The Perfect Pitch: The Secrets To Becoming A Pitching Ace
Start Learning
Satisfaction Rate:
Webinar hosted by: Jared Iacino
Executive Vice President, Head of Film and TV Production at Panay Films
Jared Iacino is the SVP, Head of Films an Television Production at Panay Films, a film and television production company whose credits include Wedding Crashers (2005) starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, Van Wilder (2002) starring Ryan Reynolds and Serendipity (2001) Starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. In his time at Panay Films, Jared has been involved with the development and production of many projects including the independent comedy Hit & Run (2012) starring Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, and Bradley Cooper, the MGM comedy Hot Tub Time Machine 2 starring Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke and Adam Scott, and the family adventure film Earth To Echo, released by Relativity last year on which Jared also served as a producer. Jared also developed and was on the production team of the Jared Hess directed Masterminds, starring Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis and Kristin Wigg. Additionally, production begins this fall on the Warner Bros. action/comedy CHiPS, written and directed by Dax Shepard, starring Dax, Michael Pena and Vincent D'Onofrio. On the Television side, Jared is currently Executive Producing two projects in development with Relativity Television. Prior to his time at Panay Films, Jared worked in development and production at Walt Disney Studios, Red Wagon Entertainment, Storyline Entertainment and Fox Studios – affording him the opportunity to work on a diverse slate of award winning and critically acclaimed Film and Television projects including: The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Juno (2007), Hairspray (2007), The Bucket List (2007), A Raisin In The Sun (2008), The Proposal (2009), and The Muppets (2011). A Seattle native, Jared has a BFA from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where he now currently serves on the Alumni Advisory Board. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
The art of the pitch. In many ways, outside of honing your craft, your ability to pitch may just be the most important skill you can learn as a creative. At its core, pitching is storytelling. But the ability to be a clear, concise storyteller, and, as a result, be someone who can deliver a memorable and winning pitch is something that takes time, knowledge, a clear strategy, and repetition. Understanding how to pitch any person or audience will give you a clear and tremendous advantage in any situation or room. You will stand out from the hundreds if not thousands of pitches a gatekeeper or decision maker hears in a given year. But further, learning how to pitch will help you build confidence, a huge variable in winning over those looking to work with you, buy your material or invest in your project.
The bottom line: Whether you're a screenwriter, filmmaker, producer, or any creative or industry professional looking to gain representation, sell their material, attract talent, raise financing, or simply looking to find work, you WILL have to pitch. Further, you WILL be in competition with others pitching as well. You've put so much time and effort into your work and building your reputation, you don't want to have it all undermined with a terrible pitch. And the truth of the matter is that most people that pitch make the same fatal mistakes over and over. They don't know how to tell a concise, riveting story. They don't know what to put in, what to leave out, and what elements really and truly sell someone on their story. But not you. Not anymore. You're about to become a pitching ace.
Jared Iacino is a film and television executive who has heard literally thousands of pitches. As the Senior Vice President and Head of Films and Television Production at Panay Films, Jared has overseen the development and production of such films as Hit & Run, Hot Tub Time Machine I and II, Earth to Echo, Mastermind, CHiPS, and numerous television productions in conjunction with Relativity Television. Prior to his time at Panay, Jared worked on such films as The Wedding Crashers, Juno, The Devil Wears Prada, Hairspray, The Bucket List, A Raisin in the Sun, The Proposal, The Muppets, Serendipity, Van Wilder and many more. As Jared can tell you, many of these projects and hundreds more he's see get moved through the pipeline, began with a well crafted pitch.
Now, exclusively for Stage 32, Jared is going to teach you everything you need to know to become a pitching ace. He will demystify the pitching process by showing you how to form and outline your pitch in practical, repeatable and memorable terms. He will identify from a studio/network/producer's perspective, the common and fatal mistakes writers, filmmakers, producers and other film creatives make when pitching their projects. He will show you the secret formula he's used when pitching and selling projects to high level executives, gatekeepers and decision makers at independent film companies, studios and networks. He will teach you the 3 most important elements every pitch should have. He will show you how to cater your pitch to different audiences and why this is such an important skill to lear. He will show you how to identify projects worthy of pitching and teach you the secret ingredient that appears in every great pitch.
Jared will give you the blueprint to not only craft a memorable and winning pitch, but teach you how to deliver it in a manner that has you finding the success your work and projects deserve!
"Great hearing from someone who's actually in the trenches like us. You have great energy and broke the presentation down very well; easily digestible and understandable."
- Tom Z.
"Terrific webinar thank you Jared. You were clear, concise and most importantly efficient! I learned a ton and I am about to use what I learned in a pitch at 2:30. I am excited to see what happens!"
- Maggie G.
"Thanks for being incredibly generous with your experience and expertise. I feel way more able to take on creating the brilliant pitch that reflects the story I wrote."
- John T.
What You'll Learn
- Pitching: Why Is It So Hard?
- Life Experiences - we're trained to do pitches wrong
- Writing vs. Pitching: the problem of "The story's in your head"
- What comedians and good pitchers have in common
- The Un-Pitchable Idea: How To Avoid it
- Identifying if your idea is pitch-worthy
- The "Mom" test
- Common Mistakes
- Identifying the most common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Revealing the quickest ways to confuse your audience
- Boredom: a pitcher's worst enemy
- Weighting everything in your pitch equally – The “And then this happens…” curse
- "Where are we?" The case of the missing transitions
- Building Your Story
- The story elements you must have in your pitch
- The elements you should leave out of your pitch
- Structuring Your Pitch
- Beginning - How to set everything up economically
- Middle - "Easy on the dressing"
- End - How to pay everything off in a satisfying way
- Proper pitch length: shorter the better
- Identifying The Most Crucial Elements Of A Pitch
- The most important element in every pitch
- The least important element in every pitch
- The 3 things every pitch must have
- Who Are You Pitching To - Catering A Pitch To The People In The Room
- How to identify your audience and what they want
- Easy tips to target an audience
- Q&A with Jared!
About Your Instructor
Jared Iacino
FAQs
Q: How do I watch my webinar live?
A: If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Go to Webinar, you will receive an email from Go to Webinar with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. You can also access your webinar link in your purchase history located under settings in the top right-hand corner of your Stage 32 profile.
If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Zoom, you will receive a separate email from Zoom with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. Your login link will not be in your Stage 32 profile. If you did not receive your link via Zoom please email support@stage32.com.
Q: How do I watch my webinar on demand?
A: You will be able to watch your webinar on demand as many times as you’d like inside your Stage 32 profile. The recording is processed and posted between 24-48 hours after the webinar concludes. You can follow the instructions below.
YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO – STAGE 32 IS FREE TO JOIN
If You Already Have a Stage 32 Profile:
- Log into your Stage 32 profile
- Click "Settings" in the top right-hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
- Go to www.stage32.com
- Create a profile using the SAME email address you used to sign up for this webinar. The email addresses must match in order to watch the webinar.
- Once you have your profile set up, you can view the webinar by clicking "Settings" in the top right hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.
Q: What are the system requirements to watch my webinar live?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.9 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer.
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you cannot attend a live webinar or purchase an on demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to re-watch?
A: Yes! Like all Stage 32 education, after the purchase of a live or on demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording.
Q: How do I get a copy of the handouts provided?
A: If the webinar you take included handouts you can find them as downloads underneath your on demand video. You must be logged into your Stage 32 profile to view the video and get the handouts by clicking settings in the top right hand corner, then clicking purchase history.
Q: What if I need accessibility and accommodations?
A: Email support@stage32.com to request accommodations.
Thanks for your loyalty to Stage 32 Education. We value having you in the Stage 32 community.
If you have any further questions, we are always happy to help. Please contact Stage 32 support at support@stage32.com.
Testimonials
"He did a simply perfect job. Good eye contact, easy to listen to, and he knew the material!" - John M.
"Very impressive Webinar Jared, every question I had about pitching, on the how's, do's, and don'ts, was answered by you in a totally professional yet inviting manner." - Colin R.
"Very well thought out, well paced and insightful. Appreciated the friendly, professional attitude. Thank you for time well spent." - Terri S.
"Jared, thanks so much! Very informative, and encouraging as well." - Dallas F.
"Oh my goodness... What a fantastic webinar from Jared... and he was so generous with his time... I didn't even realize we were almost at the 2 hour mark." - Sylvia L.
"Jared was GREAT! The information he provided was well executed and delivered in a way that was easy to understand." - Jennifer C.
"Excellent advice. Very practical. Thank you." - Eric S.
"Great hearing from someone who's actually in the trenches like us. You have great energy and broke the presentation down very well; easily digestible and understandable." - Tom Z.
"Terrific webinar thank you Jared. You were clear, concise and most importantly efficient! I learned a ton and I am about to use what I learned in a pitch at 2:30. I am excited to see what happens!" - Maggie G.
"Thanks for being incredibly generous with your experience and expertise. I feel way more able to take on creating the brilliant pitch that reflects the story I wrote." - John T.
"Jared was great and informative. He gave good examples and kept me engaged! I wish I could get time in with him in person!" - Dana M.
"Natural, easy, smiling - the kind of open and engaging person you'd hope to pitch to! Plenty of guidelines to help me prepare my first serious pitch - but also thought-provoking when it comes down to the story itself. Already have several ideas for making my work more pitchable. Thanks!" - Kendall C.
Relevant Tags
Share with friends:
Questions?
Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
-
Jill A. Hargrave This was a great webinar to learn the structure of pitching. What should be in a pitch and what should not be included. I'm still practicing my pitch and found this webinar very helpful. Thanks, Jared for a presentation full of useful information about the right way to pitch. -
Diane Kryzaniak Jared Iacino did a five star webinar. I am not sure if I will be a Perfect "Pitching Ace". I know I will do a lot better on the next pitch than I did on my last one. I could see where I went off track and may have lost it a little. I will review the webinar, a couple of times before I try again. Thanks Jared and all of you "Awesome" people who put all of this wonderful education and next level webinars and Stage 32. -
Jorge J Prieto Very informative. But, too much information at times. On a personal note, I recently pitched a screenplay to an Exec, whose own company had produced "dark" material and subject matter, but she said that my storty was too dark. You go figure. Now, back to Jared Iacino, on screenplay pitches , at least on Stage 32 we only get 8 minutes and that's without leaving any time for Q&A. So 15 to 20 is a gift . Where can I pitch to you? Thanks for sharing your experiences on this subject, sir. Like everything, practice makes perfect and now with many of your tools, I gotta get busy and hope that my next Executive Skype connection is working. -
Cecil E. Davis Jr. Great advice. -
Barak Shavit This is super helpful! -
Dale A. Swanson This seminar brought forth common sense issues associated with pitching any product. Absolutely first class and absolutely recommended. -
Penny Eizenga Really clear & thorough. I refer to my notes all the time. -
Stink Fisher This webinar was extremely helpful, well-thought out and informative. I will continue to go back to it again and again to hone my pitches. Thank you Stage 32!!! -
James Taumas Quite informative and well presented. -
P. James Norris It was well done, but I would have liked a concrete example or two. Maybe starting with a logline building a (partial) pitch from there. -
Melissa Willis So much useful information in a short amount of time. I can't wait to put this into practice. Thanks, Jared and Stage 32! -
Peter Lancucki This is a must have webinar for anyone pitching. For verbal pitches, this is perhaps the most important webinar I've watched.
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Taxes for Entertainment Creatives: Start the New Year Right and Get Ahead of Your Tax Season
The new year is an exciting time as you dream of all the new projects you'll be working on! But this year isn't really over until April 15th, when you've entirely completed the previous year's taxes. Get ahead of the headaches and make a strategy now with the help of entertainment CPAs. Personal taxes, corporate taxes, and loan out company returns. All of these tax returns are necessary for creatives, and they all tie together. Not to mention that what you can right off changes every year. You never want to pay more than you should, but do you know everything you can deduct? Whether you're looking back at the last year or looking at projects coming up, this webinar will get you organized and ready to tackle your taxes! Kristy Clabaugh and John Thomas are Certified Public Accountants and founders of Element CPA, an entertainment and creative-focused accounting firm. They know the ins and outs of production accounting, having provided over 20 years of experience in accounting, tax, and advisory services on both above and below-the-line areas of film, television, animation, and music sectors. Kristy also serves on the executive board of directors as Treasurer for both the Georgia Production Partnership and Women in Film & Television Atlanta. The duo will answer your questions so that you can apply this priceless knowledge to your projects and companies. Don't have the chance to watch this exclusive webinar live? Or do you want to be able to return to this fantastic information? You'll have access to this webinar for a whole year and can return to it again and again. Don't waste your valuable time making redundant spreadsheets, digging through unnecessary receipts, and stressing yourself out. Learn from some of the best in this webinar and walk away clear on what you need to do, what you don't, and ready to make tax time a breeze! PRAISE FOR JOHN'S TEACHINGS: "This is the holy grail! John and Kristy are so knowledgeable about so many things with the business side of the film!" They made this part of the process actually fun!" - Wade N. "All I can say is wow. I have seen the light and now feel beyond comfortable putting together my next film." - Jennifer L.
Key Steps to Take During Pre-Production: Case Studies From the Trenches
Doug Curtis can boast that the films he's been involved with have earned nearly a half billion dollars at the global box office. Over the past 20 years, Doug has had a hand as a director, producer or line producer in over two dozen features (including Save the Last Dance, Freddy vs. Jason, Next Friday, Cellular, Shoot em Up and Sorority Row) and over 200 commercials. Think about that. He's been on the set of over 250 projects! Needless to say he's learned a thing or two. And now he's thrilled, as are we, to pass his extensive knowledge on to you in this exclusive Stage 32 Webinar. Doug is a firm believer that the success or failure of any film is mostly tied to actions taken during pre-production. From properly budgeting, pulling together a reasonable, yet tight production schedule, hiring the best crew and other tips, tricks and golden rules he's amassed through the last 2 decades, Doug will teach you everything you need to know to assure your production runs smoothly from start to wrap. Doug has worked on the studio level (Paramount, Fox), with the independents (New World, New Line) and even with the premium networks (HBO), so no matter what kind of material you are working with, no matter what budget, no matter what targets you're positioning yourself to hit, Doug will have you ready and armed to head into battle.
Cursing in Dialogue
Cursing in dialogue can have an impact on many things in your screenplay. We'll examine how swearing is used to reveal character, explore subtext, and drive a narrative forward.
American vs. British Accents
Learn directly from Jon Sperry, one of the most experienced dialect coaches in America who has coached such actors as Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rodrigo Santoro, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Russell Crowe, Matt Dillon and Harvey Keitel! In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, you will take your acting to the next level by learning how to accurately speak with American and British accents. You will also learn the common regional variations, so you can have a well-rounded comprehension of the accent and play any role that requires an accent from either country. Utilizing exceptional instruction from a world renowned Acting and Voice coach, this webinar will help you begin to learn to speak like a native British or American citizen, no matter your natural accent or dialect! You will leave the webinar knowing: How to reduce or eliminate your natural accent or dialect. How to hear the difference between characteristic American and British sounds. What regional accent differences exist and how to mimic them. How to decipher a person’s origin by their accent and how to apply that to your acting. An introduction to speaking like a native of both countries. You will also have recorded exercises to help you practice on your own time! Your host Jon Sperry is one of the top dialect and voice coaches in America. Jon has trained and/or coached many hundreds of actors of all levels, including such actors as Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rodrigo Santoro, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Gael Garcia Bernal, Julie Delpy, Liam Neeson, Juliette Lewis, Famke Janssen, Matt Dillon, Minnie Driver, Russell Crowe, Sophia Loren, Debbie Reynolds, Giancarlo Giannini, John Turturro, Geena Davis, Melanie Griffith, Thomas Kretschmann, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has enjoyed a long collaboration with Harvey Keitel on 15 films, including The Piano, Bugsy, Reservoir Dogs, The Bad Lieutenant, and Thelma and Louise. He has coached films made by Francis Ford Coppola, Jane Campion, Ridley Scott, Theo Angelopoulos, Barry Levinson, Andy Davis, Robert Rodriguez, Roland Joffé and Quentin Tarantino, to name a few. Jon is an expert in his field and he is here exclusively for Stage 32 to help you with your accent training!
Think Like an Entrepreneur - How to Be Profitable on a Sub-$1 Million Film in the Latin American Market - With a Film Case Study
As an independent filmmaker or producer, you likely start working on a new endeavor for creative reasons—the chance to tell an amazing story, build worlds, create something of cultural value. Yet this is, of course, not the only element of filmmaking. Like it or not, your independent film is not just a creative endeavor; it’s also a business. You’re sourcing financing and bringing in investors, building a team, and creating a property that will (hopefully) ultimately make money not only in the present, but for years to come. In short, you’re not just a making a piece of art; you’re also running a business. To operate successfully in the world of independent film and continue to make films that you’re proud of, you need to be able to think like an entrepreneur and understand the dynamics and the relation between financing, distribution and recoupment of film investments. Further, you need to open up your creative mindset to the myriad opportunities available all over the world including hot markets found throughout Latin America. The business side of films is often especially difficult for filmmakers and creative producers, but the more you understand, the better your chances of finding a production partner or investor to take your vision forward. Latin American film production is booming right now, diverse with a variety of production hubs all over the region. Big budget international films shoot alongside local films with relatively low budgets, all created for both local and international audiences. Working in the Latin American market, especially with films in the sub-$1MM range can offer you opportunities you haven't thought of before and give you a path to profitability. But to take advantage of this surging market, you need to understand the variety of production and financing options available and how to tap into them. Whether it's hard money, soft money or other methods toward financing and securing the necessary pieces to greenlight your project, getting a handle on the in's and out's of how to proceed will put you in a powerful and advantageous position. Understanding and executing this business model will open new doors to other productions around the world and serve to create a portfolio of proof that will serve as a calling card moving forward. David Zannoni is an international business specialist for Fintage House, the world's most respected company for revenue and rights protection for industry professionals and companies. David negotiates agreements for films and television series and is involved in business development and relationship management specifically in the US, Latin America and $ope. As an international film business specialist David is continuously present to make deals and speak at international film markets, festivals and conferences, including: the Cannes Film Festival, the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin, the American Film Market (AFM), Ventana Sur, the Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM), and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and travels regularly to the United States, the Netherlands, Europe, and all over Latin America. David is intimately familiar with how independent films are financed and made profitable all over the world and will share what he knows exclusively about the Latin American market with the Stage 32 community. David will focus on the Latin American market and walk you through what you need to know to finance your independent film, $1MM or less, and leave profitable. He will begin by explaining what a $1MM or under budget looks like in the Latin American region and whether it’s considered a small film. He’ll delve into how film financing works specifically in Latin America, including a breakdown of soft money sources versus hard money sources, local vs international productions, forming a co-production as a financing tool, tax and location incentives, taking advantage of government support, and working with film commissions. He will highlight how Latin American film financing is different compared to other regions and how both Spanish speaking and English speaking content works within the region and will go over the notable platforms and TV channels available as well as how they differ. David will outline the production capacities in the region, including for in-house production, co-productions, production servicing, and work-for hire. He will then teach you what specifically Latin America can offer foreign productions, including incentives, co-productions, talent, and shooting locations. He will also discuss how Latin America has its eye on the US, Spain, and the rest of Europe. David will explain how to approach your film as an asset, how to see yourself as an entrepreneur, and how to see filmmaking as a business. David will then go over the continental circle of financing, distribution, and investment recoupment and will explain how revenue and right management works as well as managing your recoupment. He will spend time delving into Latin American film contracts, including distribution agreements, CAM agreements, and sales agency agreements. David will ultimately illustrate whether Latin American films can be profitable and how, and analyze with you when a Latin American film can be considered successful, whether it breaks even or finds profitability. Plus, David will show a case study of a real $1MM Latin American film to illustrate how a film of this leve l can be profitable and exactly how the money flows through from beginning to end. He’ll show financing documents and spreadsheets to illustrate the financing structure and demonstrate how money flows in and out. Through this detailed and practical demonstration, you will leave with strategies and a deep understanding of how to approach your own $1MM film as an entrepreneur and build a finance structure that will leave you and your investors profitable. This Stage 32 Webinar is Part 2 in David’s "Think Like an Entrepreneur" series. Click here to check out David’s webinar on being profitable in US marketplace with a sub-$1MM film and click here to check out his webinar on being profitable in the European marketplace Praise for David's Previous Stage 32 Webinars: "David is incredible and lovely and clearly knows his stuff." - Cynthia P. "Eye-opening information. A no-brainer approach that wouldn't be so obvious to the uninitiated." - Gary O. "By far, the best class I've seen on the subject." Kirk K. "David is a fantastic teacher. And what a voice! I could listen to him all day. More importantly, I learned so very much!" - Isabella T.
How to Finance Your Own Independent Television Series
Learn how to create and fund your own streaming series from a TV series creator who has been involved with over 500 hours of content! The surge of television platforms, networks, and streamers in recent years has opened up the world of television content production, spelling good news for aspiring content creators around the world. We’re not just talking Netflix and Amazon; countless other channels and streamers like Tubi, Shudder, Roku, Snap, and many more are actively building their slates and looking for new content to buy outright. With these opportunities, it’s more than possible to create, sell and be profitable on your own independent TV series. Over twenty-five years and working across three continents, Jeanette Milio has been involved in the production of over 500 hours of content for film and television, with a total production value of over $250 million, including Academy Award® winning talent in front of and behind the camera. Recently, Jeanette has focused on the development, financing, and production of television series. She co-created, co-financed and executive produced the beauty competition series GLOBAL BEAUTY MASTERS on TLC and its spin-off series THE LOOK ALL-STARS on The CW. She further managed the renowned dog series TV series and brand DOG WHISPERER WITH CESAR MILLAN, which aired for 9 seasons on the National Geographic Channel and sold in over 180 countries. Jeanette’s decades working and finding success in the TV industry has given her a unique and unrivaled perspective of how to finance television content and get it sold. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, thoroughly lay out Jeanette will rules to follow and the traps to avoid for you to fund, produce, and sell your own independent TV content to a streaming service! If you are looking to create film and television projects for streaming services, this webinar is a must! Praise For Jeanette's Teaching "Jeanette has invaluable knowledge and made me feel like seeing my project get made and distributed was possible." -- Phillip F. “This was an excellent overview of all that is involved, and a great encouragement to reach out to people who do this kind of thing for a living, instead of trying to do it by myself for the first time.” -- Sarah D. “Jeanette was so detailed about the how to's and why you need to take and research every step. I love getting the details that really feel behind the curtain.” -- Melissa B. “I liked it. Specifically, the content. Jeanette was very informative and clearly knows her stuff.” -- Crystal B.
Register / Log In
