Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

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  • Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

    I want to pitch a cable pilot to a certain production company. They accept phone pitches to their Dir. of Dev., however, by reps, only.

    My de facto manager will probably not do this for me as we seem to disagree on nearly all the proposed "attachments" for this project. So, I'm gonna do it myself.

    Questions: First, is it ok to tell them why I want to pitch the project myself? How much ground should I cover? Brief synopsis, logline, what? Mention any awards? Finally, any tips on keeping a cool head?

    Any info much appreciated.

  • #2
    Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

    This is more like cold calling, though. It's a shot in the dark. I'm not saying not to take that shot but that's what it is. It's not a planned phone pitch set up by a rep (which are a headache in their own right). It's a cold call. If you cold call, be nice, let them know you're working with a rep, and be ready to pitch your concept in depth -- but keep it to maybe 3-5 minutes.

    What's up with your manager, man? Maybe it's time make him de functo?
    "I hate to break it to you but there is no big lie. There is no system. The universe is indifferent.- - Don Draper

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    • #3
      Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

      I'm thinkin,' Joe.

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      • #4
        Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

        When I've cold-called (nerve wracking but I'd rather do that than cold query), I asked to speak to the person I want to reach, they usually ask who's calling, I tell them, and they put me through sometimes.

        I made it past the first person that way who most likely would've shot me down right away if I had explained why I was calling in the first place.

        When I've gotten through, the assistant usually picks up for the person I'm trying to reach and I ask to speak to such-and-such person again. The assistant then asks my name and I tell them and I either have to speak to the assistant or get put through (happened a couple of times) or get real lucky and the person I'm trying to reach just picked up because the assistant was out or for some reason, happened a couple of times that way . . . but I wasn't ready for that and kinda froze at first then regrouped. So just be ready in case that happens.

        If the assistant tells me such-and-such ain't interested, I've asked the assistant if s/he would like to read the script. I received a couple of yesses that way and have actually had the assistant "pull" for me in trying to help me as much as possible.

        Of course, I wasn't even ready when I did all of this.

        And always polite, respectful, yourself.

        That's just the way I've done it and would do it again.

        Good luck, smcguinn.

        Corona
        I love you, Reyna . . .

        Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

        Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
        I ain't no punk b1tch...

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        • #5
          Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

          Thanks, Corona. Sounds like a plan.

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          • #6
            Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

            You're welcome.

            Hope something in there helps you.

            Good luck,

            Corona
            I love you, Reyna . . .

            Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

            Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
            I ain't no punk b1tch...

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            • #7
              Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

              My experience of cold calling it is easier to get reads if you have a high concept hook that you can pitch in seconds rather than minutes--and an old insurance trick is to tell them you only want 15 seconds of their time. Most people can spare 15 seconds so it takes the pressure off, they know they are not going to be tied up on the phone for ages. It's harder with low concept scripts.
              Blog: http://writinglounge.blogspot.com
              Email: kidcharlemagne108[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk]

              "What is your greatest ambition? To become immortal and then die." - Breathless

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              • #8
                Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                Originally posted by smcguinn View Post
                I want to pitch a cable pilot to a certain production company. They accept phone pitches to their Dir. of Dev., however, by reps, only.
                DoD picks up phone.

                MACGUIRE
                I'm here.

                MCGUINN
                Oh, gosh... err, I wanted to pitch this really amazing
                concept I've been developing which I started to... well
                like my dad was in the navy and he's seen action in
                the Gulf although my idea is not completely, like
                it's based on a carrier but it's kind of more like a
                behind the scenes, not like in action right now, but
                there's like, well first it's not related to my dad but
                he knows some navy seals and they'd be like the
                A-story and then the back-up--

                MACGUIRE
                What's your pitch?

                MCGUINN
                It's complete action, totally action and basically
                just keeping it like it happens, it's very real. But
                the focus is on the seals.

                MACGUIRE
                We're already working on something
                like that at the moment.

                MCGUINN
                Okay. So...

                MACGUIRE
                Thanks for your call, we appreciate it.

                Sorry, I'm cynical. There are reasons they only accept pitches from reps, including legal/copyright issues. It's your call but I suggest you don't and that you pitch in writing and (depending on genre/format) prepare a full treatment and several episode outlines. If you aren't experienced at pitching I suspect you'd find it very difficult to pitch convincingly over the phone and circumventing the rep requirement is not advisable. Just my suggestion.
                "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                • #9
                  Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                  I should have added - one of the challenges of phone pitches is that it's very easy to be caught out, or find yourself unable to provide the best reply quickly enough. Maybe you think very quickly on your feet and you're the sort of person who could handle it, but it requires a reasonable level of understanding of the industry (which you may have) and a thorough and well-researched understanding of what it is you're pitching. If you do get caught out by a question which you can't answer properly or at all it can make you sound unprepared and foolish even if you are not. Also for these sorts of reasons phone pitching is not a good idea for the inexperienced. I don't know how experienced you are so whether or not you're up to the challenge only you can judge.
                  "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                  • #10
                    Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                    All excellent points, David.

                    I'm pretty damn good at written pitches. Unfortunately, when I called this company to find out what the protocol is, they told me to "phone it in."

                    I wanted my manager to do it, but as I mentioned in my original post, we don't always agree on certain issues. I'll leave it at that.

                    I thought I could carry it off, but hell, now I don't know.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                      Like I say - you be the judge. Mayber you could put yourself to the test. If you have the means to record a telephone conversation, get a suitable person to play the role of DoD, phone him or her, record your pitch, then listen to it later and see what you sound like. Listening to yourself will give you a sense of how well you do it. As for the rep thing, you could always do some research and evaluate the risk. In the production industry there's no such thing as too much preparation.
                      "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                      • #12
                        Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                        Fair enough. Thanks.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                          Maybe this is worth looking at:

                          http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ad.php?t=54913
                          "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

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                          • #14
                            Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                            As a heads up, smcguinn:

                            If you're intending to be the creative force behind a series, the expectation will be for lots of pitching and interaction with the network in person and over the phone. Each episode's story, guest casting, edit notes, etc. - it's just the nature of the showrunner's job. Especially when someone doesn't have much showrunning experience. It's one of the ways buyers develop a comfort level.

                            So, whatever it takes for you get at ease with this, it's going to be to your advantage here. Best of luck.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Tips On Phone Pitching, Please.

                              Thanks everyone. Great advice all around.

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