Screenwriting : Pitching advice - Happy Writers, In-person Pitch Fest, Virtual Pitchfest by Regina Lee

Hey everyone, I just heard my first pitches via Happy Writers about 2 weeks ago, and I want to share some brief advice. Here's where I was coming from. I had taken pitches on Virtual Pitchfest for around 4 years, and I recently deactivated my account. I attended the 2015 Fade In Hollywood Pitch Fest. I have heard informal pitches as a volunteer CineStory mentor. Now I've taken pitches via Happy Writers too. Having taken pitches in those different settings, I have something new to share. When you pitch via Happy Writers, the exec you're pitching to is hearing over 20-30 pitches in one session (2-page written + 8-minute Skype). That's a pretty large number of pitches in a pretty short time period. Thus, being sharp and cutting out the fat will help make your pitch more digestible among a large number. Imagine yourself reading dozens of 2-page pitch letters, hoping to find something you will be passionate about. Yes, it's only 2 pages, but they are typically 2 packed pages, and it is mentally taxing to go through the process. That's the headspace your audience will be in - slightly overwhelmed with a barrage of new material, which you must appeal to as you pitch. When you pitch at an in-person pitch fest, you probably have 5 minutes, and that exec is hearing about 24 pitches in the small time span of only 2 hours. When you pitch via written query letter on Virtual Pitchfest, that exec is reading your pitch letter on his/her own time, without any ticking clock or the stress of knowing you must stay on schedule. Keep all that in mind when considering what the most important elements you need to emphasize are in each situation. For example, I now understand why Joey Tuccio used to say that positive coverage and contest wins (unless the contests are major contests) are not very important in a 5-8 minute pitch setting when the exec is hearing 20-30 pitches. In that scenario, you're hearing so many pitches that the story and its execution really are king. PLEASE NOTE: I will try to edit this post for additional clarity when I have time!