The 60-Second Pitch
Sixty seconds is enough to create orientation and appetite, not to prove every virtue of the screenplay.
Moderate agreementCommon professional practice with meaningful variation.
The principle
A short pitch needs ruthless hierarchy. Establish genre and setup, name the protagonist and urgent pursuit, introduce the central opposing force, and land on stakes or the distinctive engine. Tone comes through the selection and language, not a list of adjectives.
Put it to work
- Write a 110-to-140-word version, then speak it at a conversational pace.
- Remove proper nouns the listener does not need.
- Record once and mark every moment you lose breath or clarity.
Common mistakes
- Turning the pitch into a breathless synopsis.
- Spending half the time on how you got the idea.
- Ending before the listener understands the recurring conflict.
Sources & further reading
Pitcheroo’s guidance is original synthesis. These are the main sources used for this guide.