Masterclass #2: Perfecting the Pitch with Allan Nicholls

Masterclass #2: Perfecting the Pitch

Taught by: Allan Nicholls

Tapping into years of experience as an actor, producer, screenwriter, musician and director, Allan will impart his knowledge on showmanship and how to effectively pitch an idea for a movie or TV show. Allan will use examples from the 1992 film, “The Player,” (dir. Robert Altman), which centers around a frustrated screenwriter who terrorizes a studio executive. Allan was a longtime friend and collaborator of Robert Altman’s and will share his decades of wisdom in this circus that is the entertainment industry.

************************************

Allan first arrived in NYC in 1969 from Montreal Canada where he was the lead singer in the band JB and The Playboys. He had been urged to come to NYC to audition for the Broadway company of “Hair.” In the Spring of that year Allan performed the role of Claude and then later in 1970 he took over the role of Berger. He took on the 1970’s Broadway musical scene head on performing as King Herod in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” The Pusher and The Cop in “Inner City Mother Goose”, “33” in “Dude”, Adam in “Up From Paradise”, and closed out his career as Maxwell Hammer in “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band."

He relocated to Los Angeles in 1975 at the invitation of Robert Altman to play the role of Bill in his mega cast film “Nashville.” His participation in that film led to a relationship and a collaboration with Altman that lasted well into the 2000’s. Nicholls is a BAFTA and WGA award nominated veteran of the movie industry having produced, directed, acted, and written music, for the past forty years. Although noted for his collaborations with Robert Altman he has worked alongside directors Tim Robbins and John Madden on several of their films.

Often performing multiple roles for a film, his experiences include associate producer and assistant director on Oscar nominated “Dead Man Walking” (1995), assistant director on the Oscar nominated “The Player” (1992), executive producer and assistant director for the Palme d’Or nominated “Cradle Will Rock” (1999), and associate producer on the Golden Globe nominated "Bob Roberts” (1992). His television experience includes producing on “Saturday Night Live” (1989-91) and “Tanner on Tanner” (2004).

In film, as a writer, he co-wrote screenplays “A Perfect Couple” (1979), the BAFTA nominated “A Wedding” (1978); both directed by Robert Altman; and wrote and directed the film “Dead Ringer” (1981) starring Meat Loaf.

Allan has always managed to incorporate music into each of his endeavors.

Host or Publisher 33 and Me Filmmakers Festival