Revealing document find from 2003. Back then, I was trying to hone my studio pitches to a science. I found a notebook I'd kept on how much time and effort were going into each pitch, from studying materials, to rehearsal, to writing, to the actual meeting. Here's an example of a pitch I did for the National Geographic Channel.
They wanted an animated show. They had a few ideas and wanted original ones as well. Materials arrived for me on Aug. 5. I read pages and watched a video. Spent 6 hours writing ideas for what they thought they wanted, plus original material, plus several additional hours rehearsing.
Worked on my attitude and talked to a friend of mine in real estate. She suggested I stand when I pitched because my energy would be better.
August 14th was meeting day. I hardly got a word in edgewise. The junior exec. did most of the talking, but was clearly impressed with my ability to sit silently and smile. Another meeting was set with the senior exec. I was given character sketches for two ideas they liked and invited to supply said ideas with story, motivation, supporting characters and villains.
More hours spent thinking, writing, rehearsing.
On September 16, I got off the elevator and there was the senior exec. I was supposed to meet. She was backing up while talking to me and accidentally walked into a large floor plant, almost knocking it over. I said something like, "A close brush, yes?" That probably finished me.
In the meeting, the senior exec. was mostly interested in the idea I cared for least. Out of nowhere, she called the artist, put me on speaker phone with him, and listened as we swapped ideas on what a show with this character might be like. Very awkward. In the end, senior and junior execs. were polite and noncommittal, but I got the sense they weren't all that interested in my take.
Later, my agent called to say they weren't all that interested in my take.
I added up all the hours. They totaled 23; almost a day.
Two months later, I was hired to story edit a show without any interviews or meetings or execs. falling into plants.
So I figure it evened out.
Welcome to WRITE ENOUGH!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Featured Post
John P. McCann Sizzle Page
'Twas suggested I post a few episodes of my work in a pleasant spot. I've chosen here. Sadly, not everything I've written has y...
-
Twice in the last eight years I've run the Santa Clarita 5k on Independence Day. Back in 2007 it was sizzling hot. Three years late... -
More memories from the boxes . Here's my life at Warner Bros. that year. Cleaned up my office after the Northridge earthquake rearranged...
6 comments:
I hate pitching ideas. As an architect, I eventually learned to that I can always rely on my portfolio to showcase what I can do and always ask for money before producing anything for anyone. However, I'm under the impression that in your field that's just unavoidable, yes?
Since you write comedy I guess you at least get to recycle some jokes and ideas for other projects.
Sometimes.
Or you can take, say, an animated idea that didn't fly and retool it as live-action or fiction.
But often people want you to come up with ideas for free, which I've done, but not in awhile.
I spend my time working on my own stuff, which, for the moment, is also for free. But it's far more rewarding.
... is that stuff available yet?
One will be available later this month.
I'll post details when the magazine comes out.
Perfect!
That very senior executive recently got bounced from her lofty perch and is now busily engaged picking up spit.
Post a Comment