Pitchfest preparation

Well, I am attending my first Pitchfest in 7 years and I am a tad nervous.

Although, on the other hand, I am not as nervous as I could be.

Truth be told, I'll most likely be wearing a long sleeve dress shirt and tie on top, but pajama bottoms underneath. Plus I can have my notes in front of me, beside my monitor, so I can refer to them when needed. I think I can also be a bit calmer and be myself a bit more when I am in the comfort of my own home (and not in some sterile hotel ballroom, in a bullpen with a bunch of other desperate screenwriters, pitching their wares). And, finally, I think the stress will be off a bit knowing that I only shelled out $400 for this (for 5 meetings) as opposed to doling out close to $1,000 for airfare, hotel, etc. The stakes are lowered. Plus, if this goes well this year, next year I may buy more pitches and do this again with more confidence (I've never done a Pitchfest two years in a row)... especially if it is still virtual... Hell, I may even pitch Muscles & Wine, if I get it to a place where I feel confident showing it to someone in the industry.

 But I digress.

FadeIn has sent us writers a PDF of the companies and agencies that are schedule to be Pitchfest.

Upon looking at the list, I find it funny that Lawrence Bender's company (the man who wrote all those movies with Tarantino, and who wrote a bunch of gory dark comedies, action movies and wrote an unmade Phantasm film) doesn't want horror films or gore films... whatever. 

Also odd is that Lion's Gate does not say that they are looking for horror. 

Shout!Factory is also on there and it does not say that they are looking for horror (even though that is, I'd argue, mostly their bread & butter in their boutique Blu-ray company).

Ah well.

Here are my top picks:

Epicenter

Canopy

Culture Creative

Screen Gems (even though they rejected me when I pitched through GreenLightMyMovie.com... though they seem to love horror franchises... and that's exactly what I'm offering them, figured I'd give them another shot).

Michael Lewis & Assoc. (they say they're looking for features, all genres, and completed scripts only... figure it wouldn't hurt; plus they might love the fact that I've got a completed script, a completed sequel (though I won't let on that I've already written the sequel) and an idea for a trilogy... plus the fact that not only is the first script completed, but has garnered all those accolades).

I'm on the fence about Merman (they had success with Shinning Vale, but nothing else horror-related, despite their saying they are looking for horror), Morgan Creek (who've had great success with horror, though it doesn't say they are looking for horror), Original Film (who've made Preacher and, IMO, garbage like the Escape Room sequel and the two Sonic the Hedgehog movies), Agency for the Performing Arts (they seem to be looking for TV), AMC (possibly; figured it couldn't hurt; they've had such great success with Shudder, it seems like a no-brainer; plus if Personal Demons turns out as a Shudder original that gets a theatrical release (like The Watcher) I'm okay with that... as long as people see it and I get my foot in the door; however, if all they are looking for is TV... then no... Personal Demons is a feature, not a show. Period). 

 

So, there it is.

My preliminary Pitchfest picks.

I am going to spend the next few days practicing my pitch and solidifying to which companies I want to pitch.

Tomorrow night I sign up for meetings.

Then Friday and Saturday (and possibly Sunday) I pitch.

 

This will be my first time pitching Personal Demons in person (I've pitched it via query letters and video pitches) since I wrote it seven years ago.

 

Wish me luck!