how to take a hollywood meeting

8/10/2019 How to Take a Hollywood Meeting

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GOOD IN A ROOM| HOW TO TAKE A HOLLYWOOD MEETING 1


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What People Are Saying

Stephanie Palmer helps writers to be good in a room and she is the best there is.

Success stories abound with this fun and enthusiastic method to pitch and win.

-Blake Snyder, author of the bestselling book, Save The Cat!

There really is a craft to oral storytelling (pitching), and Stephanie shares invaluable

advice for mastering this essential component of show business survival.

-Tom Benedek, screenwriter of Cocoon, Free Willy

Stephanie Palmer has helped me get ready for meetings I aced, not only selling book

ideas to publishers and TV ideas to networks, but Broadway musicals to producers.

-Iris Rainer Dart,bestselling author of Beaches, The People In The Picture

Stephanies insights and guidance are the most powerful and valuable pitching tools a

filmmaker can have.

-Jonathan Wolf, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the American

Film Market, Independent Film & Television Alliance

"Applying Stephanie's techniques helped me acquire a Hollywood literary agent."

-Brian Egeston, Head Writer, Tyler Perry's House of Payne

Stephanie Palmer is extraordinarily good at conveying the concepts she teaches. I wouldrecommend Stephanie without reservation to anyone interested in learning how to pitch

their idea or project.

-Julie Gray, Just Effing Entertain Me

This eBook helped me with organizing my ideas, culling the good ideas from the dross,

revealed my writing tastes and patterns, and helped me hone in on a direction. I feel I

have a MUCH better sense of what producers want from screenwriters.

-Stacy Chambers, screenwriter

You want your cell phone to ring as you're driving home from the meeting and you want to

hear your agent gush, "They LOVED the pitch and are putting together an offer!" That's

why you should read this eBook. Stephanie has shown me how to do the crucial prep work

to make the most of every opportunity. Even if you consider yourself a masterful storyteller,

Stephanie can make you even better.

-Scott Hartford, television producer



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Table Of Contents

About The Author

4

Disclaimer

5

Welcome! 6

Describing The Elephant 7

The Big Idea

10

Three Key Definitions

11

Square One

13

The Five Stages Of The Meeting

17

The Four Types Of Meetings 23

The Most Common Pitching Mistake 27

How To Manage Anxiety

31

The Difference Between YES and NO

36

How To Follow Up

40

Three Meeting Checklists 45

Checklist #1: Preparation 46

Checklist #2: Coordination With A Partner

49Checklist #3: Record And Evaluate

50

Master Checklist

52

Final Thoughts

53



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Disclaimer

The information contained in this eBook is for educational purposes only. I am doing my

best to provide you with the most accurate information and to link to the most trustworthy

sources. However, I am not liable for any losses you may incur. You use the information Iprovide or the information I link to at your own risk.

I do not receive money to positively review any products, services, or websites. I do

include affiliate links to products, services, and websites which I believe are the best and

most helpful.

By reading this eBook, you agree that you alone are responsible for your business

decisions as they relate to the content of this eBook. I do not guarantee that using the

material in this eBook will make you successful.

No part of this eBook may be reproduced, copied, sold in whole or part in any form,

without my prior written consent. Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.



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Welcome!

What is a Hollywood meeting?Its when you are meeting with someone who could hire

you, buy something from you, invest in what youre doing, or otherwise help you succeed.

These meetings come in different shapes and sizes, but too often they are a waste of time,

dont result in getting hired or making a sale, and even worsethey can hurt your career if

you make a bad impression.

If you are having meetings that take too long, lack focus, give you anxiety, and produce no

concrete results, I understand. This is a common experience.

However, youve gotten to this eBook, and help is here. Im going to explain meeting

dynamics to you and teach you the strategies and tactics that will dramatically

increase your chances of getting what you want.

If youve never had a Hollywood meeting and are trying to:Thats actually a good

thingit means you have more control over your first impression. This eBook will

help you to succeed in meetings from the very beginning.

If youre a professional writer: I'm sure there are things I will cover that you will say,

yes I understand this part or I know this. However, I hope there are also

techniques I'll share that can help you raise your game.

If youre an entrepreneur, consultant, or executive (and not a writer): This eBook is

written with writers and Hollywood creative pros in mind, but there are many ideasthat you can adapt to your own business:

I used Stephanies material for pitching brand-new online advertising trading models at

Google. Now I am the go-to person for online video auction, and have to hide because I

am getting more video trading projects than I can handle. So, if you think this material is

only for screenwriters, wrong. It is for people who work with intangible ideas that can

potentially bring in billions of dollars. - Sunyu von Conrady, Google

So, lets talk about why you should read this eBook: you want to be able to impress VIPs,

get referrals, get hired, sell your work, and secure financing.

In other words, you want to succeed in Hollywood meetings.

Does that sound good? Then lets get started.



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Describing The Elephant

Theres a story originally from India that goes like this (excerpted from wikipedia):

Six blind men were asked to describe an elephant by feeling different parts of the

elephant's body. The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is like a pillar; the one

who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels the trunk says the

elephant is like a tree branch; the one who feels the ear says the elephant is like a hand

fan; and the one who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a solid pipe.

Of course, as you know, they are all right. Its the same with meetings.

Here are some different perspectives on meetings from some top writers and producers. I

bet that youll find a good idea or two that just jump out at you. But I also want you to

notice the difference in peoples perspectives.

Perspectives On Meetings

The proper note to strike in the audition meeting is a mixture of shy, self-deprecating

intelligence and wild, barely controllable enthusiasm.

-William Goldman, Adventures In The Screen Trade, 93.

A pitch is a social interaction between two parties, the goal of which involves conveying

an artistic experience from one person to another. We suggest you create a bullet-point

outline for your pitch and then improvise based on that outline.

-Douglas Eboch and Ken Aguado, The Hollywood Pitching Bible, 89, 93-94.

When formulating a pitch, try transitioning seamlessly from the introduction to your

logline. In other words, as soon as you hook your audience emotionally, hit them with a

tight, digestible version of [the core] concept.

-Chad Gervich, Small Screen, Big Picture, 113.

Its always good to use what we call a Gotcha line to begin a Gotcha line is a

marketing line, something you might see on a poster.

-Rona Edwards & Monika Skerbelis, I Liked It, Didnt Love It, 131.

The object of this conversation is to make the producer remember the project so when he

picks the script up, he actually wants to read it, instead of just having to read it.

-Rima Greer, The Real, Low-Down, Dirty Truth About Hollywood Agenting, 17.



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Remember that since this is your meeting, youre expected to be the most energetic and

enthusiastic person in the room. Start with the one-sentence high-concept, [then]

expand out to a three-minute fire drill, with main beats delivered in a staccato fashion.

-Michael Lent, Breakfast With Sharks, 65-67.

Dont try to be charming. Conventional wisdom suggests that working a room is a social

process where people need to demonstrate their charm. This is a myth. You dont need to

entertain or impress people. You dont even need to be interesting; what you do need to

be is interested.

-Ellen Sandler, The TV Writers Workbook, 201.

Take control. Decisiveness is never seen as weakness, and your confidence in your story

comes through much more strongly if you boldly begin your pitch.

-Michael Hague, Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds, 95.

Make your pitch a performance. Dont be afraid to actually play the characters. Its more

fun for you and themand its also the clearest way to tell the story. Dont be shy. Play

every character and moment to the hilt.

-Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon, Writing Movies For Fun And Profit, 20.

Its important to know who your audience is when you are pitching, and to tailor your pitch

to his or her perception. [For example, a star] is interested in the emotions of the character

he or she is to play, [whereas an investor] wants to know how much profit the film is likelyto generate over what period of time.

-Michael Wiese, Film and Video Financing, 80.

Because the construction of stories is an imprecise art, each writer usually develops a

personal technique that works for him or her, but probably for no one else. No single

rule or principle can be appropriate for all writers.

-Alan Armer, Writing The Screenplay, 28.

Writers want to say whats never been said. Executives want what theyve already heard.The majority of produced screenplays are the genetically impaired results of the cross-

breeding of these two species.

-Hal Ackerman, Write Screenplays That Sell, 14.



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Every room is different. And the secret to talking to people, and thats what pitching is,

is listening. And the first thing I do, just automatically when I go in to pitch something is I

just listen for a moment to what the room sounds like. Is it a quiet room? Is it an amped up

room? Is it a feminine room, a masculine room? Is it bored? Is it ready? Is it receptive? Is it

scared? Just read the room and adjust.

Craig Mazin, Scriptnotes Podcast

What Can We Learn?

Its interesting that, even among these elite writers of some of the best material about

Hollywood, theres some disagreement about how to handle certain meeting situations.

Should you act out the characters, or not? Should you take control or maintain your focus

on the other person? Do you highlight your personal connection to the material or tailor

your pitch to the listeners needs?

There are two things going on here.

1. The first is that there is a juxtaposition of advice about meetings and advice about

pitching. This is totally understandable, but can be confusing.

Thats why in this eBook, I will be primarily talking about meetings: how they are

structured, the dynamics involved, and specific tactics you can use to perform better.

What you say when you pitch your story is a different topic, and one that I cover in

my companion eBook, Create The Pitch For Your Screenplay.You can find that eBook

and more products and services on my websites Resourcespage.

2. The second is that most of the advice to writers about how to handle meetings in

Hollywood comes from other writers. Thats understandable, but every writer evolves a

different perspective based on what has worked for them.

I am one of very few people who has experience on both sides of the table . As a

studio executive, I had literally thousands of meetings where writers, producers, agents,

and stars would try to persuade me to invest in their projects.

As a writer, when I wrote my first book, I had to pitch it to major publishers in New York

(and sold it in a bidding war to Random House). As a consultant, Ive helped my clients to

pitch in their own style, sell their work, and find new clients for their businesses.

Using my experience, and separating out the meeting dynamics from the issues that relate

to the story content of the pitch, I was able to discover the following Big Idea.

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The Big Idea

As an executive with MGM, I had several pitch meetings a day. Soon enough, I began to

see that every meeting followed some kind of pattern. I just couldnt quite figure out what

was going on.

I got curious and soon, I was obsessed.

I became a meeting anthropologist. I observed the habits of the indigenous peoples

meeting behavior and immersed myself in their culture. I had matzo ball soup at Nate

and Als and shopped at Fred Segal. I attached radio transmitters to alpha males and

females so I could follow them through the dense Hollywood jungle.

All right, I didnt do that. But after a great deal of investigation, I realized The Big Idea:

Every meeting goes through five stages.

Stage 1: Rapport

Stage 2: Listening

Stage 3: The Pitch

Stage 4: Q & A

Stage 5: The Close

Now, you might be thinking, heydo meetings really have five stages? Really?Isnt

this an artificial structure youre superimposing on a highly complex social interaction?

Its a fair question, but in all seriousness, its not artificial. This is actually what happens,

and theres a logic to why it happens this way.

Meetings are complex, but once you understand whats going on, youll see the simplicity

of the five stages beneath the shifting social dynamics on the surface.

Knowing the five stages will help you to:

Build relationships with VIPs(Stages 1 and 2)

Pitch in the sweet spot(Stages 3 and 4)

Have your request granted(Stage 5)



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Three Key Definitions

Let's start with a few definitions. These may be terms you already know, but before we

begin, I want to make sure we're on the same page.

What Is Good in a Room?

Good in a Room is a phrase commonly used in Hollywood. It refers to people who pitch

their ideas confidently and effectively in meetings. In other words, they are

good (confident and persuasive) in the room (where the meeting is being held).

When youre good in a room, its easier for you to:

Get meetings with VIPs such as stars, agents, and executives.

Pitch your ideas effectively. Sell your work or get hired on an assignment.

What Is A Pitch?

The word "pitch" has several different meanings (some of which have nothing to do with

Hollywood). For our purposes in this eBook, the word "pitch" will primarily refer to:

1. Pitch meetings: where you present your idea "in the room, typically to VIPs or

decision-makers who have the power to hire you or buy your project.

2. Premise pitch (aka the short pitch): the VERBAL 1-2 sentence summary of the

core premise upon which your project is based.

3. Complete pitch: the 5-10 minute VERBAL summary where you explain what actually

happens in Acts I, II, and III.

That said, any time you are presenting your project or yourself as a writer, in writing

(e.g. logline, summary, treatment) or verbally, you are pitching.

Who Are The Decision-makers?The decision-maker is the person listening to (or reading) your pitch, such as an agent,

manager, executive, investor, talent (actor, star), director, or producer.



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Possible decisions include:

Representing your project

Signing you as a client

Giving you a development deal Financially backing the film

Attaching themselves to the project

Agreeing to direct your screenplay

Buying your project

Youre Getting Warmer

Remember the hot and cold game you played as a kid? Youd come into the room and

there was some object you had to find, and when you got closer people would say,

getting warmer and when you got further away, theyd say, getting colder.

Whether youre meeting the decision-maker in her office, at a restaurant, or on the ski

slopes, taking a meeting is a lot like that game. Youve got to be aware of the

temperature in the room.

The temperature of the room depends on many things, including:

How you got into the room in the first place

The mood of the people already present

The first impression you make when you walk in the door

The way you make small-talk (Stages 1 and 2)

How confidently you pitch (Stages 3 and 4)

After you enter the room, you need to maintain constant awareness of what warms the

room (and what cools it off) to be able to adjust your tactics during each of the five stages

of the meeting.

If you dont have this awareness already, this eBook will help you develop it. Youll getgood at meetings. You will easily make a positive impression. Youll feel confident in social

situations. And when you get a meeting with a high-level decision-maker, youll know

exactly what to do.

Youll start at Square One.



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Square One

Square One is a series of three very simple, very important questions. I refer to these

questions as Square One because they are the starting point for developing a strategy for

any situation.

What do I want?

What do they want?

What do they expect?

What Do I Want?

What do I want? is about goals that can reasonably be achieved in the meeting.

Less experienced writers are the ones who think, Even though its a first meeting, my goal

is for the decision-maker to finance the entire project. Thats not likely. Professional

writers think, For this first meeting, my goal is to be asked back for another meeting.

Having said that, I believe that when you walk into the room, you have three goals:

1. To learn:Learning is a great goal because whether you learn something or not is

almost entirely within your control. Plus, having learning as a goal tends to reduce

anxiety because youre focused on the process of the conversation, not the

eventual outcome. Finally, if you learn from every meeting, your skills will continue

to increase and so will your chances of getting what you want.

2. To build rapport with the decision-maker:Rapport is the foundation for everything

that follows. If you find common ground and build rapport with the decision-maker,

even if they dont say Yes, their door will still be open to you down the road.

3. To get the decision-maker to agree to one (and only one) request: Of these three

goals, this is the toughest to achieve. Ironically, if this goal is not your only priority,

you are more likely to achieve it. That is to say, if you can leave a meeting feeling

good about what youve learned and the rapport youve built, you have a higher

probability of hearing Yes to your request.

The one request you make (and the exact language you use) is important and well

discuss this more in later chapters. However, its important to remember that getting the

decision-maker to say, Yes, may take more than one meeting.



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This is why learning and rapport are so crucial. They are more easily achievable goals.

They are confidence builders. Most importantly, they greatly increase the probability that

your request will be granted.

Lets move on to the next question, What do they want? In many ways, this question is

the heart and soul of Square One. You can never be too good at figuring out whats goingon in the other persons head.

What Do They Want?

When it comes to ascertaining what the decision-maker wants in the meeting, you can

accept as a given that:

The decision-makers goal is to disqualify you as quickly as possible.

No protects them from making a bad decision. No saves them time that they need forthe projects already in production. The sooner they can feel good about saying No, the

better.

For many decision-makers, when a screenwriter stumbles in the room its an automatic

No. Its a safe conclusion that the screenwriter isnt ready. After all, if they cant handle

themselves in the room, how well are they going to do the actual work? For decision-

makers, its not worth the risk to find out.

At the same time, decision-makers are looking to say Yesto the right person with

the right project.Its their dream to have that one breakout meeting. They want to beswept off their professional feet.

Here are some ways to get inside the decision-makers head:

Google anyone with whom youll be meeting:Read anything theyve written

and anything thats been written about them.

Research the decision-makers company:What has been written about their

company? What position does it occupy in the industry? What are their

recent projects?

Understand the decision-makers role at the company:Has your decision-

maker ever been in the news? What do they do at the company? Where do

they fit in the organizational hierarchy?



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As you get more and better information about the decision-maker, your answer to What

do they want? will be a work in progress.

For example, decision-makers are constantly asked What are you looking for? Most say

something generic like, good material, or stories with great characters. Theres an

attitude of, If I have a bunch of meetings, Ill know what I want when I see it. This isunhelpful, but its normal in Hollywood and in other industries for decision-makers to be

unaware of exactly what they want.

Thats why you want to keep adjusting your answerto the question of What do they

want? as you learn more about what a particular decision-maker wants. Perhaps you

realize that every time they reference a movie in the meeting, its a comedy or action film.

You might revise your answer to, comedies and action movies.

After the meeting, you might research all of the movies the decision-maker referenced and

discover that the comedies tended to have female leads and the action movies weremade for less than forty million dollars. Thus, your revised answer would be, comedies

with female leads and action movies that can be made for less than forty million dollars.

Once you understand what the decision-maker wants, you can begin adapting your

pitch to meet their needs.However, for your pitch to achieve maximum impact, you must

consider the decision-makers expectations and adjust accordingly.

What Do They Expect?

In the stock market, expectations are crucial. A stock can release great news about

increases in earnings, but if the earnings arent as high as were originally expected, the

stocks value will fall. If earnings are higher than expectations, the stocks value will soar.

In the same way, it is crucial in meetings to exceed expectations.

The first step to being able to exceed the decision-makers expectations is being able to

understand what those expectations are in the first place. Here, the governing principle is:

Good products have good packaging, and books are judged by their covers.

Consider what happens when you buy a pack of gum. No two packs are alike. From the

name of the brand, the flavor, shape of the package, colors of the design, and the

copywriting, each pack of gum is establishing its own position relative to the competition.

So, if a new pack of gum entered the marketplace and it was spearmint bubble gum,

before even seeing it you might expect that the primary colors on the package would be

green and pink. If it was cinnamon-flavored bubble gum, it would likely be red and pink.



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But if you opened a package that was red and pink (promising cinnamon gum), but

then it tasted like spearmint, youd spit it out.

Now, this may not be fair (and youre not a pack of gum), but this is how it works. The

decision-makers expectations for you will be based on:

What they can find out from googling you

Whatever their assistant tells them (after googling you)

What you look and sound like in the first 10 seconds

Decision-makers make quick judgments based on your online profile, how you dress, and

how you speak. Thats the cover of your book. Theres no way to avoid that.

The trick is to position yourself relative to the expectations of your stereotype.

There, I said it. Stereotype. Its a bad word, I know. Obviously, the way you arestereotyped is not who you are. At the same time, I hope you can admit that others will

stereotype you. Its so common that we have to factor it into how we position ourselves. My

advice is to consider carefully how others are likely to stereotype you and then plan how

youre going to play with and against that image.

One aspect of the stereotype for new writers is: youre probably unprepared.

For example, a year after Legally Blondewas released, a writing team came into my office

and pitched me, quite literally, another version of Legally Blonde. The ideas were the

same, beat for beat and character for character, save that instead of going to law school,she went to medical school. It was called Blonde, M.D., I believe. I asked them if they

knew that MGM had made Legally Blonde. They did not. I asked them if they knew that I

had worked on the movie. They did not. I asked them if they had anything else to pitch.

They did. They had a version where she becomes a spy, titled James Blonde.

This is an extreme example, but I hope you take my point. Before you walk into the room,

you need to know as much as possible about the people involved. Every scrap of

information will help you figure out whats going on in their minds. This will make the

process of building rapport easier and increase your ability to pitch and sell them.

And if youre a new writer, a little research and preparation will go a long way to helping

you exceed expectations.



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The Five Stages Of The Meeting

If youre like me, when you first started watching movies, it was for fun. You didnt really

know how they worked. You may have thought that big-budget action blockbusters,

classic romantic comedies, and gritty independent films had little in common.

But then, when you wanted to become a professional writer, you started learning about

screenplay structure. You realized that all movies, all stories, have similar structural

features. There is a similar structure to meetings.

In the same way screenplays have three acts, meetings are structured in five stages.

If you ignore the five stages and just try to wing it in the room, youre like a writer trying to

write a screenplay without understanding basic three-act structure.

When you understand the structure of the five stages, you can decide when you want tofollow the expectations and when you want to break the rules.

In Stage 1, you build rapportand warm up the room.

In Stage 2, you ask questions and listento show respect.

In Stage 3, you deliver the prepared componentof your pitch.

In Stage 4, you deliver the improvised componentof your pitch.

In Stage 5, you ask for one thing if necessary and leave on a good note.

Stage 1: Rapport

The goal: to connect in a personal way

Stage 1 is the small-talk phase that is the beginning of just about every meeting you will

ever have. Its important because decision-makers want to work with people they like and

trust. If youre prepared, the small-talk will hopefully turn into a deeper conversation about

your common perspectives and interests.

The trap: pitching too soon

If you get down to business and start pitching too early, the decision-maker wont feel

connected to you as a person and wont be listening to your pitch. You want to build

rapport so that when the time comes to pitch, you have the decision-makers attention.



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Key tactic: prepare questions to find common ground

Before the meeting, design a couple rapport-building questions to encourage the

decision-maker to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about things they feel

positively about.

Perhaps you know someone in common, and can design a question around

that, e.g.: How did you first meet (friend in common)?

Perhaps you have a hobby or interest in common. If so, you could design a

question around that, e.g.: I noticed from (print interview) that you like

(hobby). Whats your favorite (aspect of hobby)?

If you cant find anything out at all, you can use some of the tried and true

conversation starters, e.g.: How was your weekend?

The point is to get to know the decision-maker as a person. Thats why, in addition topreparing rapport-building questions, you also want to prepare rapport-building answers.

During Stage 1, you are just as likely to be asked How was your weekend/holiday? as

you are to ask it yourself. Talking about those things comes really naturally to some

people, but for me, I always make sure that I have something interesting to say when that

inevitable question comes.

Bonus tactic: accept the water.

If youre asked at the beginning of the meeting (or by the decision-makers receptionist),

Can I get you a bottle of water? say, Yes. Thank you. Accept any gestures ofhospitalityit warms up the room and gets things off to a good start.

Stage 2: Listening

The goal: to show respect for the decision-maker

In Stage 2, your job is to ask good questions and listen. This shows respect for the

decision-maker and earns you more of their attention when the time comes to pitch.

The trap: showing off how smart you are

Superior intelligence can be your worst enemy at this stage of the meeting.

In the next stage, when the time comes to pitch, thats when you get to share your brilliant

ideas. At this stage, your job is to ask questions, listen, and show respect.



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If you show off how smart you are in this stage, it may seem like you are in need of

attention and approval (the opposite of confidence). As well, if the decision-maker cant

understand what youre saying, you may make them feel awkward or threatened.

This isnt about being fake and hiding yourself. Its about understanding that before you

pitch, you want to build rapport (Stage 1) and show respect by listening (Stage 2).

Key tactic: prepare questions to gather information

Get the decision-maker talking about what they want from a business perspective, e.g.:

Is there a particular kind of project youd love to find?

How is (current project) going?

Stage 3: The Pitch

The goal: to keep the decision-makers attention

Stage 3 is where you deliver your prepared pitch. Even if the decision-maker doesnt want

to buy your project, if you can hold their attention with your pitch, they may want to work

with you in some other way.

The trap: winging it

Making it up as you go along and hoping things work out is the mark of an amateur. By the

time you get a meeting with a decision-maker who can make something happen, you

should have a prepared pitch that you can deliver without referring to notes.

Key tactic: test your pitch in advance

To succeed in this stage of the meeting, use these three steps to test your pitch before

you meet with the decision-maker:

1. Choose a feedback group. This can be friends, family, other writers, but no

gatekeepers or decision-makers. You should have at least six people, ideally none

of whom have heard your pitch before.

2. Rehearse your pitch. This should be done on audio and ideally on video prior topresenting it to anyone in your feedback group. In my experience, few people like

to see themselves on camera, but this is crucial preparation.



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3. Call or meet with people one at a time. Pitch them, and try to get answers to the

following questions:

Did they understand the idea?

What elements did they like?

What elements did they not like?

Bonus tactic: pace yourself.

You know the details of your story extremely well. However, the other person will likely

be hearing everything for the first time. Take that into consideration and adjust the pace

of your pitch. You may need to slow down just a little.

Warning: Be Careful With Visual Aids

Images can be powerful sales and marketing tools. However, in the idea selection stage,

pictures of your vision (e.g., photos, drawings, puppets) can work against you because

they constrain the decision-makers imagination.

For example, in a film pitch, if a writer says, a handsome man steering a boat down a

river, the listeners supply the details that work best for them. If the writer shows a picture

of Adrien Brody canoeing down the Amazon... better hope that they love Adrien Brody and

the notion of filming in South America.

When you use a visual aid, youre telling the decision-makers that your vision is exactly

that. If you use only words, listeners will imagine what works best for them.

Stage 4: Q&A

The goal: to deliver great answers to questions

Many people would rather do a comprehensive pitch that answers questions in advance.

This is a big mistake. An extended pitch prevents the natural give-and-take characteristic

of successful meetings. Worse, it indicates that you may be scared of answering the

decision-makers questions.

When youre getting peppered with questions, even tough questions, thats a good thing.

It means theyre interested enough to spend more time with you. If they werent interested,

theyd just say, Thanks for coming in.

The Q&A is where the sale is made. To succeed in this stage, anticipate likely questions

and prepare answers in advance.



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The trap: getting defensive

If the decision-maker is genuinely interested, you are likely to be asked a number of

difficult questions (even trick questions).

Its likely that they will hone in on the areas where your pitch is weakest. If you getdefensive, you lose. If you cant handle some difficult questions at this stage, the decision-

maker isnt going to want to send your script to stars, directors, and producersbecause

theyll have questions, too.

Key tactic: keep track of what youre asked

When youre testing your pitch in advance, listen to what your feedback group asks you.

Every time youre asked a question about your story, thats an opportunity for you to

prepare a great answer to that question for the next meeting.

Stage 5: The Close

The goal: to leave on a positive note

Its likely that the decision-maker will end the meeting, so you want to be ready for when

that happens. Typically, there is a non-verbal cue that the meeting is over, and your job is

to echo the cue.

Watch for when the decision-maker:

Gets ready to get out of his or her chair Places hands flat on their lap or the table

Closes a notebook or a folder

When you see one or more of these non-verbal cues, echo it back by gathering your

materials and preparing to leave. Then, you can engage in a little more rapport building

like a bookend to Stage 1.

The purpose of this isnt to reignite the conversation, its just to end on a personal, positive

note. It can be something simple, e.g.:

Tell (common friend) I said Hi.

Thanks again for the tip about Orochon. Ill check it out!



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The trap: continuing the conversation

When the decision-maker ends the meeting, dont try to pitch one more thing. Dont ask

any more questions. Dont tell a story. Just make sure youve got everything packed up,

prepare to shake hands, and exit the room smoothly.

Key tactic: prepare a specific request

You may not need to make a request of the decision-maker. Often, they may say

something like, Im sending this to my boss today. Keep your phone on.

However, just in case, its a good idea to have a request prepared just in case, e.g.:

How should I follow up with you?

Whom do you recommend I get in touch with?

Would you be willing to give me some advice for how to make this better?

When you understand meeting structure and have prepared tactics for each of the

five stages, it looks like youre poised and confident.

As you accumulate success over time, it doesnt just look that wayit feels that way, too.

Keep in mind, there is a wide variety in how the five stages can be handled. You may

spend more time in one stage than you expect. But when you know the goal of each

stage, the trap to avoid, and the key tactic to use, youll be able to confidently handle

whatever comes your way.



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The Four Types Of Meetings

The four types of meetings are:

Pitch

General (aka the meet and greet or the get to know ya)

Creative

Notes

Every meeting, of any kind, goes through the five stages.Stage 1 (Rapport) is very

similar across meeting typesbecause youre almost always making small talk in the

beginning. However, stages 2-4 can vary depending on the type of meeting.

Pitch MeetingA pitch meeting is arranged when you have a specific project to pitch. Sometimes,

established writers will have a pitch meeting with a producer or executive to pitch an

original idea for which they have not written the screenplay. They hope the decision-maker

will buy the pitch and then pay them to write the script. Typically, only established writers

with produced credits in the same genre as the project being pitched get the opportunity

to sell a pitch. It is very rare for a new writer to sell a pitch.

For example, lets say Warner Bros purchases the rights to a popular book. They want to

adapt it to a feature and need to hire a screenwriter. Executives will meet with 3-10screenwriters individually to talk with them about how they would adapt the book. All of the

screenwriters would have read the book, prepared notes and ideas, and are not

compensated for working up a take. Only when a writer is chosen and hired are they

actually paid.

However, from a structural perspective, whether you are hoping to sell a pitch, a script, or

get hired to implement your take on an existing piece of material, pitch meetings go

through the five stages as explained in the previous chapter.

The pitch meeting structure is the foundation for all other meetings.

In a pitch meeting, the five stages are often very clear, and this is what helps you to

recognize variations on the five stages in other types of meetings. One of the harder types

of meetings to handle is the general meetingand if youre a new writer, typically youll be

having general meetings before you have any pitch meetings.



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General Meeting

The general meeting is like a combination of a job interview (where you dont know the job

opening for which youre being considered) and a blind date. No wonder why this type of

meeting is so difficult!

Typically, a general meeting can happen for a variety of reasons.

A decision-maker has read your script and likes your writing.

An executive has an open writing assignment and thinks you might be a

good fit, but wants to meet you in person before telling your representatives

about the assignment.

An executive has heard good things about you and wants to meet because

knowing the up-and-coming writers is part of the job. Execs often look for

new (read: inexpensive) writers to fix projects they have in development.

Youve signed with a manager and they are introducing you to the town.

Theres a favor exchange. Agents, managers, and executives often trade

meetings, e.g., If you meet with this new client of mine (who I need to

impress so he doesnt switch agencies), Ill get my other client (a higher

profile writer) to read your project.

Most general meetings are treated as a weeding out process.Its unlikely that youll get

a paying job directly from a general. Either youll be taken off the consideration list, or if

youre successful, youll either get another meeting or some material to consider so you

can work up a take.

Therefore, in a general meeting you are being evaluated for hireability. This makes

stages 1 and 2 especially important. The general meeting is all about rapport.

If a pitch meeting is scheduled to last 30 minutes, you might spend 5-15 building rapport

(Stages 1-2), then the rest of the time pitching and answering questions (Stages 3-4). In a

general meeting scheduled for 30 minutes, you would ideally spend most of the time

building rapportthough its possible that youll be asked to pitch several of your ideas.

These kinds of questions are prompts for you to pitch:

So, what are you working on?

Whats your project about?

What else do you have?



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If you get one of these kinds of questions, and you may, heres how you handle it:

Focus on your priority projectsthe ones that have tested pitches, complete

scripts, and positive coverage.

You can give the short pitch for any project you have in development, but

only give more complete pitches for projects which are finished and ready.

If youre asked about something where youve pitched the premise but

which doesnt have a finished script, dont pitch the rest of the story. Just

say, Im still working on that one and as soon as its done Ill let you know.

Creative

The creative meeting is where you and the other person/people are meeting for the

purpose of generating or fixing material. When the writers get together in the writers

room on a TV show, thats a classic example of a creative meeting.

The creative meeting tends to focus on stages 3 and 4, only this time, everyone is

playing both roles: writer and decision-maker. Sometimes you pitch, sometimes you listen,

sometimes you ask questions.

The key in a creative meeting is to ascertain where you are in the pecking order. If youre

meeting with colleagues and everyone is at the same level, youre going to be

participating in a different way than if youre meeting with a producer or executive (where

your default position would be more deferential).

In general, the lower you are in the pecking order, the less you contribute your own ideas.

Beware of taking up too much air time. Instead, spend more time listening and asking

constructive questions. When you do speak, you want it to count.

Notes

The notes meeting can seem similar to the creative meeting because the idea is that

everyone in the room is there to improve the script. However, its quite different because it

takes place in a different stage of the meeting.

The notes meeting is really about stage 2. Youre gathering information from the

decision-maker about what they want.

You can expect to get some bad and/or unhelpful notes. This is frustrating, but dont let it

get to you. Instead, use the notes for the information they are conveying about the

decision-makers wants and needsand as an opportunity to make the work better.



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Heres how I recommend handling notes meetings:

1. Give context early on in the meeting.

I recommend this technique from Christine Boylan (Castle, Leverage)which she shared at

The Austin Film Festival. At the beginning of a notes meeting, Christine says somethinglike, I really appreciate your time and Im interested to hear your notes. Im the kind of

writer who likes to think about the notes for a day to let them digest, so Ill just write down

whatever you say and then we can talk about the next steps.

2. Always have a notebook.

Two-time Oscar-winner William Goldman says: Never enter a creative meeting without a

notebook. (Adventures In The Screen Trade, 95). I would add, a crisp notebook.

3. Use affirmative language when you hear a note with which you can agree.

You want them to feel comfortable and that youre really listening (even if theyre saying

totally unhelpful things). Its the smile and nod technique:

Good point.

Interesting.

Ah. I see.

4. Give troubling and difficult notes more attention.

If youre getting unhelpful notes, its possible that they are based on a real issue. Its worthdrilling down into the notes that you dont like or understand. Try saying:

Tell me more.

What problem are you seeing?

What are you trying to solve?

5. Do not argue with notes.

Theres no upside to arguing. Either get clarification on the problem the note is

addressing, or simply write it down and move on. Theres no benefit to getting rattled or, ifyou do get rattled, letting the decision-maker know youre upset.



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The Most Common Pitching Mistake

The first time I stepped on a movie set, it was as an unpaid intern on the movie Titanic. I

was a senior in college and through my advisor at Carnegie Mellon, I had arranged for an

internship with a producer. It was my first time visiting Los Angeles, first time doinganything in film, and I felt lucky to jump into the deep end of the pool.

But the truth is, I was also pretty scared. I felt like I didnt belong and I really didnt know

how to act on a film set. I didnt want them to know that I was totally green, born in a small

town in Iowa without any family connections, and the only things I knew about Hollywood

was what I had read in books and seen on TV.

My first task as an intern was to drive boxes of undisclosed materials from Los Angeles

to the set in Baja, Mexico. In retrospect, I never should have driven boxes that you are not

to open across the Mexican border, but remember, I was pretty innocent and wanted tosucceed. I certainly wasnt going to challenge my boss on my very first assignment.

I put the boxes in the back of my grandmothers Toyota Corolla and drove to Mexico. It

was dark by the time I got to the set and the Titanic looked like the real ship, all lit up at

night. Cameron was shooting and hundreds of people were in motion. It was beautiful.

I knew, even at that age, that people make quick judgements about whether they like you

and want to work with you. And it was VERY easy to see who Cameron respected and who

he dismissed.

When I dropped off my packages at the production office, I was told, It will be a while. Sit

there. I got to hear everyone interact, pitching their ideasnot about new projectsbut

about how this or that aspect of the production should be managed.

It became apparent to me that the people who were the most successful in getting others

on board with their ideas projected confidence but also humility. They pitched succinctly

and without bragging.

In contrast, the people who were much less successful at persuading the more senior

producers consistently used a particular tactic at the beginning of their pitch: they hyped

their own ideas.

This is the same mistake that rookies in Hollywood make when they introduce

themselves to someone new and pitch their work for the first time: starting their

pitch by hyping their own ideas.



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For example, I recently received an email from a writer (details changed to protect his

identity) who had a question, the gist of which was that he was getting meetings all over

town and everyone was passing (saying No to his project). He wanted to know how this

could be happening because, in his words, My script is amazing and my pitch will

blow your mind.

Now, without reading his material, its impossible to know why everyone is passing. But

right off the bat, I get the sense (and you probably do as well) that this writer isnt paying

attention to the negative feedback hes receiving. After all, if everyone in town is passing,

why would he represent to me that his pitch will blow my mind?

Typically, when someone hypes their idea before pitching it, it means that they are

only willing to hear positive feedback. They arent professionals who can adapt and

improve their work. Theyre rookies.

Lets get more specific. Here are some things you should not say in a pitch meeting.

Dont Make Predictions About Financial Success

This will be a big hit.

It has great international appeal.

Everyone is going to want to see this.

My project is a guaranteed moneymaker.

Its commercial. This will be #1 at the box office.

Dont Predict Other Kinds Of Success

The lead role has Oscar written all over it.

This script will change the world.

This project will inspire people.

Dont Tell Them How They Will Think Or Feel Youre going to love this.

Youll be laughing out loud.

This is the best thing youll read this year.



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Dont Give Your Own Positive Opinion Of Your Work

Ive got a great idea for you.

I have an amazing project.

I love the story in this script.

Whats The Problem?

Isnt this just harmless self-promotion to communicate confidence and enthusiasm?

Not in this case.

When you rave about yourself and your project, youre intruding on the decision-makers

turf by telling them what to think, how to feel, and what their opinion should be.

Imagine a couple circumstances where youre the decision-maker.

Watching American Idol

An American Idol contestant gets up, and before she sings, she says to the audience:

I just want to let you know that I love the way I sing this song, I think youre going to love it

the most out of all the performances tonight, and after Im done, I know youre going to

vote for me.

Or would you rather just have her sing and decide for yourself?

On A First Date

You meet your date at cafe, and right after you sit down at a table together, he says:

Before we get to know each other, let me just tell you what a great conversationalist I am.

I have some excellent personal stories that will make you laugh. Im also terrific in bed and

Im confident that youll be in love with me by the end of the evening.

Or would you just rather go on the date and decide for yourself?

I hope you can understand that decision-makers want to decide for themselvesjust

as you do when youre the decision-maker.



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Irritating The Decision-Maker

The truth is that most decision-makers dont want to hear your predictions about success,

and they dont want to be told how to think and feel.

You say: This will be a #1 hit movie. They think: Oh, goodyoure a

fortune teller now. Can I get some lottery numbers?

You say: Youre going to love this! They think: Really? Im so glad you

know how Im going to respond.

You say: I have an amazing idea for you. They think: Youve concluded

that your own idea is a winner? Im stunned.

Thats why when you hype yourself and your work in a pitch meeting, it doesnt

demonstrate confidence. It just annoys the decision-maker.

Heres what communicates confidence: just pitch your story. No pre-qualifications, no

pumping up or raving about how great your story is in advance. Simply tell the story.

Then, give the decision-maker the space to think, feel, and form opinions on their own.

Let them be the judge. After all, they are.



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How To Manage Anxiety

Do you get nervous when youre in a high-stakes pitch meeting?

Feeling nervous before (and during) a pitch meeting is totally normal. When the stakes are

high enough, it happens to everyoneeven experienced writers who have worked in the

business for a long time.

I have pitched hundreds of times, delivered keynote speeches, and led workshops at big

companies. I still get nervousespecially when Im using new material in front of a large

audience.

Luckily, I know the secret to managing anxiety. Its not a trick like deep breathing

(although that helps) or visualizing everyone in their underwear (which I do anyway).

The process Im about to share with you is how I prevent anxiety from getting in theway of my performance, and how I help other people prepare for some of the most

important meetings of their lives.

Acknowledge Reality

When you deliver your complete pitch in a high-stakes meeting, youre expected to be

off-book. That means youll be pitching for 5-15 minutes without notes, notecards, or

anything written on your hand.

Additionally, you can expect to get interrupted during the pitch. Youll get asked toughquestions, the decision-maker may have to take a phone call, or someone important will

come into the room and youll have to start again.

Pitching is a hybrid performance of telling a story and being interviewed at the same time,

and its not easy to do well. So lets start by appreciating the seriousness of the challenge.

Embrace The Anxiety

Instead of trying to suppress or prevent the anxiety (which doesnt work), embrace it.

Okay, youre feeling nervous. Thats completely understandable. Youre doing something

very difficult and what your anxiety is telling you is:

Youre not prepared enough yet.



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Preparation doesnt make anxiety go away completely, but it does make the anxiety

manageable. For now, youre going to use the energy of your anxiety to prepare, rehearse,

and be as ready as you can possibly be.

Choose A Warm ListenerI want you to identify a person in your life who not only is a member of your projects target

market, but to whom you would feel comfortable delivering your pitch.

To be clear, this person does not need to be in the room when you are pitching. This is

someone you imagine is listening to you pitch. The idea is to duplicate the kind of easy,

comfortable, conversational style you have with a friend.

Specifically, when you rehearse your pitch, and when you practice your pitch, THATS the

person I want you to pretend to be talking to.

Rehearse

In my experience, most people hate to rehearse. Rehearsal implies that soon youll be

revealing yourself and your ideas in public.

However, rehearsing will help you in three ways:

1. With the writing of your pitch: theres something about saying the words out loud

that helps you to notice problem areas, clarify sentence constructions, and more.

2. With interpreting feedback: if you dont pitch your ideas well, listeners may not hear

your content because theyll be too distracted by your performance. You could

present a great idea poorly and end up getting negative feedback on your idea

even though it wasnt the idea that was really the problem.

3. With anxiety: when youve rehearsed your pitch sufficiently, you know that even if

youre not on your game, the odds of you completely bonking are miniscule. You

may deliver the pitch on autopilot, but youll get it done.

Practice On VideoYou can rehearse in front of the mirror and if thats all you can do, okay. But if theres one

thing you can do to improve your pitch, its to record yourself on video and watch it.

When you watch yourself pitch on video, your pitch will improve immensely.



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Youll see where you dont make eye contact. Youll be able to tell when youre talking too

fast. And when the pitch lags a bit, youll know.

8 Steps To Rehearse

Heres how Id like for you to rehearsethough if you have acting experience or a process

youve used before successfully, great. Do what feels right to you.

1. Start by reading the text out loud while youre looking at it on the computer.

Read it a few times, and time yourself. Youll know if youre running over the time

youll have, and youll be able to see sentences that need to be shortened. Youll

also find areas where it sounds more natural to use a sentence fragment instead of

a complete sentence. That sort of thing. Edit your script accordingly.

2. Write out the text on notecards.One paragraph to one side of a card. Then, on

the reverse side, you can write a header for the paragraph, or the first few words.

3. Memorize the text and continue to polish.Cross out words, underline for

emphasis, and add other markings.

4. Rewrite the text on new notecards so the copy is clean.The act of writing out

your script is a huge help in memorizing it.

5. Deliver your pitch to the mirror or record your pitch on video.Remember to

visualize the person you chose, the person to whom you can pitch casually and

comfortably.

6. Watch yourself.I know, I know. Its painful. But try to see where you talk too fast,

where you need to vary your tone, and where you need to give better eye contact.

7. Pitch (to camera, if youre recording yourself) ten times in a row. I know, that

might sound a little mind-numbing. But after the first five times, youll get so bored

that something magical starts to happenyoull know your script well enough that

your performance will get better without you having to do anything.

8. If you get anxious, do some relaxation and warm-up exercises:

Do some shoulder rolls. Roll your shoulders forward and back five times.

Yawn in an exaggerated way three times.

Stretch your head to one side and gently rest a hand on the top of your head,

then the other side. Deep breaths.



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Take a deep breath in for a four count, hold your breath for a four count,

release your breath out on a four count. Repeat, extending the count each

time.

Scrunch your whole face up as tightly as you can. Hold for two seconds.

Release. Repeat three times.

Shake out your whole body. Imagine you are like a dog shaking off after

getting out of the pool. Breathe out and imagine the tension being released.

Make a thumbs up gesture with both hands. Close your eyes. Take a deep

breath in and circle your thumbs out to the side of your body and raise your

arms over your head. See if you can make your thumbs meet each other above

your head. When your thumbs meet, take a deep breath and release your

arms.

Take A Practice Meeting

If you have a big pitch meeting coming up, see if you can create an analogous

circumstance to give you a chance to practice.

For example, a couple years ago I was preparing to give a speech at Google. As you

probably know, Google employees must pass a challenging interview process and are

incredibly smart.

Two weeks before my speech, I invited a group of people over to my house. I asked myfriends who are engineers, computer programmersthe smartest technical people I knew.

I gave my 30-min speech, then listened to their feedback.

Then I did a new draft of the speech, and invited a different group of smart, technical

people to my house the following weekend, and had another practice session.

For those of you pitching a film, TV pilot, or novel, I recommend doing a practice session

with people who can replicate the kind of environment youll be in and the questions you

could receive.

Focus On Communication, Not Entertainment

This tip for handling nerves comes from comedy coach Judy Carter. She uses it when she

works with people about to perform stand-up comedy for the first time.

Dont try to be funny, she says. Instead, communicate your ideas.



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This works for pitching as well (and even if youre not pitching a comedy). The point is to

focus on communicating your ideas clearlynot being entertaining.

Pitching Can Be Fun

When youre prepared, pitching your ideas can be exciting and fun. You can walk out the

door flushed with adrenaline, happy with your performance, excited to have done well.

Sure, youll have some ideas for how you can improve for next timeand thats a good

thing. The people who are best at pitching in meetings learn from every experience.

It may seem hard right now, but if you keep preparing and practicing, soon youll be

pitching with confidence (and just a couple butterflies).



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The Difference Between YES and NO

You know those stories where the hero is lied to, but doesnt know it, and the best friend

knows about the lie and has to decide whether or not to tell the hero? With rare exception,

the sooner the hero is told, the better. It might hurt, but better to know the truth.

In this chapter, Im playing the role of the friend, youre the hero, and Im hoping that you

wont be upset when I tell you:

Sometimes, the compliments you get about your work arent true.

These compliments, these times when you hear a version of Yes, often are liesand what

is actually being said is, No. Thats why were going to talk about exactly what No,

Maybe, and Yes really sound like.

The Lie Is Told For A Reason

Decision-makers dont tell you the truth because they are trying to protect their relationship

with you. They want you to send them your future work, so they lie in order not to

hurt your feelings.

This lie is a problem for writers, directors, and producers who are taking meetings,

sending out scripts, and thinking a deal is close at hand when in reality, theyre being

told No time and again. Unfortunately, they keep chasing leads that arent there and

wasting precious time.I dont want you to be wasting your time. I want you to be the kind of professional who

understands the subtext, knows when he or she is being told the truth, and can act

accordingly. So lets talk about the ways that No, Maybe, and Yes are

communicated.

No Is Silence Over Time

Chris Kelly, a writer for Real Time with Bill Maherwrote this in a recent article (crediting

Merill Markoe):

In Hollywood, no is silence over time. The way you find out youre not getting the job,

that they passed, that they didnt respond to the material, that theyre going a different

direction, is silence. Its the call you dont get. (via Huffington Post)



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Other forms of silence over time:

If you cant get an in-person meeting at all.

If your emails dont get returned in one week.

If your calls dont get returned in two weeks. If your script has been passed along (to a star, director, or producer), and

you havent heard back in a month.

If you pitch to a decision-maker and they want to be in business with you, they will get in

touch as soon as possible. If you havent heard back, the answer (almost always) is No.

Unless They Pay You, The Answer Is No

Thats the title of John Augusts Scriptnotes Episode 71.

Johns screenwriter co-host, Craig Mazin, elaborates:

Unless theres money, the answer is no. Isnt that terrible? And its so unfortunate

because theres thousands and thousands so many wonderful, creative ways for

people to say no to you. And so many of them sound like yes, which is horrifying really to

contemplate, but its human nature. Nobody really likes saying no to somebody. Nobody

wants to be mean. No one wants to see that look reflected back to them.

If youre not getting any money, the answer is probably No.

No Often Starts With A Compliment

When people in Hollywood say No, the medicine is typically accompanied by a spoonful

of sugar. Examples include:

This has a lot of potential

This is a great piece of writing

I love the main characters

This is hilarious

We love it

If youre getting compliments like this, they can be true, but dont take them at face value.

Most of the time, all of these compliments translate to: You seem like a nice person and I

dont see any reason to offend you.



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No Usually Ends With An Excuse

After the compliment you get the excuse:

but isnt the right fit for us.

but we are overbudget.

but it would be too expensive.

but we have another project that is too similar.

If youre hearing reasons like these, dont take them at face value. Most of the time, all of

the reasons translate to: but this isnt good enough (yet).

No = Compliment + Excuse

Most of the time when youre getting compliments on your writing followed by an excuseabout why youre not getting any money, the actual compliments and excuses are not the

truth. The truth is that they are saying:

You seem like a nice person and I dont see any reason to offend you, but this isnt good

enough (yet).

This is a hard thing to hear because we want to believe that the compliment is real

because thats something to feel good about. We want to believe that the excuse is real

because it lets us save face.

The thing to understand is that if your work was good enough, youd at least get a

Maybe.

Maybe Comes In Three Flavors

Maybe Flavor #1: Notes.

When someone actually takes the time to give you feedback on what youve done, thats a

victory. It means that they want to be helpful and that, if you are able to make the changes,

they may be willing to take another look or meet with you again.



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Maybe Flavor #2: Stall for time.

Examples:

Ill take a look at it.

Let me get back to you once Ive read it.

This is a gray area, and typically means one of two things:

I like you personally and dont want to offend you, but I dont think this is

good enough yet, and I want you to send me your future projects.

My assistant will take a look at it and then tell me what he or she thinks and

if the feedback is extremely positive, then Ill take a look.

Unfortunately, its difficult to decipher the difference between a Maybe that means No

and a Maybe that means Maybe. The best thing to do is to follow up after anappropriate amount of time, typically 1-2 weeks.

Maybe Flavor #3: Lets move this up the chain.

Examples:

Lets get (Big Star) on the line right now.

Come meet my boss.

This is a hopeful sign. It means that if the star, director, or higher-level executive is

interested, then this could quickly turn into a Yes.

Yes Means Things Are About To Move Fast

Yes sounds like this:

Im going to have Business Affairs call your agent.

Were going to make an offer. Wait by your phone.

Id like to option this for [$$$].

Remember, a great piece of material, a great pitch, a great writerthese are all very rarecommodities. If a decision-maker believes that your work is that valuable, he or she is

going to move quickly to sign you, buy your material, or otherwise bring you on board.



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How To Follow Up

If you had a meeting, sent materials, shared a meal, or had any sort of meaningful

interaction with a decision-maker, the ball is in your court.

Its your job to follow up.

The purpose of following up is to remind the decision-maker politely that you (and possibly

your request) exist, and often this is done in an indirect way. If you handle the post-

meeting interactions well, it will be easier for you to address the decision-makers notes,

answer his questions, and prove that he should hire you or buy your material.

You Have To Follow Up

Sometimes, screenwriters dont follow up with decision-makers when they think that thedecision-makers are going to handle the follow up. Usually, this mistake happens when

screenwriters misinterpret something the decision-maker says. Thus, here are some

examples of commonly used decision-maker-ese:

Ill take care of (____) and get back to you.

Ill look at your materials.

Lets get together sometime.

This means:

Maybe Ill take care of (____) and get back to you.

Unless something higher priority comes up, Ill look at your materials.

Lets get together sometime, though I am booked for the next two years.

You get the idea. Decision-makers are busy and they can easily lose track. I know, youre

busy, toobut as the screenwriter, you cant afford to lose track. Decision-makers can.

There are plenty of screenwriters waiting.

Still, keep an eye on the bright side. Youve had a meeting with them. That means that for

a little while, youre in their memory and quite possibly, on their high priority list.

Following up is how you convert that meeting into concrete results.



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Why People Dont Follow Up

Many people have a meeting and then wait by the phone, hoping it will ring. Usually this is

because the screenwriter thinks, I dont want to bother the decision-maker. I dont want to

pester them or seem desperate.

The real reason, however, is just fear. You dont want to hear the decision-maker say No,

or worsenot even return your emails or calls.

Let me address these two issues. First, if you follow up correctly, youre not a bother.

Youre not nagging or pestering and you dont seem desperate. Youre actually being

helpful. Youre reminding the decision-maker (in a graceful way) that theres a high

priority item that would benefit from their attention.

As for being afraid of hearing No or getting the cold shoulder, thats understandable. Its

discouraging to follow-up and find out that you are not going to be hired or your projectisnt going to be purchased. But isnt knowing that information sooner rather than later

better in terms of moving forward with your goals?

Three Types Of Following Up

A follow-up is any communication that happens subsequent to the meeting and prior

to the decision-maker doing whatever it is you want them to do.

Following up tends to take one of two forms:

Direct:This is where the main focus of your email or phone call is when you say,

So, have you had a chance to (____)?

Indirect:Communication where you dont mention the (____), but you keep in

touch in a way that reminds the decision-maker that (____) is on their list of things

to do. Indirect follow-ups include saying thank-you and sharing new information.

Here are three email templates so you can decide what to do your particular situation.



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Template #1: Asking Directly (Direct)

Re: Quick question

Hi (VIP name),

I hope you had a good weekend.

Just wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to read (project title).

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best,

(You)

Template #2: Sharing New Information (Indirect)Re: Good news

Hi (VIP name),

I wanted to share some good news. I just found out that my script (project title) is a semi-

finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship! Thanks for your encouragement along the way.

I hope that (VIPs current project) is going well.

Warmest regards,

(You)

Template #3: Saying Thank You (Indirect)

Re: Thank you!

Hi (VIP Name),

Just wanted to say how much I liked your recent interview in (publication name).

The advice you gave about (specific topic) really helped me with a (genre) I have indevelopment.

Thanks!

(You)



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Rules For Following Up

After a pitch or general meeting, send a thank-you note within 24 hours.

In Hollywood, if youve had an in-person pitch meeting or even a phone or

videoconference pitch, handwritten thank-you notes are a good idea. This is because

when the assistant sorts the days mail, common practice is to place the handwritten notes

on top of the stack.

Follow-up Three Times After Making a Request

After making a request, you can follow up three times, alternating phone-email-phone or

email-phone-email (my preference).

First, email 1 week after making the request.

Then, phone 1 weeks later.

Then, email 2 weeks later.

If the decision-maker responds and requests more time or asks you to follow up in the

future, you can continue. If you dont get a response, stop following up.

Prepare To Leave A Message

When you call to follow-up, you will likely be giving a message to an assistant or going

directly to voicemail. Have something written down so that youre prepared, e.g.:

This is (your name) calling. We met last week about (project title). I sent in (materials) and

Im just calling to make sure you received the package.

Prepare For An Actual Meeting

If the VIP actually does take your call, keep a copy of the materials you sent in nearby in

case you need to refer to something on it.

Also, you should only make a follow-up phone call from a place where you can talk calmlywithout distractions (i.e., not in line at Baja Fresh, in the car on the 405 going over the hill

into the valley, etc.).



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Dont Follow Up Too Much

There is a difference between being a professional who follows up on meetings and

becoming a stalker. In Hollywood in particular, there are people who decide, If youre not

going to call me back, Im going to call you every ten minutes until you pick up the phone,or Im going to write you a letter every day until I get the response I want. The cases

where this kind of bullying strategy works are few.

Keep A Log Of Your Communication

You want to remember when you spoke with them last and what was said. Its your job to

keep track of this information. Some people use an Excel spreadsheet, some use

FileMaker Pro. I use the Notes field in my Addressbook. However you do this, its crucial

that you do it. Down the road, youll thank yourself!

This isnt just about helping you remember phone numbers and build rapport with VIPs.

Its also for situations that relate to contracts, such as when youre being given different

information by producers on a project, and you need to be able to explain to your agent

exactly who said what and when.

The more information you have, the better off you are when it comes time to warm up a

room, settle a contractual dispute, or launch a new project by sending it to the right

people in the right way.



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Three Meeting Checklists

How many times have you packed your bags, gotten on the plane, arrived at your

destination, unpacked, and found that you had forgotten something important?

Weve all done it. On a vacation, its an inconvenience. In a pitch meeting, its a potential

disaster. The solution is this:

Stop keeping track of everything in your head and use a checklist.

Surgeons use a checklist before every operationand it saves lives. Airplane pilots use a

checklist for takeoff and landingand it saves lives. Writers use a checklist and it helps

you to perform well in meetings, get hired, and sell your work. Thats not quite saving lives,

but having a successful creative career is an outcome worth pursuing.

What Should I Be Checking Off?

When you take your screenplay into the marketplace and start having meetings, you might

start with scheduling a few meetings, but you could easily have more than 20+ meetings a

week for weeks at a time. This means a lot of information to organize.

In general, for every meeting you want to make sure that you have:

Set goals

Researched the decision-maker

Confirmed the logistics

Prepared questions

Tested your equipment

Coordinated with any partners

Recorded what you learned

Evaluated your performance

A checklist is really YOUR checklist. It should be a work in progress that you customize asyou learn about your needs. To help you get started, Ill be giving you some checklist

templates. Ill also describe the thinking behind certain items on the checklists.



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Checklist #1: Preparation

Set Goals For The Meeting

Yes, I know you want to have the decision-maker buy your material for a large sum ofmoney. But this isnt a realistic goal in the beginning of the process. If youre meeting a

decision-maker for the first time, a good goal is to build rapport so you can get a second

meeting. Another good goal is to discover something personal about the decision-maker.

Highest priority goal ______________________________

Secondary goal ______________________________

Research Decision-Maker(s)

You should know as much as possible about the decision-makers you intend to meet,

including their position at the company, past projects, and anything theyve published.

Every scrap of information can help you build rapport and pitch effectively.

Name ______________________________

Title ______________________________

Recent Projects ______________________________

Successes ______________________________

Areas of expertise ______________________________

Read what theyve written ______________________________

Read whats been written about them ______________________________

Where else have they worked? ______________________________

Whom might we know in common? ______________________________

Other executives at the company ______________________________

Confirm LogisticsForgive me if this seems too basic, but Ive had so many writers show up late for meetings

and it really gets things off on the wrong foot. Anyone with whom you really want to meet is

BUSY. If you waste their time, thats a strike against you.



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Therefore, if I have to drive to a meeting, Ill map the route, estimate how long it will take

me to get there, and put a departure time in my calendar so that I can arrive early enough

to have a coffee or something at a staging area (a place in walking distance to the

meeting). Then I can walk over and arrive right on time without being out of breath.

Meeting confirmed ______________________________

Updated contact info and location ______________________________

Drive planned ______________________________

Staging area ______________________________

Departure time ______________________________

Prepare Questions

The beginning of just about every meeting you will ever have is where you make small-talk. This is an important part of the meeting because decision-makers want to work with

people they like and trust. If youre prepared, the small-talk will hopefully turn into a

deeper conversation about your common perspectives and interests.

Therefore, before the meeting, design a couple rapport-building questions to encourage

the decision-maker to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about things they

feel positively about.

Perhaps you know someone in common, and can design a social question

around that, e.g.: How did you first meet (friend in common)? Perhaps you have a hobby or avocation in common. If so, you could design

an activity questionaround that, e.g.: I noticed from (print interview) that

you like (hobby). Whats your favorite (aspect of hobby)?

If you cant find anything out at all, you can use some of the tried and true

conversation starters, e.g.: How was your weekend?

Social question ______________________________

Activity question ______________________________

Conversation starter ______________________________



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Test Equipment

Your equipment includes what youre wearing, what you bring with you (in your bag,

purse, backpack, or briefcase), and any other materials or technology necessary for the

meeting.

1. Have special meeting clothes.

Im often asked what clothes should be worn to a pitch meeting, though Im not a fashion

expert. Does argyle make you look fat? I dont know. Maybe.

That said, my recommendation is to wear something that you have worn before, doesnt

show sweat, is comfortable enough to be worn all day, and is close to the decision-

makers level of formality. If you wear jeans and sneakers, let the jeans be dark and the

shoes new.

The key is to try your clothes on. We all gain or lose a few pounds from time to time, and

you want to make sure the clothes you intend to wear will fit properly.

2. Choose good waiting room materials.

The material you bring to the waiting room is not just to help you wait. It is to provide a

potential conversation starter, make a good impression, and put you into the right frame of

mind for the performance to come.

Good waiting room materials are magazines and non-fiction (not about religion or politics)

that are easy to pick up and put down.

Doing actual work on your phone, tablet, or laptop isnt ideal. This is because its easy to

get immersed in something that makes it hard for you to transition instantly into meeting

mode. Still, I understand youre going to be texting, tweeting, and checking email. Thats

okay so long as you can drop what youre doing at a moments notice.

3. Clean and restock your bag.

Our bags (purses, backpacks, briefcases) accumulate stuff (read: bits and pieces of

crap). You want to be okay if you drop your bag, everything spills out, and the decision-maker sees all of the contents. You sho

how to take a hollywood meeting

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