The 60 Second Character Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a clear, brief message or commercial often about a business or person. Its
typically about 60 seconds, the time it takes people to ride from the top to the bottom of a
building in an elevator (a very tall building). The idea behind having an elevator pitch is that you
are prepared to share this information with anyone, at anytime. It is important to have your pitch
memorized and practiced. Rehearse your pitch with a friend or in front of a mirror. Get
comfortable with what you have to say so you can breeze through it when the time comes.
You will present an elevator pitch on your short-storys characters - protagonist, supporting
characters, and antagonist. Use the Character Development Handout to help mold your
characters.This elevator pitch is:
between 50 to 60 seconds
or approximately 160 -180 words
or approximately 16 - 18 sentences
Your audience will consist of members from your own group and those from another. Be
prepared to answer a few questions about your characters after your elevator pitch.

Character Elevator Pitch Checklist

1) Get the attention and interest of your audience by choosing one of the
techniques below. (10 seconds)
a) Relate the protagonist to the audience
b) State the importance of your protagonist
c) Startle the audience with an interesting fact about your
protagonist
d) Arouse the curiosity of the audience
e) Question the audience
f) Begin with a quotation
2) Reveal your characters (protagonist, supporting characters, antagonist) in
Spanish to your audience. (10 seconds) What are they like? How would you describe
them?
3) For the body of your speech, go into detail about your characters. In what
historical context are they placed? How do the characters interact? How are they
connected? What makes them unique? (30 seconds)
4) Conclusion. Remind audience why they would want to read about your
characters. Close by inviting questions. (10 seconds)
In your role as audience member you should listen intently and form questions for the presenter.
The purpose of these questions should be to promote discussion and encourage the presenter
to think deeply about their characters.
Finetuning Checklist
Step 1: Cut the jargon. Make strong short & powerful sentences. Eliminate unnecessary words.
Step 2: Connect the phrases to each other. Your pitch has to flow naturally and smoothly.
Step 3: Memorize key points and practice. Dont rush.