Today you guys are going to create a PITCH for your short film.
A pitch is a short, persuasive presentation that sells a film idea to producers by proving:
The idea is clear
The story is engaging
The audience is defined
The film is achievable
For A2 Media, it must show:
Narrative understanding
Genre conventions
Audience targeting
Industry awareness
Practical production thinking
Activity: DUE WED
Create a Pitch using the 8 step pitch structure below. Create a slideshow that will be presented as though you were pitching to potential investors, filmed and uploaded to your blog as a Youtube video.
This can be a shared task but should have equal input for marking purposes, both in the planning and the presentation.
You'll be marked on the following areas;
1. Content
- the actual idea
- clarity (clear, structured ideas)
- researched
- creative rationale for choices
- feasibility (realistic)
- audience awareness is specific and justified
2. presentation
- clarity in communication of idea (articulate and concise)
- professionalism
- persuasive and confidence in communicating the idea
- technological tools used in a sophisticated way
- articulate
The 8-Step Pitch Structure
Use this framework:
1. Title & Logline (Hook)
1–2 sentence summary
It must include:
Protagonist
Goal
Obstacle
Stakes
Example:
When a shy teen accidentally livestreams her private diary, she must track down the hacker before her secrets destroy her reputation.
2. Genre & Style
You should answer:
What genre?
Hybrid genre?
Tone? (dark, comedic, surreal, realist?)
Visual style?
Use references:
“Inspired by Black Mirror…”
“Shot in handheld realism like This Is England…”
This shows media literacy which is essential for A2.
3. Target Audience
You must define:
Age range
Gender skew (if relevant)
Psychographics (values, interests)
Where it would be distributed (festival? YouTube? streaming?)
Go beyond:
“Teenagers”
Rather “16–21 urban audiences interested in social realism and mental health narratives”4. Narrative Outline (Beginning–Middle–End)
Not the full script, just:
Setup
Conflict
Climax
Resolution
Keep it under 1 minute when spoken.
5. Characters
Brief description of:
Protagonist
Antagonist (or central conflict)
Key supporting role
Focus on:
Motivation
Internal conflict
Representation
6. Themes & Messages
What issues are explored?
Why does this matter now?
How does it reflect contemporary society?
This is where theory can be integrated ( Todorov, Hall, etc.)
7. Visual & Technical Approach
Students should mention:
Cinematography style
Colour palette
Sound design
Editing pace
Locations
Budget awareness
This proves production understanding.
8. Why This Film? (The Sell)
End with:
Why it’s original
Why audiences will care
Why it’s relevant today
This is the persuasive close.
Common Mistakes
Idea too big for a short film
No clear conflict
No target audience
Confusing genre
Overcomplicated plot
No clear ending
Reminder;
A short film is about one moment of change — not a whole life story.