Pitching Hollywood

Two successful movie and TV producers provide the reader with the tools needed to create, develop, and sell ideas to Hollywood. Producers Jonathan Koch (""Beyond the Glory"") and Robert Kosberg (Deep Blue Sea) are known as the ""Kings of Pitch."" They currently have more than a dozen projects in development at major studios, including projects with Josh Lucas, Tobey Maguire, and Katherine Heigl.

Inside tips on how to craft pitches that seal the deal—no matter what industry you work in—and banish presentation anxiety forever From impromptu elevator pitches to full-board presentations, sales and marketing professionals face an “audience” daily―often with make-or-break consequences. As the person delivering the performance, you need to know you have a great script and are able to maintain composure throughout. To help you perfect both pitch and performance, there are no better coaches than clinical psychologist Peter Desberg and writer/producer Jeffrey Davis. With experience and insights from both the film industry and the corporate world, they understand the pitch process. In Pitch Like Hollywood, they show you how to up your game substantially—no matter what business you’re in—by incorporating elements of a classic Hollywood pitch: driving emotion, piquing curiosity, and ultimately winning over decision makers with powerful persuasion and performance. They take you on an insider’s tour of the entire process, from defining the fundamentals to designing effective presentation strategies to overcoming stage fright. With chapters that include Persuasion Boot Camp, The Pitch Panic Cycle, and Creating the Pitch II (The Sequel), Pitch Like Hollywood provides a front-row seat in a master class on giving great performances for any audience, every time—at board meetings, sales calls, and whenever else you want to make a case to get the results you want.

"Ken Aguado and Doug Eboch are guys who walk the walk, and here they talk the talk. They know as well as anyone how to navigate the trickiest waters on the continent: Hollywood's pitching process. Demystifying the secrets of what works and what doesn't for the not-so-brave new world of corporate Movie Biz. It's on my top shelf of books I can't be without." -John Badham (Director of "Saturday Night Fever," "WarGames," "Stakeout") Finally, a book that tells the truth about the art of pitching in Hollywood. "The Hollywood Pitching Bible" breaks it down, step by step. From choosing the right idea, to selling it in the room, this book tells you how it's done, in clear language, suitable for the beginner or the seasoned Hollywood professional. With decades of combined experience working in Hollywood as buyer, seller and teacher, the authors have created the definitive book that will demystify the pitching process, supported by a reasoned, logical point of view and supported by numerous specific examples. If you want to work in the Hollywood creative community, you must know how to pitch. This book will show you how to succeed. "A lot of us muddle through, hoping like hell we know what we're doing when faced with selling our wares to the Powers That Be. With this book, the power is now in your hands. No more hoping and floundering the dark with your story. Hit the lights. Stop hoping. Know." -David Simkins (Writer of "Adventures in Babysitting," "Grimm," "Warehouse 13")

Whether you work in Hollywood or not, the fact is that selling ideas is really difficult to do. The reason the pitching secrets of the most successful writers and directors are relevant is because these people have evolved an advanced method for selling ideas. Whether you’re a screenwriter, a journalist with an idea for a story, an entrepreneur with a business plan, an inventor with a blueprint, or a manager with an innovative solution, if you want other people to invest their time, energy, and money in your idea, you face an uphill battle…. When I was at MGM, the hardest part of my job was not cutthroat studio politics or grueling production schedules. The toughest part of my job was whenever I had to say “No” to an idea that was almost there. I had to say no a lot. Every buyer does. The buyer’s work is to say yes to projects that are ready, not almost ready. And no matter how good the script is, if the seller can’t pitch it in a compelling way, how can the buyer see the potential? How can he get his colleagues on board? How can he recommend the seller to his superiors? The fact is that poor pitches doom good projects. It happens all the time. The ideas, products and services that are pitched more effectively… win. That’s just how the game is played. No sense getting upset over it. Instead, let’s accept the challenge and learn the strategies and tactics that will allow us (and our ideas) to succeed. -From GOOD IN A ROOM Business consultant and former MGM Director of Creative Affairs Stephanie Palmer reveals the techniques used by Hollywood’s top writers, producers, and directors to get financing for their projects - and explains how you can apply these techniques to be more successful in your own high-stakes meetings. Because, as Palmer has found, the strategies used to sell yourself and your ideas in Hollywood not only work in other businesses, they often work better. Whether you are a manager or executive with an innovative proposal, a professional with a hot concept, a salesperson selling to a potential client or investor, or an entrepreneur with a business plan, GOOD IN A ROOM shows you how to: Master the five stages of the face-to-face meeting Avoid the secret dealbreakers of the first ninety seconds Be confident in high-pressure situations Present yourself better and more effectively than you ever have before Whether you want to ask for a raise, grow your client list, launch a new business or find financing for a creative project, you must not only present your ideas in a compelling way - you must also sell yourself, as well. GOOD IN A ROOM shows you how to construct a winning presentation and deliver the kind of performance that will get your project greenlighted, whatever industry you are in.

Told from the perspective of a Hollywood executive with nearly 20 years’ experience professionally pitching and distributing film/TV projects, Mastering the Pitch reveals all the nuanced details of the pitching process. Readers will gain valuable insights into how the Hollywood system operates, improve their professional pitching skills and gain a competitive edge in getting their ideas from concept to greenlight. This book covers: how projects are packaged and developed before a pitch how a pitch presentation happens in a real-world setting the core concepts required to pitch each genre type how professional companies actually acquire a pitched project the legal workflows and financial details required to put a deal together examples of pitch documents, presentation materials and how these elements should be designed how to build your personal brand so that you’re seen by Hollywood decision makers as someone capable of delivering great projects; and how you should speak to professionals about the business viability of your projects Mastering the Pitch is a valuable crossover text, designed to help both students and veteran film/TV producers alike hone their pitching and presentation skills.

Finally, a book that tells the truth about the art of pitching in Hollywood. "The Hollywood Pitching Bible: A Practical Guide to Pitching Movies and Television" breaks it down, step by step. From choosing the right idea, to selling it in the room, this book tells you how it's done, in clear language, suitable for the beginner or the seasoned Hollywood professional. With decades of combined experience working in Hollywood as buyer, seller and teacher, the authors have created the definitive book that will demystify the pitching process, supported by a reasoned, logical point of view and supported by numerous specific examples. If you want to work in the Hollywood creative community, you must know how to pitch. This book will show you how to succeed.

Learn how to communicate through a memorable and passionate pitch that will make you and your story a winner. A terrific book for anyone interested in how showbiz works.

"Ken Aguado and Doug Eboch are guys who walk the walk, and here they talk the talk. They know as well as anyone how to navigate the trickiest waters on the continent: Hollywood's pitching process. Demystifying the secrets of what works and what doesn't for the not-so-brave new world of corporate Movie Biz. It's on my top shelf of books I can't be without." -John Badham (Director of "Saturday Night Fever," "WarGames," "Stakeout") Finally, a book that tells the truth about the art of pitching in Hollywood. "The Hollywood Pitching Bible" breaks it down, step by step. From choosing the right idea, to selling it in the room, this book tells you how it's done, in clear language, suitable for the beginner or the seasoned Hollywood professional. With decades of combined experience working in Hollywood as buyer, seller and teacher, the authors have created the definitive book that will demystify the pitching process, supported by a reasoned, logical point of view and supported by numerous specific examples. If you want to work in the Hollywood creative community, you must know how to pitch. This book will show you how to succeed. "A lot of us muddle through, hoping like hell we know what we're doing when faced with selling our wares to the Powers That Be. With this book, the power is now in your hands. No more hoping and floundering the dark with your story. Hit the lights. Stop hoping. Know." -David Simkins (Writer of "Adventures in Babysitting," "Grimm," "Warehouse 13")

THE STORIES: When Peter finally gets a good break for his Hollywood script, he finds himself PITCHING TO THE STAR of the pilot show. Promised control over something he's worked long and hard on, he finds his integrity and his storyline attacked eve

Finally, a book that tells the truth about the art of pitching in Hollywood. "The Hollywood Pitching Bible: A Practical Guide to Pitching Movies and Television" breaks it down, step by step. From choosing the right idea, to selling it in the room, this book tells you how it's done, in clear language, suitable for the beginner or the seasoned Hollywood professional.With decades of combined experience working in Hollywood as buyer, seller and teacher, the authors have created the definitive book that will demystify the pitching process, supported by a reasoned, logical point of view and supported by numerous specific examples.The expanded 2nd Edition includes more information for producers and directors, more sample pitches, an expanded television section, stories of successful pitches of produced movies and television shows by the creators who sold them, and much more!If you want to work in the Hollywood creative community, you must know how to pitch. This book will show you how to succeed