How to Pitch Your Script

Earlier on in the week we released a post on social media about how to pitch your script as a successful elevator pitch. In this blog post we’re going to give a little bit more insight into what we think might help you out in a bit more detail.

Well first of all, what is an elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is a concise, persuasive summary of an idea, product, or yourself that can be delivered during a brief elevator ride to quickly capture attention, explain your value, and spark interest in learning more. It is a crucial tool for business professionals to make a strong first impression. It can easily be adapted into a script pitch as well. We’re broken it down into 6 stages:

1 Know your audience

2 Craft your logline

3 Highlight your theme

4 Showcase your characters

5 Outline your plot

6 Sell your vision

1 Know your audience

Before you pitch your script, you need to do some research on who you are pitching to.

Some key questions to think about are; What are their interests, preferences, and goals? By using their, we mean this in terms of who you are speaking to, it could be a producer or artistic director of a venue or company. There’s no point pitching a new musical if they only do classical text.

Other key questions are…

What kind of projects have they worked on before? What are they looking for in a script?

Knowing your audience will help you tailor your pitch to their needs and expectations, and avoid wasting their time with irrelevant or inappropriate information.

You also need to consider the format and context of your meeting. Although we have called this a ‘pitch’ think of it more of a conversation. A pitch is something you throw and hope that it lands, a conversation is a two-way street where you get to know each other better. Be prepared, there will be questions during this meeting.

2 Craft your logline

A logline is a one-sentence summary of your script that captures its main idea, genre, tone, and hook.

It is the first thing that your audience will hear or read about your script, and it should spark their curiosity and interest.

A good logline should be clear, concise, and catchy, and avoid vague or generic descriptions.

It should also hint at the conflict, stakes, and resolution of your story, and convey what makes your script unique and worth producing. For example, a logline for Hamlet might be: "A troubled prince seeks revenge for his father's murder, but his indecision and madness lead to a tragic downfall."

3 Highlight your theme

Your theme is the central message or question that your script explores, and it should resonate with your audience and the current cultural or social climate.

Your theme should be relevant, meaningful, and original, and not just a cliché or a moral. It should also be consistent with the previous point but also reflect your personal voice and vision. For example, a theme for The Lion King might be: "The circle of life and the responsibility of leadership."

To highlight your theme, you need to explain how it relates to your characters, plot, and setting, and how it affects your audience's emotions and thoughts. That leads us on to the next point and point 5, which are…

4 Showcase your characters

Your characters are the heart and soul of your script. Your audience should care about your characters, their goals, their challenges, and their transformations.

To showcase your characters, you need to describe their personalities, backgrounds, motivations, and arcs, and how they interact with each other and the world.

You also need to demonstrate their voices, quirks, and flaws, and how they express themselves through dialogue and action. For example, a character description for Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion (1913) and My Fair Lady (1956) might be: "A poor flower girl who dreams of becoming a lady, but clashes with her arrogant and cynical tutor."

5 Outline your plot

Your plot is the sequence of events that make up your script, and it should be coherent, logical, and captivating.

Your audience should follow your plot, understand your conflict, and anticipate your climax and resolution.

To outline your plot, you might need to use the three-act structure, which divides your script into the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution.

You also need to identify the key scenes, twists, and turns that drive your story forward, and create suspense, tension, and surprise. For example, a plot outline for Romeo and Juliet might be: "Two young lovers from rival families fall in love, but their secret romance leads to a series of tragic consequences."

6 Sell your vision

Your vision is the overall impression and impact that your script will have on the stage.

Your audience should imagine your script as a successful and trust your ability and passion as a writer.

To sell your vision, you need to convey your genre, tone, and style, and how they suit your script and your audience.

You also need to explain your artistic choices, such as your setting, time period, language, music, and visuals, and how they enhance your script and your theme. For example, a vision statement for Wicked might be: "A musical reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, that explores the origins and perspectives of the witches, and challenges the notions of good and evil."

Bonus Golden Tips

Act natural, don’t force things into conversation.

Be comfortable in what you want to reveal or give away in the conversation.

Remember that it might not be for them but that doesn’t mean its not for everyone!

This post was written by:

Joint Members of Peripeteia Theatre.