Lesson 8: Great Pitch 3: Being a Star at Pitch Fests!

[Brian Bull]

BRIAN BULL – Pitch Fest Pitch

VISION!!!

My ultimate goal is to get my scripts from my hands to the SILVER SCREEN!!

“What I learned from doing this assignment is…
Keep It Short and Sweet!!! – KISS!!!

ASSIGNMENT

Create your entire Pitch Fest Pitch.
Tell us your credibility.
I’ve worked in the movie industry for 35 years.
I’m a Local 44 member.

I’m from Wisconsin – Fort Atkinson to be exact.

Let me start by saying…

My brother Bob and I used to fish the Bark River
when I was young. That was the inspiration for my script.

2. Tell us your genre and title.
It’s a DRAMA / SUSPENSE low-budget feature film.

The Title is – THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY – A Fisherman Tale

3. What is your one or two sentence hook?
With a staggering 50 million fishermen in the United States as of 2022, “The One That Got Away – A Fisherman’s Tale” encapsulates the true spirit of fishing – THIS MOVIE IS FOR THEM!

For 25 years, John has been fishing the same spot, with the same bait, determined to catch the fish that had gotten away; a fish he blames for his brother’s death.

4. Please give your one or two sentence answer to each of these questions:
What is the budget range?

Low budget: $500k to $5 million

What actors do you like for the lead roles?

I’ll have to give this some thought.

Give me the acts of the story.

As the full moonsets and the sun rises, deep in the Louisiana Bayous, with Spanish-cover Cypress trees and alligators lurking, there’s a sense of haunting beauty in the solitude as John patiently waits in his wooden skiff.

Reflecting on his past; learning how to fish from his Dad, the camaraderie he shared with his younger brother, his wife’s recent disapproval of his leaving to do this, John struggles with his determination for revenge and justice.

Recalling an ancient Indian legend, told by an old-timer at a Trading Post the previous day, John finds strength to continue his quest to apprehend the one fish that has eluded him.

After an imaginary conversation with his deceased brother, the bayou becomes eerily silent for a moment…and then…… the moment of reckoning.

How does it end? (setup / payoff).

John finally catches the catfish he has relentlessly pursued, and his determination of coming face-to-face with his nemesis has arrived, only to realize the startling truth: he himself was “The One That Got Away”; needless to say – to his surprise…it’s ONE BIG CATFISH!

Credibility questions What have you done?

I’ve been working in the movie industry for 35 years. I’ve worked with some of the best in the business. I hope to continue this trend.

[Margaret]

Margaret’s Pitch Fest Pitch

What I Learned: Components necessary for a good pitch

Hi, I’m Margaret and I’m an optioned screenwriter.

I have a Fantasy Drama called “The Rock of Cashel.”

The Rock of Cashel is a unique blend of historical legend and fantasy, focusing on the transformative journey of Patrick, a slave who becomes a priest, battling druids and the Queen of the Irish otherworld to save a king and a nation.

Budget: $5-10 million

Actors for lead roles: Chris Pratt; Ryan Gosling

Acts:

Act 1: Patrick is kidnapped and taken to Ireland. He escapes and returns to Britain where he becomes a priest. After receiving a mission from God, he returns to the land of his slavery.

Act 2: A prophecy sets Patrick as the target for the Queen of the Otherworld, Morrigan. His mission to evangelize the people is filled with resistance, temptation, and betrayal all orchestrated by the goddess’ malevolent forces. Patrick is captured and taken to Mt. Cruachan where he faces the powers of the Otherworld.

Act 3: As Patrick faces his inner demons and grapples with the supernatural, the story culminates in a breathtaking climax. The battle between light and darkness, faith and fear, unfolds with epic proportions. Divine intervention, angels against otherworld creatures, and the unbreakable spirit of our hero lead to a triumphant conclusion.

What have I done? One feature optioned, written 3 other features, all have placed in contests, all have received a “recommend” on coverage.

[Lloyd Shellenberger]

WIM Module 10 lesson 8 Become a star at a pitch fest.

Lloyd’s Pitch Fest

Vision Working hard everyday to become the best writer I can be and as a result I do become the best writer in Hollywood.

What I learned from this assignment is… exactly what I will say and do a pitch fest and writers conference to get representation.

Hook:

Imagine you were told as an Interpreter you could apply for asylum while working for the Army, but you were denied. This is a true story based upon tens of thousands of locals abandoned and marked for death by their own countrymen after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This happens daily as we speak.

“Hi, I’m Lloyd Shellenberger. I am a writer, and producer with a feature film and several documentaries under my belt. I covered the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as a broadcast journalist and a Special Operations soldier. I covered the story of Letters from Baghdad. I am also a published author as well.

Action Drama Inspired by true events.

Left Behind Letters from Baghdad.

The budget range is 50-100 million.

I see this as a perfect lead role for Chris Pratt, Ian Somerhalder, and Cooper Barnes.

The inciting incident in the first act is the murder of Hammad, the interpreter.

This forces SFC Clark and his squad to reexamine their view of the military, our government and our policies. Sergeant Clark vows to secure a visa for the widow and her children at all costs but his first attempts fail.

In the second act Clark risks his life and the members of his unit by forcing a lumbering bureaucracy to reexamine their policies. He takes on the system and dares to question it.

By the end of the third act, Clark and his crew must face off against Abu-Rami and his terrorist cell in a winner takes all scenario. The countdown has begun, and the terrorist are intent on killing everyone involved with the interpreter. Will they succeed? In the final act Clark and his squad secure the visas with less than one day to spare. The widow and children are given asylum. Clark and his unit are vindicated. This is an action drama that intertwines the genre with genuine human interaction and dignity.