Unit 24: Writing for Television & Video
Pitching is essential to screenwriting and
most other forms of creative media production
It is often your first opportunity to ‘sell’ your
idea
Pitches must be well rehearsed… you might
only get one chance!
What form does a pitch take? Should you follow a specific structure? 1. Open: Perfect Pitch 2. Specifics: Genre, comparisons, stars and
visuals 3. Spin: Franchise, sequels, spin-offs‌ show
$$$
them the 4. Close: End with a bang!
The ‘Perfect Pitch’ is your idea in 25 words or less It sets the tone for the rest of your pitch Should be catchy to encourage interest Aim:
The pitch should lead to more questions about your idea!
During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok. ‘Jurassic Park‘ (1993) Spielberg The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. ‘The Godfather’ (1972) Coppola
A cowboy toy is profoundly threatened and jealous when a fancy spaceman toy supplants him as top toy in a boy's room. ‘Toy Story’ (1995) Lasseter Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency. ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994) Darabont
The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) Tarantino When a gigantic great white shark begins to menace the small island community of Amity, a police chief, a marine scientist and grizzled fisherman set out to stop it. ‘Jaws’ (1975) Spielberg
Tricked into thinking he killed his father, a guilt ridden lion cub flees into exile and abandons his identity as the future King. ‘The Lion King’ (1994) Allers & Minkoff In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job to date… ‘Inception’ (2010) Nolan
Create your own ‘Perfect Pitch’ in 25 words or
less Consider points for the rest of your pitch…