Summary: Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry by Jeffrey Davis and Peter Desberg

• Do you want to learn how to pitch like Hollywood? Do you want to master the art and science of persuading anyone to buy into your vision? If so, you might want to read Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry by Jeffrey Davis and Peter Desberg.
• To find out more about this book and how it can help you improve your pitching skills and performance, read on. You can also visit the authors’ website for more resources and information. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the experts and pitch like Hollywood!

Pitch Like Hollywood (2022) uncovers the secret ingredients behind the successful techniques used to pitch films and TV shows in Hollywood. Luckily, it doesn’t matter what industry you work in – the principles behind the Hollywood pitch can be universally applied. By harnessing the power of storytelling and the psychology of persuasion, you can pitch literally anything to anyone.

Who is it for?

• Founders looking to up their pitching game
• Film buffs curious as to how things get funded in Hollywood
• Anyone who suffers from stage fright

What’s in it for me? Perfect your pitching skills, Hollywood-style.

You might have heard that it’s tricky to pitch scripts in Hollywood. For over a century, screenwriters have stood in front of powerful studio executives – and attempted to convince them to buy their idea. So many projects never see the light of day because of a failed pitch. When Gone With the Wind was originally pitched, it was famously dismissed by the first producer, who said that nobody wanted to see another Civil War picture.

Now, you probably know that Gone With the Wind did get produced, and it was a huge success. It swept the Academy Awards, and, at the time, was the highest-grossing film ever made.

So what went wrong during that first pitch?

The problem all Hollywood artists face is that they’ve been pitching the same product for over a hundred years. No wonder there’s such conservatism when it comes to committing huge amounts of money for yet another show or movie! Unlike other industries that can describe their novel product in a data-driven way, screenwriters had to develop unique ways of presenting their case. And these unique methods can jazz up a pitch in any industry to make your product stick in the minds of investors.

While the basics are the same as your standard sales pitch, Hollywood pitches include additional elements to make them more persuasive, and to play on their audience’s emotions. Storytelling is a key part of this, with Hollywood pitches using characters and conflicts to entice their audiences – all with the goal of having them on the edges of their seats by the end. In fact, a growing body of evidence shows that stories are more persuasive than fact-based presentations. This should come as no surprise. After all, it’s well known that the power of storytelling is as old as humanity itself. It’s how we’ve relayed and retained information for thousands of years. And we’ve all been riveted by stories from a very young age. No wonder it’s so effective!

In this summary to Jeffrey Davis and Peter Desberg’s Pitch Like Hollywood, we’ll be pitching that regardless of whether you’re selling a script, business project, or even just trying to convince your friends to try the new pizza place across town, the Hollywood pitch technique will undoubtedly up your persuasion game. In fact, by embracing the principles laid out in this summary, you’ll learn proven methods on how to entice and entertain your audience with ease. Along the way, we’ll share the most important concepts behind the psychology of persuasion. These are sure to help you convince audiences that your pitch is legit. And finally, we’ll dive into why so many of us suffer from stage fright – and what you can do to prevent it.

But first, let’s dive into the heart of what makes the Hollywood pitch tick.

Every good Hollywood pitch is made up of a hook, logline, and three-act story structure.

So, let’s say you’re developing an idea for a new business. You have a product in mind, and you’ve done substantial research on its market viability. But there’s a missing ingredient that’s blocking you from taking your idea to the next level – funding.

To get the financial backing you need to move your project along, you’ll inevitably need to meet your potential partners or investors. This meeting is, of course, the pitch. In it, you have a short amount of face-to-face time to promote your idea. If your pitch goes down well in Hollywood, you’ll be asked to submit your script. In the business world, you’ll probably be asked to provide a business plan.

But before making it to that stage, you have a lot of work cut out for you. Developing an effective pitch takes time and effort. Luckily, the Hollywood pitch is made up of specific ingredients mixed together in a specific order. And by following the recipe, you’ll find yourself with a compelling story – with the potential to wow investors. This story is made up of three ingredients: the hook, logline, and three-act structure. Let’s take a look at these terms in more detail.

The hook and logline are by far the shortest parts of any good pitch – they’re the punchy, brief phrases that sum up the heart of your work. And your pitch should get to the hook as fast as possible. This is because your hook will be the most memorable part of your pitch. Just like the hook of a good pop song, it’s something short that will grab your listeners’ attention.

After the hook comes the logline. It’s a little longer than your hook, but not too bogged down in details. You’ll save those for the three-act structure. With your logline, you’ll introduce the essence of your project without giving away the ending. A good logline often introduces the main characters of your pitch, and the conflict they are involved in.

Before we move on, let’s quickly take a look at an example of a good hook and logline. Say a few friends decide to launch an app to tackle the perceived problem of shopping for nutritious food – but ending up with dishes that don’t taste so good. Their app is called “Nutritious N Delicious,” and the hook is as simple as it is memorable. It goes: “it can taste good and be good for you.” Simple enough, right? Their logline is equally powerful and yet leaves the listener wanting to know more: “you can have your cake, and eat it too . . . and stay healthy just by pulling out your phone.” This sounds too good to be true, right? An app that accompanies you while grocery shopping, and somehow determines the nutrients and tastiness of any product on the shelf.

Now, while the hook and logline may have reeled you in, you need more information before you’re ready to commit. How does the app work? What are the motivations of the developers? What expertise do they have in the field? And how did they come up with the idea in the first place? These questions are answered most effectively by the power of storytelling, specifically recounted in three acts with a beginning, middle, and end.

The three-act structure starts off with act one, in which your characters are introduced, as well as the conflict they find themselves confronted with. Then, in act two, the conflict escalates, and failed attempts to solve it are presented. But it is not until act three that the conflict is finally resolved.

The three-act structure works just as well in the business world as it does in Hollywood. Let’s take a closer look at the three-act structure that the developers of Nutritious N Delicious put together. In act one, the characters are introduced. The first is one of the company’s founders, a doctor. He worked at a hospital for years. It was there that he witnessed first-hand the debilitating diseases caused by bad nutrition.

He tells the story of how he met one of the other founders, a chef at a fancy restaurant. They connected over their mutual disdain for unhealthy food. But when the chef told him he was coming up with recipes that were both tasty and healthy, the doctor was skeptical. In no time at all, the chef whipped together gourmet-quality recipes made only with healthy ingredients. Both the doctor and his girlfriend, a computer scientist, were astounded by the food. While eating, she remarked that they should create an app. Within the space of an hour, the company was born.

So, as we’ve seen, act one is all about introducing the protagonists and the conflict they face. In act two, the founders dive into the conflict in more detail. Sure, there are plenty of apps where you can scan barcodes to figure out a food’s nutritional value. And there are also apps that show ratings of restaurants based on how good their food is. But no one has yet tried to combine these two things into one app. So the only way to figure out nutritional and healthy foods is to either use multiple apps, conduct hours of research, or be forced to test out healthy recipes to see how tasty they are. It’s not convenient at all, especially when you’re hungry.

By breaking down the pain points of the status quo, act two reveals how there’s a real need for the unique service that the app provides. Finally, in act three, resolution arrives. Imagine an app that allows you to simply scan a barcode in the supermarket – and receive both nutritional and taste-based ratings for the item in question. It’s not rocket science, and wouldn’t need a huge investment. But it sure has the potential to make a lot of money. And what they’re sure to communicate in act three is that they’ve obtained data showing that millennials would download the app in droves.

And thus concludes the Nutritious N Delicious Hollywood pitch. It can taste good and be good for you. If you were a venture capitalist present at the pitch, would you invest?

Employing persuasiveness techniques are key to effective pitch presentations.

Just as a great deal of research has been done on the power of storytelling, the same goes for the psychology of persuasion.

It all started in World War II, when the US government started researching the most effective types of propaganda. But when the war was over, research didn’t stop. In fact, it blossomed so much that whole fields of work sprung out of it – such as marketing. Persuasion techniques can be so powerful that people end up voting for politicians they don’t agree with, or buy clothes that they initially thought were ugly. And harnessing the science of persuasion can make the difference between investors going forward with your pitch over another of seemingly equal value.

Let’s get started with three things you can do that are guaranteed to make your pitch more persuasive. The first is understanding the importance of your credentials. It’s well established that people are more likely to believe someone who has credentials to back up their argument. However, it’s best not to list them off at the start of your pitch, as that might come off as arrogant. Instead, try to work them into your presentation in a natural way. For example, if you want to convey that you were at the top of your class, you might tell a self-deprecating joke about how you had no friends at university as you were so consumed by your studies.

Another trusty way to up your persuasion game is to do your homework on the people you’ll be presenting to. Find out the causes they’re interested in, or positions they’ve previously held. If you frame your business idea in a way that conforms with their views, they’ll be much more likely to believe what you have to say. On the other hand, if you try pitching new types of GMOs to someone with an environmentalist track record, you might as well give up before you walk in the door.

Finally, try to schedule your pitch in the morning. It’s been proven that people are much more likely to be focused before rather than after eating lunch or, even worse, in the evening. At that point, your audience is probably more concerned with their afterwork dinner plans than your great idea.

Now, it could be that you’re lacking a bit in the credentials department. Or perhaps there simply isn’t any information about your audience for you to research. Worse yet, it could be that your presentation is scheduled directly after lunch. But have no fear – there are still tried and true persuasion techniques you can employ. And they’ll work no matter what pitching situation you find yourself in.

One is to increase your likability. It’s common sense that the more someone likes you, the more likely they are to trust you. This is because when someone likes you, they’re more likely to use their intuition when listening to what you’re saying. If your likability is low, however, they’ll replace intuition with deeper consideration, making them harder to persuade.

In Hollywood, the power of likability is often harnessed by bringing in an actor to help with the pitch. Even if they only present a small part of it, their ability to project friendliness will undoubtedly help get your audience on board. In the business world, you could sub in an actor for a marketer, or even a communications expert.

If you don’t have access to someone whose job is all about interpersonal skills, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed. Contrary to popular belief, personal charisma is something that can be developed, and there are plenty of resources you can find online to help. But before diving into the deep stuff, you can go ahead and get in front of the mirror and practice some basic charisma techniques.

For starters, don’t underestimate the power of gesticulation. Hand gestures, changing facial expressions, and not standing still are all shown to project enthusiasm. Once you’ve got the hang of that, try to vary the pitch and speed at which you speak over time. Try going up in pitch and speed when you want to convey excitement. And on the other hand, slow down and hit those lower tones when you want to add weight to the point you’re making.

At the end of the day, practice makes perfect. And while certain persuasion techniques are bound to work better than others, the most important thing is to try as many as possible – and implement them into your pitch and preparation. Once you’re able to radiate persuasiveness, your chances of a successful pitch will only increase.

Stage fright is not something to be taken lightly, but there are proven ways to manage it.

Now, let’s imagine for a second that you’re ready – you’ve prepared your Hollywood pitch and honed your powers of persuasion. You’ve practiced it in front of a few friends, who told you after that you were ready to rumble. But then, as you’re standing in front of people who could determine whether your dream is turned into reality or not, one of the audience members starts to glance down at their phone. And it’s not just a quick glance to check the time – they’ve started scrolling. You’re starting to think to yourself that they’re obviously not interested in your pitch.

In this situation, even the most confident among us would probably start to panic. And this is totally normal. After all, pitching is a high-pressure situation. It involves an uncertain result, and your performance and your performance alone is responsible for its outcome. What’s more is that the higher the stakes, the more likely you are to panic. If you’re pitching in front of powerful investors who might give you millions of dollars, the panic will be invariably higher than if you’re pitching a petition to a neighbor.

Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to preemptively lower the risk of panicking during a pitch. The first of these is to harness the power of journaling. The moment you receive an invitation to a pitch, grab a pen and paper, and begin to write down all your thoughts. What are all the things you think could happen during the pitch? Sure, it’s good to write down the possible chances of success. But in this case, try to focus on the possibilities of what might go wrong. By listing all the situations you can think of, you can begin to predict your reactions to them. And in doing so, you are subconsciously preparing your brain for these reactions. If they do end up happening during the pitch, you’ve already had time to process them. This makes it less likely that your pitch will end up going south.

Of course, it’s impossible to predict all negative situations that might arise in a pitch. So it’s also useful to train your brain to be more resilient against all negative stimuli that it encounters, whether during a pitch or in life at large. And while there is no way to gain complete control over our emotions, we can definitely train ourselves to react to them with less intensity. After all, the brain is like a muscle – the more you train it, the more you’ll be able to control it in times of need.

This is where different types of relaxation training come in. The goals of such training are all about reducing anxiety symptoms at the moment they appear. When a negative stimulus hits, they’ll help you sweat less, slow down your heart rate, and improve your breathing. Most importantly, they’ll help you regain control of a negative situation that otherwise might compound itself – and spiral out of control, leading to a trainwreck of a pitch.

While there are plenty of proven types of relaxation training, meditation is one of the most popular ones used by sales professionals. This is because it has a double benefit. By learning how to be mindful of your thoughts, you’ll not only be training your brain to respond in a measured way when anxiety strikes. Studies show that meditation also trains the brain to quickly recover from distractions. Whether this distraction takes the form of a CEO looking down at their phone or a random thought entering your head mid-pitch, meditation will help you flex your brain muscle to quash such distractions as quickly as possible – and return to the task at hand.

If meditation isn’t your thing, that’s understandable. But keep in mind that some of the most successful people alive swear by it. In fact, meditation is one thing that Paul McCartney, Jerry Seinfeld, and dozens of Fortune 500 board members have in common.

And have no fear – if you’re only discovering this summary a day before your pitch, studies have shown that students who received just 10 minutes of meditation training before taking a math exam did better than those who didn’t. It’s never too late to start training your brain.

Pitching can be unpredictable, so learn to embrace the unknown.

So, you’ve followed the recipe, and have prepared a compelling story to back up your idea. You’ve researched your audience, and have spent hours in front of the mirror gesticulating. To top it off, your meditation skills have now become second nature. But the thought of standing before a group of people who have the power to change your life still fills you with dread. You’re not ready, you tell yourself. What should you do?

Regardless of how well you’ve prepared, some of us are just more anxious than others – it could be that you’ve suffered from stage fright in the past. And while bigwigs in Hollywood would probably advise the more shy among us to “just stay home” and simply mail in your pitch, the authors disagree. This is because every unsuccessful pitch is still an opportunity for you to hone your skills, get feedback, and improve. So no matter what happens, you’ll always come out having won something. Mailing in your pitch, on the other hand, means your great idea will end up languishing away in a huge pile of paperwork for all eternity.

Even the most confident pitchers still run into situations that cause them to freak out. Peter, one of the authors, explains that although he’s made countless pitches over the decades, there have still been situations that scared the living daylights out of him. Take choosing an outfit, for example. Peter knows all too well the importance of choosing the right outfit for a pitch. It should be tailored to the audience you’re pitching to, of course. Sure, if you’re pitching to a young start-up, you might not want to overdress. But generally speaking, opt for business attire. And maybe keep a hoodie in your backseat just in case.

But one pitch Peter attended proved that even this advice can very quickly become moot. One day, he arrived at a top publishing house to pitch a book. He knew the president of the company would be attending, so he wore his best suit. As he walked into the conference room, he was aghast to see everyone wearing non-work clothes. It turned out that the company had a casual Friday policy – but no one had told him. The miscommunication definitely caused a rocky first impression, but after a few minutes he managed to land a successful joke about the situation.

So, the truth is that you never know what obstacles might arise during your pitch. But with solid preparation and relaxation training, you’ll be well-equipped to handle most situations. And hey – if one pitch goes south, don’t worry. In virtually all cases, it’s not the only one you’re ever going to have.

Final Summary

The Hollywood pitch has the potential to improve your chances of pitching success. By embracing the art of storytelling, you’ll be able to capture your audience’s curiosity. And by practicing various persuasion techniques, you can make sure they’ll believe every word you say. Although you never know what might happen at a pitch, relaxation training will definitely help you manage panic and stage fright – and strike down distractions wherever they appear.

About the author

Peter Desberg is professor emeritus at California State University, as well as being a practicing psychologist. He’s written 23 books over his career, and has provided pitching consultation for corporations like Apple, Toyota, and Boeing.

Peter Desberg is professor emeritus at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award and Outstanding Professor Award. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the area of stage fright and performance anxiety. The author of 23 books, he has been quoted by such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today and The New York Times, and has consulted for companies including Apple, Boeing and Toyota in the areas of pitching and persuasion, corporate presentations, and using storytelling and humor in business presentations.

Jeffrey Davis is a professor of screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University. He’s also a writer and producer, having made advertisements for big names such as Dell, Toyota, and Honda.

Jeffrey Davis is a professor of screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and served from 2009-2019 as the department chair. Davis has also written and produced trade shows for Dick Clark Productions and counted among his advertising clients Dell Computers, Toyota of America and Honda. His has more than 30 credits to his name, including Night Court, Remington Steele, and documentaries for A&E, Discovery, and The History Channel. As a consultant, his areas have also included writing, pitching, and employing storytelling and humor in business presentations.

Genres

Business, Money, Management, Leadership, Careers, Marketing, Sales, Selling, Entrepreneurship

Table of Contents

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Pitch Basics
Chapter 3. The Hollywood Pitch
Chapter 4. Persuasion: At the Heart of Decision-Making
Chapter 5. Persuasion Boot Camp
Chapter 6. Persuasion: Personological Variables
Chapter 7. The Roots of Pitch Panic
Chapter 8. The Pitch Panic Cycle
Chapter 9. Dealing with Pitch Panic Emotionally
Chapter 10. Changing Your Thoughts
Chapter 11. Doing Your Homework
Chapter 12. Post Prep: Making Decisions Based on Your Preparation
Chapter 13. Creating the Pitch (1): The Setup
Chapter 14. Creating the Pitch (2): Structuring the Pitch
Chapter 15. Practice Strategies
Chapter 16. Displaying Creativity
Chapter 17. In the Room
Notes
Index
About the Authors

Review

Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry is a book by Jeffrey Davis and Peter Desberg, a writer/producer and a clinical psychologist, respectively. The book is a guide to mastering the art and science of pitching, whether it is for a film, a TV show, a product, a service, or an idea. The book draws on the authors’ experience and insights from both the entertainment industry and the corporate world, as well as from psychological research and principles.

The book is divided into four parts, each covering a different aspect of pitching. The first part, Pitch Basics, introduces the fundamentals of pitching, such as defining the goal, knowing the audience, and crafting the hook. The second part, The Hollywood Pitch, reveals the secrets of how to pitch like a professional in the film industry, such as creating a compelling story, using emotion and humor, and handling objections and feedback. The third part, Persuasion: At the Heart of Decision-Making, explores the psychology of persuasion and how to influence decision-makers with various techniques and strategies. The fourth part, Overcoming Pitch Panic, addresses the common problem of presentation anxiety and how to overcome it with cognitive and behavioral methods.

The book is not only a practical manual for improving your pitching skills, but also a motivational tool for boosting your confidence and performance. The authors use examples and anecdotes from their own careers and from other successful pitchers, as well as exercises and tips to help you apply what you learn. The book shows you how to pitch like Hollywood in any situation and industry, and how to achieve your goals with passion and creativity.