The Film Pitch

Before a film is made, ideas, concepts and “Pitches” are floated out to various movie producers,
executives etc. A “pitch” is usually made in person to the producers. Before the live “pitch”, one
usually sends in a written “treatment” or “concept”.

Here is a model “treatment” or “Pitch”

Film Title: Edge of Forever

Film Genre: Action Adventure - Ecological Disaster

Plot Summary: A scientist discovers that big bad corporations have been secretly manipulating the
genetic structure of major cereal crops in order to increase yields. Unknown to this big bad
corporation, but known by our hero scientist, another big bad corporation is getting reading to release
a genetically manipulated grass hopper - 3 times the size of normal grasshoppers, which will eat only
weeds, thus eliminating the need for spraying pesticides. The hero scientist puts two and two
together and realizes that grasshopper will eat the new varieties of cereal crops and when they are all
gone, they will advance into urban areas where there are lots of weeds. Results: widespread famine
and very large grasshoppers all over Los Angeles. Hero scientist convinces lady scientist at
grasshopper research lab to help blow the whistle on each of these corporations. They must break
into the labs of each corporation, steal the evidence and present it to the Secretary of Agriculture who
is meeting other world leaders in Los Angeles for the world summit on eliminating hunger. At the
summit, the new crop of cereal grains are to be given to third world countries to feed their people.
Bad guys from both corporations are after the two as they go through X files style, secret agent stuff
(most of the time they have no idea what they are doing - lots of comedy potential here) to steal the
evidence. They get chased from New York to Los Angeles.

Target Market: 14 to 50 male and female - action adventure will appeal to young males, lots of high
tech special effects - romance element between two leads will attract female audience, - ecological
spin will attract yuppie, earnest save the world types, everyone loves to hate big corporations - they
are the new villains, so market is quite wide for this film. Good date flick but not a chick flick.
Everyone loves Julia and Pierce can play the earnest almost nerdy science guy who gets to save the
world even though he is not equipped to do it. Real little guy triumphs over all odds kind of film.

Male Lead: Pierce Brosnan

Female Lead: Julia Roberts

Slogan - Print Ad: “They’re out to save the world - but can they save each other” close up photo of
two stars kissing with large grasshoppers and scenes of fire and destruction behind them.

Trailer: Rapid cut of action/chase sequence - the two in lab coats - last cut of trailer: close up of
Julia’s face frozen in horror as Pierce is led away by big bad corporations - his words to her “Get the
bugs!”

Look and Feel of Film: the little guy overcomes the big bad corporation - big non-stop action and
chase film, inter-cut with spit-fire scenes of two leads loving to “hate” each other until they realize
they love each other - part romantic comedy, part action adventure -giant grasshoppers comprise
most important rescue/action scene - followed by dramatic entrance of leads into Summit on Food in
L.A. and big happily-ever-after scene at end, stars in a clinch, fade to black.

Settings: Big faceless mammoth corporate headquarters - New York, an isolated test facility in the
mid west (grasshopper scenes) various airports, highways etc. Final location is Los Angeles some
big convention center where summit is being held.

Film Pitch

1. Write a film pitch for an adaptation of your small group novel which follows the above model and
contains the following elements:

Film title, genre, plot summary, target market, male and female leads, print ad slogan and visuals,
trailer summary, look and feel description, settings.

Film genres:

Comedy films (which includes the following subgenres) - romantic comedy, black comedy,
screwball comedy, slapstick comedy, Disaster films, Epics, Film Noir, Horror films, Science Fiction
films, Western, Action Adventure, Fish out of Water film, Go For it film, Teen Flick, Chick Flick,
Fantasy films, War films, Gritty Drama, Historical period films.

2. Originality - your pitch may combine genres if you wish or create something new, but your
concept must be original, appeal to specific audience(s) and be a viable project commercially - in
other words, it has to be a film that will appeal to the market/audience you are suggesting and be able
to make money.

OR

You can make a film trailer. A film trailer is an important sales vehicle for a movie. If you want to
make a film trailer instead, use a website like Photopeach which will allow you to upload images and
music to create a slide show. Have a look at some of the others from last year that are posted on the
blog. The assessment criteria will be the same for either choice:

Assessment:

Organization follows model and all parts are present and completed properly 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Originality of the possible movie: 5 4 3 2 1

Style of pitch is persuasive and engaging: 5 4 3 2 1

Viability of project: 5 4 3 2 1

Effective application of knowledge of novel to a new context. 5 4 3 2 1

Total: /30 marks (Knowledge, Thinking, Communication, Application)

Please hand in this sheet with your film pitch