Screenwriting : Pitch Sessions by Brandon Corbin

It is pretty easy. you just give about a six minute pitch of your script and they will ask questions and that is it. in a few weeks you will receive a score card ranking in different areas of your pitch (5 being the best and one the worst). it will also say if they are requesting more material or passing.

is this helpful or were you looking for something else in the way of an answer.

Rick Wheeler Okay! So am I only pitching about the pilot or do I mention what would be to come throughout the entire season? Most people usually just have a pilot, but I have all 8 episodes written.

Write yourself a script beforehand and go over it several times. It'll help you get used to what you're saying and stay focused. Concentrate on your pilot but it can't hurt to mention you've got more info for them if they want it down the line.

Hi Brandon. Nice to meet you. I am the co-host for the Thursday night pitch practice sessions right here on Stage 32 (5:30 pm PT/8:30 pm ET) and we cover exactly what you are asking about in a friendly, educational, and safe forum space. If you are a writers room member, I urge you to attend a session, even tonight's session, and see the pitching aid Brooklynn Fields and I give to our attendees. We can also email you a terrific aid to help you with formatting a pitch within a 5 minute time slot. Hope to see you there.

Thanks for jumping in, John Mezes! Pitch Practice is a great place to learn and work on your pitching!

Do NOT pitch your pilot! This is the single biggest mistake writers make in short pitch sessions, and it results in you speed-telling a complicated story in a few minutes without ever getting to what your show is about. You're pitching a SHOW not a pilot, so pitch the show as a whole. Start with a sentence or two about your personal connection to the project. Do not skip this - it's super important and will personalize your pitch. Then pitch your show as a whole: 1. What is the format (ongoing / limited / mini) and the genre? Not just comedy / drama but specific genre. 2. Set the table - what is the world of your show? Not just time and place, but what specific area of life. 3. Who are your main characters? What is special / engaging / complex about them? 4. What is the premise of the show and the ongoing story engine (central conflict) that will power the show? What do your main characters want? Why do they want it now – what triggers the story? How does the story unfold episode to episode, throughout a season? In each episode we follow... How will your characters try to achieve their goal? What stands in their way? What are the key consequences of the way they try to achieve their goal and the opposition they meet? What happens if your characters don’t get what they want? What do they stand to win / lose? Why does this matter to them personally and in their world?5. What does the rest of the season hold in broad strokes? Here you can start with a one-sentence summary of your pilot, though chances are you've covered the key points as you laid out your show above. What I want to see is that your show has someplace to go. 6. If you have one more moment, talk a little about tone and style - is there a special way this story is told?

This is pretty much what should be in the "Concept" section of your pitch bible / a one-pager you may be sending out. If you need some help, I did a webinar on this subject (writing a one-pager) a while back. You can use that and the worksheet that comes with the webinar to write up your short pitch as well.

There are some guidelines you can download from Stage 32 on how the live pitches work. You will have 6 minutes to pitch your project and 2 minutes after this to discuss any questions the executive may have. Practicing your pitch beforehand will ensure that you don't run out of time before the executive needs to move on to their next pitch.

Anna Marton Henry Thanks so much for your insight! It was helpful and believe me, I am ready to pitch the entire series, I have all 8 episodes written. where do I find these seminars and where exactly do I find a template for a written pitch?

Brandon Corbin I am sure there are lots of great educational resources here on Stage 32, but since I jumped in, I'll link to my webinars. Here is one about writing a one-page synopsis, but you'll see that this could just as easily serve as your short pitch: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/How-to-Write-A-Professional-One-Page-Synopsis-For-Your-Television-Project.

I also did one about writing a full pitch bible: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/Write-Your-Professional-Pitch-Bible

i know ight. 8 episodes, my film has 30 killer scenes, 2 hr 45 min plus, I could spend that on the opening scene, 'things are not as they seem?" and have a discussion and end with, 'Do you want to hear more, here's my script. I got a Caribbean location shoot early in the morning ! ' .. Or I now understand you can simply submit a 2 page synopsis, which requires a written reply, my choice. Seeing who's looking now. Good luck BC!

The opening scene and full script, 'Strike a Pose', is on my home page..