Let’s Make A Deal

Writers Tout Their Tales During Last Year's First Pitch

Ever wonder what it would be like to boil down a script that you’ve worked on for months into a five-minute presentation that could launch a career lasting years? Nearly 50 soon-to-graduate students from the Division of Writing for Screen & Television did exactly that as they delivered their film and television ideas in rapid-fire fashion to entertainment reps during last year’s 5th annual First Pitch.

Gathering at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, the 27 graduates and 22 undergraduates hustled through the grand ballroom for 20 rounds of five-minute pre-arranged sessions to pitch their thesis scripts and other ideas to execs from leading agencies, management firms, studios and production companies.

“The biggest thing for me is to go in there with the confidence that what I’m doing should be bought,” said senior Jeff Hammer who was hopeful that the evening could help him professionally. “I’d like to get several meetings and gain representation or just be nudged down the way to be represented.”

One of last year’s hosts, Jeff Davis ’00 (Criminal Minds), reinforced that confidence when he spoke to the students and guests before the opening bell. “If you weren’t already good storytellers you wouldn’t be at USC. Tell a great story tonight.”

After reiterating that pitching is more than just selling, event co-host Andrew Marlowe ’92 (Air Force One, End of Days) emphasized a key to success lies in establishing relationships with the person sitting across the table, which is often more valuable than the first pitch itself. Adding a moment of levity, he continued, “Just an observation. This is the nicest room that you will ever pitch in.”

And with that, the pitches, which included drama, science fiction, comedy, action, mysteries and more, were presented to reps like Dan Glasser ’05 from Roundtable Management who said that he was there to find a new voice and “look for a good story.”

As the night progressed and the decibels in the room increased, one of those new original voices, senior Kaita Mpambara, stood patiently at the back of the room waiting for his round to start. The relaxed Mpambara was firmly at ease with his thesis The Epic of Mali. He laughed saying that the pitching isn’t what made him nervous, but there were other considerations. “You’re the only child who’s been sent to college. You want to make it.”

Catching up with him later in the evening, he was still relaxed and sounding as if he could go another 20 rounds. “I didn’t pass out, I didn’t faint, I didn’t throw up, and I made it through. I survived. I’m optimistic, and to me this was a success.”

“This was a good evening,” offered CBS rep Carole M. Kirschner at the exhausting close. Her first time in attendance, Kirschner was impressed by the students she spoke with during the night. “It was interesting, fascinating and everyone was well prepared. You can tell they all felt really comfortable with their material.”

The first First Pitch took place on the massive soundstages of the Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts in 2002 and was the brainchild of graduate student
Kam Miller ’02. 

“When I realized there was a gap between graduation and starting your career, I knew there had to be a fix,” Miller said when asked about the impetus behind the event. In her final year in the MFA program, Miller and her fellow students conducted market research on other pitch festivals, surveyed industry reps and together devised a format that hit all the crucial points. “There had to be a way to get these amazingly talented folks in front of the right people,” she added.

Someone who knows how true that can be is writing instructor Brad Riddell ’02. Riddell’s script Band Geek, pitched that inaugural night, led to his landing representation and a writing job for American Pie Presents Band Camp (2005). “What I accomplished in one night was really huge. It saved me weeks, months, maybe even years of hustle,” Riddell said.

First Pitch 2007 will be held on April 30, 2007.

Associated Events:

April 09, 2007 7:30pm Showcasing Rising Stars At First Look April 30, 2007 6-10:00pm First Pitch