Keys to Pitching Success – Part II

Recently, the WGAW’s Committee of Women Writers held a follow-up to its popular Pitches That Sold—and Made It To Air event. This year’s theme: Pitches That Sold, but have yet to air. As before, Kate Torgovnick May moderated. CWW co-chairs Andra Whipple and Jeane Wong contributed, and more than 400 Guild members watched.

Written by eavesdropped on the pitches, presented this time by showrunners Liz Craft and Sarah Fain (whose writing credits include The Shield, Fantasy Island, The Fix) and whose family drama sold to Netflix; and series creator Liz Thompson, who recently sold a murder mystery to NBC as well as a fish-out-of-water sitcom to CBS.

Writer-showrunners Sarah Fain and Liz Craft sold their family drama to Netflix.

Eight is Enough, Half a Century Later

For Craft and Fain’s reimagining of 1977’s Eight is Enough, the pair read alternately from their pitch, pointing out that the world has evolved since the 1970s, but the generations have political strife and a divided country in common. The constants: love and family, in this case the blended Weaver-Diazes, with two cultures and languages, multiple religions, and teens coping with gender issues, porn, and family conflict. For context, the writers mentioned Parenthood, Brothers and Sisters, and This is Us—shows that leave a gap for a new Eight is Enough to fill.

• Early in their pitch, Craft and Fain mentioned their personal connection to the original series and introduced anecdotes about their own kids. “The thing to always go back to is what's going to make them feel something,” Craft said. “We feel like they kind of are going to buy it in the first minute or not. So whatever the beginning of your pitch is, should be great or should really grab them.”
• Usually, Craft and Fain delve into characters as they make their way through a pitch. “It’s just more entertaining,” said Craft. With so many kids here, they had to simply list them. To reinforce character, when using visuals of actors, rehearse the timing, they say, since lag time can ruin momentum.
• Recounting a heartbreaking twist, Fain became teary. Usually before pitching, she practices aloud repeatedly, to avoid such embarrassment. She also pinches a finger to distract herself. To detach, Craft pictures “a pair of really weird shoes” she owns: “It works every time.”
• For in-person pitches, Fain and Craft write down every word, memorizing as much as possible. “It is okay to have notes,” Fain said. “We’ve actually heard that it makes executives anxious when people memorize a pitch because then, if there’s a pause, everyone in the room gets concerned.”
• As this pitch evolved, Craft and Fain moved up many of the “juicy” plot points. “If you’re having trouble with your pitch, try just moving everything up, by a lot,” Craft said.

An Ensemble Sitcom, Mixed Signals, with a Deaf Co-Protagonist

Liz Thompson’s 2017-written comedy, Mixed Signals, about a career-obsessed woman who falls for her deaf neighbor, is based on her own love affair with partner Brendan Connelly, whom she met when she was tired of dating “uninspired lumps of oatmeal.”

Web series creator Liz Thompson sold her sitcom to CBS in the room.

First, Thompson wrote a script, then in 2019 adapted it as a pitch. It didn’t sell. In 2022, after Coda racked up awards, she took it out again. Cloud Nine Productions attached, and Cloud Nine COO, actor Eric Christian Olsen, joined pitches. “It was a way to interject the banter and make it feel like a sitcom,” said Thompson, who mentioned The Office’s Jim and Pam; When Harry Met Sally; and Schitt’s Creek, as references.

In September, CBS bought the project in the room.

For the WGAW panel, Meagan Tajalle, a creative executive with Cloud Nine Productions when it picked up Thompson’s project, offered pitching insights.

• Thompson’s manager when she started writing Mixed Signals had a development background. “His perspective was, it’s a lot easier for them to say no to a script because of how finished and complete it is,” she said “If you take them a pitch, they’re able to say, ‘I’m really into this; I have a little bit of a different vision.’ They don’t feel as locked in.”
• There were few, if any projects, recalled Tajalle, where Cloud Nine wanted to offer a script rather than a pitch: “In fact, there are a handful of times where we have read a spec script and then reverse engineered a pitch. Especially in comedy, I would say a pitch is better. And for newer writers, you always have to have that backed up with a great sample.”
• In Mixed Signals, deaf co-lead Finn breaks the fourth wall and signs to the camera with a voiceover accompaniment. “I would try to work in as many additional stories about me and Brendan, because we had dozens and dozens,” said Thompson. “Being able to show that was like, Oh yeah, this is a TV show. It’s not just a really beautiful short film.”
• Said Tajalle, about tone: “As if you’re telling a friend a story is always the ideal. That helps me invest and visualize it. The moment when Finn breaks the fourth wall in the original pitch was when I went, Oh my God, I want to make this.”
• For Tajalle, as an executive, “Investing in the character arcs is the most important thing: getting us to invest in the people we're going to be spending hours and hours with. Even if you’re a solo writer and not a team, if there’s any way to have multiple speakers during a pitch, it makes a huge difference for the listener.”
• It’s not necessary for a newer writer to be attached to a supervisor or showrunner coming in, Tajalle suggested. “Especially if you’re targeting a company with a deal and strategic relationships, that relationship can always come later.”
• Ending on an encouraging note, Thompson said: “Keep in mind they want to absolutely love what you’re pitching. It makes their lives so easy if you are the person who comes in and pitches them exactly the thing that they were looking for. They’re rooting for you. Just be in love with your project.”