The Art of Pitching for Films

About this course:

If you’re interested in having a career as a screenwriter, you need to learn how to pitch your story ideas. Most screenwriters struggle with pitching. However, pitching is a very efficient way for Hollywood producers to both determine if a writer knows how to tell a story and if the writer would be enjoyable to work with. Thus, producers continue to request pitches from writers as a necessary part of the business. This course aims to demystify the pitching process so that pitching can become easier and possibly even fun. In this course, you break down the components of a strong 1-minute, 5-minute, and 15-minute pitch for a feature film. You examine the qualities of a great pitch deck. You delve into the mechanics of delivering a powerful pitch, primarily focusing on increasing a pitch’s entertainment value. Lastly, topics on how to navigate a general meeting with a Hollywood professional, grow relationships in the industry, and sustain a career as a screenwriter is covered. Through lectures, Q&A’s, and breakout room discussions, you become equipped with an arsenal of pitching tips and tricks, empowering you to pitch with confidence, wow your audience in a general meeting, and sustain a screenwriting career.   This course is part of a large lecture series and does not include workshopping of student writing. It is ideal for those who wish to gain knowledge in a particular subject area without the concerns of receiving credit. Grades are calculated based on quizzes and exams. These courses cannot be applied to certificate completion at UCLA Extension.