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HEY FRIENDS! I know the state of mainstream US animation can be discouraging, but times really are changing and some companies ARE branching out in what they’re looking for! With that in mind, here are some tips I’ve learned from my personal experience pitching and selling shows!
1. Have your pitch ready to go for whenever you hear about a pitch opportunity! Ideally have a pitch bible with a 1-page synopsis, short character bios, a pilot idea & a description of what the show will be like episode-to-episode. Art helps, but isn’t 100% necessary
1a. Note that companies are interested in CHARACTER DRIVEN STORIES, stories with interesting and relatable protagonists that audiences will connect to. You can have the coolest lore in the world, but if your characters are boring you won’t be getting picked up
1b. What makes your characters interesting and unique? If the person you’re pitching to isn’t connecting with your characters, you may not be describing them the best you can. Be descriptive but succinct!
2. Pitch every opportunity you get! If a company is taking pitches for shorts, find a way to adapt your idea into a short (or come up with a new idea). Pitch to places you’re not 100% sure is a good fit - even if they turn you down, you’ll get experience pitching & some feedback!
3. Take constructive criticism! Ask people why they turned down your pitch, and really listen to what they say. Sometimes you may not have communicated your idea properly, sometimes your characters or story is flabby. Sometimes it simply wasn& #39;t a good fit for the studio
3a. Get feedback from peers and bosses you trust! Ask friends for feedback!
3b. If you’re really bumping against a note from someone, it’s also okay to ignore it. Listen to what people have to say, but also trust in your own vision!
3b. If you’re really bumping against a note from someone, it’s also okay to ignore it. Listen to what people have to say, but also trust in your own vision!
4. KEEP PITCHING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It took me 5 years of pitching to various companies before HGS was picked up! And if it wasn’t picked up when it was, I’d still be trying to sell it!
4a. Reach out to companies you’ve pitched to before -- it might not have been a good time for them the first time around, but marching orders for development teams change at lightning speed!
5. Get a job in animation and work on your pitch on the side. All time spent in the industry is going to make you a better artist, help you understand the process and make you a better leader. It& #39;ll also give you the connections you need to hear about more pitch opportunities!
6. Ask your bosses about pitching at the company you work at! Have them introduce you to your development executives, and then follow through with contacting them!
6a. Don’t let opportunities pass you by because you were too scared to reach out! If you’re too timid to show your work, your work won’t get seen.
7. FOCUS ON STORIES AND CHARACTERS YOU LOVE!! No one wants to buy a show that feels like somebody& #39;s C-story. Execs are looking for passion! If you don& #39;t love your story, why would anyone else?
8. FINALLY, DON’T GIVE UP! This industry can be fucking brutal, you& #39;ll inevitably face rejection and unexpected setbacks. But if you give up, then no one will hear your stories, and the world will be worse for it. We need YOU to be the change you want to see in the industry!!
