Stage 32 + Netflix Present: Television Pitch Workshop
Start Learning
Satisfaction Rate:
Webinar hosted by: Christopher Mack
Director, Creative Talent Investment & Development for Netflix International Originals. at Netflix
Christopher Mack is Director, Creative Talent Investment & Development for Netflix International Originals. He was previously Senior Vice President of Scripted Content for Stage 13, overseeing all of the brand’s original scripted series and development slates across multiple genres, including Emmy nominated Netflix series’ SPECIAL and IT'S BRUNO. Before Stage 13, Chris headed the Warner Bros. Workshop, the writing and directing program for professionals looking to start and/or further their careers in television. Over a period of 10 years in this role, Chris curated a roster of close to 100 writers and 50 directors representing the breakthrough emerging voices working on high-profile television shows today. In addition to these responsibilities, Chris has covered hit shows such as TWO AND A HALF MEN and SMALLVILLE for the Current Programs department. Prior to joining Warner Bros., Chris spent seven years writing on various one-hour dramas including ER, THE PRACTICE and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Chris got his start in television at NBC Studios as an associate and he quickly rose to becoming an executive. During his time at the newly created NBC Studios, he oversaw a varied list of shows including: THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and IN THE HOUSE, among others. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Stage 32 + Netflix join forces to bring you an exclusive television pitch workshop
Learn best practices to make your pitch work and what your pitching document should look like
You do NOT want to miss this!
For many, the holy grail of television has become Netflix. It’s a titan in the industry, and with over 200 million subscribers worldwide, no one can put out content quite like them. Just look at the recent hit show BRIDGERTON, which has already been seen by a massive 80 million households (!!) since its release. If you’re a writer or creator, getting your series onto Netflix’s platform can spell success in a big way. But first there’s the matter of getting your series in front of them and pitching it effectively.
It should be a comfort to know that you’re not the only one who wants your series on Netflix. Netflix wants that too! Netflix execs are constantly on the lookout for exciting new voices and new series to fill their slate. Yet it takes more than just a good series or a good pilot script to get on Netflix’s radar; you need to be able to communicate it well and pitch it in a way that will get their team excited. This certainly takes some work, but it’s absolutely achievable. If you’re interested in getting your show on Netflix, it’s time to learn directly from the source what it will take to make that happen.
In an effort to reach more writers and find more content, Netflix has joined forces with Stage 32 to present a FREE and invaluable workshop on what it is that they’re looking for in new shows and how you can best pitch your series to their executives. In Stage 32's continued effort to help level the playing field for content creators worldwide, we felt it's important that we help you get tools you need to be able to make sure that you can pitch effectively.
Kicking off the workshop will be Stage 32 CEO, Richard "RB" Botto (@rbwalksintoabar), and hosting this presentation will be Stage 32's Managing Director Amanda Toney with Netflix’s Director of Creative Talent Investment and Development for International Originals Christopher Mack. Christopher was previously Senior Vice President of Scripted Content for Stage 13, overseeing all of the brand’s original scripted series and development slates across multiple genres, including Emmy nominated Netflix series’ SPECIAL and IT'S BRUNO. Before Stage 13, Chris headed the Warner Bros. Workshop, the writing and directing program for professionals looking to start and/or further their careers in television. Over a period of 10 years in this role, Chris curated a roster of close to 100 writers and 50 directors representing the breakthrough emerging voices working on high-profile television shows today. In addition to these responsibilities, Chris has covered hit shows such as TWO AND A HALF MEN and SMALLVILLE for the Current Programs department.
Prior to joining Warner Bros., Chris spent seven years writing on various one-hour dramas including ER, THE PRACTICE and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Chris got his start in television at NBC Studios as an associate and he quickly rose to becoming an executive. During his time at the newly created NBC Studios, he oversaw a varied list of shows including: THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and IN THE HOUSE, among others.
In this exclusive Stage 32 workshop, Christopher will delve into what exactly makes a television pitch work at Netflix. He’ll discuss the essentials you’ll need to catch Netflix’s eye and will zero in on how to write an effective pitch document. He’ll pose questions you be able to answer and communicate for your series and give you ideas on how best to communicate your show’s overview, world, tone, and characters. Christopher will then discuss how season summaries should be built and give you ideas on how to think about and present potential episodes. Finally, you will have the invaluable opportunity to ask Christopher your own questions. You will leave this presentation with the understanding of how to structure and present your series, not in theory, but directly from the source.
What You'll Learn
We will be referencing BREAKING BAD and UNORTHODOX, please familiarize yourself with these pilots and shows.
- Introduction
- Some Thoughts Before We Start
- You will learn about:
- What to Pitch
- Netflix Essentials
- How to write a pitch document
- You will learn about:
- Brainstorming - What To Pitch
- Netflix Essentials
- Character Driven
- Teasers
- Narrative Drive
- Cliffhangers
- How To Write A Pitch Document
- Story Questions
- Overview
- World
- Tone
- Character
- Season Summaries
- Potential Episodes
- Story Questions
- Who is the hero?
- What do they want?
- Why do they want it?
- How do they get it?
- What are the Central Conflicts?
- What are the stakes?
- What are the themes?
- Overview
- Synopsis
- Why this series?
- World
- Where
- When
- Hero’s profession
- Tone
- What the audience will feel
- Theme may drive the tone
- Director’s vision
- Movie, television and pictorial references
- Character
- Root-worthy Characters
- Etsy Case Study (unorthodox)
- Backstory
- Traits
- Arc
- Root-worthy Characters
- Season Summaries
- Godfather Reference
- 3 Act Story application to season
- Story Circle Analysis - You, Need, Go, Struggle, Find, Suffer, Return, Change
- Season analysis
- Pilot analysis
- Potential Episodes
- What are the mini goals?
- What are the barriers?
- Summary
- Story is about emotion
- Make you characters suffer
- Q&A with Christopher
About Your Instructor
Christopher Mack
FAQs
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32.
Q: Do I have to be located in a specific location?
A: No, you can participate from the comfort of your own home using your personal computer! If you attend a live online webinar, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar.
Q: What are the system requirements?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you attend a live online webinar, you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar. If you cannot attend a live webinar and purchase an On-Demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to rewatch?
A: Yes! After the purchase of a live or On-Demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year!
Relevant Tags
Share with friends:
Questions?
Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
-
Fred Felton You will certainly learn a great deal from this webinar. Christopher Mack knows his stuff. -
Hugo Félix Mercado A good presentation.- -
Jonathan Hearns Flavia Steagall - You said 'On the right sidebar, under the green square written Already Purchased is a text, under this text is a 3 line option written in light grey. Click on Watch the webinar, it will take you there.' There is NO OPTION to watch the webinar. The Light Grey says 'My Education' - when you click on that, it says 'We did not find any purchases on this account' Where is the purchase? -
Gerson Orat where is the GODDAMN webinar?
-
Giovanni Furore it is a very interesting webinar and I would say essential for those who want to present, like me, projects to netflix. -
Flavia Steagall Blake Ridder, E'mya Greene, Sonia Sawkar, Anthony Jones, Christian Verschaeren, Capriolo Maria Teresa, Archie Goldsmith, Linda Elsdon, Anne Alexander Sieder, Andres Granadino, Victoria U Bell, NaTasha Williams, , On the right side bar, under the green square written Already Purchased is a text, under this text is a 3 line option written in light grey. Click on Watch the webinar, it will take you there. -
Blake Ridder it doesn't work, says already purchased, but it is now showing up in My Education
-
E'mya Greene Does anyone have the link to the webinar ? I'm really interested in finding out what i may be missing before i present a pitch very soon.
-
Patricia Acerbi This is could not be better! Thank you -
Jon-Michael Mooney Just incredible. I've searched for a long time to get this information and I have never found anything so concise, detailed and trustworthy. Absolutely Brilliant -
Jessica Nicole This webinar was EXCELLENT. I didn't know what to expect at first, but as we dug in I just found that all of the information (and the way it was presented) to be profound. I also enjoyed the fact that we received some "insider tips" relevant to the Netflix platform, as well as any other platform or outlet. I also appreciated how long the exec stayed with us. I had to leave about 1.5 hours in, but I think it turned out to be a 3 hour long presentation. Wow! So happy I attended, even happier that I have it accessible for 1 year to reference at a later time. Invite him back! -
Rand Leeb-du Toit Like many others, the session appears to be missing in action. -
Melanie Star Scot 5am Sunday morning -
Lovie Davis Christopher Mack changed my life with his section on themes. I admit to raising my hand when asked, "How many of you just sit down and write a story? My pitch and synopsis went from trash to treasure. Thank you. -
Alexia Melocchi One thing I have to say- an amazing webinar! Being an Industry veteran myself and educator here I would like to personally compliment @Stage32 and Christopher for giving it his all. One of the first things I learned when starting out was NEVER STOP LEARNING. It never ends, people. Even when you become successful at your craft that will be always someone who knows more, better, or has another angle. There are a purpose and reason for this awesome community of experts on this platform. I heard some new perspectives myself and got some valuable new hacks because my mind is always open to more knowledge. Make the most of it! -
Sonia Sawkar I signed up to watch the recording but dont know where to find it -
Jacqueline Waugh Excellent!
-
Christian Verschaeren So where is the webinar?
-
Marvin Wadlow Jr Wow, as I watch it over and break down everything as I'm redoing my show bible through this lesson. it was an amazing webinar. The question I have is IP stands for intellectual property? -
Shabazz Graham IT WAS PHENOMENAL!!! Christopher Mack was excellent, and really answered every question I would have wanted to ask before I even knew I wanted to ask them. I learned loads! Thank you Stage32. -
Chad Syme With numerous show ideas to be explored and developed, and new ones forming all the time, I've constantly felt lost on how to proceed at a certain point. Endless internet searches never lead me to the guidance I needed to take action on my ideas. That changed when I attended the Television Pitch Workshop by Christopher Mack. I learned how to properly do what I knew was needed and discovered numerous other processes and information necessary to effectively pitch a show. I have wanted to return to the entertainment industry for a while; now, I feel prepared to make that move thanks to this webinar. -
Annika de Groot Brilliant! Answered so many questions I had. -
Nick Mathis This was a fantastic Zoom webinar—extremely well organized and highly informative. Very impressed with how Stage32 handled this. -
Andrea Mann This was such a fantastic, clear description of how to devise, structure and pitch a show. Practical, insightful, invaulable - loved it. Thank you Chris and Stage 32! -
Shekhar Bassi This was a brilliant and inspiring webinar. Chris was engaging and insightful. Doesn't pull any punches. -
Esra Cengel Thank you for this very useful and amazing webinar. -
Claudio Martins Amazing tips! -
K. H. Brower Chris Mack is simply wonderful. The most powerful takeaway: "Tell me -- what's your story about without telling about plot." Some would call this theme. -
Capriolo Maria Teresa I am anxious to learn more about how to pitch for Netflix. But I have not received the zoom invite.
-
Anthony Jones Where do we receive the zoom link? I REALLY want to be apart of this! Thank you!
-
Archie Goldsmith Hi, no Link yet. Hope all is well. -
Linda Elsdon Hi I will have to catch-up on the replay as I never received the zoom link thank you Linda -
Anne Alexander Sieder No zoom link received... would love to see this seminar! @rbwalksintoabar -
Andres Granadino Este seminario es real? me inscribí con tiempo y hasta ahora no recibo ningún acceso a zoom, y la supuesta hora de inicio se nos muestra con un counter que tiene otra medida de tiempo distinta a la que conocemos.
-
Victoria U Bell Patiently waiting for the link :)) So excited for this webinar!! <3 -
NaTasha Williams I am so excited about this webinar. i have registered but haven't received the zoom invite. How do I get in to take advantage of this great information? -
Eric Ross Gilliatt All set and ready to see where NetFlix is now with new content considerations. Thanks Richard for the invite. -
Murat D. Sümer Awesome... Already done it. Thanks to @Richard Botto who invited me...
Other education that may be of interest to you:
CLOSED CAPTIONED: Stage 32 + Netflix Present: Television Pitch Workshop
**This video presentation contains English closed captions. To view the webinar without captions, click here. Stage 32 + Netflix join forces to bring you an exclusive television pitch workshop Learn best practices to make your pitch work and what your pitching document should look like You do NOT want to miss this! For many, the holy grail of television has become Netflix. It’s a titan in the industry, and with over 200 million subscribers worldwide, no one can put out content quite like them. Just look at the recent hit show BRIDGERTON, which has already been seen by a massive 80 million households (!!) since its release. If you’re a writer or creator, getting your series onto Netflix’s platform can spell success in a big way. But first there’s the matter of getting your series in front of them and pitching it effectively. It should be a comfort to know that you’re not the only one who wants your series on Netflix. Netflix wants that too! Netflix execs are constantly on the lookout for exciting new voices and new series to fill their slate. Yet it takes more than just a good series or a good pilot script to get on Netflix’s radar; you need to be able to communicate it well and pitch it in a way that will get their team excited. This certainly takes some work, but it’s absolutely achievable. If you’re interested in getting your show on Netflix, it’s time to learn directly from the source what it will take to make that happen. In an effort to reach more writers and find more content, Netflix has joined forces with Stage 32 to present a FREE and invaluable workshop on what it is that they’re looking for in new shows and how you can best pitch your series to their executives. In Stage 32's continued effort to help level the playing field for content creators worldwide, we felt it's important that we help you get tools you need to be able to make sure that you can pitch effectively. Kicking off the workshop will be Stage 32 CEO, Richard "RB" Botto (@rbwalksintoabar), and hosting this presentation will be Stage 32's Managing Director Amanda Toney with Netflix’s Director of Creative Talent Investment and Development for International Originals Christopher Mack. Christopher was previously Senior Vice President of Scripted Content for Stage 13, overseeing all of the brand’s original scripted series and development slates across multiple genres, including Emmy nominated Netflix series’ SPECIAL and IT'S BRUNO. Before Stage 13, Chris headed the Warner Bros. Workshop, the writing and directing program for professionals looking to start and/or further their careers in television. Over a period of 10 years in this role, Chris curated a roster of close to 100 writers and 50 directors representing the breakthrough emerging voices working on high-profile television shows today. In addition to these responsibilities, Chris has covered hit shows such as TWO AND A HALF MEN and SMALLVILLE for the Current Programs department. Prior to joining Warner Bros., Chris spent seven years writing on various one-hour dramas including ER, THE PRACTICE and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE. After graduating from Loyola Law School, Chris got his start in television at NBC Studios as an associate and he quickly rose to becoming an executive. During his time at the newly created NBC Studios, he oversaw a varied list of shows including: THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR and IN THE HOUSE, among others. In this exclusive Stage 32 workshop, Christopher will delve into what exactly makes a television pitch work at Netflix. He’ll discuss the essentials you’ll need to catch Netflix’s eye and will zero in on how to write an effective pitch document. He’ll pose questions you be able to answer and communicate for your series and give you ideas on how best to communicate your show’s overview, world, tone, and characters. Christopher will then discuss how season summaries should be built and give you ideas on how to think about and present potential episodes. Finally, you will have the invaluable opportunity to ask Christopher your own questions. You will leave this presentation with the understanding of how to structure and present your series, not in theory, but directly from the source.
The Write Now Challenge: Phone a Friend (or an Enemy)
In this challenge, members were asked to write one side of a phone conversation. The challenge is to give us the full idea of the story, the conflict, the relationship between the characters, and the ultimate resolution. The key to this exercise is to make the stakes high! Can the writer phrase their character’s dialogue so that the phone call still makes sense - and give us the exposition we need? During this webcast we received a number of fantastic entries that spanned genres, including Rom Com, Thriller, Drama, and Comedy, and more!
How to Take Your Film From Short Form to Feature Length
Ask any successful filmmaker how they got started and almost all will tell you that their success began with a short film. And today, more filmmakers and producers are making short films as a proof of concept for a feature length version of their story. This doesn't have to be a daunting task. And we're here to prove it by showing you how a 5-minute short made for $5,000 went on to become a feature, a Tribeca Film Festival darling, and get national distribution. Natalie Qasabian has produced movies for the Duplass Brothers and recently was a producer on one of the biggest indie box office successes of the last few years, Searching. The film, made for under $1MM, was acquired by Sony at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and has gone on to gross $75MM at the domestic box office. But much of Natalie's success and her journey began with a short film. Natalie is going to take you on an educational, inspiring, and motivational ride by teaching exactly how they pulled off the short film Join the Club, the feature All About Nina, and how the two were directly connected. She will explain the path this film took, from financing to casting to filming to film festival strategies to crushing it at Tribeca to getting global distribution. But this isn't all. Natalie will discuss the importance of making your short. How you should approach the process. How you should handle rejection along the way. How to navigate all the ups and downs of pre-production and production without having it cloud your overall strategy for the film and much, much more. Like what you heard from Natalie during this webcast? Send your script to Natalie and speak with her for a full hour by clicking here. Praise for Natalie's Stage 32 Webinar "Natalie knows how to take a film to the highest of places by committing to sound and proven strategies. Her perspective is amazing" - Doug L.
Advanced Digital Marketing For Your Indie Film or Production Company
Ever wanted to know what happens behind the scenes in the marketing department for film distribution companies? In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, digital marketing expert Jennifer Winberg (digital strategy for mini and major studios - Disney, Fox, Sony, Lionsgate, and Gravitas Ventures) will teach you how to market your film (or production company) across PR, Digital Marketing, and Social Media. Digital Marketing is essential for your film. It is THE WAY to market your film and get it into the hands of the viewer. Your host, Jennifer will use her 10 years of branding and entertainment experience in digital strategy, social media, and integrated marketing to show you how to create a digital campaign that will build an audience for your film. She'll outline a digital media timeline for your film, when to start promoting your film, and how to even partner with theaters and VOD operators. You'll walk away knowing how to build a successful digital media campaign including best tactics, tools and resources.
The Write Now Challenge Webcast: True Stories & Biopics
During the Write Now Challenge, we turned the spotlight - and the microphones - back over to you during the Write Now Challenge Webcast! Using the "Breakdown Webcast: Writing True Stories" as a guide, your challenge was to find a true story or subject of a biopic that resonates with you! Write a short document that details the subject of the project - whether a historic event, historical figure, or a combination of both - including a "way into the story," principal character(s), basic synopsis, potential themes for exploration, and why it resonates with you as the writer. During the webcast, participants discussed true stories and historical figures that were either well-known or obscure, but all riveting! Participants described accounts from the US Civil War, Korean War, legal battles, pro-wrestling, and many more!
How to Find and Hire the Right Sales Agent to Help You Distribute Your Film or Project
If you are a writer, filmmaker, digital content creator, or producer, it's vitally important to not only understand the role of a sales agent, but how to find, vet and hire the right sales agent. This is a vital, yet extremely overlooked aspect that could make or break the viewership and profitability of your film or project! In this challenging and competitive world of film and digital content finding the right sales agent is key. Understandably, many creatives, producers and digital content creators find venturing into the world of sales agents to be daunting. But it doesn't need to be! There are few who know the world of sales agents better than Simon Graham-Claire and Ricky Margolis. Simon and Ricky head up, Future Films USA and have been involved in the financing and distribution of over 200 films and TV shows. In this extremely popular and exclusive Stage 32 Webinar, Simon and Ricky give you all the tools to navigate the minefield of sales agents. Just some of the questions Simon and Ricky will be answering include: What can a sales agent do for me that I can't do for myself? Where do I go to find a sales agent? How do I know if a sales agent is reputable? How do I know a sales agent is right for my genre? What questions should I be asking when vetting a sales agent? What if a sales agent disagrees with where I believe the film or project should be distributed? How much do sales agents cost? Will a sales agent expect to have an equity position in my film? How does the waterfall distribution of funds work with a sales agent involved? Can a sales agent bring financing to a project? Let Simon and Ricky demystify the world of sales agents and help you protect the films, shows, and projects you worked so hard to conceive and create by getting your work seen and by increasing your likelihood of profitability! Praise for Simon, Ricky and How to Find and Hire the Right Sales Agent to Help You Distribute Your Film or Project "I felt like Simon and Ricky had a concise step by step study guide on the process of getting to the green light... The idea of hiring a sales agent is no longer a jumble" - Betty S. "Loved the presentation and I found it very informative! Thanks again!" - Richard D. "Great seminar - informative and to the point." - Robert G. "Very well presented! Loved their personal approach!" - Glenn C. "Excellent presentation! Organized, well-spoken, and crystal clear!" - Brent B. "My second webinar with Simon and Ricky. They're incredible. Please bring them back again." - Samantha M. This webinar is available for immediate and unlimited viewing On Demand
Register / Log In
