While I appreciate the feedback from producers on my pitches, I still continue to get generic notes that don't really tell me anything. For example, "We've seen this before," is a big one, yet they never give examples. I have yet for a producer to give an example of where they have seen my ideas before. Are they too busy to elaborate? I mean, one example would be enough. Like, "So and so already did this." But I get nothing.
I religiously follow TV shows and feature films in my genres - sci-fi, fantasy and horror. I purposely make sure that I am not copying or doing re-treads of stuff that is already out there. I have gotten some very good feedback on here and I am actually working with a couple of producers because of pitches I have done on Stage 32. But I wish the ones who reject my pitches would at least give examples of who I am supposedly copying. And being snarky doesn't help. Just because I'm a nobody now doesn't mean I always will be.
Sorry. I had to get that out of my system. It's not Stage 32's fault. You guys are awesome!
The reason may not be a particular beat or story arc. But they have seen someone rescue someone in space before. They have seen the lost adventurers before.
Basically there is nothing new in a theme or mood or feel.
That note comes from no particular things, but an overall feel. If you can describe your work using examples in your genre, they will have seen it before.
If you said it is like “Law & Order” in Space. That may work.
Do you know if they mean your ideas or the execution of them? Because it sounds like you try to not copy execution, which is good, but you leave the idea aspect vague. I don't know, it's just the impression I get from the post. Anyway, maybe they mean they've seen these ideas before.
Another thing I would say is that it's who you know. And I know that's obvious, but put yourself in a producer's shoes; they get pitched to all the time, so they're looking for something that stands out, and a familiar name/face helps because otherwise they're just inundated.
What I'm saying is, really try and shmooze the producers you already know: go to a bar or dinner and pay for it once in a while, or something. They'll stick with you if they like you (and your work, but in a lot of ways, that's secondary).
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It could be the producers you are talking to simply don't know shit, or don't have the power to decide, so it's better to say a flippantly "NO" than to say "YES" which means they got to explain themselves to higher ups in the company.
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"We've seen this before" to me speaks to a trope or cliche, and not any specific "copying," per se. I wouldn't take that phrase as "snarky" but rather as something to be concerned about. If given without specifics, then I would assume he/she is speaking about the main narrative and/or the premise itself. Or... perhaps there is something in your story, the plot, the twist, a character, that seems to be derivative in some way? Or maybe your concept just didn't communicate clearly through the pitch? Something was lost in translation with this particular pitch recipient? It's really hard to say or comment without any context of any kind. Perhaps ask Jason with Script Sevices for his take on the pitch and those particular pitch recipients. Maybe he can help shed some light on the matter. ;)
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Some industry professionals have a memory bank that spans the history of cinema, and some don't. What's " too derivative" or "sounds familiar" to one might be a bit more original-sounding and fresh to another. The best advice I ever received on pitching came from a top exec at a major studio - and who is one of those vast cinema memory-bank people - and he quite simply said :
"Tell me a story that I haven't heard before."
I'd bet that most, if not all, industry professionals probably have that high up on their list, too. I'm not saying your pitch didn't do that, Toby, but I'm just saying.
I know it's easy on the surface to rebut that with "but all stories have been done before", but they haven't. New and unique characters in new and unique times and settings can yield new and unique stories, and even if the same universal themes and subject matters are being explored, over and over again.
Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Toby!.
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Hi Toby. Usually it's just meant as a polite pass. But I also really doubt producers would provide an example, as that would open them up to rebuttal (in case you didn't agree with their example). They just don't have the time to engage in debate.
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I don't pay any attention to what producers say if they are going to pass. Their opinions mean nothing to me unless of course there is money in it for me.
Wow - this is the most number of replies I've had on a post. Thanks guys!