The secret of pitching to film investors: what you should know

No longer does the success of a film depend on handing it off to a distribution company. The demanding world of film industry requires you, as the main mastermind, to take the bull by the horns. It’s only you who can manage your film as a business project the best. So stop waiting, and start acting.

To get the needed funding for a film project, you will have to meet with film investors and try to make everything clear: why it is your project that should be sponsored by a particular investor. The old-tales wandering the industry say that to get the money, you need to hook up the investors with a brilliant idea right from the first slide; and the crucial moment here is that this first words of your pitch have to be curious, funny, intriguing, informative, and easy-to-remember. While all these aspects are fundamental, Gary Collins from the Red Rock Entertainment film investment company explains that film investors value a strong business base much more. What does this mean?
It means that while your idea should be unusually presented, the hard business basis must also be clearly explained in a pitch. But let us go step by step and guide you through five most important aspects of a successful film pitch for prospective investors.

1. Connect to the investors
Before we get to the tips on the pitch, it’s essential to mention that you can’t expect to get your comedy funded by an investor interested in horrors only. Pitching is all about understanding what the prospective investors are interested in and the tactics of developing the real connection. You need not only to show how passionate you are about your film but also wake this passion in their hearts and minds. If you can demonstrate the importance of making this film for you and involve everyone around with this idea, then you will make investors willing to become a part of your success story.

2. Serve hard info
After you win the hearts of your investors, it’s time to win their minds with the financial facts of your film project. At this point of the pitch you have to be very fast and informative; if you hesitate for a second or drag on the explanation, you risk drowning your investors interest in your pool of uninformative facts. The pitch should be short, offering no more than 12 slides in total to ensure that you are heard, and your idea is remembered. So if you can’t fit all business-related info into a couple of slides, then train, repeat, abridge, and do whatever needed to serve the hard info in a hard way.
An exceptional film pitch should explain why this film matters in the current context of the world and why it can be popular; explain what marketing tactics will be applied, and how you plan to actually earn money with the project.
All investors might seem to be interested in small talks and emotional presentations, but all they need to know is why your film solves a problem and how it does it. Remember to prepare for the principal questions not to lose your confidence when asked. Here’s a list of the most common of them:
· Who is your target audience?
· How large is your market?
· How do you plan on attracting the audience?
· Who is your competition?
· How your film is different from any other product in this niche?

3. Don’t be glued to the spreadsheet
Pitch is a mere presentation of your project, while a business plan is a detailed step-by-step guide of how you plan to turn the project into life. The pitch should be short and informative providing only the most important data. Don’t head up too much data and statistics because it won’t be remembered but can destroy the positive image and feeling after the presentation.
What you need to include is basic target audience information, its size and analysis. Furthermore, remember that your goal is to persuade the investors in the experience of your project, so in a pitch focus only on the advantages and profit-making aspects, rather than weak sides of a film.

4. Mention your team
It’s not only director or producer who make the film but it’s the whole filmmaking team that is valuable to the investors. If you have a great cast, then don’t forget to show off a little; if you have the best lightning expert in the industry or production team on board, mention this in your pitch. The more recognisable names you use, the easier it will be for the investors to get on your side. This aspect is essential because a bad team can ruin the whole project and lead to the bankruptcy; and the worst part is that investors know about it.

5. Outline the profits
As it has already been said, companies like Red Rock Entertainment or Gizmo Films care about the final profit they make from a film investment. So if you want to get funded, make sure to outline the profits that investors will get. At this point, don’t overuse numbers as well; yet, provide as many proofs of the film’s profitability as possible. Remember that even if everyone likes your idea on the emotional level, the absence of the financial benefit can leave you penniless.
And one more small tip from experts. Your pitch is the first presentation of your project, so it should leave a positive and fruitful impression in the investors' heads. Yes, after the pitch you might (and usually will) hear some critics and suggestions of change. Your goal is not to argue. At first, sign the deal, then proceed to any changes. If there is something you don’t agree on, try to go around the answer or simply say, “Thank you for the valuable suggestion, I will think about that.”
And the bottom line. Pitching your film to investors is one of the most daunting, complex, and yet significant elements in film production. Prepare a great idea, write a business plan, then fit it into a 12-slide pitch; and you will wow investors and get the financial support you need.