Hal,
I hear studios won’t take a direct pitch. Normally! you get, “We do not receive unsolicited materials”. You have to go through agencies and when one receives your information most of the time you don’t get any feedback. How can you pitch a story directly to a studio?
Nick

Nick,

Let me can clear up some of the confusion. This may come as “harsh reality,” but the more you understand about the process, the easier it will be for you to make decisions that will have you be successful.

Studios are at the top of the food chain. Beneath them are the major production companies that are on their lot. There are usually 25 – 40 of them on the lot of each Studio. Who feeds those major production companies are Agents, Managers, and small Producers like Cheryl and I.

Most of the major production companies and all of the Studios won’t accept pitches from anyone they don’t know. In truth, they have so many projects coming from their sources that they don’t need to work with anyone they don’t know.

What’s the solution?

Find a champion who does have access. So your job is to find one of the 2000 plus small producers or an Agent or Manager who can get your work in the door. Then, get them to fall in love with your work and make an agreement for them to pitch it to the companies who might want to make your movie.

It is absolutely possible to get your script read — if you have a great pitch. Then, make sure your writing is just as good as your pitch and you stand a good chance of making it in this business.

Now, you understand the process. Follow the map I just gave you and start searching for those small producers who do projects that are similar to yours.

You can do it.

Filed under: Selling Your Screenplay Tags: by admin Date 16 January, 2010