Screenwriting : A comp is a comp by Bill Albert

Personally, I think it's extremely important to have some kind of comp to the story you are telling. For most of us trying to break into the business, readers and execs are not just going to trust us. It doesn't have to be the same type of story but you do have to project the theme and tone you are trying to capture with your script. This will help to say if you wrote a young adult coming of age dramedy versus a college frat house party. You don't need to explain the difference in between them and your story. Focus on encapsulating your story and the comps will help give them texture of how you want to present it.

They're basically mandatory in pitches and one-pagers. The best thing to do is reframe it positively in your mind so you see the assembling of comps as a helpful step to guide your own thinking. And it can be. Sometimes you clarify what you're doing. Or refresh your understanding of genre conventions. Other times you have to think laterally. It's not only about genre, it can be theme or a feeling. I wrote a script recently set on a military reconnaissance plane, but because it's a large crew and they never leave the plane it gets claustrophobic and bitchy - more like a submarine film than a plane film. Best comp is Crimson Tide.

The people you're pitching know the "type" of movies they are looking to be involved in making, so I agree they are very important. How your work differs from your comps come out in the logline, pitch, synopsis, and pitch deck without resorting to "My script is different from _________, because...." And keep in mind, all executives you pitch have their own approach. Some are helpful and supportive, some live to poke holes and make people squirm, it's part of the gig. So be yourself, confident, and calm with your ego tucked neatly in a suit or armor. I say this being a lousy pitchman myself :-) Write on!

I agree with the comments above that comps are important because they help the people you are presenting to get a better idea of your own work based off of their knowledge of past examples. Rather than just giving a comp, I'd suggest telling them how it's different at the same time. For example: "It's like Breakfast Club in college." or "It's Breakfast Club meets Animal House." Provide the well known and show your twist on it so they can start to envision it as well.

What about this? Take university aged students from the Breakfast Club and force them into 30 Days of Night and this is what you'll find. They will all change, but they won't all survive.

I think it's important to add comps to pitches, Bill Albert. I like to use two or three comps in my written pitches/pitch decks. I put the comps up front in a written pitch, and I place the comps about midway of a pitch deck. I've heard on here (I think during a webinar or AMA) that it's better to mention the comps at the end of a live pitch so the person who's listening to the pitch won't be thinking about them instead of the project that's being pitched. I wonder if that'd work for written pitches and pitch decks too. I use comps that show the tone of a script/comps that have similar concepts. I also try to use comps that made money at the box office (the more the better) and recent comps.

Comps are great if they help development folks refine to whom the script/film is targeted and the potential size of the audience. they just be no more than 5-6 years old, the same genre, and successful vid s vis box office draw and awards.

if you can do a mash-up (Poor Things meets Her) that can work also, as long as it gives readers a clearer understanding of the concept.