ON PITCHING (in person):

I'm decent at it, not the best, but I have a good success rate; most of my screenwriting jobs have come from pitching. Beyond telling the story, making eye-contact, pacing myself properly, one of the things that has helped me is finding the INSIGHT...

by that, I mean I usually try to find a philosophical theme or perspective that is buttressed by the story. When it lands, you can see the listener affected by it. They consider it. Sometimes, it's a perspective they haven't considered before and it draws them into the story.

When you write, often you're a truth-peddler. You're telling this story, THIS way, because you think something is TRUE. I land on that truth. I don't wallow in it, but I mention it and that's been very helpful in getting me through the sales gauntlet. It puts meaning in it.

Make sure you know what your story is about BEYOND the plot and the character and the surface. It's okay to let the "gatekeeper" know what you believe, what you're trying to say. Often times, they believe it too and they'll want to support you. They're not soulless. They feel.

Also, when you're clear about your philosophical destination now they know where you want to go. If they don't like a road you want to take, they know how to support you because they believe in the destination. Together, you can find a different way to get there. That helps.

I'm adapting a novel for an executive that I like very much and because she knows what I'm trying to say, and believe in that message, her notes are HELPING me get there in the best, most cinematic way. It always feels like we're working together. That started with the pitch.

Trust yourself. Trust those thoughts you have about the world. Share those thoughts through your storytelling. Sometimes, you get the job not only for the story you tell, but for the way you think. Don't be afraid to share yourself in a pitch, don't make it about you, but share.

Pitching can be nerve-wracking, but remember that it's a gift. You're getting the opportunity to hold court and tell a story. Frame it like a campfire tale, if that helps. Explain the nature of the noises in the forest. Comfort people with the belief the sun will come again.

Storytelling IS a business, but stories have been one of the way we have learned to understand the world. Keep that in mind. That's part of your role as a storyteller. Embrace that and find a little agency and power in it.

And have fun.
And take the free water. /end