How to Nail Your Documentary’s Elevator Pitch

I’ve got lots of exciting news to share today!

Please join us for a free webinar on “Documentary Story Structure and Character Transformation” on Monday, 5/10, at 5-5:45 pm PST. To register, email Karen@newdocediting.com or go.

As a reminder, you’ll receive cutting-edge techniques for documentary storytelling in my new online program The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary.  If you register by Friday, May 7^th, you’ll receive a free digital copy of my free book, Documentary Editing.

For more information on this course, go to https://newdocediting.com/land/ultimate_documentary_guide.

Today’s tip on how to create an elevator pitch for your film is one example of the kind of strategies you’ll receive in The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary.  How often have you been asked, “What’s your film about?” and not had the succinct elevator pitch you know you should have?

It’s happened to me in the early stages of all five of my (eventually successful) documentary films. And it’s a bit embarrassing.

Especially if you’ve been to film school, or any documentary fundraising seminar, and you’ve been told that you need to be able to describe your film in one sentence. For most of us, this is easier said than done.

I’ve developed some simple techniques to help you nail your documentary’s elevator pitch. If you can’t write out an engaging elevator pitch within 10 minutes after reading this short e-mail, then I suggest you spend time further developing your film’s structure.

Here are three techniques:

If you have a character-driven documentary, then use one of the following sentence templates and fill in the blanks.

Sentence 1:

“This is a film about _______ (protagonist’s name), a man/woman who wants  _________ (their goal or desire) in the face of __________ (the obstacles they face in pursuit of their desire).

Example:  “It’s is a film about Susan Kane, a woman who wants to take care of her ailing mother in the face of prejudice about Alzheimer’s, dwindling finances, and a lack of affordable long-term care facilities.

If you can fill in the above sentence, then you are well on your way to knowing the first and second acts of a three-act structure.  You’ve identified the quest and the challenges the protagonist will face.

In the next sentence template, you only need to know the Act One story elements that will launch your story.

Sentence 2:

My film is called ____________________ (title of your film), and it’s about a _________ (man/woman) who discovers/experiences  __________ (the inciting incident), which impels/set him/her to _______________________________________ (goal or quest).

Example:  My film is called “Cancer Sucks”, and it’s about a young woman who discovers she has liver cancer, which sets her on a quest to Mexico to try an experimental treatment not yet approved by the FDA.

Notice that we have not yet outlined the specific challenges she faces, but that’s OK.  The difficulties are implied by the inciting incident (the diagnosis) and the quest (to heal).

If your film is not character-driven, you’re probably making a topic-based film structured around a central thesis.  Try engaging your elevator companion with a question and an answer. 

(Note that what I’m calling a “salty nut” below is a term I borrowed from filmmaker Tiffany Shlain.  A “salty nut” refers to an interesting fact of which most people aren’t aware.)

Well, did you know that ________ (salty nut)? This is a film that explores why/how ____________ (central idea).

Example:

Did you know that 3 million Americans have more than one lover?  And they’re not all gay men! This is a film that explores how people live in open relationships.

I trust these sentence templates have been helpful in developing an elevator pitch that will leave your “elevator companion” wanting to know more about your film!

If so, the next step is to try them out in the real world. Practice them until they roll off your tongue, and then see if they peak your companion’s interest.  Tweak until you’re happy.

If you’re still stuck, that simply indicates you need to develop your film’s structure more.

I highly recommend you check out my new online program, The Ultimate Guide to Structuring Your Documentary.

Go to https://newdocediting.com/land/ultimate_documentary_guide.