How to pitch a movie idea and sell your script with style. Whether it is through grace, passion, or unshakable confidence. Ill show some film pitch deck examples and how you. Youve got a great idea for a short film, but how do you approach potential funders or backers.
Traditionally, you get three sentences to hook listeners into the premise, the genre, and the scope of your film. The included proposal pack wizard software makes it very fast and efficient to create a customized version of this document. Tv series bibles weve collated just about every tv series bible available on the web for you here, but what is a tv series bible. Aug 04, 2017 why you need a pitch deck and a sizzle reel to make a short film a guest post by judy k suh in june 2016, i was at a film festival in portugal, where i was at the right time, right place, with the right stuffmy script in hard copy and the pitch deck on my laptop. Oct 17, 2018 when youre prepping your movie pitch, i find it helps to write out a pitch document.
Sample pitch document your pitch must contain the following. You can sort of approach this as though you are writing a tv series outline. Other costs that are usually low or exempt are art department, wardrobe, locations and more. Netflix is essentially a bottomless pit of money and resources. The onepage outline, then, is a selling document that can help you to be paid for writing your script or, if the script had already been developed, to help the project go to the next stage. Pitches, outlines, synopses, and treatments are all useful for different purposes and in different ways. The documentary film pitch is a onepage outline that. The best elevator pitch examples, templates, and tactics. For example, dont pitch a horror film to focus featuresthey do awardsworthy films. Dear dan, my name is ted wiley and ive written an action thriller called radius that id like to send your way. Jons been on the show before, is a veteran reporter and author, and reported the story himself.
Bbc blogs bbc writersroom treatments, pitches, outlines. Why you need a pitch deck and a sizzle reel to make a short. Concept idea creation of a concept document outlines the general concept of the game gives vague direction to the team in order to allow for iteration and specialized. Ill show some film pitch deck examples and how you can make a. Open the start pitching package order form in a new window. Youre a master of the moving image, so add some video to show what you can do. One performer will be taken back to broadway for a featured part in a real broadway show. Much like the executive summary of a movie business plan, the pitch deck is completed after the detailed work is done and is meant to be a high level overview of your project. Well look at how to create a film pitch presentation, designed to impress. The intense pitch deck is a great example of that, as it includes the key slides that every pitch needs like a team slide, services, timeline, charts, and more. One of the best ways to learn how to pitch a movie idea is to watch other writers do it. Its great for screenplays, but terrible for pitch documents.
Im interested in writing a story for your publication with an alternative view of the. The name of your app exactly as it is spelt on the app store what it does, and why it is different the price one link to your product page your website one link to the itunes product page one or two screenshots a. With several hundred articles and experts around the internet, it is difficult to make heads or tails of which toolstemplatesdocuments and professional services you need and those you may want. This is a small snippet from our flagship pitching course.
Entry is currently closed but if you want to be notified when its available, plus get free hacks. One page pitches are an art form, difficult to write and get right and. Create a tv show pitch bible that sells the tv show pitch bible. The behemoths at wework still have one of the best software pitch decks, even though this is a handful of years old. Treat the creation of the visual elements of your pitch as seriously as you would the content. When crafting this pitch, pay particular attention to what you think they might be listening for. My favorite thing from this example is that they outline their key metrics on the second slide. Includes slides that showcase your product, share your business model, demonstrate financials, introduce your team, analyze the competition, and more. This is a completed sample form if you are submitting a movie idea or screenplay.
If you are pitching a tv show, your comparisons should be of the same format. Dear publication x, i am a political science major and a writer for my campus newspaper. Paula landry, mba, is a writerproducer and consultant helping writers create strategies to excel. According to the panelists, you should certainly tweak your presentation to fit who you are pitching tobut do so within reason. In this episode of tv writing and development, we explore how to pitch a tv show. When pitching a script, you use this summation to persuade industry professionals to option the work purchase it for consideration pitches come in two forms. Hi name a recent report pointed to the frightening reality that hackers using ransomware on medical devices could pose the biggestand most dangerouscyber security threat in 2016, with insulin pumps and pacemakers being some of the devices most vulnerable to these risks. How to pitch a tv show to netflix, networks and more. Producers probably want to know the following details. If your script is a comedy and you pitch isnt funny then its not doing its job. Depending on the content, the documentary film can anger, shock or delight the audience. Purpose of proposal present in conjunction with a pitch, to funders and anyone you wish to interest in the project is a way to plan your documentary in great detail and in writing.
So in your pitch documents, the producer is looking for a lot of detail about. An injured marine and his friends daughter must escape kabul before a nuclear bomb destroys the city. This pitch deck template helps your team identify and communicate every point needed for your pitch from revealing your unique value proposition to conveying your market validation. To write a film proposal is the first step to getting your film into development, this is your opportunity to show film investors in visual terms what your project is all about and make them want to finance your film. If you are pitching a movie, your comparisons should be modern within 58 years, noteworthy not some obscure movie no one has heard of, and successfull. How to write a film treatment like the pros free template. The name of your app exactly as it is spelt on the app store what it does, and why it is different the price one link to your product page your website one link to the itunes product page one or two screenshots a video important. Film investor financing templates which documents do i need. A film like a quiet place, for example, would be much easier to pitch than, say, roma. Paula landry gives tips on creating a onepager, often called a leave behind, allowing you to better share your screenplay pitch with. A one sheet is a specific size typically 27 x 41 in size before 1985. Best actress independent film best actress festival nominated best actress best actress independent film best actress independent film best actress thriller nominated best actress best actress foreign film festival 2.
Excluisve film sourcing production documents and templates are not intended to be legal advice and are for educational purposes only. The reader needs the full picture, what happens and how the film or tv series plays out. That is, if you are pitching a 12 hour sitcom, compare it to two other 12 hour sitcoms. This is a completed sample form if you are submitting an idea for a tv show or reality show. A film like a quiet place, for example, would be much easier.
If you are a writer director, a director or a producer, you might need a pitch deck for your short film, feature film, web series or tv show. A telephone pitch is very much like a tv ad for a movie thats about to open, or for an upcoming tv episode. Movie ideas with a high concept are easier to pitch than ones with a low concept. How to write an elevator pitch free elevator pitch template. If youre creating a film pitch, i think its safe to assume youre a creative, mediasavvy person. The sample content is included in word format documents so you can also use the sample text without the need to use our wizard software. First off, this tv pitch document had to be condensed down to four pagesso no lengthy biblelength talk about a tenseasondeep mythology. The documentary film is a movie that documents some form of reality in order to tell a true story, whether its to convey a message or to inform the viewer of a current event. The template includes a complete film ppm and articles of incorporation your film companys operating agreement feature sample ppm pdf a sample final ppm prepared by attorneys and used by producers exactly like the template above, but a final version to follow as an example subscription agreement template word the document. How to make an indie film pitch deck film proposals.
Your pitch will be selling your genre, so if your script is a comedy then your pitch should also be funny, a horror then your pitch should be tense and full of scares, etc. Do not use courier final draft font in your pitch document. If you get the chance to meet potential investors, this will make or break your project. Selling documents written pitches, treatments, written to convince. For a prime tv pitch document example, read this official pitch for foxs hit show new girl. Use as is or change the fonts, colors, or background. An out of place presentation background image can throw that off. Edit, customize and move sections around to make it your own. In a postapocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultrasensitive hearing. The pitch meeting is the culmination of all of the work you have done thus far. Landry teaches film business classes at nyu, sva, wagner college and mcny. The best elevator pitch examples, templates, and tactics pdf. Using a premade template can help when creating a pitch. Once you nail your elevator pitch, you will need to expand it into the 7 essential stories charismatic leaders tell.
Is it a film, halfhour sitcom, hourlong pilot, miniseries, or digital series. The elevator pitch is a shorthand description of your project that you can get across very quickly something you can explain to a stranger in the time it takes to ride an elevator. A studio, though, is making a fairly speculative investment by taking on your pitch. The extra release document is used when you need to hire extras for your film or if you are youre shooting in a public space and bystanders may appear on your final film. Download the free film treatment template and learn from our samples how to write and format a script treatment that will snag readers and transform your vision into a great film. Butcher will appeal predominantly to males aged between 18 and 30 years old and this is arguably a niche target. But it will reveal something funny or sexy or suspenseful from the film, in order to convince viewers watching the commercial. How to make a film pitch deck part of your film financing plan.
An executive will not want to open your pitch document and see a giant, unformatted wall of text. Learn screenplay format the fun and easy way with free trial software. You have a great idea for a film and now you just need to raise money to make it. Weve included sheets for the film industry, promo sheets for public speakers and other artists, educational fact sheets, and financial plans and corporate marketing sheets, among others. Stage 32 happy writers allows you to pitch directly to executives via two distinct methods. You want each of your slides to feel like they are connected by a singular feeling or theme. In a pitch meeting, a writer usually a screenwriter pitch meetings are rare in the publishing world has been invited to come to an agent or executives office and outline a story in detail. The first part is knowing who you are pitching and what. Given the greater need for specificity in television formats than features, a tv pitch also typically requires a pitch document.
They show enough for the audience to know what its about and decide to go out and watch the film, but they dont reveal the entire contents of the film. Organizing your thoughts and planning ahead is all part of learning how to write an elevator pitch a pitch document helps me follow what i need to highlight in the verbal pitch, and the double as a leave behind. To get financiers interested you need to show which key cast and crew are interested in your film. Charismatic leaders seem to possess an effortless ability to influence, captivate, charm, and inspire people to action. As a freelance writer in film or in television, you will be expected to pitch. How to pitch a tv show pitch template and examples tv writing. It might not get touched again for that day, or week. Creation of a pitch document by james burton on prezi. A powerpoint pitch deck template like this one gives you the flexibility to reuse it for multiple pitches, thanks to the multitude of color schemes included. If my idea is offered a deal, is the deal only for the idea or would the deal include a. They sometimes also ask for a 10page script sample.
Industry insider tv pilot proposal how i met your mother 1series logline through a series of flashbacks, ted mosby tells his children the very long story of how he met their mother and the shenanigans that he and his fou. A pitch is roughly a ten to twenty minute period in which a writer will express the concept or world of their idea, the characters that inhabit it, and the basic storyline of the movie or pilot episode. Everything that has happened and will happen in the show is in the series bible. Instead, i narrowed it down to what a tv pilot pitch document is in its purest form. Pair the perfect pitch with an impressive presentation designed from professionally made templates you can customize for pitch decks and other topics. Keeping things consistent when you use a solid background color or pattern. You come in to a meeting with a minimum of three story ideas. The comprehensive guide to pitching documentary projects. Pitch for butcher when a young and cocky police detective is kidnapped byjjhekiller hes tracking, his department face a race against time to save him from becoming the butchers latestjvjctirn. And one of the issues is that writing a pitch is a very different skill to writing a screenplay. Pay particular attention to how engaging they are, and how they condense the story down to its most important beats.
Whats the difference between a pitch, an outline, a synopsis, and a treatment. How to create a tv show pitch bible that sells with free. Here are three very different screenplay pitch examples by three different writers. May 17, 2018 if you are a writer director, a director or a producer, you might need a pitch deck for your short film, feature film, web series or tv show. How to pitch a tv show pitch template and examples tv. A pitch is an animated summation of a script with emphasis on the main characters, the conflict, and the genre. And finally below that your pitch written in a plain font size 12 as above, containing a brief outline of the conflicts, characters and plot. Treatment synopsis, outline a detailed description of your show as we would see it on tv. Mar 27, 2018 paula landry gives tips on creating a onepager, often called a leave behind, allowing you to better share your screenplay pitch with executives. Make a great pitch for your business with this help of this professional presentation template featuring botanical images. A flamboyant broadway director and choreographer descend on a small town, infiltrating the local play. Pitch examples generation progress generation progress. Jan, 2019 film and television writers sell their ideas to the studios through the process of pitching. How to pitch an idea for a film the balance careers.
Top 6 tips for writing a one page pitch bang2write. Sample movie pitch form this is a completed sample form if you are submitting a movie idea or screenplay. After your pitch, your pitch document will be tossed on the corner of a desk, on a stack of other pitches, right next to a quirky desk toy. Jan 26, 2018 the elevator pitch is a shorthand description of your project that you can get across very quickly something you can explain to a stranger in the time it takes to ride an elevator. When elaborating on your film, remember to try and keep your story original, so it doesnt sound like every other film ever made.
This is a concisely worded tract which breaks down the concept, marketability, and longterm vision of the prospective show. The shaw mediahot docs forum pitch prize was awarded to shot glass productions tempest storm, a featurelength film about one of americas greatest living sex icons, who, at 84, is. Multiple onesheets are used to assemble larger advertisements, which are referred to by their sheet count, including 24sheet billboards, and 30sheet billboards. The three acts of your screenplays story, premise, tone, genre and the main characters. Yet you should also think of the show bible like the secret roadmap. The following is a simple structure content not included of presentation for any project, and is.
Import the quick start layout titled movie pitch sample proposal. The most important aspect of the one page pitch is to show conflict. How to make an indie film pitch deck making an indie film pitch deck is quite simple once you have completed your business plan. Film sourcing production documents and templates are not intended to be legal advice and are for educational purposes only. A 30second tv spot doesnt try to show every scene or character or plot element that would be impossible.
The keys to a successful documentary pitch from hot docs. Your concept should be laid out in the following manner on one page. Preparing to pitch your screenplay to a studio dummies. When its reread, it needs to zap the execs memory, reminding her of how excellent you and your show idea are. They come under various guises and can be used as a pitch document, a guide for directors, or additional info to be submitted along with a pilot episode. Do not overly manipulate margins or font size to fit more content. Filmmaking contracts should always be customised to suit each production and the legislation of your country area. A film treatment is a detailed summary of a film or tv show that includes important scenes, example sequences, and story points in a prose style that evokes the tone of the movie. Oct 11, 2019 wikihow is a wiki, similar to wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are cowritten by multiple authors.
Sep, 2019 the best pitch decks keep things consistent, mainly because there are so many moving parts in any presentation. To create this article, 14 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The first part is knowing who you are pitching and what they are looking for. The meeting can last from fifteen to fortyfive minutes or more, and often includes a whole conference table full of people. It takes some of the hassle out of designing, meaning you dont have to start from scratch.