Hi Everyone,
Looking for help with pitching info. We have the opportunity to pitch to a producer/industry professional with a written pitch or a zoom call. Do you guys know when pitching with a written pitch/file etc, do we have to wait for the allotted time to upload? ie. Producer X pitching time is Saturday 18th November at 1pm. I am from Australia and pitching at the exact allotted times might mean I will have to be up at 5am as there is roughly a 19-hour time difference between Sydney and LA. Also, it will be Sunday for me when pitching is Saturday in the States. Thanks guys.
Kind regards,
Rob.
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If you are going to do the Zoom meeting then I would wait until after the meeting to submit any written material. In my experience, you don't want them to have already made some sort of decision before you even meet - keep the meetings fresh, it is a relationship building business after all - and this gives you the chance to make any changes to your written material before you submit if something comes up in the zoom meeting that could help. Silly example, but if they say they're looking for something where everyone wears black and everyone in your written material wears blue you can make that change before submitting. You also don't want them reading or looking at anything else while you're pitching (unless its your screen share be design). Anyway - just my 2 cents. I would always take the zoom meeting if offered to make a connection at the very least.
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I agree with Sam. I have some pitches lined up with studios in LA. I've been advised not to submit any written material until after the meeting.
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Thanks Sam and Allen. I sent my question through to the Stage 32 contacts and they were very helpful. I am not the greatest at live pitching and believe that my writing speaks for itself - well at least compared to my attempts with a video call. The team at Stage 32 sent through templates of what the written pitches should look like whether a tv pilot or feature. Having said all that, you have got me thinking that I should step up and do the video call. Only problem is the timing issue being in Australia. If I lock it in, I suppose it give me something to aim for, even if it is the early hours of Sunday morning Oz time. Thank you for your input here. Very much appreciated.
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I have an idea of what you're going through. I will be making my first pitches "ever" to studios. I'm both excited and nervous as hell, but I'm keeping busy with prepping a Pitch Decks (I'm pitching 2 scripts), support material, etc. Good Luck with your pitch! Let me know how it went.
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Hope your pitches go great, Robert Weir and Allen Legacy! We're rooting for you!
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As Sam mentioned, as well as Stage32 in many instances on here, it's about building relationships more so than a perfect pitch. Revolving unanswered in the back of everyone's mind (potential industry executive or business partner) is the probing question, "Can I work with his person; do I want to work with this person?" While almost always unsaid, it needs to be acknowledged, addressed, and even soothed. Saying to yourself, I am entering this meeting to build a relationship, will change your very verbiage, shift your approach, feel less like a sell, and even get rid of those dreadful hints of desperation. A lot of times they are vetting and qualifying you to decide whether they can bring you before their boss. They can say "no" to your pitch but usually can spare a "yes" in getting to know you or theirselves being known. And it's "yeses" you want at the beginning of any meeting.Those initial yesses do not even have to be about the industry or your project. Getting anyone saying "yes" is key. I once went into a meeting expressing "What I'd really love is to get a second meeting with you." It instantly relieved the pressure off them having to devise an answer before the end of that pitch. And, I got the second meeting.
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Good luck with the pitches! It can be daunting but you’ve taken the hardest step already just by committing to it. Keep going.
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Thank you, Ewan. If you are pitching I wish you good luck and hope you find your project being picked up by your chosen professional. I am entering a written pitch (at this point in time) and everyone seems to be doing the zoom. I just hope the writing 'speaks for itself'.
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I wouldn't sit up waiting, they can take 4wks to get back to you. Here is the link, which I would have shared via LI but it seems you are no longer available there, or I am blocked. Best of luck. https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/written-pitch-guidelines
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Hey Jayson. Thank you for getting in touch here. And thanks for the link, although I had read it and will just wait for feedback between now and Christmas. As for my Linkedin page, I don't know what has happened. I'm so completely annoyed. I think I've been hacked or something. Certainly haven't blocked you but will be extremely upset if I can't get back in as I built up over 100 contacts. I'll let you know if I can get back on.