How to Prepare For and Nail a General Meeting (In Person and Online)
Webinar hosted by: Jeff Portnoy
Manager at Bellevue Productions
Jeff Portnoy is a literary manager at Bellevue Productions. Prior to joining Bellevue, Jeff worked at Creative Artists Agency, The Gotham Group and Resolution talent agency. Jeff’s clients include Ben Bolea, who wrote THE DUKES OF OXY, set up at New Line Cinema with Ansel Elgort starring and Michael De Luca producing; Richmond Riedel, who wrote BODY CAM for Paramount Players; Greta Heinemann, formerly a Producing-Writer on the CBS series NCIS: NEW ORLEANS who is now working as a Supervising Producer on the NBC series GOOD GIRLS; Kenny Kyle, whose hour-long drama spec ONE$ & ZEROE$ is set up at Fox 21 with Warren Littlefield and Noah Hawley producing; Matt Tente, whose feature spec GREEN RUSH is set up at New Republic Pictures with Will Packer producing; Savion Einstein, whose feature spec THE UNTITLED SAVION EINSTEIN COMEDY, is set up at Screen Gems with Kimmy Gatewood directing and Elizabeth Banks producing; Marque Franklin-Williams, a story editor on the Showtime/Lionsgate series THE KINGKILLER CHRONICLES; Jimmy Mosqueda, formerly a staff writer on the ABC series SCHOOLED, who is now working as a story editor on the CW series LEGACIES; Suzanne Keilly, previously a staff writer on the Netflix series WARRIOR NUN who is now working as a story editor on the Hulu series LIGHT AS FEATHER; Chris Thomas Devlin, whose feature spec COBWEB is set up at Lionsgate with Point Grey and Vertigo producing; Josh Golden, whose feature spec ROAD TO OZ is set up at New Line Cinema with Beau Flynn producing; Matteson Perry, whose hour-long drama TURN ON is set up at Warner Bros. TV Studios with Jim Parsons's That's Wonderful Productions producing; Mark Townend, whose feature spec AUGMENTED is set up at Warner Bros. with LuckyChap and Di Novi producing; Matt Leslie & Stephen J. Smith, whose feature spec SUMMER OF '84 was produced by Gunpowder & Sky and premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival; they are also currently writing ANGELS OF DUST for Impossible Dream Entertainment with The RZA directing. Originally from Massachusetts, Jeff received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film Production from Point Park University in Pittsburgh and studied Film and Television writing at UCLA Extension. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn how you can have a successful general meeting with reps, executives, buyers and potential collaborators from a top manager in the business!
Whether you’re leading the creative charge as a screenwriter, in the trenches a director or cinematographer, behind the scenes as a crew member, or in front of the camera as an actor being great at what you do is only part of your job. We at Stage 32 preach that 50% of your job is excelling at your craft, the other 50% is networking and understanding how the industry works.
It's simply undeniable, those who commit to treating their networking and relationship building as their job and keep on top of what's happening in the industry land more meetings with decision makers who can make an impact on their career. But the goal is not just to get into the room, it's to stay in the room. And that means you need to know how to be good in the room. And with more and more meetings going virtual and online, you must know how to prepare and have the skills ready for those situations as well.
General meetings are the first line of offense and defense for decision makers. As you know, most people in this industry - whether working in film, television or digital - want to find creatives and professionals they can go to war with time and time again. Their tribe. To become part of someone's tribe (and eventually form one of your own), you have to know how to nail the general meeting. It is crucial that you understand how to prepare. You must know who you're meeting with, what to wear, proper etiquette, the story of your project, the story of your personal brand (such an overlooked art), and know your pitch inside and out. Ultimately, you want to turn this general meeting into something much greater or assure that you're receiving a callback meeting. Their are many tried and true tricks for getting this done and we're going to bring them to you.
Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Management is one of the most revered managers working in the industry today. Jeff was recently named been named by Variety as one of Hollywood’s New Leaders in Management. Prior to joining Bellevue, Jeff worked at Creative Artists Agency, The Gotham Group, Resolution Talent Agency and Heretic Literary Management. Along the way he has sold and set up projects to New Line Cinema, Lionsgate, FOX, Screen Gems, Warner Bros. and more. Jeff has been on both sides of the table for hundreds of general meetings and has learned exactly what makes a meeting successful and where many go south – and he’s here to share the do's and don'ts with you, the Stage 32 community
Jeff will teach you how to assure that you perform in your general meeting in a manner that makes you memorable. He will discuss everything from attire to how to carry yourself to how to make eye contact. He'll teach you how to prepare your pitch and convey it with the right amount of passion, charisma and energy. He’ll give you important guidelines on how and when you should talk in the conversation and help you understand if you’re talking too much or sending the wrong message. You’ll learn how to get notes from the other side of the table and how you should receive and respond to them. You will know the best way to pitch “you” and your brand so you stand out from other people taking general meetings with the same party. Jeff will teach you how to do research on the people and the company you are meeting with and how to use that information to your advantage (and not be creepy about it!) He will make you understand why the assistant and support staff can ultimately be your best ally. Finally, Jeff will go over the various types of meetings you’ll encounter in your career – from studios, production companies, managers, agents and networks and explain the differences so you’ll be fully prepared.
PRAISE FOR JEFF'S TEACHINGS:
"A wealth of information. Gave me a lot of things to think about - especially with the tips on reading the room. Your description of how to pitch myself and my story were game-changers. Off to practice now."
- Sonia H.
"What fabulous advice, Jeff, thank you!"
- Greg M.
"Yep, now I know why I haven't been securing a second meeting. I have seen the light and the err of my ways."
- Veronica G
"The dress code discussion was very helpful, I never knew what I should wear and now I do!"
- John S.
What You'll Learn
- Eye Contact
- Understand how this works, when it's important to have eye contact and when you should look away
- Dress Code and Physical Appearance
- What to wear to a meeting, why it matters, what it says about you
- How to Prepare to Pitch Your Story/Script
- 5 essential tips for making the pitch successful and how to incorporate them seamlessly
- Passion, Charisma and Energy
- Why is this important? Can it ever be too much?
- How and When to Talk
- Discussing dominating conversations
- How do you know if you're talking too much
- How to know if you're losing the room
- Getting Notes in the Room
- How to consider other people’s ideas
- How to address feedback
- How to address criticism
- Humor and Likeability
- How to Pitch "You" - Your Biography
- What you can do to stand out from the pack
- What are managers looking to know about you?
- Research You Need to Do for the Meeting
- Understanding the types of research you should do on the person you're meeting with
- Support Staff
- Understanding their role.
- Meeting Types
- We will discuss the differences between these meetings and how to prepare for each
- Studio / Network / Production Company
- General Meeting
- Specific Meetings
- Management Company / Talent Agency
- Signing Meeting
- All Entertainment Industry Companies
- Job Interview
- Studio / Network / Production Company
- Q&A with Jeff
About Your Instructor
Jeff Portnoy
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He worked as a dramaturg and taught playwriting in New York theater, and is the author of Writing a Great Movie: Key Tools for Successful Screenwriting. Jeff has taught development executives from all the major Hollywood studios and they consistently say that he teaches the most advanced development tools in the film industry. You can read more about him on his website: www.DevelopmentHeaven.com. Testimonials About Jeff Kitchen: “I've worked with Jeff one-on-one for many of my projects. His tools and insights push me to explore the material in a deeper way — and find the dramatic core of the situation. I know he's made me a better writer and made my process more organized and more effective. I highly recommend his book, his classes, and his personal attention.” - Jessica Sharzer - Writer/Producer - American Horror Story “Jeff Kitchen’s writing techniques and teaching have been invaluable tools in my own creative work. 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I recommend your seminar to anyone in the entertainment industry who wants to know what it takes to make a strong script.” - Jen Grisanti - Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc.; Writing Instructor for NBC’s Writers on the Verge; former 12-year studio executive “I found your class to be user-friendly and very informative. I especially enjoyed your technique of working backwards from the climax--it really helps to streamline a screenplay and strengthen the throughline. I highly recommend this class to screenwriters of all levels of proficiency.” - Debra Meringa - Sony Pictures “Having taken virtually every screenwriting course in existence, I found Jeff Kitchen's workshop to be the most valuable in town. His techniques and tools guide one through the entire process of screenwriting: from basic concept to general script structure and further down to the scene level. Jeff is a master teacher who truly understands the art and technique of the screenplay. His course is worth its weight in gold.” - Chris Brancato - Writer - Hannibal, Law & Order: Criminal Intent “From within the swarm of gimmicky screenwriting seminars and trendy new how-to's, it is Jeff Kitchen's approach, relying heavily on the classic principles of dramatic structure and logic that emerges as truly innovative. His technique is the answer for anyone seeking practical tools with which to diagnose script problems, generate effective solutions, or transform story ideas into compelling drama. Jeff's seminars are aggressive; they are work sessions that produce real results immediately. Come with your sleeves rolled up”. - Erin Quigley - Producer, Development Exec., 23 Red Prods. “Jeff Kitchen’s technique and his dedication to the art of screenwriting taught me writing skills that took my script to a whole new level. I’ve never seen anything like what he teaches, and it works better than anything out there. After taking his course I got top representation and sold a script to New Line Cinema.” - Sam Brown, Screenwriter “I recently attended Jeffrey Kitchen's screenwriting seminar and cannot praise it too highly. He is one of the best teachers I've ever had. His attributes are that rare to find. First, he is clear and concise and is a master of the techniques he teaches. Secondly, he has infinite patience and instinctive generosity so that everyone feels that their project is worthwhile, even as he uncovers its flaws. The technique he teaches is truly extraordinary and Jeffrey, it turns out, may be the only person in the world using it in this particular way. I have taken other screenwriting courses and his is head and shoulders above them all. As a result of Jeffrey's course I feel much more secure in my writing. I finally feel that my script will have the best possible structure.” - Mira Tweti, Screenwriter “Jeff Kitchen teaches the most powerful and practical screenwriting tools in the business. I’ve studied numerous techniques, but Jeff is the first person I’ve met who presents a fully developed craft that screenwriters can actually use. His expertise unlocked, energized, and structured a script that I was completely stumped on and now a major studio is considering it for an A-list actress.” - Jon Van Dyke, Writer-Director “Years ago, I was fortunate to begin my ongoing training with the generation of masters that first wrote for stage, then live television, and then film. Jeffrey is one of the few contemporary writer-teachers with a grounding in those ageless techniques of good drama, a tradition rarely passed to current generations.” - George Higginson, Screenwriter “Jeff Kitchen is the best screenwriting teacher in the world.” - Tom Huckabee, Executive Producer, Frailty To read Jeff Kitchen's book, Writing a Great Movie: Key Tools for Successful Screenwriting click here!
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