Movie Making Manual/Pitching

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This Module is part of the Movie Making Manual


Making a film is a group endeavour. You cannot do it alone and you will need to convince others to come along for the ride. Sharing your idea for the film and the story of the film is called "pitching" and if you want to be a filmmaker you need to get good at it.

Hook[edit | edit source]

Describe your film in a sentence. Few have done better than the Alien description of "Jaws in space." But beware - "movie x in setting y" or "movie a meets movie b" descriptions (known as "High Concept") are becoming clichéd. Don't try and force your one-line description into one of these if it doesn't fit.

Use Descriptive language[edit | edit source]

Be as precise as possible with your language. Which is better?

  1. Amores Perros opens with a shot of a dog.
  2. Amores Perros opens with a shot of a slavering pit bull terrier.

When pitching a film you need to use visual language. Make the audience of your pitch "see" the film you are describing - sell the sizzle not the steak.