What Executives Want To See In A Pitch - Carole Kirschner

BUY THE BOOK - HOLLYWOOD GAME PLAN: How To Land A Job

In this Film Courage video interview, Career Coach and Author Carole Kirschner explains when executives hire writers, it can be for various reasons. If someone pitches a show and impresses someone from the network with their presentation, the executive will likely want to work with them. When executives are tasked with finding writers for a TV show, they want to ensure that the writer is not difficult to work with and that their skills align with the show's needs. To be hired, writers should focus on key elements during pitches, such as compelling characters and their growth, a strong hook that sets the show apart, an emotional connection to the project, vividly describing the world of the show, and demonstrating a clear understanding of the series' potential beyond the pilot. Pitches should be rehearsed, timed appropriately, and sound conversational to engage the executives. Common mistakes to avoid include being unprepared, excessively detailing the pilot story, and focusing solely on selling rather than telling a captivating story.

Carole Kirschner spent fifteen years as a television development executive. A former Vice
President of Television for Steven Spielberg's first Amblin Entertainment and a Comedy
Development exec at CBS, she’s had the privilege of working with some of the most
respected writers in the industry.

Switching to the other side of the desk she became a consultant and created and runs
the CBS/Paramount Writers Mentoring Program, which has helped launch the careers of
more than eighty television writers of color, including 14 showrunners. Because of her
work with CBS she was asked to help writer/producer Jeff Melvoin as he developed the
curriculum for the WGA Showrunner Training Program and as the Director has been
running the Program for 18 years.

Ms. Kirschner, through her career coaching practice, Carole Kirschner Entertainment
Career Strategies (carolekirschner dot com) works primarily with screenwriters who are
stuck or need help navigating the political landscape. She recently launched the
successful online course, “How to Pitch a TV Show That Sells” and is gearing up for her
new online course, “Get the F Unstuck: Break Through and Create Your Ideal
Hollywood Career” in late spring. She is also an international speaker and her book,
Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment is
taught in colleges across the country.

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#entertainment #movies #losangeles

[daveq]

I find this applicapable to all industries

[ScriptDoctor]

In my 17 years in this industry I have never heard of an executive wanting to hear a pitch beyond 5 minutes in length regardless of the format.
Pitching is a combination of selling and fishing. Think of yourself as an owner of a restaurant who is also a waiter. You're using the menu you've created to keep the customers coming back to buy your dishes. Your story is the restaurant and each dish is like a character, so you want to be brief and to the point.
If you as a writer can't convey your characters, your story, and your goals between 2-5 minutes, then you're not a good storyteller. Why? Because if you need more time, it means your story is too complex or convoluted, and/or you as a writer can't prioritize what is important regarding your show or film. From their perspective, if you can't tell a good story synopsis in a couple of minutes, then you're not going to be better if you have more time. This is film and television. Some scenes are 2 minutes or less, so you have to be able to do your set-ups and pay offs in that timeframe.
Now this isn't to be conflated with the time spent after you do your pitch. If you pitch your story and nail it in 2-5 minutes and the exec or executives you're pitching to have questions that open up a dialogue that goes 20-30 minutes, that is a different beast. Because that is a build off of your pitch. This is where we get to the fishing analogy. You have to bait the hook and cast off in the right direction if you're expecting to get a nibble. If you've got them asking engaging questions, you've got them hooked. It's how you answer those questions that will determine if you reel them in to a sale or not. So practice your concise pitch, and get friends to help you practice with answering questions so you can be prepared and relaxed with answers.
But I will say this as I've seen it on both ends. If you're spending 10-15 minutes pitching a pilot, or 30 minutes pitching a feature where you're the one doing all the talking in that time, you're not going to be getting a deal. If anything you'll get crickets, a thankyou and a "we'll be in touch."

[derrickedmond]

So thankful for people like Carole!
I'm about to pitch my television series in front of industry execs and a live audience at the ATXTV Festival and my pitch includes all the elements Carole spoke of!

Also super thankful for channels like Film Courage, it has been one of my go-to resources for all things writing, developing and producing and hopefully one day I can share my experiences on this very channel. See ya'll at work!

[Bax]

This is incredibly insightful. Thank you! 👐

[orgen]

This will help with my next job interview

[ladyjatheist]

Now THIS actually HIT THE MARKS! Thank you! A THOUSAND Thanks!

[arzabael]

Its about you being someone that others like to spend time with

[mitrapatterson]

Excellent. You make it seem so possible 😮

[ccwoodlands]

Forbes magazine said there are only 3 questions you need answered when hiring someone: Can they do the job? Will they love the job? Can we get along with them?

[snellavision]

"Pretend you're talking to a 5 year old"
Because it's the mental age of the average studio exec?

[inToddWeTrust]

I like the once upon time but - nice vibe!

[sandijerome]

Excellent video - you mention an online course, "How to Pitch a TV Show that Sells" - could you give us the link to that?

[jonathantrauner]

Adin Boyer of American Idol who has Autism made 2023 American Idols Hollywood week

[christophmahler]

One word: *_relevancy_* .

If a story and it's characters is _detached_ from to the state of affairs, nobody is going to watch _the stupid show_ .

Why did people sit through 'Games of Thrones' e.g. when they haven't even read the novels ?
Because they realize themselves trapped in a world with manipulative usurpers, manouvering for supremacy while ignoring a mythic, apocalyptic threat.
In the end, the _banker's offspring_ - _'all honourable men'_ - who ran the show had no resolution in mind - but that is the auspicious bond between the audience that had hoped for a glimpse into their fate and will now strive _blindly_ to reenact a better outcome.

[Thenoobestgirl]

My story is about coming of age and taking reluctant responsibility in a racial war-ridden kingdom, in a wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey epic political fantasy setting, with magic and grey characters who all love and hate each other, and best of all: Corgis.

Is that a good start? 😂