Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding on E!.

Catherine has developed hundreds of shows for broadcast, cable and major streaming networks with tens of them selling through to development, casting, and as pilots. Before joining BGM, Catherine was a Development Associate for Ellen Rakieten (Executive Producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show and Red Table Talk for Facebook) & Tom Forman (Executive Producer for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition & Catfish: The TV Show) at Ellen Rakieten Entertainment, a division of Critical Content. During her time at Critical Content (formerly Relativity), she helped develop shows such as Emmy Award winning Trisha’s Southern Kitchen (Food Network), Celebrity Dish (Food Network), & Pretty Wicked Moms (Lifetime).

Before entering television development, Catherine worked in talent management at The Collective Management Firm (now Studio 71). In this role, she focused on casting & bookings for upcoming scripted television shows & feature films as well as overall day to day management. Before The Collective, Catherine worked at MTV Networks in Digital Marketing & The Food Network as a Production Assistant.

Catherine graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in
Communication. Catherine is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and resides in Santa
Clarita.

 

Catherine specializes in Unscripted Television and is currently listening to pitches for Reality, Variety, Crime Docs, Game Shows of All Genres with Strong-on-camera, Credible Characters for TV and Digital/Streaming.

 

Credits include:

Tips on pitching to ​Catherine Keithley-Lawson

Pitching unscripted content is different than pitching scripted material. We recently spoke with Catherine for some insight into what she likes to see in a reality pitch:

• "Reality needs credible characters with big personality like Abby Lee Miller, Anthony Bourdain, Rob Dyrdek - they set the bar. A good example of a character Stage 32 brought us a couple months ago was Chef Ian Sherlock, he is a strong, credible chef who definitely has hosting chops!"

• "Think ahead of time who the right buyer is... does your show belong on History channel or Freeform? VH1 or Lifetime? This helps make a pitch stronger if you have thought this through."

• "Any show with existing footage or a sizzle reel is a big plus. Materials shows you have thought out what an episode looks like, what TV moments are, the format, payoff, etc. Television is a formula, and it's important you know their formula before pitching us if possible."

NOTE: to submit a sizzle reel or show deck/bible before you pitch, please reach out with advanced notice to writerhelp@stage32.com

Guidelines

• You may only pitch ONE project per reservation. Execs are looking for projects they can develop, NOT portfolios.
• You should have a completed script available upon request for the project you pitch.
• Do not reach out to the executives unless directed by Stage 32. They do NOT accept unsolicited material or appreciate being cold-called/emailed by strangers.
• Missed reservations are not refundable and will not be rescheduled.

Live Pitches

Within 15 minutes of your scheduled pitch, the exec will reach out by Skype or Phone. Your pitch session will last approximately 8 minutes.

Written Pitches

Written Pitches will be no more than 2 pages submitted as a PDF or WORD document. Any written pitch uploaded past the deadline will not be shown to the executive and will result in a non-refundable forfeiture of your pitch.

Scorecards

Within 3-4 weeks of your pitch session, you will receive a Pitch Scorecard on which the exec you pitched will provide pitch feedback and note if they are PASSing, or would like to REQUEST your material.

If you are requested, you will be notified via email with further instructions. The execs will have 2-3 months to review your material and note if they are PASSing, or would like a MEETING. If a meeting is requested, we will introduce you via email.

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Please understand that these are working executives, and their schedules are subject to change at a moment's notice. We always strive to give you at least 24 hours of notice if a session has been cancelled, and we will recommend another executive for you to pitch your material to.

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Need help with your pitch?
Download the Stage 32 Pitching Guidebook

Questions or Concerns?
WriterHelp@Stage32.com

What Are Stage 32 Pitch Sessions?

You've written your feature screenplay or TV pilot and you believe it is ready for the market. But, how do you know if your script or pitch are in the best shape to take your project - or your career - to the next level?

Whether you're preparing to find (or switch) representation, or go out with a script to production companies, studios or buyers, Stage 32 Pitch Sessions are a great first step to make sure you are on the right track.

For nearly a decade Stage 32 has maintained professional relationships with over 1,000 industry professionals including development executives, managers and producers across the industry. These executives work with us to listen to your pitch and provide feedback for you, all while finding undiscovered scripts they wouldn't normally have access to. With executives helping you understand what works and doesn't work with your material you can continue to hone your script and pitch as you prepare to go to market.

Through feedback given during Stage 32 Pitch Sessions, hundreds of writers have had success in their careers. Stage 32 writers have moved on to be signed, optioned, produced (including the 2020 film CHICK FIGHT), or put into development with industry professionals. In fact, in the last year alone, there were over 2,000 script requests and 500 meetings set up with industry professionals for writers through Stage 32.

How Does a Pitch via Skype or Phone Work?

Part of having a great script means that you have to be prepared to pitch it in a room or through a video pitch. It's important that you know the nuts and bolts of your pitch in order to give yourself the best chance for success when pitching it. We're here to help you.

In our Skype or Phone pitches, you have the option to pitch face-to-face directly with the executive through Skype or via telephone. Your pitch will be 8 minutes in total. It is up to you on how you want to use your time, but we recommend you spend 5-6 minutes to pitch your project, followed by 2-3 minutes of questions or feedback from the person to whom you are pitching.

This is a great way to work out pitching your material while establishing a new connection in the industry! You will be able to interact with the executive of your choice who specializes in the genre and format of your project. Would you like tips on how to pitch live? Download our pitching guidebook here.

How Does a Written Pitch Work?

Don't feel comfortable pitching live yet? Not a problem! Alternatively, you can submit a written pitch of up to 2-pages in length. This option is perfect for those writers who feel more comfortable expressing their ideas on the page rather than in person. It also allows for flexibility if you are unable to pitch live during a scheduled session.

Would you like an example of a written pitch? Simply email writerhelp@stage32.com for a sample written pitch.

5 Tips To Make Your Pitch Successful

Remember that executives who are hearing your pitch are supportive and want to give you the tools to succeed! There are ways in which you can help make that happen. Here are some tips to help you during your pitch.

1. Talk briefly about yourself and your connection to the material.
2. Give the title, logeline, genre(s), and comparable film or television tiles.
3. Set up the world in which your story takes place in and then the protagonist. Then dive into the story pitch.
4. Less is more! Make sure that your pitch is clear, concise, focused, and engaging. Do not try to pack too much into your initial 5-6 minutes and be sure to leave time for questions and answers.
5. Be polite and receptive - remember the person on the other end does this for a living and their feedback is invaluable for you to understand where you fare in the marketplace.

Do not ask the executive if they want to read your script during the pitch. Do not reach out to an executive outside of the Stage 32 platform. Doing so will have the opposite of the intended effect. Stage 32 is a professional organization and if there is interest in your script, we will facilitate the request.

These are set up as industry-standard professional pitching sessions so we expect you to be fully prepared. If you have questions or need help, don't hesitate to contact the Stage 32 Script Services team at any time writerhelp@stage32.com. We're happy to help.