Come to The 2008 Screenwriting Expo and pitch your ideas and stories to your choice of 120 to 160 producers, development executives, production companies, agents and managers. Expo Pitch Meetings will run from 1-5 PM on Friday, Nov. 14, from 9 AM – Noon and 1-5 PM on Saturday, Nov. 15, and from 9 AM – Noon and 1-5 PM on Sunday, Nov. 16.
More than 8,000 individual pitches will be offered this year with the finest group of production companies and agents ever assembled for this kind of event. This is significantly more pitches than have been offered at any previous Expo, so we hope that everyone will get at least a few of the companies that they want.
Pitch Registration — TENTATIVE OPENING DATE AND TIME
We anticipate that pitch tickets will go on sale at some time between Oct. 25 and Nov. 6, 2008. Come Back To This Page For The List of Companies Hosting Pitches:
| Session One: Friday, Nov. 14 (1 PM to 5 PM) | TBA |
| Session Two: Saturday, Nov. 15 (9 AM to Noon) | TBA |
| Session Three: Saturday, Nov. 15 (1 PM to 5 PM) | TBA |
| Session Four: Sunday, Nov. 16 (9 AM to Noon) | TBA |
| Session Four: Sunday, Nov. 16 (1 PM to 5 PM) | TBA |
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Pitch Meeting Process
Online Registration
Pitch Meeting registration will be handled on line. All people who register for The 2008 Screenwriting Expo will receive an e-mail in early November directing them to the Expo Pitch Meetings registration page. They will then be able to register for pitches if they wish.
Why Pitch? Industry Access:
Without an agent or legal representation, screenwriters almost never get the opportunity to bring their ideas to the people who can help their script evolve into a film. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch directly to an industry executive or literary agent with the power to turn your dream into a reality.
In one room, up to 60 of Hollywood’s A-list producers, development executives, agents, and managers at a time will be looking for new material. In all, 137 companies participated in last year’s Expo. No other event will offer writers better access to the people and companies capable of setting your writing career in motion. We’ve provided the venue, all you need to do is bring your best ideas and polished pitches — this is your chance to gain representation, sell your idea and make career-changing contacts.
Who?
Top names in the industry, including studio, network and cable development executives as well as agents and managers. Each of our executives has a studio deal and/or has produced several major motion pictures, television shows or Movies-of-the-Week. Executives seeking features of all budgets, MOWS, as well as hour and half-hour television formats will be hearing pitches. Our literary agents and managers are from the top companies representing elite screenwriting talent and making deals that grace the pages of The Hollywood Reporter and Variety every day.
The Steps In The Pitching Process:
Step 1 — Understand What You Are Getting Into — Here Is A Summary Of Key Steps:
- You will be required to sign a release from liability. It will be posted before tickets go on sale.
- You must register for the Expo in order to be eligible buy pitch tickets.
- Registrants will be notified in advance by email and on this web site of the date that tickets will go on sale.
- The day tickets go on sale, you will receive, by email only, the link to buy in the order that you registered.
- That on-sale date is expected to be sometime between Oct. 25 and Nov. 6, 2008.
- You must sign the release in person at the Expo to pick up your pitch tickets.
- Arrive at the pitch location at least 15 minutes before your pitch session. Your ticket is for a particular five-minute period. If you miss your session, you forfeit the ticket price.
Step 2 — Register for the Expo
If you want to give a pitch at the Golden Pitch Festival, your first step is to register for The Screenwriting Expo.
Step 3 — Wait For Your Email. Follow the online link to purchase your pitch tickets.
Golden Pitch tickets will go on sale sometime between Oct. 25 and Nov. 6, 2008. We will send to you in an advance email, and also post on the web site, a notification of the date on which pitch tickets will go on sale. On the date tickets go on sale, follow the link to view available tickets and buy tickets.
Individual tickets (to pitch for 5 minutes to one development executive/ production company) will be sold for $25. You may also purchase 5 tickets for $100 (a savings of $25). No refunds will be given for unused pitch tickets.
Step 4 — At the Expo, Sign the Release And Pick Up Tickets.
The ticket pickup location will be in the Expo registration area or nearby.
Step 5 — Go to Your Pitch Meetings.
The tickets that you purchase will have the name of the production company you will be meeting with as well as the time of your session. You must be in line for your session at least 15 minutes before your scheduled time. The pitch meetings will be held in a room to be announced at the Los Angeles Convention Center. If you miss your session, no refunds will be given for your unused pitch ticket.
Step 4 — Pitch Your Script.
Each pitch will last up to 5 minutes. At the 5-minute mark a bell will ring and you will have 10 seconds to leave the table. You need to move quickly so the writer with the next appointment can sit down and begin their pitch. If you finish your meeting with a production company before the 5 minutes are up, please leave the table as soon as possible. This will open up an opportunity for the a writer in the “Standby” line to speak to that company.
Step 5 — Follow Up
After you pitch your story or screenplay, the producer or production company may or may not request to see a copy of your script. If the producer or company does request your script, proper protocol is to mail a copy a few days after the event with a polite cover letter reminding the producer or company of your meeting and the request. If your script was not requested, it is bad form to send it. DO NOT follow up with a phone call unless asked to.
Disclaimer
The Screenwriting Expo secures agreements to appear from each producer prior to announcing the producer’s commitment to the Pitch Meetings. Unfortunately, for any number of reasons, one or more producers may be unable to appear or may not arrive at their scheduled time. The Screenwriting Expo will have back-up producers available to hear pitches in the event that any executives are unable to meet their contractual obligation. In the event that a producer does not appear, a make-up pitch will be arranged with one of our back-up producers. Make-up pitches are available in lieu of refunds. The Screenwriting Expo cannot be responsible if a producer does not meet his or her contractual obligation.
Sell Your Script 