Let’s start at the beginning: what is a pitch deck for film?
A pitch deck is a short, visual presentation that conveys an idea, or a pitch, for a creative project or business venture. Think of a pitch deck as a slideshow that can be used to entice future collaborators, investors, or business partners to join forces with you. A strong pitch deck should leave people with a clear sense of your project, you as an artist, and your goals for the future.
I asked Raven Whisnant, executive producer and founder of New 32 Productions and Indie Empire, what she’s thinking when she’s presented with a pitch deck. Here’s what she said:
“I look for pitch decks that are written with a producer’s perspective in mind, not ones that just focus on the art. Don’t get me wrong, I love looking at a pretty layout as much as the next person (maybe more so) but I want to see that a director is thinking about the actual production elements as well. Is there info about the marketing? The distribution? The finances? Are they being realistic about making, promoting, and selling this? All of these things are ultimately the producer’s responsibilities, but that’s why I want to see that the artist understands that and is giving me material I can work with.”
How do you make a strong pitch deck for film?
A great pitch deck should be three things: clear, compelling, and actionable. Let’s go over each of these.
A clear pitch deck puts information in an easy to understand format. Accessible language, easy to follow graphics, and a logical flow of information are all keys to maximizing your clarity. Potential investors and other partners should walk away understanding all your key points.
A compelling pitch deck tells an emotional story. You should speak to who is behind the project, what it means to them, and find ways to connect emotionally with the people you’re presenting with. To be clear, you shouldn’t aim to be emotionally manipulative or utilize guilt. Rather, you should make sure that there is emotional buy-in and it’s clear why your work is important.
An actionable pitch deck means that there are obvious steps for people to take once they’ve seen your presentation. This could mean that you have a clearly thought-out way for folks to buy into the project financially or join up in other ways.
The biggest tip we have for creating a strong pitch deck? As Raven mentioned, you should be thinking about this as a business document, rather than one that’s all about your art. You want people to see your work as a good investment. That means things like budget tiers and market research are going to mean more than if you simply focus on your craft.
What are the components of a pitch deck for film?
Here are the basic beats you should try to hit in your presentation.
- The product: It can be hard to think of your art as a product. It’s so much more than that, but for the duration of this presentation, you’re making a sales pitch. So what are you selling? Share what makes your project shine.
- The market: Art aside, why is this a good bet? How have similar films done in recent years? What is the market looking like in general right now?
- Revenue and operating model: How does this thing work, anyways? Share how, exactly, your investors and collaborators are going to benefit in terms of their wallets. How will you break down any potential profits?
- Record: Why should they trust you specifically? Be clear about your track record of success.
- Team: Introduce your partners. Help investors understand who your team is and what makes them so special.
- Current assets: People aside, what do you have that will make this project possible? This could include money you’ve already fundraised, equipment or materials you already own, things you can access for free or cheap… the list goes on!
- Game plan: How are you getting this thing out into the market? Do you have a list of potential distributors, marketing plans, representatives, or sales tactics? If not, you should!
Where can I create a pitch deck?
We like making pitch decks in Canva. It’s easy to use, there’s a free version, and there are pre-made templates for pitch decks. Win/win/win!
Adobe also has pitch deck templates, so if you’re familiar with the software, that’s another great option.
Google Slides is always a good option as well.
Finally, if you want to invest a little in your film’s pitch deck and have something that looks extremely professional and high end, you can purchase templates from Etsy. Just make sure that the template you are purchasing will work for whatever software you plan to design your presentation in!
Conclusion
At the end of the day, your film’s pitch deck should be an easy to understand document that essentially does what’s in the name: pitches your amazing idea so that investors and collaborators want to help make it happen.
Your pitch deck should look clean, polished, and professional, but remember that first and foremost this is a business pitch; producers are going to be thinking more about your market research than your font choices!
A pitch deck for film is ultimately a reflection of the work you’ve already done. YOU know that your film is a good investment; now it’s time to prove that to producers. You’ve got this!
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