Doug TenNapel, creator of
Earthworm Jim and
Cat Scratch, appeared at
Cal State Fullerton yesterday afternoon/night on the subject of
Pitching Your Story. Something he has done a lot of. The class presentation dealt more with creating the story than with the pitch but that makes sense because if you do not have a story than your have nothing to pitch.
Doug is tied tightly to the 3 Act form starting with the end message and working next the beginning before creating the second act arena of proof and transition.
He is a great believer in 3 by 5 cards to create the outline before ever starting on thumbnails for a project. Three acts, three cards per act, the backbone of any story can be laid out on nine cards.
He also put forth that the graphic novel is a script that has already been directed, pre visualized. It is a cheaper form of production and can get into the hands of the movie maker much quicker than a script.
Doug also talked to the moral responsibility of the artist as agents of change, a subject not often dealt with in the classroom. Change comes from the artists of the world, not the leaders or solders. He gave the example of the Wedgwood anti-slavery plate as one of the earliest attacks on slavery in this country.
He also put forth that all storetelling is preaching even if the subject of the preaching is that preaching is bad. There is always a message and that message is always delivered in the third act.
At the same time he dealt with the realities of the business side of art. Never forget that there is a commercial side to commercial art. They are not going to make your movie/TV show/etc. if they aren’t going to make money on it. You have to spark their greed to get the chance to play the game.
Toward the end of his presentation Doug got into the pitching process. The goal is not to just get in the door once. The goal is to get invited back. If you are very lucky and very good you are going to only sell maybe 3% of what you pitch. That means don’t kill the room.
- Think about the guys you are pitching to. Make them conformable to say no to you. Guilt has no place in the pitching room.
- Shorter is better. Let them ask for more details if they want them. You should be able to state your concept in one paragraph.
- Too much is not good. Three ideas to pitch per pitch no more. Always lead with your best. There might be an earthquake that clears the building.
- Ask to be invited back to pitch other ideas. They will say yes and that will stick in their minds.
- And most important, be prepared. You owe it to all the people who are not going to get through that door because you are already there to do your homework and take advantage of the gift of getting to pitch you ideas.
I like his ideas. I like his delivery, lots of energy and passion. It was a very good event and worth the 50 miles round trip. At the end of the day that is the criteria, was it worth the trip. Yes!
