Producing : Writing a pitch by Rosalind Winton

Are you getting paid for your services? I d get that in a legal contract between you and the Writer. Not sure what you mean by "considered"? Make a hit list of Producers/Companies/Buyers actively looking for material you are selling. Call them up. i am assuming the Writer is repped? That skips all the BS about accepting unsolicited material.

Hi Dan, by considered, I mean that he has production people in line that he needs to pitch to and he's asked me to write the pitch, I am getting paid for it. I just wanted advice as to what to actually write for the pitch, I have a contract with him and all is fine in that respect, it's just the content of the pitch I need advice on, when pitching, does a writer talk about the whole story, beginning, middle and end, would he have to describe the main characters in detail, how long should a pitch last for and anything else I would need to know in that respect :) Thanks.

rosalind- Ask RB, the Owner of Stage 32 for advice, there's plenty info here, do's and dont's.

Thanks Dan :)

R Not to be a downer but if the Writer doesn't know what to do and U don't know what to do, it's a given the person(s) sitting across the table (writing the check) will know your team is inexperienced. They will just buy your great script idea and find another Writer to come on board. And that's fine. U done your job. U sold. No need to have production people in line. Cant promise jobs when there is no $$$ and the sold script belongs to someone else with power. The Writer is just the Writer. :) Best of Luck ! :)

I think you should stress on the lucrative aspect of producing this screenplay, why it would be a success, what will it make it "work", what makes it special, etc. Good luck!

Dan.. Everyone has to start somewhere, nobody does anything without having to first learn something or be thrown in the deep end and learn on the go, I've been asked to do something that I don't know anything about, but I want to learn and do it right if I possibly can and if I do find I can do it, it will be another string to my bow, a new experience. I never do anything I don't feel I can do well and I told my client I would look into it, do some investigating and research and let him know. I am his editor and he asked me to write a pitch, everything else is down to him. I'm not involved in any other aspect of getting the screenplay produced and my question was based solely around writing the pitch for my client and what the content should be. I am now getting help from RB. Maroun.. Thank you for your reply, that's very helpful as well and I'll take that on board :) If anyone else has any helpful suggestions as to the content of the pitch, I would be very grateful.

Rosalind, You need to research the people who you are pitching to, to ascertain what they expect. Speak to people who have pitched to them before. In general terms you want them to understand the story, and importantly understand how they are going to make money from it, at the same time you want them to feel comfortable that they can work with the writer.

Hi Michael Thank you so much, that's great advice, which I've taken on board as well :)

ask the guy—the client—what motivates the person to do the work ▬ what is it about this production that appeals to you? As if you were speaking to someone of your own intelligence ( speaking to the person you are working for ) and ask client: What is great about it? Up front and it better get a response. If that results in humdrum then have to do some major scrapping as you have to feel something about the work that makes it something someone would want to watch ~ then you just re-package what he states in fluent linguistics. There has to be something that drives the work.

Thank you Dena, I will do, sounds good and thanks for the advice, I'll take that on board.