Hi guys! Thought I would introduce myself here as a newbie to the community :)
I'm Annie Johnson, a writer and student from the midwest area. I go to Brown University in Providence, RI, but am taking a gap year to pursue my passion. I come from a pretty small town, so I'm hoping Stage32 will help me meet some people from the industry that I wouldn't be able to otherwise!
I wrote a novel a while back, as well as a few plays, but made the transition into screenwriting a few years ago. I just finished a screenplay that I'm pretty excited about, but am a bit uncertain about where to go from here. With prose the process is straightforward (submit to literary magazines and hope you get lucky) but I'm a bit more intimidated by the screenplay pitching process, and would love any advice! I'm very excited to learn from everyone here :)
Hope everyone is having a great day!
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Welcome to the community, Annie Johnson. Nice to meet you too. I’m from a pretty small town too, and I work remotely from NC. You can meet people in the industry from around the world on Stage 32.
Congratulations on finishing your script! I suggest getting feedback on your script if you haven’t already. Stage 32 has feedback services (www.stage32.com/scriptservices).
I also suggest posting your logline, synopsis, and script on your profile for producers, directors, etc. to see.
And here’s a free webinar about pitching I suggest checking out: www.stage32.com/education?p=8944895721779
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Thanks so much Maurice! I'll be sure to check out all these resources :) They all seem super helpful!
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You're welcome, Annie Johnson. And here's one more resource. It's a blog that'll help you navigate Stage 32: www.stage32.com/blog/navigating-stage-32-for-your-best-experience-3095
its a market so find who is making money
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There are some great resources on the platform that will allow you to practice and hone your ability to pitch Annie Johnson ! Check out pitch sessions under the Script Services tab, and there are also pitch practice sessions as well!
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Welcome, Annie, hope you're having a great day also! I am a new writer also. I'm sure you will have a great experience here on Stage 32! So far it's been fun and a lot of networking and resources!
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Welcome! College was exciting for me, too. I'm glad you're taking a gap year to pursue your passion. I'd love to know more about your screenplay. I also write both books AND screenplays. The process is completely different for each, but I love doing both..
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Great to meet you Annie Johnson and you have to check out the Writers´ Room.
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Welcome, Annie! Well, you’re right to be nervous - pitching can be scary! but it can also be just talking to a friend over a drink at a pub. Have you ever seen a film in theaters or finished the first season of a new show and thought “I have to tell my friend about this!”? My general advice: pitch a friend something you’ve already seen and record yourself talking about it. Note how you naturally convince them to give it a try. Your friend is probably more likely to watch the trailer after your pitch than jump in and buy a ticket. Because a pitch for your own material is basically just asking them to give it a try - not buy it, not make it, just learn a little bit more to see if they’re interested. If you can get ANY version of a “yes” after a pitch, then it’s a win!
Other than that, I would HIGHLY recommend you check out Stage 32’s Writer’s Room as we host weekly Pitch Practice Sessions and monthly Pitch Tanks to help you improve in an encouraging environment. There are LOTS of other events and perks with the membership, but for you, I think you’ll really dig that one!
Just curious - What are you hoping to pitch in the near future? Give us the basics!
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Hey Annie Johnson - I’m in the exact same boat you are even though it’s been about 4 years now since I made the switch from prose to screenplay. I would HIGHLY recommend what Karen "Kay" Ross mentioned but I will add one more thing. As I worked during the day last week, I listened to on demand replays of past pitch tanks and would stop and take notes as it went on. I learned a TON just from that alone. I’m a bit under the gun because my logline made semifinals in the Nashville Film Festival pitch contest and my first pitch is this Saturday. So trust me, I get what you mean. Yes, all these folks are right - check out the writer’s room! All the best to you!!
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Welcome Annie! Nice to meet you. Glad you're here.
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Annie Johnson it’s good to see you in the Stage32 community. The folks here have given you some great advice and I’m sure it will help your career blossom.
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Welcome to Stage 32 Annie Johnson! You will find some amazing like-minded people here. I am the Writer Consultant for Stage 32. You are welcome to reach out to me at any point for help, thoughts, or advice on your writing. And I can help set you up with professionals from around the industry. You will learn a ton from them!