Just finished my first Stage32 pitch session. Well worth the cost and a very informative experience.
My current project is a script for a 1hr TV pilot called Bloodstone. It's a fantasy/thriller genre about a flawed black superhero who has to stop some evil alien buggers from wiping humanity off the face of the earth.
Of course I'm still bummed out that he didn't say that George Lucas and James Cameron were fighting each other to option my script. But did I REALLY expect that? Weeeeell... Sorta... Maybe not... Okay, no.
Seriously though, it was an interesting insight into HIS job. He's looking for something that he can sell. That's his job. Sell the idea to the money. It's our job as writers to provide projects that tick his boxes and make his selling job easier (without selling our souls in the process).
Here's a summary of what we talked about, which I found incredibly valuable:
1) He loved the idea, the concept and the story, BUT my superhero isn't 'established IP' (ie. he isn't a Marvel or DC superhero that half of the USA already knows). Given that stories like this are expensive to shoot (lots of SFX = high budget), investors want to minimise their risk by backing 'established IP' superheroes (and he was too kind to say so, but I'm guessing also by using an established, 'bankable' scriptwriter who has delivered in this genre before).
2) He proposed novelising the script and seeing what traction that got. That's very practical and very useful. I already have the story so converting it to a novel isn't going to be rocket science. And if it sells it builds credibility. I can go back to Hollywood and say, hey, Bloodstone the novel sold XXX copies, so people love the story and the love the hero. That makes it easier for him to sell.
3) He also suggested publishing it as a graphic novel, which was cool to hear because I've already started down that route. I've had a really good comic illustrator make up a few comic pages from the script and we're talking to graphic novel publishers later this month.
4) Finally I asked him if an animated movie might be a feasible root. He loved it and here in Cape Town we have really good animators like Triggerfish who did international movies like Zambezia (voiced by talent like Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum and Richard E Grant) who I can speak to.
So it was a really useful insight into what Hollywood wants, how it works, and how to approach it. I'm going to take those learnings and apply them to my next project, while at the same time pursuing the paths above with Bloodstone.
Seriously good experience, nice interaction, the guy really cared about the project and I got a lot out of it.
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to be frank, it's a polite pass. Every answer by this TV Producer says he doesn't want to do any work, invest Time and funds to your project. And that's fine. Keep swimming. You write a best-selling book or a box office hit movie and you won't have to pitch "Bloodstone" ; someone will approach you, pay $$$ for the privilege of adapting for tv.
Good point, Max. Appreciated.