One of the ways I pitch my scripts is posting pages on social media. I add a logline to the post, but sometimes I use a two-word pitch instead, like “Invisible zombies.” It takes a second for a producer, director, etc. to read a two-word pitch. You could even make a three-word pitch or four-word pitch for your script, and it would only take two or three seconds for a producer, director, etc. to read it.
You could also use a two-word pitch, three-word pitch, etc. for query calls and query letters. And you could put them in your written pitches, pitch decks, etc.
4 people like this
Great four-word pitch, Matthew Kelcourse! I picture a Horror movie/show where a person kills by talking. Or a Revenge Drama where someone says something, and it leads to murder.
3 people like this
There are even one word pitches that turn out to be titles: Sharknado is a good example
3 people like this
A great 3 word pitch came from the movie The Edge: "Jaws with Claws"
1 person likes this
Great point about one-word pitches/titles, Jason Mirch! "Jaws with Claws" is a great three-word pitch! It reminds me of the pitch for Man's Best Friend. "Jaws on Paws." I'm not sure if that was the official pitch or something someone made up.
3 people like this
For my current TV pilot, mine would be "Better Call God"...
LOL PSYCH!!!
Seriously though, it would be along the lines of "Blood, Betrayal, Belief".
2 people like this
I like both pitches, Marcel Nault Jr.
3 people like this
Golden Duo.
3 people like this
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
2 people like this
You're welcome, Rebecca James. Thanks!
3 people like this
Intresting! Maurice...Thank you for sharing!
2 people like this
You're welcome, Leonor LeRu.
3 people like this
I heard Miami Vice was pitched as "MTV COPS"
3 people like this
That's interesting, Michael David. I haven't seen Miami Vice. Is there a lot of MTV-style music in the show?
3 people like this
Go Mets
5 people like this
Maurice Vaughan Yes, the show featured tons of top-40 hits from the era (the '80's) lots of Phil Collins, etc. It was considered in style and fashion, the cool show of the era, much like how "Sex and the City" was seen as the gold standard of urban women's style for its era... Watching old episodes, you can see how the real plot of every episode was Don Johnston looking cool (and he did!)
3 people like this
You're going shorter and shorter, one day we end up with a "one letter" pitch.. But scrolling through my loglines, this is the only one good enough: "Five Points". And now you ask me "why?" And I answer: because all the free promotion for whatever early twenties crime movie that goes with it!!! And then somebody tells me the word "Five Points" is copyrighted by the producers that made "Gangs of New York." It's not! They can never own the copyright on 'a word' that represends that piece of land, a teritory!! But thank you producers, in so many ways, for making Gangs of New York!!
3 people like this
One-letter pitches probably won't work, Rutger Oosterhoff (unless the screenwriter is really creative and uses that letter to lead into more pitching), but one-word pitches might work.
1 person likes this
I heard that too, Dan MaxXx. One-word pitch. Plus a dollar sign. Writers, filmmakers, etc. should think outside the box when pitching.
3 people like this
SUPER GREAT IDEA Maurice!!
3 people like this
Thanks, Sherri ZImmerman.
5 people like this
Correct Michael David! The late NBC TV executive Brandon Tartikoff wrote MTV Cops down on a piece a paper and the rest is history. Series creator Anthony Yerkovich took it from there and created the show, and of course the S1 show runner was some dude named Michael Mann.
4 people like this
I worked on a movie once called Zombie Strippers. Both the two word pitch and the title all in one! And to top it off, it actually did very well!