Screenwriting : Pitching: not all writers are great speakers by Bryan Kish

Pitch sessions = waste of money IMHO

You might wanna do a written pitch Pitch Session, Bryan Kish. That's what I've been doing as I practice getting better at live pitching. The feedback I've gotten from the written pitches helped me rewrite my pitches and scripts, which led to script requests.

@Maurice has good point with doing a written pitch which is my favourite, exec concentrates on the page. I’m also okay with live (physical same room) unrecorded pitches, a different game entirely, second by second on the spot interaction. Human beings are so diverse you can only rehearse a live pitch so far as listeners own psyche may kick in like sod’s law in unexpected ways. Some days I’m up for rabid social intercourse, other days not so the written pitch is always my stand by. Zoom pitches however I hate, tech gadgetry and recorded for all time my distorted melon face appears peering down screen together with any other cock ups.

Yes. The verbal pitch seems foundationless and different people have different “formats” (which is fine, that’s what seperates us from the AI) so it can get frustrating trying to properly articulate/check the boxes the exec wants to hear. The industry as a whole seems very down and gloomy ATM. And from what I am hearing on the ground… short stories might be the new “spec” script… anyone else hearing this??? And thank you for your feedback!

The presentation is important. It's all about getting to the point and leaving the absurdities and the inessential details out of the way when you pitch something.

"And from what I am hearing on the ground… short stories might be the new “spec” script." I've heard it's common for companies to buy the rights to short stories and make movies with them, Bryan Kish. Same thing with articles and news articles.

Hey Bryan, this is very true. There's a whole different world between the writing and the speaking about it. If I may -- I've got a pretty good system down on how to tackle this issue. I'd be happy to discuss it anytime, or, if you're game, check out my site, pitch4reel.com. It's literally about this very thing. Would love to talk about it further!

Whether one likes it or not...you need to treat screenwriting as a business....a highly personality driven business. You not only need to write well but you need to sell your ideas and to sell yourself. Producers, managers, agents, etc ultimately decide to work with you because they like you....I've sold insurance, Wall Street securities,, ran my own company for 20 years and any success I had started when a client decided they liked doing business with me. So, yes, you can write great pitches but sooner or later you've got to step out from behind the written page and show who you really are.

What have you done successful that strangers who have never met you will believe in you? Great at sports, combat soldier? Kobe Byrant won NBA championships- he skipped over everyone and won an Oscar.

Marcus Luttrell stayed home and listen to pitches by Hollywood big shots wanting his Lone Survivior story.

Anyways, unless you're known, you're gonna do the cattle call pitches. Play their game. Because employers got all the leverage, unless you're special.

The idea is still king. It is great if you can do it justice. I think it was Shonda Rhimes that sold her first pitch. She said she didn’t look up from her notes, read them like a robot, and couldn’t remember her answers to any of the questions. But they saw how good the idea was.

They are trained to spot good stuff. Being good in the room helps. But there are a lot of people that are good a room that don’t get deals.

I have spoken to high ranking politicians from many countries, I have presenting to big groups, I down two episodes on youtube most weeks. I am super comfortable and could talk underwater, I bomb more than the airforce during world war 2.

hello! I fully support you. films often have three screenwriters. in addition, any producer and director can make edits to the script, destroying the original idea of the author. I think the requirements for screenwriters have become too high. to sell the first script, you actually need to have a filmography of a dozen profitable films.

I don't pitch. Just respond to OWA's here and on Screenwiring Staffing. Who knows???

Oh. And enter script competitions. I think the judges might be helpful as readers?

Bryan Kish, it's an excellent point! However we are "evolving" and diversified or capable of diversification, to meet and even beat the challenges! Maybe that's what it is all about in the first place. Tough to handle, but we can't sit down and allow circumstances to overcome "creativity"! The commentaries collectively I must say is of a highly talented nature!

Talk is cheap, but performance's not and every great pitch is a bit of a performance, so practice on that...