Studio production- "Pitching lecture"

Pitching & Research workshop

• Develop your idea for pitching
• Prepare a proposal 
• Pitch
• Answer questions
• Make use of pitching sessions

Pitching

Pitching is an inevitable part of programme making, and it can be done to a room of colleagues on a production team, or directly to a commissioning editor/channel commissioners.

What is the purpose of a pitch?

It allows you to have the opportunity to deliver a presentation of your idea and to bulk it out so an audience can visualise your film/idea.

It gives a chance to get feedback and find out what works and what needs to be improved or changed.

What should you do before a pitch?

Research your idea to assure yourself of its:

• Strengths and weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats (AKA a SWOT analysis)

This means that you can fully develop a formed proposal which will withstand questioning.

Preparing your proposal for a pitch

Your idea needs to have an objective, this then gets written into a proposal which will always be in the present tense and has an active voice. This is a written representation of the visuals and your treatment (approach).

It only has to be one page in length (no less than a paragraph in length).

Alongside this a oral pitch needs to be prepared which will support the written proposal and expands it.

What happens at a pitching session?

You will given an allotted amount of time in which to convey your idea.

You usually pitch to the most senior members of the programme or to relevant channel commissioners or development executives.

Usually you will be responding to a request for submissions to a particular brief. 

Pitch elements:

You should outline your initial intentions and ambitions for your film and include:

• A working title
• Location
• Subject & premise of film
• Your idea in one sentence
• Target audience and channel
• Style & Tone
• Characters/Contributors/Talent
• Access/Agreements/Research  
• How does your format add to the programme storytelling and USP (Unique Selling Point)
• Why this programme should be commissioned 
• Running Order
• Basic camera and floor plan

How should you present your pitch?

Use visual aids-powerpoint/prezzie are useful to provide guidance and structure/organise your idea. Show examples of clips of similar/existing content that could illustrate what it is going to be like-could tell us the sort of presenter if appropriate.
Engage the audience and help them to understand it.
Check the viability of the idea, this includes knowing that important elements of your idea can actually happen.

Body language and style

It is the same sort of scenario as a job interview or a sales pitch. Think about your appearance and the pace of your delivery. It is usual to feel nervous at a pitch so ensure you prepare and rehearse, get someone to listen to you and give you feedback.

Be enthusiastic and add colour to the written proposal in your verbal delivery.

Emphasise its USP.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Responding to Q&As

Be prepared to expand on the presentation when asked questions. Take your time and if you don't understand the question ask them to be repeated. Have facts and figures to back up answers. If you're asked something you do not have an answer for KEEP POSITIVE  and use it as a way to improve and expand your idea, respond confidently to the suggestion/request.

Pitching dos and don'ts 

Do:

• Be brave and surprise
• Be passionate and engaging
• Challenge conventions
• Pitch ideas in a paragraph
• Pitch the top line
• Know existing output and spot opportunites
• Develop a dialogue with the comissioners
• Pitch ideas and stories not subject matters

Don't:

• Send lots of ideas-be focused
• Patronise Editors with gimmicks
• Water down the idea too soon
• Flog a dead horse/old chestnuts
• Develop 'off message' ideas, aka ideas that are not right for the slot/channel/brand
• Make promises you can't keep
• Worry about fancy presentations

How can you make criticism work for you?

Take on board comments and consider how you can incorporate them and make adjustments to your idea and make adjustments to your idea.

How to pitch:

Jonathan Stadlen:

Do:

Have one idea you are passionate about 

Be transparent about other broadcasters you are pitching to

Pitch ideas in a paragraph 

Don't: 

Patronise commissioning editors with gimmicks 

Have too many meetings about the idea, it'll get watered down

Catherine Whelton:

Do:

Think laterally-what are the new angles on familiar stories

Don't:

Bring really long, dense, wordy documents 

Do something that competes with any existing content

Make assumptions about people's knowledge

Nick Wilson:

Do:

Focus on 'story' and 'idea'

Accompany animation with an idea of design and production style

Send something short and punchy to start with

Be happy to meet

Don't:

Send pages on 'curriculum' or 'company' history

Send ideas that are not age appropriate

Make false promises on talent/rights/budgets

Leave in the bit that says why you think it would work for the channel

Daniela Neumann:

Do:

Surprise

Be ambitious

Have a regular dialogue 

Send something brief in the first instance

Don't:

Over promise

Spend loads of money and time on big presentations

Mark Linsey:

Do:

Pitch the top line, you need to quickly articulate what the show is about 

Build a relationship with the entertainment execs who will drive it through 

Watch the output and know where the opportunities are

Bring in celebrity-based factual entertainment ideas that take the viewer on an unpredictable journey

Don't:

Come in with a shopping list

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I found this lecture really helpful in telling me what to include in my pitch, it allowed me to have questions answered and meant I could have a list of what I needed to make my pitch good and fulfil its purpose.