Screenwriting : Pitching = Perpetual Motion by Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"

For various reasons, I have a lot of screenplays I've written since 2012. My biggest regret is not having created more low-budget material. However, I still have plenty of stuff to offer the industry. Though I don't try to sell every day, I pitch at least two or three times a week. My practical experience has taught me it's a reasonable goal to establish a pipeline of work you have reviewed by producers, directors, actors, and agents. Therefore, I look at pitching as a state of perpetual motion. You have to keep moving to achieve the best results. And, we've all heard the expression success in sales is a numbers game.

IMHO, a writer should also be unafraid of taking risks. This includes seizing opportunities when they arise. In 2020, a producer I've worked with on several projects said he had pitched a poster concept for a weapons system with a picture of a famous action star to a highly successful production company. His contact loved the artwork and wanted to read a logline and synopsis for the story, which my colleague didn't have. Though I knew little about this real weapons system, I researched it, watched one of the star's formula action stories, and crafted a logline and synopsis. Additionally, I created a pitch deck with an excellent visual depiction of our story with pictures of actors that fit the presentation. I found shots of several of these players holding guns etc. I also developed a family element that employed the kidnapping trope in the story. The deck included comparison films and offered a unique selling proposition. So given my time parameters, I think I did a respectable job creating a good three-act plot with a fast-moving storyline. Nothing happened with this project, but I met the challenge of crafting material that got my producer up to bat.

When I say up to bat, half the battle is getting in for a meeting or obtaining a script read from a significant industry player. Sometimes that requires bold action and doing your best work under pressure. And I've had this kind of opportunity several times. But it begins with a process.

1) Get your intended industry person to read your logline.

2) Get them to read your synopsis.

3) Get them to review a pitch deck with brief, simple and easy-to-read text, a quality visual depiction (including actors in your lead roles) of your film idea, comparable genre films, a USP, and reasons you think your target person should want your script.

4) Get them to read your screenplay.

Script listing services are not the best way to get leads. Answering trade ads for legitimate industry people looking for rewrites, spec scripts, or writing samples is more effective. Over the past two days, I sent out queries and am awaiting a response. Last week I signed an option deal for a horror/thriller I wrote several years ago. So get your script, logline, and synopsis polished and start selling. Also, having a pitch deck ready is a good idea to reinforce your pitch.

Forum Dwellers, feel free to post your philosophy on pitching and don't be shy about elaborating on your successes and failures