Back in November I signed up for a pitching seminar at Columbia College. What’s pitching, you ask. Oh, pitching is the fine art of verbal story telling and being charming – at the same time. Whenever a screenwriter or a producer wants to sell a story to a production company, they pitch the script – or just verbally tell them the story. It last about 25 minutes – it can last 45 – and you have to make the story sound like the most interesting event in human history. You have to pull the emotions from your listeners (who are probably taking calls and texting other colleagues). The story must drip with awesomeness. If you are pitching a pile of crap, put a pretty dress on the crap and give it a boob job, cause chances are, those producers want a pretty piece of shit.
This was how Green Lantern was pitched. Googly eyes will sell anything.
Well, I decided to pitch one of my treatments to this Hollywood Screenwriter/Producer who was hosting the workshop. I Without giving the story away, I’ll do the cheesy, stereotypical thing and tell you it’s like Tommy Boy meets Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. (And no, it’s not Black Sheep 2). I was the last one to go for the day, so most people had left. I was clocked in at 23 minutes and was told, “Timmy, get that written. Now.” I guess he liked it. His wife teaches at Columbia and is an accomplished producer and she keeps asking where it is. Everyone keeps asking where it is. I need to get this baby written.
Now things get tough. I’m leaving for LA in late February for a semester program through Columbia. I need a script to pitch. Instead of choosing someone else’s property, Im going with my own . . . which means I have to balance 3 jobs, work on my thesis, write this blog and get a script done in 5 weeks. Pretty stressful. And as I write this I’m also aware that two of my jobs may be laying me off. CRAP!
I hope the stress doesn't make me type like this.
The announcement today, then, is because of the load, I will continue to write this blog post daily, but may have to make them shorter than I’d like. And I like writing them long. When you get me going, sometimes I just can’t stop. The good thing is that this blog is a good writing warm up for screenwriting. What I will promise and what I ask of you, all 8 of my readers, is that you keep me honest. I’ll give you updates 3 times a week. I’m hoping to write an hour minimum a day on my script. I’ll report to you and, hopefully, you’ll tell me “Yeah, Timmy, you did it!” or “I hate you, you procrastinator.” So, as it says above, now the hard part begins.
I will be John McClane this month!
96/365 – And Now the Hard Part Begins
Back in November I signed up for a pitching seminar at Columbia College. What’s pitching, you ask. Oh, pitching is the fine art of verbal story telling and being charming – at the same time. Whenever a screenwriter or a producer wants to sell a story to a production company, they pitch the script – or just verbally tell them the story. It last about 25 minutes – it can last 45 – and you have to make the story sound like the most interesting event in human history. You have to pull the emotions from your listeners (who are probably taking calls and texting other colleagues). The story must drip with awesomeness. If you are pitching a pile of crap, put a pretty dress on the crap and give it a boob job, cause chances are, those producers want a pretty piece of shit.
This was how Green Lantern was pitched. Googly eyes will sell anything.
Well, I decided to pitch one of my treatments to this Hollywood Screenwriter/Producer who was hosting the workshop. I Without giving the story away, I’ll do the cheesy, stereotypical thing and tell you it’s like Tommy Boy meets Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. (And no, it’s not Black Sheep 2). I was the last one to go for the day, so most people had left. I was clocked in at 23 minutes and was told, “Timmy, get that written. Now.” I guess he liked it. His wife teaches at Columbia and is an accomplished producer and she keeps asking where it is. Everyone keeps asking where it is. I need to get this baby written.
Now things get tough. I’m leaving for LA in late February for a semester program through Columbia. I need a script to pitch. Instead of choosing someone else’s property, Im going with my own . . . which means I have to balance 3 jobs, work on my thesis, write this blog and get a script done in 5 weeks. Pretty stressful. And as I write this I’m also aware that two of my jobs may be laying me off. CRAP!
I hope the stress doesn't make me type like this.
The announcement today, then, is because of the load, I will continue to write this blog post daily, but may have to make them shorter than I’d like. And I like writing them long. When you get me going, sometimes I just can’t stop. The good thing is that this blog is a good writing warm up for screenwriting. What I will promise and what I ask of you, all 8 of my readers, is that you keep me honest. I’ll give you updates 3 times a week. I’m hoping to write an hour minimum a day on my script. I’ll report to you and, hopefully, you’ll tell me “Yeah, Timmy, you did it!” or “I hate you, you procrastinator.” So, as it says above, now the hard part begins.
I will be John McClane this month!