The Perfect Pitch: How to Sell Yourself and Your Movie Idea

Ken Rotcop, master pitch man and former creative head of four studios, discusses the new edition of his book and techniques for successful pitching.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• pitching
• Hollywood
• film
• filmmaking
• script
• screenplay
• Ken
• Rotcop
• Michael
• Wiese
• producing
• movies

[NinjaSperm]

He made a brilliant pitch to E.B. White.

[mentorkenneo]

Very powerful Ken! I want the book! Just what I needed! I'm looking for ways to brand and market myself by building a presence on the web. Excellent.

[noldaker]

@JohnDangolli yes I use WGA for my scripts - if you use them too - make sure you renew your screenplays after 5 years. The problem as I've always seen it is when you release a screenplay without an agent...you are at a high risk of getting ripped off... Hollywood is a very close knit community and have stables of writers they use...One of the other ways I protect my work and story is to adapt it to book and publish it and sell online. If Hollywood is interested then - they buy.

[JohnDangolli]

@noldaker if you had a script for your film you cant you copyright and register it through wga dot org? its the writers guild of america, im sure you've heard of it though. that is where i will get rights to my script once i am finished with it, then try to get it turned into a movie, because I've got about 5 scripts im working on at the moment in my free time because im still in college. But I am very sorry that happened to you, and am glad youre doing well now and producing your own work :)

[noldaker]

@JohnDangolli you cannot copyright an idea...but they sent back letters saying they were not interested in the project...The people working with me from C-III at Universal, DP of Mash Series and others were all professionals --C-III folded and Dominic passed away - so they figured they were safe from heavy hitters going after them...To me - I've moved on to other projects and will never let this happen again. All my work is now published and produced by my company.

[JohnDangolli]

@noldaker did you get a copyright on it before sharing?

[GrandMasterKolbasa]

When a professional like Ken gets his mitts on a book like this, that's when things really take off.

Why bother reading books from some dubious ruffians without the chops? You wouldn't hire a clown to fix a leak in the john, so why do you let these hooligans tear down the biz?

Ken has gone out and done the movie world a friggin' service.

[hollywoodsimmons]

@ noldaker wow thats a crying shame this is why i don't tell just any one out here in hollywood my movie idea's these thieving bastards have no heart. hollywood is full of snakes.

[noldaker]

Hi Ken: I wish I could get my foot through the door -- I've read your book and many others -- I've pitched and been robbed --How about starting a seminar on, "How to get the contract and not get your scripts/stories ripped off by Hollywood"? :>)

[GiacomoKnox]

Does anyone remember who wrote Winnie the Pooh? Hint: Not Disney. This is exactly why he did what he did. He wanted EB White to understand that it was his work, and always will be his work, and all HB did was make an animated version of it. Kudos for the best pitching story I've ever heard!