Screenwriting Tip: Create a “Pitch Persona”

When you pitch a TV or movie project, your ability to perform in the room is critical.

If you want to be a screenwriter or TV writer, you need to be able to be good in the room. The room being populated by development execs, producers, talent… and YOU.

I know. Your anxiety is already starting to rise. This next bit is sure to elevate your blood pressure even more.

In order to be good in a room, among the skill sets you should have is the ability to perform.

Perform?! Hyperventilate. Paper bag. Breathe in. Breath out…

The subject came up in a Twitter conversation. Here is a tweet from a screenwriter I know David Rabinowitz who won an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay for BlacKkKlansman.

My advice to writers is… become a performer.

For many writers, pitching is the bane of their existence. The pressure to be good in a room… all eyes on you… not only tell a story, but SELL the story in a compressed time frame…

Let’s face it. Any time you go in to pitch a project, whether it’s an original idea or an open writing assignment, it is major sphincter-tightening time.

Several Hollywood writers have shared their insights via Tweetstorms on how to prepare for a pitch:

• Carter Blanchard (@cartblanch): On Tips to Prepare for a Pitch
• Eric Heisserer (@HIGHzurrer): On Pitching
• Ed Solomon (@ed_solomon): On Pitching

A common thread corroborates the point that a writer benefits by bringing an element of performance to their pitch.

I myself have been involved in hundreds of pitches, both as a screenwriter and a producer, and sold several including People’s Choice (Warner Bros.), Mysterious Island (Disney), Trojan War (Warner Bros.), The Quiet Room (Tri-Star), and Duane Moody’s Office Christmas Party (Paramount). I don’t claim to be an expert, but I know how important it is to read the room, take command of it, and create a mood which reflects the tone of the story you’re pitching.

Yes, you need to have a great story concept… you should have practiced your pitch until you know it backwards and forward… you ought to be comfortable enough with the story to roll with the punches if/when you are interrupted for questions and comments during the pitch…

All that.

But the VIBE in the room and what you do to engender that VIBE can be an enormous plus for you in moving the project forward. And you can best accomplish that if your bring out your Inner Performer.

So what if, as David Rabinowitz notes, you are not comfortable in those type of situations? You’re a writer. That probably means you’ve got an introverted streak because a significant part of your craft is spending a lot of time alone… thinking… reflecting… writing. Being the center of attention in a room in which you are trying to sell yourself and your story? Not a natural thing for many, if not most writers.

What to do?

Let me share an anecdote I heard about this performer:

David Bowie. I don’t know where I heard this story, but for purposes of this discussion, let’s assume it’s true.

As the story goes, we are backstage moments before Bowie is to perform for tens of thousands of fans in a mammoth concert hall. Two people stand to the side — one of Bowie’s managers and somebody (I can’t remember who) with enough pull to have a backstage pass and be standing next to the manager.

Across the way just off-stage behind the curtain stands David Bowie himself. As the crowd screams, claps, and yells awaiting his appearance onstage, our Somebody watches the musician who is rocking back and forth, lips moving, muttering something to himself, over and over again.

Somebody (to manager): What’s he doing?
Manager: He does this before every concert just before he goes onstage.
Somebody: What’s that?
Manager: He repeats to himself, “I’m David Bowie. I’m David Bowie. I’m David Bowie.”

He’s not saying, “I’m David Bowie, the bloke who wakes up in the morning to have tea and a hard-boiled egg whilst reading the London Times.” What he’s saying is, “I’m fucking David Bowie, the fucking rock star who’s going to go out there and give the fucking performance of a lifetime.”

When I heard that story, I got it. I mean, I’m not David Bowie, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I did play music professionally for seven years and stand-up comedy for two.

One thing I learned from all those gigs: Create and adopt a stage persona. This was especially true for my stand-up act. Not exactly, “I’m David Bowie, I’m David Bowie.” That would be weird because I’m not David Bowie. But before I took the stage each night, I would pump myself up as the performer who was about to hit the stage.

So when I broke into Hollywood as a screenwriter and started pitching, I created a Pitch Persona. I donned that ‘mask’ before each pitch meeting. Firm handshake. Confident smile. Direct eye contact. Leaning forward in my chair. Bring in a couple of fun bits of business from my life as ice-breakers. Nodding my head at their comments. A fun person, a funny person, not crazy, but engaged and interesting.

Then time to tell the story.

But it’s not Writer Guy doing the pitch. You know, the dude who explains the rationale for this or that story choice. Who gets lost in the weeds with too much detail. Apt to want to tell the entire story beat for beat.

Nope. Pitch Guy. A nice, tight twelve-minute presentation which they’ve rehearsed about a thousand times in the voice of their Pitch Persona.

My takeaway for you if you have troubles pitching: Don’t go in to pitch as Writer Guy. Embrace your Pitch Persona.

It’s not a fake version of you, rather it’s a performing version of you. That part of you who can tell a joke at a party. Who regales friends with a ridiculous story from your own life experience.

Get in touch with whatever aspect of your psyche which enjoys telling a story and run with that. Create a Pitch Persona, then go into that room…

And knock ’em dead!

For my take on how to structure your pitch, go here.

For your entertainment, here are some humorous takes on pitch meetings

Good luck with your Pitch Persona!