The Perfect Pitch, that new initiative to premiere at The European Independent Film Festival (ƒCU) – and to be held March 13th and 15th in the Salle Belvedere at La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Francois Mitterrand – seems to have come together quite nicely.
For those of you who haven’t heard about this pop, bam, whiz of a program, it is aimed at assisting filmmakers in fine-tuning their pitch presentations to film buyers, movie producers, and distributors.
The number of individuals involved in filmmaking is continually on the rise, and with this, the technology and varying mediums these filmmakers are using is improving and outdating itself on an almost daily basis. Considering the current state of the global economy, many distributors and buyers are no longer willing to take financial risks. With less room for error it is essential that filmmakers are able to communicate their knowledge and capabilities effectively when they’re on the spot.
Peter Bart, editor of Variety and recent contributor to Vanity Fair’s March 2009 issue via ‘Beware Falling Stars!’, recognizes these changing times and economies:
“In the 60s and 70s, young filmmakers would pitch their projects in a near frenzy. Every film seemed a passion project. Today’s filmmakers come equipped with data on how their movies might do overseas, on DVD, or on the Internet. Decisions on whether to green-light a project, they realize, are based on research, and they come prepared to deal with demographic realities.”
The Perfect Pitch is a program addressing these very realities, beginning with a series of workshops aimed at helping filmmakers effectively prepare and execute a professional pitch presentation. The workshops will be held the morning of Friday, March 13th. The instructors include:
• Jeff Gross, Director/Screenwriter
• Charles Weinstein, Instructor, Film Acting Paris
• Matt Jeschelnik, Owner, Boulder Creek International
• Jeffrey Goldberg, Filmmaker/Director
On Friday afternoon judges will evaluate individual pitch performances, and twenty Perfect Pitch participants will be invited to pitch their films to a panel of film buyers, movie producers and distributors on Sunday, March 15th. Panelists include:
• Stephane Parthenay, Pyramide Productions
• Alexis Hofmann, BAC Films
• Sylva Polakova, Film Distribution Artcam
• Vanja Kaludercic, The Coproduction Office
• Frederic Podetti, Adesif Productions
• Tanja Meissner, Memento Films International
The registration deadline for The Perfect Pitch HAS BEEN EXTENDED through MARCH 10th, 2009. Individuals interested in signing up for the workshops and practice pitch session are invited to visit http://www.ecufilmfestival.com/perfect_pitch.php?lang=en. For more information regarding The Perfect Pitch please contact Sarah Schutzki, Program Coordinator, at sarah@ecufilmfestival.com.