Preparing Pitch Materials for Movies or TV

And what materials an executive expects to see when you meet

Johnny Depp as Ed Wood in Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood”

The entertainment industry has substantially changed since the heyday of “Plan 9 From Outer Space” director Ed Wood, who had made a habit of successfully launching his micro-budgeted films by the sheer force of his personality.

For the purpose of this article, we will discuss the conventional method of selling or setting up feature films or television — pitching an executive at a production company, streamer, network, or studio.

For those of you who have not seen my previous articles on “insider realities” of the entertainment business, you can review those here:

A quick note: As I mentioned in the articles above, both the film and television industries are akin to the Wild West. There are no rules. However, in terms of what an executive expects to see from a successful pitch, the following are general deliverables a creative should prepare prior to entering “the room.” You will not need them all, but the better prepared you are the more opportunity you will have to impress.