[Joel Cousins]

Joel Cousins’ High Concept/Elevator Pitch

1. To find your main hook, tell us what the big picture explanation of your lead character’s journey is.

A disturbed man must overcome adversities as he gets a chance to heal or lose it all during a shutdown at an oil refinery.

2. How can you tell it in the most interesting way possible?

A disturbed man whose life is falling apart gets a chance to redeem himself at an oil refinery shutdown which brings trouble at every turn.

3. Using the 10 Components of Marketability, what is your Elevator Pitch?

PITCH: SHUTDOWN is Unique and a First, as we’re set in and the mysterious world of refineries. The Title is a fluke and nor related to the virus. It’s based on true stories from my time working shutdowns across Canada. It’s Timely in that many people deal with anxiety, like our Hero. It will have a broad audience appeal, especially to the underrepresented target audience of all Trades Workers, globally. Our Hero, would be a great role for a bankable actor, male, 40ish, due to the versatility required for the role.

[Joel Cousins]

Subject Line: Joel Cousins – Producer/Manager

To the producer, I would explain the marketability of my specific film and that I’m flexible to changing things.

To the manager, I would share my accolades and my inventory of writings across different genres.

[Joel Cousins]

Subject Line: Joel Cousins – Marketable Components

I learned today that SHUTDOWN fits several of the 10 Components of Marketability.

SHUTDOWN (Logline): A troubled man leads a band of outrageous Welding Inspectors who wreak havoc during a Spring shutdown out West at an Alberta oil refinery.

Marketability:

A. Unique – Set in and around refineries, will appeal to a neglected target audience as it pertains to film – all Trades workers, worldwide.

C. True – Based on true stories from my experiences travelling Canada as a refinery Inspector

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by  Joel Cousins.

[Joel Cousins]

Joel Cousins, Feature, Marketing Producers

Dramedy – SHUTDOWN – Shutdown is a story about letting go and moving forward, set in and around Canadian refineries. THE BEAR meets SLAPSHOT.

SHUTDOWN is unique in that it’s prominently set in and around refineries and shows content not previously depicted in film before. It’s relatable to most people who have suffered from anxiety and the title is a fluke, and has nothing to due with the world ‘shutting down’.

I have targeted managers, producers, and companies. In the course of my targeting, I now believe I need to target the right advocate for SHUTDOWN, being producers. Not one manager or agent has responded to my queries.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by  Joel Cousins.

[Joel Cousins]

I, Joel Cousins, agree to the terms of this release form.

GROUP RELEASE FORM

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.

2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.

I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.

3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.

4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.

5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.

6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.

This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Joel Cousins]

1. Joel Cousins

2. Written several scripts.

3. Looking to learn more and advance my main project.

4. Live in New Brunswick, Canada.

[Joel Cousins]

This is Timely, Heather. Difficult to process, but I would want to see this.