When comes time to pitch your film idea, most industry pros agree you'll need a killer script, a realistic budget, and a cast and crew that fits the project. In fact, these are all elements that you deal with before you're in front of a prospective investor. But what happens when you actually get face to face with someone who can write you a check?
Picture this! Let’s say it’s 2 a.m. and you’re at a bar or a dance club. You’ve had some drinks and it’s the end of the night, so you’re tired. As you slowly make your way to pay your tab, you find yourself standing next to a guy who’s dressed to the nines. You strike up a conversation and he tells you he’s a commercial real estate developer and he’s worth $40 million.
How To Pitch Your Film Idea To Investors Like A Total Boss
Then he asks you what you do and you tell him you’re a filmmaker. He asks, “What are you working on?” Are you ready to pitch your film idea? Can you seamlessly flow? Are you able to shake off the effects of the alcohol and tiredness and start selling this guy on why he should give you $1 million of his hard-earned $40 million fortune? You have to be. There are no second chances.
I know my pitch so well, that someone can wake me up at 3 a.m. demanding: “Pitch your film idea!” And I could take a deep breath and pitch. Your pitch has to be second nature. It must be natural and easy. Your pitch gets you paid, and it gets your film made. It’s the gift you give an investor.
You never know where or when you’re going to meet the person who will invest in your movie. Maybe you're standing in line at the airport. Or you're sitting in a dentist’s office. You may be waiting for your car to get fixed. You have to be armed with your pitch at all times. Salespeople have a term, “ABC: Always Be Closing.” I use the term “ABP: Always Be Pitching.”
The Pitch Is Your Friend
I had one investor who was a heavy drinker. He liked to call me up at 11 p.m. and ask me to come over to his house. One time I was in bed, ready to go to sleep. He sent me a text asking me to come over and talk about the film. So I got out of bed, got dressed, and went to his house. Once there, we started doing shots…
After about the third shot, he asked me to pitch the film idea, and that’s exactly what I did. You see, I take this business very seriously. I’ve seen many weak producers just get trashed and lose sight of the prize. I never do. When I’m pitching a film, I could have thirty shots! (Okay, that is an exaggeration…) But I know that making films is what feeds my family and pays for my house. So I took a deep breath, and I started to pitch the film. I got a verbal commitment for several million dollars that night.
[Grab a copy of Tom Malloy's Producer Pitch Secrets Here]
Your excitement is the most crucial element of your pitch. Think about it. You’re asking this person to give you his or her hard-earned money. Do you think you’ll get what you want if you’re just flat when you talk about your film? How about if you say something like the following:
“Yeah, well I’ve got this film and it could be pretty good. We will cast some nice people. And we may make a little money.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would invest in that project. Why wants to make a film that’s “pretty good” just to make a “little bit” of money? So let’s improve the pitch. How about this:
“We have this amazing film… It’s so exciting! We think the film could be the next Saw! We’re aiming for a top-notch cast and crew, and the film is going to be awesome!”
Pitch Your Film… The Most Important Element
Okay, now I’m listening! This film is “amazing, exciting, awesome” and could turn out to be the next Saw! Wow!
Now here’s the thing: Those two pitches you just read might be for the same exact movie! The first pitch wasn't exciting, and the second pitch was. When it comes time to pitch your film, you have to believe in yourself and get excited and passionate in order to sell! There’s no better lesson I can impart to you.
It’s tough to define exactly what you need to include in your pitch. There are many variables. What is your film about? Have similar films made money? Who is starring in it? Who’s directing? You’ll have covered all of this extensively in my Producer Pitch Secrets training system.
