Pitch Olivia M. (Saturday, May 11th 2024)

• About Olivia M.

Olivia M. is an agent at Verve Ventures, the independent film finance and sales team at Verve Talent and Literary Agency. Headed by former worldwide sales agent Amy Beecroft, and in collaboration with former award-winning independent producer Ross Putman, Verve Ventures provides full-service consulting from script to screen.

The Ventures group's main mission is to help take high-quality, creator-driven cinema from script to screen—and everywhere in between. Projects from the Ventures group include Steve Buscemi’s THE LISTENER starring Tessa Thompson, I LOVE MY DAD with Patton Oswalt, EMILY THE CRIMINAL starring Aubrey Plaza, ARI & DANTE starring Eugenio Derbez and Eva Longoria, Halston Sage-starring romantic comedy THE LIST, queer musical GLITTER & DOOM, contemporary romantic comedies MARY, MARY & SOME OTHER PEOPLE and PLUS ONE, Bryan Bertino’s supernatural horror film THE DARK AND THE WICKED, and Anthony Maras’s HOTEL MUMBAI.

Before her current role, Olivia acted as the Director of Development at Madre Ventures, a venture capital catalyst firm, where she worked in the verticals of clean energy, health and wellness, and innovative technologies. Previously, Olivia ran her own production company, Hawknose Productions, where she sought out creatives from various backgrounds to develop and package film and television content of all genres. Her goal was and remains to inspire and delight audiences everywhere with quality entertainment that touches something greater in the human experience.

Preceding Hawknose, Olivia was the Director of Development and Production at a prominent production banner. Olivia brought in and co-produced COME AS YOU ARE, written by Erik Linthorst and directed by Richard Wong, which premiered at SXSW. She also co-produced BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY, released by United Artists Releasing / MGM and BREAKING NEWS, directed by Tate Taylor, starring Allison Janney and Regina Hall.

Olivia was also at Blumhouse Productions, where she acted as the Executive of New Media. Some of Blumhouse's work includes GET OUT, SPLIT, HAPPY DEATH DAY, and THE PURGE franchise as well as Oscar-winning WHIPLASH and the highly acclaimed NORMAL HEART. She served in other roles, including Manager of Acquisitions at Blumhouse Tilt, a division that acquires content for specialized theatrical release, Chief of Staff for the company, and Creative Coordinator in the Feature Film Department. She joined Blumhouse from CAA, where she worked for two years in both the Television and Motion Picture Literary Departments.

Olivia loves to find up-and-coming voices in storytelling and looks to support them as they make their way through the industry."

Olivia is open to Features in the Thriller, Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Rom-Com or any combination of the previous genres. 

 

​​Please note: By using this service, you are not submitting your project to Verve nor are you submitting your project to Olivia as a representative of Verve. You are submitting for feedback from Olivia as an individual.

Contacting Olivia via email or any social media with an unsolicited submission outside of Stage 32 is a violation of their privacy and our user policy and could result in suspension from the site. They will not reply to any friend requests, network requests, or emails they receive. They have been instructed to forward all unsolicited contact to Stage 32 administration for review.

Olivia and Verve do not accept or consider unsolicited submissions of any kind. Do not submit Unsolicited Materials to Olivia via any means (including, without limitation, via Social Media, Mail, Fax or E-mail).

Olivia will not treat Unsolicited Materials as confidential and will not review, keep, acknowledge or return the submission or any related materials. Any Unsolicited Materials will become sole property of Verve. All Unsolicited Materials are deleted or discarded without being reviewed.

Tips on pitching to Olivia M.

Guidelines

• You may only pitch ONE project per reservation. Execs are looking for projects they can develop, NOT portfolios.
• You should have a completed script available upon request for the project you pitch.
• Do not reach out to the executives unless directed by Stage 32. They do NOT accept unsolicited material or appreciate being cold-called/emailed by strangers.
• Missed reservations are not refundable and will not be rescheduled.

Live Pitches

Within 15 minutes of your scheduled pitch, the exec will reach out by Skype or Phone. Your pitch session will last approximately 8 minutes.

Written Pitches

Written Pitches will be no more than 2 pages submitted as a PDF or WORD document. Any written pitch uploaded past the deadline will not be shown to the executive and will result in a non-refundable forfeiture of your pitch.

Scorecards

Within 3-4 weeks of your pitch session, you will receive a Pitch Scorecard on which the exec you pitched will provide pitch feedback and note if they are PASSing, or would like to REQUEST your material.

If you are requested, you will be notified via email with further instructions. The execs will have 2-3 months to review your material and note if they are PASSing, or would like a MEETING. If a meeting is requested, we will introduce you via email.

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Please understand that these are working executives, and their schedules are subject to change at a moment's notice. We always strive to give you at least 24 hours of notice if a session has been cancelled, and we will recommend another executive for you to pitch your material to.

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Need help with your pitch?
Download the Stage 32 Pitching Guidebook

Questions or Concerns?
WriterHelp@Stage32.com

What Are Stage 32 Pitch Sessions?

You've written your feature screenplay or TV pilot and you believe it is ready for the market. But, how do you know if your script or pitch are in the best shape to take your project - or your career - to the next level?

Whether you're preparing to find (or switch) representation, or go out with a script to production companies, studios or buyers, Stage 32 Pitch Sessions are a great first step to make sure you are on the right track.

For nearly a decade Stage 32 has maintained professional relationships with over 1,000 industry professionals including development executives, managers and producers across the industry. These executives work with us to listen to your pitch and provide feedback for you, all while finding undiscovered scripts they wouldn't normally have access to. With executives helping you understand what works and doesn't work with your material you can continue to hone your script and pitch as you prepare to go to market.

Through feedback given during Stage 32 Pitch Sessions, hundreds of writers have had success in their careers. Stage 32 writers have moved on to be signed, optioned, produced (including the 2020 film CHICK FIGHT), or put into development with industry professionals. In fact, in the last year alone, there were over 2,000 script requests and 500 meetings set up with industry professionals for writers through Stage 32.

How Does a Pitch via Skype or Phone Work?

Part of having a great script means that you have to be prepared to pitch it in a room or through a video pitch. It's important that you know the nuts and bolts of your pitch in order to give yourself the best chance for success when pitching it. We're here to help you.

In our Skype or Phone pitches, you have the option to pitch face-to-face directly with the executive through Skype or via telephone. Your pitch will be 8 minutes in total. It is up to you on how you want to use your time, but we recommend you spend 5-6 minutes to pitch your project, followed by 2-3 minutes of questions or feedback from the person to whom you are pitching.

This is a great way to work out pitching your material while establishing a new connection in the industry! You will be able to interact with the executive of your choice who specializes in the genre and format of your project. Would you like tips on how to pitch live? Download our pitching guidebook here.

How Does a Written Pitch Work?

Don't feel comfortable pitching live yet? Not a problem! Alternatively, you can submit a written pitch of up to 2-pages in length. This option is perfect for those writers who feel more comfortable expressing their ideas on the page rather than in person. It also allows for flexibility if you are unable to pitch live during a scheduled session.

Would you like an example of a written pitch? Simply email writerhelp@stage32.com for a sample written pitch.

5 Tips To Make Your Pitch Successful

Remember that executives who are hearing your pitch are supportive and want to give you the tools to succeed! There are ways in which you can help make that happen. Here are some tips to help you during your pitch.

1. Talk briefly about yourself and your connection to the material.
2. Give the title, logeline, genre(s), and comparable film or television tiles.
3. Set up the world in which your story takes place in and then the protagonist. Then dive into the story pitch.
4. Less is more! Make sure that your pitch is clear, concise, focused, and engaging. Do not try to pack too much into your initial 5-6 minutes and be sure to leave time for questions and answers.
5. Be polite and receptive - remember the person on the other end does this for a living and their feedback is invaluable for you to understand where you fare in the marketplace.

Do not ask the executive if they want to read your script during the pitch. Do not reach out to an executive outside of the Stage 32 platform. Doing so will have the opposite of the intended effect. Stage 32 is a professional organization and if there is interest in your script, we will facilitate the request.

These are set up as industry-standard professional pitching sessions so we expect you to be fully prepared. If you have questions or need help, don't hesitate to contact the Stage 32 Script Services team at any time writerhelp@stage32.com. We're happy to help.