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The Art of the Film Pitch

How to sell your idea for a commercial or Hollywood movie.

Course is closed.

WHEN
Monday, March 20
7-10 pm

WHERE
mediabistro.com
494 Broadway
(Spring & Broome)
New York, NY 10012

WHO
Ideal for anyone interested in learning how to sell a script

PRICE
$65 ($50 for )
more info

Course Details

Whether you are a novice screenwriter prepping for your first round of meetings or an experienced scribe calling on your favorite executives, the art of pitching is essential to the survival of any working screenwriter. Pitches, along with original screenplays, are the lifeblood of the Hollywood spec writer's marketplace, and the craft of creating and delivering one is almost as nuanced as writing the actual movie.

Unlike the relatively solitary act of writing a screenplay, a Hollywood pitch calls on a unique skill set, ranging from storytelling tricks of the trade to door-to-door salesmanship. Being able to sell your idea "in the room," and not just on the page, greatly increases your odds of placing original material in the studio pipeline, not to mention creating a more visible and lasting presence for yourself and your work in the hyper-competitive world of Hollywood screenwriting.

In this seminar, you'll learn:

  • What ideas you should pitch (and what ideas you shouldn't)
  • How to time and pace your pitch
  • How to define and articulate your "logline"
  • How to condense any movie into 12 minutes or less  
  • How to emphasize set pieces and "trailer moments"
  • How to read executive body language and react appropriately to "exec speak"
  • How to utilize concept and cast-ability

Instructor Bio

Matt Roshkow's Courses

No courses available at this time.

Matt Roshkow
Matt Roshkow has been a working screenwriter for more than ten years. His credits include the ABC/Disney movies Model Behavior, Switching Goals, Mr. Headmistress, H-E Double Hockey Sticks, and (as producer) MTV Telefilm's Spring Break Lawyer. His feature assignments include Paramount's Clockstoppers, as well as projects with New Line, Warner Brothers, and Universal.
He has written original TV pilots for Fox and ABC and has sold feature spec scripts and pitches. He has been featured in Variety, Entertainment Weekly, and The Hollywood Reporter and has been a featured speaker at many film conferences, as well as a guest lecturer at the Yale Film Institute. His latest movie Campus Confidential premiered on ABC/Family in August 2005.

Testimonials


Matt's class was well worth the time and the money. It was refreshing to interact with a working screenwriter who offered relevant and realistic tips for what it takes to pitch your movie to Hollywood. -- Steve Majors

"Matt is a pitching and screenwriting pro. He's funny, insightful, and, most importantly, highly knowledgeable about screenwriting and the business. His years of firsthand experience as a working writer shine through in informative anecdotes and real-life examples of what works, what doesn't, and why." -- Liza Monroy, mediabistro.com instructor

"Matt's seminar was really informative and inspirational. It gives you an insight into the minds of the people listening to your pitch and the language you should be giving it in. Now that I know what to do I am even more motivated to move forward with my project." -- Melissa St. Jude, marketing specialist, Infinity Broadcasting

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