SYNOPSIS 

You’ve got a solid script. Now what? How do you get it into the hands of decision-makers? Your pitch is an important step in your project’s development to catch the eye of a producer, executive or investor. Find tips and tools on how to make a cohesive pitch and talk about your project like a seasoned professional. Move your listeners to think, “This is a film I’d like to see.”

The first hour of the discussion focuses on the art of the pitch. The second hour will focus on feedback for a few pre-selected pitches by audience participants.

Interested in receiving feedback on your pitch for your pet project?

The opportunity to receive feedback from the panel will most benefit those who:
--Have a strong vision of their piece and/or a completed script
--Are about to crowdfund or meet with potential investors
--Are ready to build a production team for the project

Criteria for selecting pitches for panel feedback:
--50 words or less
--Pitches for a short film or feature-length independent film (no studio projects, please).
--Pitches for storytelling that covers a diverse range of voices in the American filmmaking landscape

E-mail salon@sagfoundation.org by September 21st at 5 PM with your pitch (50 words or less) with the subject title "HOW TO PITCH."

You will hear from us if you are selected.

Please include the following:

*Your first and last name (and member affiliation or number?)
*Whether the pitch is for a short film or feature-length
*The pitch – 50 words or less
*Whether there is a completed script for this project
*The film’s genre
*The names of two of your favorite filmmakers

PANELIST BIOS 

Reinaldo Marcus Green - Filmmaker

Reinaldo Marcus Green is a writer, director, and producer based in New York City. His films have premiered at prestigious film festivals around the world. His most recent film (Stop) made its premiere at Sundance 2015, and his previous short, Stone Cars, had its international premiere as an official Cinefondation selection at the Festival de Cannes 2014, as well as winning the Grand Jury Prize at Le Temps Presse Festival (juried by Jane Campion, Gus Van Sant, Gael Garcia Bernal, Gaspar Noe, Mira Nair, and Wim Wenders). It went on to screen at numerous film festivals around the world including Telluride and the Los Angeles Film Festival; it is currently available on HBO GO. As a graduate film student at NYU's Tisch School, Reinaldo was recognized as a Wasserman Award Finalist, and earned some of the highest awards in the NYU film program, including the 2014 Media Services Producing Award and the 2014 Honorarium Award from the Princess Grace Foundation. Most recently, Reinaldo was recognized as one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2015 and he has joined the producing faculty at NYU Tisch Graduate Film Program.

Jonathan Lomma - Agent

Jonathan Lomma, an agent in WME’s Theatre Department, represents Edward Albee, Beth Henley, A.R. Gurney, Terrence McNally, Paula Vogel, Ken Ludwig and Robert L. Freedman among others. Writer clients currently working in film and television include Jose Rivera (The 33, On The Road, The Motorcycle Diaries), Sharr White (The Affair), Frank Pugliese (House of Cards), Dorothy Fortenberry (The 100), Matt Hoverman (Sofia the First) and Dan Dietz (Person of Interest). He also represents the Estates of Arthur Laurents, Hugh Wheeler, Howard Ashman and Jerome Robbins. He graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with B.A.s in English and Theater. He holds a J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law and is a member of the New York bar.  Jonathan is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.

Celine Rattray - Maven Pictures

Celine Rattray has over thirty independent films under her belt as a producer, including twelve Sundance Film Festival selections, five Toronto Film Festival selections and one Berlin International Film Festival selection. In 2010, Rattray co-founded Maven Pictures, Maven Pictures with Trudie Styler, a transatlantic development, production, and financing company. Styler (wife of acclaimed musician, Sting), a BAFTA-nominated producer (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Moon) and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rattray (who won a Golden Globe for The Kids Are All Right) focus on innovative storytelling with premiere talent. Together, they work to produce high quality independent films while taking advantage of cultural resources in New York and London and working with top tier filmmakers.

Before founding Maven Pictures, Rattray ran Mandalay Vision, producing The Kids Are All Right, the 2010 Sundance Film Festival darling directed by Lisa Cholodenko and starring Julianne Moore, Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo, which garnered 4 Academy Awards nominations, 2 Golden Globes wins, as well as 4 BAFTA and 5 Independent Spirit Award Nominations. The film was purchased by Focus Features following a two day bidding war that resulted in the biggest sale of the festival. Rattray also produced The Whistleblower, a drama directed by Larysa Kondracki and starring Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave and David Strathairn, Salvation Boulevard, a comedic thriller starring Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear and Ed Harris, which sold to Sony/IFC; Another Happy Day, a dysfunctional family comedy written and directed by Sam Levinson, starring Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, Ellen Barkin Ellen Burstyn and Ezra Miller, which won the Sundance 2011 Waldo Salt Screen writing award; and 2012‘s breakout dark comedy Bernie directed by Richard Linklater, starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey, Rattray was a founding principal in Plum Pictures, which she ran with her partners Galt Niederhoffer and Daniela Taplin. In just six short years, the prolific company made twenty independent films, including ten Sundance Film Festival selections, one Toronto Film Festival® selection and one Berlin International Film Festival selection. Plum’s festival accolades include Grace is Gone, directed by James C. Strouse and starring John Cusack, which sold to The Weinstein Company following heated bidding wars. The film went on to win the coveted Sundance Audience Award and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, as well as the International Critics’ Prize at the Deauville Film Festival. It also received two Golden Globe® nominations, one for Best Score and another for Best Song by Clint Eastwood. Other nods for the company’s films include a Gotham Independent Film AwardTM, and two Film Independent Spirit Awards® nominations. In addition to its impressive slate of independently financed titles, the company also developed multiple projects for major studios including Fox, Paramount, Universal, Sony and New Line.

In 2008, Rattray was selected by Crain’s New York for its prestigious “Forty Under 40” list, which features an impressive and diverse group of executives who have excelled in their fields. Prior to founding Plum Pictures, Rattray was hired by HBO as Director of Marketing and Business Development. During her three years at HBO, Rattray’s main responsibilities included the development and launch of HBO on Demand. Rattray oversaw product development, marketing, operations and programming, and also produced a monthly show exclusively for HBO on Demand with actors from The Sopranos, Sex and the City and Six Feet Under. Under Rattray’s supervision, HBO on Demand grew into a major revenue stream for the network, and is currently available nationwide. Rattray graduated with a first class degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from Oxford University. She worked as an associate in McKinsey’s Media and Entertainment practice from 1998 to 2000, with clients including the BBC, Channel 4, the British Film Institute and Time Warner.

Austin Stark - Paper Street Films

Austin Stark is a writer, director, and producer. He is a founding partner of the New York-based film production and finance company, Paper Street Films. Most recently, Austin wrote and directed “The Runner,” a political drama starring Nicolas Cage, Sarah Paulson, Connie Nielsen, and Peter Fonda. The film was released by Alchemy in August 2015. This year Austin also produced Maya Forbes’ “Infinitely Polar Bear,” starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana, which premiered in Dramatic Competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics in June 2015.

Austin has produced and executive produced several other films, including: Tony Kaye’s “Detachment” (starring Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks, James Caan, and Lucy Liu); 2012 Sundance Film Festival Opening Night Film, “Hello, I Must Be Going” (directed by Todd Louiso; starring Melanie Lynskey and Blythe Danner); 2010 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award-winner “happythankyoumoreplease” (directed by Josh Radnor; starring Radnor, Malin Akerman, and Kate Mara); Werner Herzog’s “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?” (starring Michael Shannon, Willem Dafoe, and Chloe Sevigny); and 2009 Sundance Film Festival darling “Peter and Vandy”(directed by Jay DiPietro, starring Jason Ritter and Jess Weixler).

Before launching Paper Street Films, Austin began his career working with Academy Award-winning producer Martin Richards (“Chicago”). He is a graduate of Georgetown University, and lives in New York City.

Moderator/Panelist

Lauren Haber -- Parts & Labor

Lauren Haber is a producer and head of film and television development for Brooklyn-based production company, Parts & Labor. In her five-plus years at P&L, she has overseen the production of critically-acclaimed, award-winning films such as Robert Eggers' The Witch (winner of Sundance Best Directing Award 2015), Josh Marston's latest Untitled film (in post), Matt Ross's Frank & Lola (in post), Ira Sachs ' Love is Strange, Bob Edwards' When I Live My Life Over Again, David Lowery's Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Shaul Schwarz's debut doc Narco Cultura, Julia Loktev's The Loneliest Planet and more.

She is currently spearheading Parts & Labor's television division, and producing and developing several feature projects such as and Shaul Schwarz's documentary Trophy about the American big game hunting industry (currently in production), Russell Harbaugh's upcoming debut feature Love After Love starring Chris O'Dowd (shooting this fall), and Robert Eggers' second feature, The Knight (currently in development with Studio 8).

Prior to working at P&L, Haber spent five years as a Local 600 camera assistant, working on feature films, docs, television shows, music videos and commercials around the world. She is based in Brooklyn, NY and the proud parent of 2 dogs and 2 cats.