ATL FILM FEST: Dialogue to Be Inserted Later: Writing and Constructing Treatments for Pitching

with Todd Cappello, Matt Harrigan, Brandon Barr, and Chad Crowley

• having a pitch reel is a must
• when you're pitching an idea, the executive's first thought is, "Are you the guy that's gonna lose my job for me?"
• don't make your pitch materials too fancy, fancy commonly means the pitch isn't good
• only pitch projects you are willing to commit to
• be prepared for all questions more than anything else
• executives will try to contextualize your idea as much as possible
• don't over-pitch (read the room)
• for features, make a book of aesthetics to really show how the film will look and create a pitch reel with director/writers/producer interviews and images to help visualize and sell the film
• found-footage materials can help to sell a non-fiction pitch and make them feel like they're discovering it
• don't shoot pilots-just sizzle reels
• don't shoot trailers for feature pitches-waste of time and money
• overall, your idea should fit on a poster and you can use such a visual aid to pitch and idea
• be ready to pitch your idea to anyone at any time