This past month I've been mostly away from the blog but to make up for it I'm gonna give you two posts in a row. I know. Crazy, right? Not really. Maybe a little. Anyway, I've gone to two events by two different organizations in the Atlanta area. The first was none-other than the Atlanta Film Festival where I saw "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," a Morgan Spurlock documentary. I also attended three seminars entitled "How to Pitch Your Project," "How to Make a Living as a Freelancer," and "How to Get an Agent." This entire event is brought to you by the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP) among other sponsors. The second event was a small seminar about pitching a project sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS).
Atlanta Film Festival:
"The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"
-I'm not gonna go into a full review of this film but I find it to be a perfect example of Spurlock's documentary style. The fluid narrative doesn't peak as well as "Super Size Me" but it's still hilarious and still a rather enjoyable, if not informative, film. Go see it and you'll feel cultured for seeing a documentary.
"How to Pitch a Project"
Panelists: Mike Lazzo (adult swim) Scot Safon (TNT) Brad Seigel (GMC)
-email pitches and phone pitches are okay but not advisable
-don't pitcht eh wrong project to the wrong person or organization aka research who you're talking to so that you can hone your pitch and project selection
-scripts are more powerful than pitches--a script says you have thought through the narrative
-pitching a controversial project is like promoting a business strategy--you are not just pitching the idea but how to sell it as well
-How to pitch a project if you are new to the industry:
-have an idea whittled down to two sentences aka 'elevator pitch'
-make evident the "EXTREME QUALITY" of your project
-own the idea or intellectual property
-shorts, pilots, or trailers can be very helpful when pitching a project
-if you make a trailer--IT MUST BE DAMN GOOD
-talent and/or collaborators can be helpful in backing up the project
-data such as internet views is helpful in selling a pitch
"How to Make a Living as a Freelancer"
Panelists: Sheryl Myers (Commotion Films) Linda Burns (freelancer, person of note in GPP etc)
-it is to a studio's advantage to keep as many good freelancers as possible
-recommendations are most helpful in securing a job
-they hire who best represents the company
"How to Get an Agent"
This panel wasn't very helpful from a filmmaker's standpoint--they mostly talked about actors. However, I was able to learn that some agencies are a valuable resource for spec (free) work in particular The People Store and Houghton Talent in Atlanta.
NATAS Pitch Seminar
-When you pitch, it is normal to be given a submission release so that you cannot accuse them of stealing your idea and though this may seem like a red flag--DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR IDEA BEING STOLEN--this is fear is rare if not non-existant
-there are conventions for pitching to people but it's a constant overload and not a good environment to pitch in
-smaller, newer networks are always looking for content especially if you can give them the result at a lower budget
-an idea can be pitched to a production studio and then the studio pitches to networks/organizations
-a short video is equal to a short pitch
-it is best to come into a pitch with all of the connections to make the project happen
Well, there you have it. These points are pulled directly from my notes of the events. Feel free to ask more questions and I might be able to answer or direct you to who can.
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