Pitch fests: Are they worth it?
I’m considering plunking down $300 to go to a pitch fest, but I’m wondering if they’re really worth it.
– Raffi Bagadasarian
For readers who don’t know, a pitch fest is an event where aspiring screenwriters pitch their screenplays to a group of Hollywood-types, who hopefully will want to read-slash-buy their scripts, or at least offer suggestions for improving their pitch technique.
A few years ago, I was on a (free) pitching panel for a local screenwriting conference. It was interesting, but I’m not sure it was terrifically helpful for the writers who pitched. (In fact, the other writers in the audience may have learned more just by listening to misguided pitch after misguided pitch, and the criticisms thereof.)
I’ve heard tales of studio executives buying ideas they heard during a pitch panel, but I don’t know of any verifiable success stories. If any readers have experiences, positive or negative, with pitch panels, please help Raffi out by leaving a comment.
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March 14th, 2005 at 8:38 pm
Thanks for your insight, John. I look forward to reading about other readers’ experiences. I just sent the script off for a solicited read by a producer at the #1 place at which I’d like it to get made. I figure it’s better to first pitch a project to a few “ideal-match” companies rather than cast a wide net at a pitch fest. I suppose the rule of thumb is: if you’re unsure about paying the money for anything in life, it’s best to wait.
March 15th, 2005 at 11:44 am
I’d like to offer an alternative use of the $300 fee. This is advice I’ve never read in any of the How-to books, but which have served me well over the two years I’ve been struggling to jump start my career. Find the top three producers you’d like to pitch your material to and seek out their assistants (almost always recent college grads in their early to mid 20s) and invite each out to a good old fashioned $100 lunch (they’re all underpaid and none will decline, trust me). Pitch your material to them over mouth-watering sushi or a $30 steak and I guarantee you’ll have more success getting a script read with that producer than any paid Pitch Fest.
March 15th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
I like Gary’s idea. But as far as pitching goes, I did the one at the Austin Film Festival last year. It certainly wasn’t $300, nor was it what I expected, but I’m glad I did it. That said, would I do it again? No. The reason is we had 1 minute to pitch a story to people not at all interested. You don’t even know WHO you’re pitching to til the last minute, so there’s no real catering to tastes. It felt good to say I did it, and the feedback was… interesting. John’s right, I did learn more from watching the others (especially the finalists) than I did doing it, but I can’t see it being worth the $300.
How much time do you get? Could you use props? Having read Terry Rossio’s column on his pitching technique, I’d go where I could do it his way. Just my 2c.
March 15th, 2005 at 7:33 pm
It seems that anything you can do to improve your pitching technique is good. If you have a chance to pitch in front of a panel of experts who will give you creative input on how to get better, God speed. I wish they had taught it in film school. The only feedback I ever get is when kindly executives call me at home and say, “Rob, you dumbass, here’s what you did wrong in there…�
I second the endorsement of Terry Rossio’s technique. I absolutely hate pitching (even after five years as a standup comic and sitcom warm-up guy.) I usually write the thing out like a little twelve minute monologue and spend the day before the pitch rehearsing in front of a camcorder like an idiot.
Has anyone else tried Terry’s technique? I gave it a shot yesterday. (His column can be found at http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp11.Wind-up.and.Pitch.html ) Among other things, it recommends pitching from large cork boards. You can get 3’x4’ boards from Staples for about $40 each. You can also buy 5�x8� cards there but you may want to be sure they’ll feed through your printer first. I printed my cards in 24 pt. Times New Roman so I could put the board on the couch and the executives could read it from across the coffee table. As Terry recommended, I tacked on a couple of evocative pictures. Those helped warm up the room before I started and got the conversation focused on the world of my story. To top it off, lugging the thing across the Paramount lot wasn’t as embarrassing as I thought it would be. I’ll never go back.
March 16th, 2005 at 2:39 pm
There’s a DVD called “How to Pitch and Sell Your Screenplay DVD” (49.95.) Has anybody tried it? It might be a good way for Raffi to refine his technique before the pitch fest… should he choose to go.
March 18th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
While a CE (creative exec) at a small production company at Warner Bros. last year, I attended two pitchfests. I think they were sponsored by Screenwriter’s Online. There I listened to probably 200 pitches. In two cases we requested a script, but nothing ever came of it. As far as I can tell from the development side (and having now segued into screenwriting), a pitchfest is a lot of money with little or no payoff. The best reason for an aspiring screenwriter to go is to practice pitching, networking and meeting people, but you probably won’t get your script sold. You might meet more people and spend less money having lunch at the Ivy on a Thursday afternoon.
March 20th, 2005 at 4:30 am
Imagine yourself as a bored, pressured, and hungry studio exec.
“If you want to eat, bring me a good story. Check out that pitch fest,” says your cold, well-fed boss.
You sit, half conscious, through four hours of pitches; of varying qualities. On a productive day, you may hear 2 out of a 100 that are decent. Arter you listened to a lot of crap, do you think you will be psychologically capable of seeing good work?
Now I am sure there is a marshmallow in every bowl of cereal, but would you blow $300 to talk to a sweating exec that doesn’t even care or remember why s/he is there?
I personally like Gary’s idea with the $30 steak dinner…
March 25th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
Before moving to LA, I flew in for a combination pitchfest/screenwriter’s conference. While there, I spent 12 hours (yes, 12 hours!) waiting in line to buy tickets for the privilege to pitch studio people. Gird your nether regions, for this is the tale of that weekend:
One exec refused to let anyone shake his hand or otherwise make physical contact with him. I noticed as I pitched him, he slowly leaned back, getting farther and farther away. I believe he was even holding his breath. (Filthy, filthy screenwriters!) Oddly enough, he requested my script.
Two of the pitchees looked right out of high school, with bored expressions and baseball caps boldly announcing they worked for a major studio. I can only surmise they were assistants forced to attend the fest by their bosses. Chad and Wendy, as I like to think of them, sighed loudly and looked at their watches throughout my pitch. No request from them.
In contrast, one lady from Fox was profusely perky and supportive of every idea I flung at her. I could have pitched a snuff film and she would have responded, “That’s great, good job!” Or maybe Fox simply has profoundly lower standards. Got a request.
Two scruffy-looking guys didn’t so much request scripts as write on note cards while people pitched, then separating them into different piles (Fabulous vs. Crapulous? Steal vs. “Re-imagine”?). No request.
A husband and wife team of managers proved the most daunting to pitch to, as the wife was disproportionately well-endowed and wore a low-cut shirt that left little more than areola-coloring to the imagination. And she insisted on leaning forward over the table the whole time I stammered through my pitch, grinning and almost daring me to look. But, Jesus, her husband was right next to her! (Must…maintain…eye contact.) Never have my eye muscles strained as they did that day, performing all sorts of subtle ocular acrobatics. I’ll leave it up to you to determine whether I looked or not, though I will say, they did not request my script.
It’s now several years later and nothing came of any of those requests. I’ve gotten much further through even half-assed attempts at networking while in LA.
My advice? You’re better off schmoozing assistants. And try not to stare at their tits.
May 9th, 2005 at 5:01 pm
Raffi, you have been receiving good advice, to which I will add that Hollywood has two major industries: 1.) making movies; 2.) taking money away from young, inexperienced, eager and energetic “wannabes” film writers, actors and producers. Now go buy that steak for the young exec … and keep moving.
May 29th, 2005 at 5:02 pm
I attended Script Magazine’s first East Coast PitchXchange last June in NYC. I got a lot out of it and do recommend them. I went pretty much on a whim just for the experience of pitching. I had some TV show ideas and a few feature treatments. Each of the five pitches I made ended with producers asking for my contact information (you couldn’t just give it to them, it had to be asked for) and a synopsis. While in the long run, nothing turned into a sale or job, it did give me the confidence to keep writing and helped me to pick the best idea to expand into a full script. Also hearing some very strange pitches from others and seeing the strained faces of executives listening to them proved to me that yes, I can call myself a writer. I saw plenty of heart broken people who had spent many years writing a script that nobody there asked to read. So you’ll get something out of it — but it might not be what you wanted.
December 4th, 2005 at 3:29 pm
I’ve been to the NYC PitchXchange, and found it about as likely to lead to a sale as an evening of speed-dating is likely to lead to a wedding.
A similar stunt is the road show staged around town by ICM “story analyst” Chirstopher Lockhart. He invites writers to pitch him in front of the audience, and you go hoping that your pitch will have him begging for your script. But really he’s a stand-up comic, and you’re the straight man. For two hours he has the audience laughing as he slams the poor bastards at the mic. Having endured five minutes of this guy mocking my pitch and script, I can say that you emerge neither a better writer nor a more successful one. He may, however, cause some writers to quit, which might indirectly benefit society but hardly justifies this cruelty.
February 8th, 2006 at 8:20 am
I just saw Chris Lockhart “perform” last weekend. While he does use a lot of humor and drag writers over the coals, I think he’s very educational for writers who want to listen. He does work at a big talent agency with an impressive list and has set up his own projects as well. He knows what he’s talking about and he proves it. It’s hard to stand up in front of all those people and fake it. I can see writers pitching to him with the “dream” that their idea will wow the exec, but Chris is really honest. Why shouldn’t he be? He isn’t getting paid to be there and never charges writers for pitching like so many others. He could be the only Hollywod executive who works with fledgling writers for gratis with nothing to sell. So writers better be prepared. While he did “mock” some story ideas, he gave useful tips on how to improve the pitch and the story itself. Most writers were simply in over their heads and the one or two that may left angry (like Number Six) probably think their pitch is much better than it really is. Personally, I was glad to see someone from the Hollywood community come out to meet and work with writers for free. He may not tell us what we want to hear but he offers up his opinion based on his experience and if he says your pitch needs work, it probably needs work.
February 15th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
Christopher Lockhart has a huge following for a good reason, he knows his stuff! I’ve always been impressed by his mixture of candor and humor. He’s a self-effacing chap too who gives it and can take it. He puts a lot of effort and energy into what he does. Like Tom Reedman said, he doesn’t get paid to mingle with the newbies. He does it because he has a genuine concern for new writers but expects them to bring their A game. After one event, I overheard a writer badmouthing Christopher for tearing apart his story which it deserved. He definitely didn’t bring his A game to an executive who deals with the A list. It reminded me of the American Idol contestants who curse the judges after they couldn’t hit a single note on key. Christopher is a rare gem in a town full of fakes. Since he doesn’t charge for his time, effort, knowledge or great advice, he shouldn’t be corraled with the riff-raff of the pay-to-pitch circus.
June 7th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
In response to Rob E’s question about the DVD “How to Pitch and Sell Your Screenplay DVDâ€? (49.95.), it’s pretty low budget and only a total novice would really get anything out of it. I got it for free and watched it. It’s got a few pointers, but nothing worth spending $$ on.
The best part is the lame pitches they have on there and critique. The pitchers are all real newbies and made me glad I don’t have to endure pitchmart pitches for a living.
July 5th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
I have to say that I did have a success at a pitch/screenwriting conference. I guess not a true pitchfest then, but better.
I had never pitched in person before. I’d always done the query letters. But armed with placement in some screenplay contests and a resume with loglines, I attended The Screenwriting Conference in Santa Fe. They had really well-known companies represented and I checked out the producers. So I had prior knowledge of who was going to be there.
We could sign up for as many as we were willing to pay for. I pitched to 10 or so producers. I received three requests. I met one producer who said she wasn’t interested, but I handed her my resume and asked if she’d hang onto it if she had a change of mind or knew anyone else looking for my type of scripts. BTW, I was the only one that had a one-page resume with each script listed and a logline for each. If they don’t want to accept it, no problem. And they didn’t mind me asking.
Two weeks later, I heard from the producer. Her brother was looking for the genre of script I had pitched. Within a year because of that pitch, I had two options. And since then I’ve sold a script that is in post-production now.
AND I met another producer there and we exchanged business cards and we’ve kept in touch. He does some blockbuster type of films. Nothing that I write, but it’s nice to know him.
So, maybe instead of pitchfests, try a conference that also has pitching opportunities. This conference usually has about 10 to 14 producers every year. They represent the spectrum and range from HBO to Lions Gate. I only met one jerky producer.
Hey, it’s Santa Fe. They want to be there. The conference run for about three days and then the weekend is for producers. You don’t have to attend both.
Check out at http://www.scsfe.com. I really enjoyed the people. Very professional and no snobbery there.
August 14th, 2006 at 11:05 am
I recently attended the Pitche Fest put on by a magazine. I suspect every writer this side of the the Nuclear test side in Nevada was there. All ages. And that’s the problem. People are pitching stories, not screenplays. I overheard a few young people say they want the script, now I gotta write it. Many of the people are young and I am not. This works against you, at elast at one of these. The $400 fee was not worth it, in my opinion unless you are: young (18 to 25) and quite handsome or beautiful, and dress in a manner which gains interest. The best part I think was networking with other writers who are in the ame boat as you. I like the steak idea, or perhaps hire an actor to pitch for you. There ain;t no rules here, it’s Hollywood.
June 11th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I am considering attending a pitchfest in Hollywood soon to pitch 3 different ideas (2 screenplays and 1 TV Pilot), but I live on the East coast and work full-time, so I am in no position to move immediately to L.A. so I can take meetings. It will also cost me about $1,000 to come out of pocket. Am I better off doing queries, entering screenplay contests and trying to produce my own material (short films)?
July 16th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I went to Fade In’s Pitchfest. Way too much money for nothing. And the people you were pitching to. I swear I pitched to the assistants-assistant and his friend who just came by to eat. They had you pick who you wanted to pitch to, but there were no guarentees. so you have a thriller and you end up pitching to someone looking for a family comedy. It was just not what I expected, and the standing in line. It was like the DMV. I love the magazine, and the speakers were good, but the pitch part don’t do it! Oh but you will make friends with people while you stand in line, bad part about that, they’re just like you.
July 28th, 2007 at 3:19 am
Thank God for the Internet. I was considering a pitch fest because the idea sounded great. Up close and personal with people in the industry instead of letters and email. But, then I might be too trusting and believe the hype. Real life experiences are always better. Thanks to everyone who shared!!
October 16th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I’ve done3 or 4 of these and made some good contacts. So I would say, yeah, do, one and see how you like it. But be prepared to have your idea taken. There’s no protection on ideas and you will sign a waiver to the effect it all up for grabs. No one is there to steal your idea but after hearing 100 pitches no one is capable of remebering where they heard an idea from. So it may get loose on you. So don’t shop your best stuff until you have a solid relationship established.
Be sure to keep good notes as follow up is the key to getting your money’s worth. Then follow up and buy them a steak dinner.