I'm tweeting about pitching a lot, but that's just where I am in my creative cycle. Today went really well, but it's not a done deal; here's why: the Exec I pitched has partners. He has to sell them, on what I sold him. This is why your pitch must be communicable by others.
His partners know me, they are also Exec Producers on my upcoming series, but it's too difficult to get them all in the same room at the same time, so I reached out to one and met him on his terms. That was today even though it's my daughter's birthday and I'm still in a sling.
I initiated the conversation asking for feedback on a project I am almost ready to take out, and told him who I had on the hook to hear the pitch -- other producer contacts I have. Partially this is to tell him I don't expect him to make everything I pitch him ...
but also that I do have options and they are not insignificant. But without stating the obvious he is getting the first look.
Also these other producers I've pitched before and been invited to pitch again "anytime," so there's strength in those contacts and I don't want them to go cold. I may still pitch them if my guys don't see this the way I do, and if they don't give me the big piece I'm asking for:
which is that I want to direct. It's a $2MM-3MM budget and it's not unreasonable for me to ask.
I'm not the best writer in the world. Far from it. And I started writing to generate the material I wanted to see in the world. I love working with other writers and maybe this needs some help. But there's a unique premise for a genre film here. And he saw that immediately.
The key to this pitch (and any pitch) is I went in WANTING feedback. To debate the merits, to expose the flaws, to hear the questions and to be okay not having all the answers. I told him I would rather be successful than right. I'd rather be rewritten then sitting on the bench.
He's taking it to the partners and if they want to explore further, then we will all get together and go through it again. These guys are smart, have integrity and I look forward to the collaboration. And to possibly have a TV series and a feature come through this studio ...
Probably too good to be true, so keeping expectations looooooooow.
