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36 Steven Pressfield
How Screenwriters Pitch
When movie writers pitch a project, they keep it brief because
studio executives’ attention spans are minimal. But they, the
writers, want their presentation to have maximum impact and
to deliver, in concise form, the feel and flavor of the film they see
in their heads.
One trick they use is to boil down their presentation to the
following :
1. A killer opening scene
2. Two major set pieces in the middle
3. A killer climax
4. A concise statement of the theme
In other words, they’re filling in the gaps. The major beats.
We can do that, too.
If we’re inventing Twitter, we start with What Are You Doing
Now?, the 140-character limit, and the Following. We fill in the
gaps: the hashtag, the tiny URL, the re-tweet.
If we’re writing The Hangover, we kick off with Losing Doug,
Searching for Doug, Finding Doug. Fill in the blanks: Stu mar-
ries a stripper, Mike Tyson comes after his tiger, Mister Chow
brings the muscle.
