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Restless Talent Management highlights the DOs and DON Ts of pitching at the 7th DFM --
Fri, 17 Jun 2016 15:49
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SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: On 17 June, at the 7th Durban FilmMart (DFM) which runs alongside the 37th Durban International Film Festival currently taking place in Durban, South Africa, until 26 June Marie Lora-Mungai of Restless Talent Management presented a session titled How to pitch like a pro and not fall flat on your face .
In 2014 Lora-Mungai and her colleague Tendeka Matatu launched Restless Talent Management a global management agency focused on African talent. Since the launch of the agency, Restless Talent Management has held a live pitch event titled The Restless Pitch, at DFM every year. The event invites screenwriters and directors to give a three-minute pitch of their project to a jury of industry experts. Today, ahead of this year s Restless Pitch event, Lora-Mungai used the session she helmed to provide delegates with tips on how to deliver a successful pitch.
A pitch is a concise verbal, sometimes visual, presentation of an idea for a film or TV series generally made by a screenwriter or a director to a producer, financier or a distributor in the hope of generating interest in the project and getting it off the ground, explained Lora-Mungai. She went on to emphasise that there are two elements in the aforementioned definition that are particularly important to remember when developing a successful pitch and the first is that a pitch should be concise it is not a synopsis, it is a well thought out idea that needs to grab attention. The second is that the goal of a pitch should be to generate interest in the project.
Lora-Mungai explained that when delivering a pitch, one should always be aware of what the jury is thinking. She highlighted six aspects that the jury usually has in mind when listening to a pitch:
Can the person pitch and are they serious about their project?
Is it a good story?
Can I sell it on the current marketplace?
How much will it cost to make and is it reasonable?
How will I market it?
Does it look like anything else I know?
The DOs and DON Ts of pitching
There are specific DOs and DON Ts that one should adhere in order to deliver a successful pitch. Lora-Mungai highlighted these as follows:
DON T wing it or leave anything to chance as you re likely to stumble on the spot.
DO write your pitch down. Time yourself. Learn it by heart and keep rehearsing it until you know it so well that it flows naturally. Preparation is key.
DON T read from a piece of paper. Keep your pitch punchy and conventional. Make eye contact. The goal is to seduce the jury with your idea.
DON T get lost in details and ramble with no clear aim. It is important that the pitch has structure.
DO start with a clear one or two sentence logline.
A logline is a summary of the project in one or two sentences, that not only conveys the premise but also gives the listener emotional insight into the story as a whole. Lora-Mungai quoted screenwriter Blake Snyder who says that the logline is the DNA of your project.
DON T forget to mention whether you re talking about a feature film or a TV series and always stipulate what genre it is.
DON T rush. Three minutes is both short and long. After the logline, give a short synopsis which includes quick character descriptions, inciting incidents, major plot points and the resolution.
DO know the difference between plot and story. Lora-Mungai stressed that the jury wants to hear about the story. The plot is what happens, the story is why it happens and how.
DON T compare your project to others too much. It is acceptable to point out similarities but don t overdo it as it will make your project appear too derivative.
DO leave on a high note. End your pitch with a one or two sentence conclusion about the type of audience you think your project can attract and why you think your audience will love it, said Lora-Mungai.
DON T overstay your welcome. Stick to the time limit or you will be penalised.
Lora-Mungai concluded the session by advising those who will be pitching in the future to always familiarise themselves with the jury beforehand. She stressed that in any business meeting, and especially when pitching, it is important to look up the people you are pitching to, as knowing your audience is half the battle.
For more information and updates on the 7th Durban FilmMart visit the official website.
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