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Netflix + Stage 32 Present: Television Pitch Workshop

Hosted by Christopher Mack
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Christopher Mack

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
  • 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
  • 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

 

 

Want to see the other webcasts in this exclusive Stage 32 + Netflix Creating Television Content for a Global Marketplace series?

Stage 32 + Netflix Present: Television Pitch Workshop with Chris Mack

Netflix + Stage 32 Present: Television Pilot Story Structure with Anna M. Henry

Netflix + Stage 32 Present: How To Write a TV Series To Budget with Jeanette B. Milio

Netflix + Stage 32 Present: Writing Comedy Television for Streamers and Networks with Vijal Patel

About Your Instructor

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.

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A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.

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Reviews Average Rating: 5 out of 5

  • Amazing!!!
  • good
  • Absolutely relevant today as on the day it went live. Thank You.
  • This was so informative. Thanks for the experience!
  • The webinar starts at minute 37. Keen. This webinar is where you want to start if you're new to professional writing. It covers the terminology, techniques, considerations to find your voice, and structure for stories. A definitive "must watch".
  • It was amazing thank you Christopher Mack, Stage32
  • A bunch of great content and motivation/tools to write a pitch document. Loved it, and also Christopher Macks attitude towards storytelling is amazing. Thanks a lot!
  • como acessar o curso?
  • I can't access it
  • Thank you so much for all the incredibly helpful insider tips from Chris! I'm also glad to hear from Jason Mirch that you periodically offer pitch sessions with Netflix executives. Angels are indeed running the place! You restored my faith in LA.
  • Watching this was exciting for me for I transformed my freature 'Joliet' into a 5 Episode Limited Series breaking down the three act structured feature similar to what he explained. So this was pretty cool as I was telling myself, "That's jsut what I did!"
  • I'm not sure I can make it on Thurdsday, will it be prominently available to watch at any time?
  • Just so flippen amazing! WOW!
  • I am new to television and found this extremely interesting and inspiring.
  • Gotta go with five stars. There is a mountain of information here. I've watched the seminar, and now I'm going to watch it again and document the information. I will also annotate the narrative with my own analysis and comments. That will allow me to return to the information again and again, using it as a jumping-off point to further expand my education in this very complex field of endeavor.
  • You will certainly learn a great deal from this webinar. Christopher Mack knows his stuff.
  • A good presentation.-
  • it is a very interesting webinar and I would say essential for those who want to present, like me, projects to netflix.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This is could not be better! Thank you
  • 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
  • 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!
  • Like many others, the session appears to be missing in action.
  • 5am Sunday morning
  • 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.
  • 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!
  • I signed up to watch the recording but dont know where to find it
  • Excellent!
  • So where is the webinar?
  • 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?
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Brilliant! Answered so many questions I had.
  • This was a fantastic Zoom webinar—extremely well organized and highly informative. Very impressed with how Stage32 handled this.
  • 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!
  • This was a brilliant and inspiring webinar. Chris was engaging and insightful. Doesn't pull any punches.
  • Thank you for this very useful and amazing webinar.
  • Amazing tips!
  • 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.
  • I am anxious to learn more about how to pitch for Netflix. But I have not received the zoom invite.
  • Where do we receive the zoom link? I REALLY want to be apart of this! Thank you!
  • Hi, no Link yet. Hope all is well.
  • Hi I will have to catch-up on the replay as I never received the zoom link thank you Linda
  • No zoom link received... would love to see this seminar! @rbwalksintoabar
  • 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.
  • Patiently waiting for the link :)) So excited for this webinar!! <3
  • 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?
  • All set and ready to see where NetFlix is now with new content considerations. Thanks Richard for the invite.
  • Awesome... Already done it. Thanks to @Richard Botto who invited me...

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CLOSED CAPTIONED: Stage 32 + Netflix Present: Television Pitch Workshop

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TV Series Pitch Document Writing Lab (One on One Mentoring)

TV Series Pitch Document Writing Lab (One on One Mentoring)

Only 15 Spots Available! By popular demand, we're bringing in TV executive Anna Henry (who has 100% satisfaction with her webinars!) to teach a one-on-one TV pitch document writing lab! Need help with writing your TV series pitch document? Look no further! Anna's here to help. This is the golden age of television and the appetite for content has never been greater. What does everyone network and streamer want? Fresh, unique, authentic voices with never-been-told stories. While the door is open to new writers, the competition is fierce. Of course you need a very strong finished script, but before that will be read, you need to be able to communicate what makes your show stand out from the crowd, what will make people want to watch it for years and years, and why you are passionate about writing it. You need a blueprint of what the series will be beyond one episode. That's where a pitch document (aka bible, aka treatment) comes in. Whether you are selling your show verbally, sending the pitch to a potential producer, or applying for a fellowship, this document carries the weight of your imagined world with all its inhabitants and stories. That's a tall order! So where do you begin? How do you organize your ideas? What should be in a pitch? How detailed should you get? Should you start with a summary of the pilot? Should you have ideas for future episodes? What should you say about your characters? In this lab we will delve deep into writing an effective pitch for your scripted television idea - one that will clearly communicate your intentions, excite the reader, and convey your voice and your passion. Most writers need help with switching gears and selling their story in addition to telling it - which is the purpose of this lab. Anna has spent her career developing television projects with writers and selling those show ideas as a development executive, manager and producer. What she has found is that most screenwriters have taken classes that helped them learn about story structure, writing scenes, dialogue, etc. but writing a pitch is entirely different. She will not on ly teach you how to write your document, but work one-on-one with you to make sure it's the best it can be to go to market.  Testimonials from Anna's previous lab: "I thought it was a great course and really helped me understand the format. Anna is knowledgeable and quickly cuts through to what can help your story better. Her notes on my script were insightful and really demonstrated her thorough experience." - Lee L. "Anna’s class was by far the most thorough, well put together, and organized screenwriting class I’ve ever taken. I have an MFA in filmmaking and, after graduating, I still felt as if I didn’t fully understand the structure of pilot writing. Anna’s class laid it out step by step and she went through every piece in detail. She was also extremely available to her students. During our one-on-one sessions, I expected to have a quick 15 minute call with her but she ended up speaking extensively with me about my story from outline through script stages. She really, truly cares for her students and is there to answer any questions, which, given her abundant experience in the industry, is a priceless piece of her labs. Thank you, Anna!" - Jacqueline D. "Anna was concise, and detailed. I've been working on log-lines/treatments/synopsis for 2 years for my scripts and never had it nailed like Anna was able to do. She rocks!" - Cheryl Lynn S. WHAT TO EXPECT This lab is designed for intermediate writers and producers looking to get their individual television project pitch document ready. This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed lab with one-on-one time with the instructor and significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar. ***Only 15 Spots Available. No exceptions.*** (10 Spots Remain!) You will be given exclusive and confidential handouts that will accompany the lessons and that you will be able to hold onto after the lab ends. This lab will consist of six sessions occurring twice weekly for three weeks, each roughly 90 minutes in duration. In addition to the lessons where Raquelle teaches the class, you will have the opportunity to ask her questions during each session as well as multiple chances to speak with her directly about your specific project. Plus, to stay motivated and inspired, you will have access to a private, dedicated Stage 32 Lounge where you can communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the TV project development process. To see the full TV project development lab schedule, see below under "What You Will Learn".   PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 lab is limited to 15 writers and will be booked on a first come, first served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with a manager and an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good. Payment plans are available - please contact Amanda at edu@stage32.com for more information

The Tools You Need to Transition to a Creative Career at Any Age

The Tools You Need to Transition to a Creative Career at Any Age

Learn how you can transition to a creative career from an Academy Award winner who began his filmmaking career at age 63!   Hollywood is overwhelming for anyone trying to break in. The politics are difficult to track, the gatekeepers are challenging to get past, and there’s no clear blueprint for how to “make it.” It’s hard to know where to start, how to make inroads, and how to build a career. And these challenges can feel even steeper for those trying to transition to a creative career from a different industry or later in life. This doesn’t need to be the case. With a strong understanding of the industry and the right tools, this transition is absolutely achievable. Because, no matter what anyone tells you, this industry doesn't have an expiration age for people trying to break in.  In this exclusive Stage 32 on-demand webinar, you’ll see how your unique life experiences can inform your creative work so that your age actually works in your favor and makes you an asset in this industry. Frank Stiefel began making films at age 63 and then won an Academy Award at age 70. Formerly a TV commercial executive in New York, Frank decided later in life to pursue filmmaking. His directorial debut, the documentary short INGELORE, played in national festivals and was later broadcast on HBO. His film HEAVEN IS A TRAFFIC JAM ON THE 405 went on to win the Jury and Audience prizes at the Austin Film Festival and earned Frank the Oscar at the 90th Academy Awards. Frank has found incredible success transitioning to a creative career later in life and is excited to reveal what he’s learned on his journey exclusively with the Stage 32 community. Using his own story and path to success, Frank will discuss how he made the jump to filmmaking later in life, what he learned along the journey, and what lessons you can take along with you as you make your own transition. Frank will use his first short film INGELORE as a case study to explain how to do research and take notes in the trenches. He’ll give you ideas of how to make something of your own on the cheap and what resources are available to you. Frank also helps you prepare to transition to a new creative career. He’ll go over questions you should ask yourself before making the switch and how to form your plan. He will talk about how to better afford the transition and other advice you should consider before making the leap. He’ll also explain the most important thing he learned while making the transition. Frank will then use HEAVEN as an example to demonstrate how you can use your unique personal background to inform your project and take criticism along the way. Frank will also discuss what he’s learned from his multiple festival runs and how he’s used it to win an Oscar, and what comes next after winning. Finally, Frank will break down how to make your own age and experience work in your favor while breaking in. Finding success in Hollywood is difficult, but Frank has done so by carving his own path. He will give you perspective, inspiration, and strategies so that you can do the same. Praise for Frank's Stage 32 Webinar "Extremely inspirational. Great words of wisdom for mature people who want to break into the business." - Karen B. "It was awesome and encouraging to have Frank Stiefel talk to people in their 50s, 60s and 70s that its never too late. Thank you Stage 32 for bringing this programming." - Ann K. "I thought the candor with which Frank spoke was amazing." -Kerry B. "Perfect seminar. I shy away from signing up for these when it's someone who is just 'in the biz.' Frank had a very real take on how to be successful in the industry and I appreciated that. Dedicated filmmaker with years of experience in other aspects of art and storytelling. It made for a very engaging and emotional webinar." - Anthony N.    

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