Let me start off by saying I love pitching ideas. I come from the advertising world where pitching ideas is a frequent thing, and I love selling my concepts. So I’m not opposed to the act of pitching, quite the opposite. Still...here’s my lament: I completed a live Stage32 pitch recently where I finished my presentation in under 3 min. and the studio person I was pitching to was so into the story that they were enthusiastically asking questions and commenting positively on things so much so that the session ended up going about 5 minutes over the allotted 10 minute time. So...that seems pretty great, right? It sure felt that way. Then, a week later or whatever, the pitch report email comes and all the scores are good or better but I still got a ‘pass’ on whether they wanted to read the script. Wait, what?! Okay, I know I can’t “make” someone want to read the script but if all signs are super positive and they still choose to pass on even reading it the I’ve gotta raise an eyebrow and type out a Lounge post that wonders WTF?
Screenwriting : A lamentation on the Stage32 pitch process. by Michael Greco
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Faking their responses would be the first thing (not just for me, but for anyone pitching an idea). I’d much rather hear honest criticism that I can incorporate into making the story or the presentation better. So I hope it wasn’t that. With regard to the person not liking the story or thinking it wasn’t marketable, those are both totally valid possibilities but, as I mentioned, neither of those things were mentioned or even hinted at during the pitch or in the post-pitch email. Very puzzling.
*would be the worst thing (dang phone typos while riding the spin bike!)
I sometimes think there's an excitability threshold you have to cross, and if you don't, then it could be the pitchee genuinely liked the story, but didn't love it.
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There's a lot more going on that just having a "good pitch". Does it line up with what they are looking for? Are they really connected enough to pull off the budget required? Have they made something with a similar element before that could go for or against the project? I've always been amazed at how some people point out critically the things other people love in the exact same pitch documents. I've mainly been using the written portion as practice because I am pretty terrible at pitching overall. I'm trying to get up to my partners level of game on synopsizing with excitement.
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The point about choosing well is very important. I do written pitches, look carefully and choose based on the exec's bio, the company's budget, descriptions of what they're looking for, what they've produced. It's still a crap-shoot.
There also seems to be two divergent camps: Reveal The End v. Don't Reveal The End.
The link leads to tips on how to structure a written by the venerable Michael Hauge.
https://www.scriptmag.com/resources/pitch-festivals/7-keys-to-a-great-pitch
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I've pitched to a rep for a company who loved my pitch, was enthusiastic, asked questions, etc., and ultimately ended up with the same result as you - and in three different decades, no less.
No biggie. I know that in the final decision, that company decided that my particular script was not something that they were particularly looking to produce at that particular time, and there was no sense in having anyone waste any time in reading it.
That doesn't stop the front-line people in those companies from doing what they are assigned to do, though, and not lose their passions when they hear an interesting pitch. I bet a lot of those people are enthused about hundreds of pitches every year, maybe even thousands, and the vast majority of the pitchers end up just like you and I did.
Welcome to The Way It Can Go.
Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Michael!
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I just received feedback on two written pitches I did for the same screenplay to two different professionals. The first said he really liked what I created but had something in the same space already in development and it wouldn’t make sense for him to pursue competing IP. (He read the script). The second said he was a Pass since the “Town” is already overflowing with stories in this arena. (Ones dealing with the Cartel). (He did not read the script). When I read feedback 2 I literately laughed out loud and said “fair point” given what was said in the first feedback. I’m not deterred though and will keep pitching it. Just like there is always room for another great pizza shop, there is always room for another good cartel movie- eventually.
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Nate, that's a good lesson learned. It's hard to get a deal - or even a "read" - when so many writers are writing about the same subject matter. Not that I'm saying you chased a trend, or that your particular story isn't unique and marketable, but sometimes a writer can get caught in a situation like that, and sometimes a decision-maker is already burnt-out enough on it to even let a writer utter 20 words on the subject.
Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Nate!