Screenwriting : Any Advice Would Help by Marcus Morgan

Hi Marcus - pitching is an art form that you can absolutely learn and practice and get better at. It's so positive that you want to improve and have reached out to the community for advice. Good on ya!

What type of format and genres are you pitching?

In terms of advice, here are two links to some Stage 32 pitching education that I recommend (and not just because I taught one of them :):

https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Learn-How-to-Better-Pitch-Your-Ideas-Go...

https://www.stage32.com/classes/The-Ultimate-TV-Pitch-Class-January-2023

Feel free to email me directly at edu@stage32.com if I can ever be of any service on your Stage 32 education journey.

Hey Marcus Morgan! If you shoot me an email at success@stage32.com I can send you some sample written pitches!

So, I’m pitching mostly features with Action/Adventure as the genre. Also I’m doing some hour-long sports dramas. Those are the two that I’m focusing on and it’s giving me the most trouble. Also thanks for your positive words and information.

Hi Marcus! It's wonderful that you want to improve your pitching skills. Definitely a must. I co-host a pitch practice tank session every Thursday right here on Stage 32 if your a writers room member (5:30 pm PST/8:30 pm EST). It's a safe, supportive environment for you to pitch in or to listen to other attendees pitch their scripts while Brooklynn Fields and I give our notes on the pitches. We'd love for you to join us.

DM me Marcus…. If I can hop on a zoom with you sometime I’ll try to see what I can do. I historically score relatively high on my verbal pitches so hopeful I have something of value to give ya, my friend.

Thanks everyone for the knowledgeable insight. I surely appreciate it.

Hey, Marcus Morgan. I can email you Stage 32's Pitching Template, Written Pitch Sample, and Pitching Guidebook. My email is storytelling200@gmail.com.

Hey you know somebody already sent me that information. But thanks anyway for the help.

Cool, Marcus Morgan. You're welcome.

Do you have a script for the pitches? Everything written out so you get all the information you need to give them without bouncing around?

I do have the script for my pitches. I think I’m going too heavy with the story and that’s throwing off the rhythm of the pitch itself.

Dunno what's a "pitch format" but feel free to check my profile, there's a written croquis of one of my pitches (if we're talking concept to make it less time consuming)

I'll tell you what I learned from my first pitch session:

- Focus on the STORY

- Be brief and concise (you only have five minutes to pitch your story)

@Marcel. Marcel, how and what do you mean specifically by pitch the story. I've done several Skype pitches and have tried to hit the plot points but feel so rushed and have little time for discussion when done. Some pros have given high marks for my pitch, while others graded it mediocre. What do you mean by "focus on the story?" Thanks.

John, just go with the structure of your story, i.e. Act I, Act II, Act III... Summarize your acts in one paragraph for each of them. Don't waste time on the worldbuilding. Put more importance on the characters and the story as a whole.

Thes are the sections I use: TItle, Logline, Writers Statement / Core message, characters, synopsis, Pilot episode description, Potential.

Thanks everyone for the wise words and advice. I can’t explain how much this helps me. Thanks.