12th Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival • August 2 & 3 • Los Angeles

Less Than 2 Weeks Until the Largest Gathering of
Studio Executives, Agents, Managers, Producers, Directors & Development Executives
Where Will You Be?

12TH ANNUAL
HOLLYWOOD PITCH FESTIVAL
Where Preparation & Luck Meet Opportunity
AUGUST 2 & 3 • Los Angeles

200 of Hollywood’s most prominent companies under one roof
From CAA, William Morris, ICM & Paradigm to Paramount, DreamWorks, HBO and Miramax
This is Your Chance to Present Your TV or Film Script, Book or Idea
Directly to the Entertainment Industry in One-on-One 7-Minute Meetings

• Two Days of Non-stop Pitching • Event Limited to 225 Attendees •

800-646-3896
310-275-0287
www.hollywoodpitchfestival.com

Sponsored by
Apple • Waterman • Coca Cola • The Wright Brothers • Bliss Spa • Attune •
The Script Department • Gypsy Tea • Yu-Be • Altoids • Fade In Magazine •
The Writers Network • Fuze • Stila • Hollywood Film & Acting Academy

The Top 10 Dos and Donts of Pitching to Hollywood VIPS

(Brought to you by the Hollywood Pitch Festival)

1. DON'T "nut and bolt" the pitch (that's pitching everything in the movie). Keep it short. 5 minutes, tops.
2. DO make great eye contact.
3. DON'T use notes or read them the pitch.
4. DO begin with your log-line, "This is a story about..."
5. DO "set the table" by also starting with the title, genre and theme.
6. DO take the time to describe your principle characters in terms of personality, behavior, goals, fears, weaknesses, etc.
7. DON'T cast your story, i.e., "This is a part for Tom Cruise..."
8. DO tell your story in the present tense...as if it's all happening right now.
9. DO break the narrative to focus on at least three set-pieces -- scenes your audience is going to remember.
10. DON’T stand up while pitching!!! Remain seated at eye-level with executive.
11. DO answer questions with a scene from a movie.
12. DON'T spend time describing minutia -- the kind of car the hero drives, a character walking down a hall before entering a room, etc.
13. DO let the exec interrupt and even make suggestions. Make him/her a part of the creative process.
14. DON'T marry two movies (i.e., "It's The Mummy meets The English Patient.").
15. DO provide a specific ending to your story -- Remember, it's all about the ending -- and then wrap up with thematic closure. Reiterate what this movie has been about -- what the "moral of the story" is, which is really a statement of your theme. (e.g., Redemption, Love, Betrayal, Family)
16. DON'T ask the exec what he/she thinks. Don't ask for a verdict. If the exec has an opinion, he/she will let you know.
17. Finally, DON'T leave or send a synopsis or outline!!! Giving them a synopsis does not work to your advantage. Think about it: Why are they going to read your script (120 pgs) or manuscript when they can read your 1-3 page synopsis? Why are they going to call you back to their offices to let the other powers that be hear you pitch your story, when they can just give them the summary, which more than likely reads flat and could dissuade them?

TITLE
GENRE
TIME/SETTING (if applicable)
3-4 Sentences Describing Your Film (preferably set pieces)
THEME (What is your story about? What are we to learn?)