To Pitch or Not To Pitch

By Ty Johnston-Chavis and Mona Scott-Young

This highly informative guide is designed to help content creators, writers, producers and those in the film and TV industries learn how to pitch, package, and sell their script or project to a TV network, linear channel, studio, production company, agent or web streamer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Nov 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781685150914

Ty Johnston-Chavis

Meet Ty Johnston-Chavis, a true luminary in the realm of television and film production, a leader and visionary whose influence knows no bounds. With a career spanning decade, Ty has consistently set the gold standard for excellence in entertainment.As a producer and a confident industry voice, Ty has not only brought unforgettable stories to the market but has also paved the way for others to follow. Beyond the silver screen, Ty has been a guiding force in industry initiatives, advocating for diversity and inclusion, and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers. She is the founder of the longstanding annual conference, The Atlanta Pitch Summit, a respected annual conference, and networking marketplace where content meets distribution, allowing content creators to pitch their ideas to key executives and get their projects greenlit by TV and film companies such as Lifetime, BET MGM, TV One, FOX, Harpo Films, and Nickelodeon. Ty is not just a producer but a guiding light, an advocate for change, and an expert in her craft.

Book preview

PART 1

The Process

It All Starts with a Great Concept

S

o, do you think you want to be a writer within the entertainment industry? You have tons of story ideas, but will they sway executives, producers, showrunners, or networks? Can your story change the world and/or the hearts of its viewers? As a writer, it is your responsibility to think of not just your script and how exciting it will be to have it placed, but the business behind it all. Now I know you may not be sure of what that entails, but like I share with my clients, You need to understand and be knowledgeable about all the things you are pitching to. From the network's agenda to the executive producer's requested story concepts, you should be aware of your platform and the people connected to it. Thus, that is why creating and building the right story concept is key once you decide who and what you want to pursue in this space.

You must have heard that within any writing arena or conference, the success of any book, song, or script is contingent upon a great, relatable, unique, and original concept. This, by far, is where the majority of writers make mistakes when it comes to drafting stories or scripts for pitch or purchase. They write based on their personal enjoyment and expectations, not for what the reader or watcher will want to see and enjoy. Let me give you a small piece of advice, "Unless you are going to be the only one watching your show, what you want to see and everything you deemed necessary is not important. When you are writing for others, their wants are the only ones that matter." You don’t understand how many people's scripts get canned for this one reason alone. Nobody cares about your story, but merely what your story can do to someone else's bottom line. Point! Blank! Period! This is why it's imperative for you as a writer to create a story concept that society is looking for or one that has proven to be successful in the past. Knowing your audience should be the first thing you must master before penning a logline, creating characters, defining the plot or climax, or drafting the first draft. Once you get this down and know who you are talking to, then and only then can you begin developing the concept that will either entertain or