Pitch Perfectly: From Elevator Pitch to Pitch Deck
About this Event
You've got a story worth telling. Now learn how to pitch it.
You know your project inside and out. But when someone asks "what's your film about?" - does your answer make them lean in or check their phone?
That gap between your vision and how you communicate it is exactly what this workshop teaches.
In two hours, we'll cover loglines, pitch decks, packaging strategy, and what investors actually care about before they say yes. This is an interactive workshop where you’ll learn by doing - using live exercises and group collaboration to build your pitch in real-time.
We wrap with a live pitch round where a few participants will be selected to deliver a 2 min pitch and receive live feedback from two film producers - Gautam Singhani and Brittany Franklin.
Come with a story. Leave pitch-ready!
Course Overview
We’ll start by defining film development - the crucial stage most filmmakers overlook and why it’s the key to making your project investor-ready. This 2 hour session is built to bridge the gap between your creative vision and a professional industry package.
What we’ll cover:
- Loglines: How to write a one line hook that makes investors want to read more
- Treatments: How to expand your idea into a clear, structured story on the page
- Pitch Decks: A slide-by-slide look at what gets a deck funded and what loses funders fast
- Elevator Pitch: How to deliver a 30–60 second pitch that hooks investors and executives
- Packaging Strategy: How your budget, schedule, and sizzle come together into one fundable package
- Common Pitfalls: Identifying the mistakes that K*ll a pitch before it even starts
The Live Pitch Round: The session culminates in a live pitch exercise. Selected participants will deliver a 2 min pitch to receive direct, real-time feedback from Gautam Singhani and Brittany Franklin. It’s a rare chance to test your story in a real-world format and hear exactly what industry professionals look for. Even if you're not pitching, you'll learn from watching.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, participants will:
- Understand the role of development in the film lifecycle, across both documentary and narrative projects
- Identify the key development materials (logline, treatment, pitch deck, budget, and schedule) and how they work together
- Write a logline and shape a treatment that communicate your story clearly
- Build a pitch deck that gets funders to yes, and recognize the mistakes that lose them fast
- Deliver a 30–60 second elevator pitch that hooks investors and executives
Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed for:
- Writers ready to think beyond the script
- First-time Directors figuring out how to move from idea to action
- Producers who want to strengthen how they pitch and package
- Emerging Filmmakers with a project that needs sharper positioning
- Film Students and Creatives at any stage who want to understand how films actually get made - not just how they're shot
Perfect for anyone who wants to understand the business side of filmmaking and make their projects pitch-ready, fundable, and positioned for real opportunities.
Instructor ?
Gautam Singhani
Consulting Producer @ Gotoma
Co-Chair of Post Production at Producers Guild of America (P.G.A.)
is a NYC-based Producer with 10+ years of experience across development, production, post production, and distribution. He has consulted on and delivered projects for Apple, Netflix, HBO, and Universal Pictures, including Oscar®-nominated THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK, Emmy-nominated ALLEN V. FARROW, BAFTA-nominated BECOMING COUSTEAU, and GLAAD-nominated LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO.
He's taught pitching, packaging, and producing to 250+ filmmakers across DCTV, The Gotham Film & Media Institute, Counter Narrative Project, and Queens Public Library.
Guest Producer
Brittany Frankin
Founder & Owner @ Cerebral Studios
Brittany Franklin is a director, producer, and cultural strategist working across documentary portraiture, high-concept cinema, and brand growth rooted in culture. A One Show Pencil–winning producer for Adidas at Johannes Leonardo, she is a WBD Access Emerging Filmmaker Fellow, Creative Futures x Soho House Worldwide Fellow, Sundance Uprising grantee, and Gotham 2024 Branded Storyteller. She directs through her studio Cerebral Entertainment (VP Records, SummerStage, the Queerty-nominated series NATIVES) and founded Minorities in Film and its Branded Lab — one of the industry's first BIPOC and disabled director programs, built with Free The Work, 72andSunny, AICP, PrettyBird, Unicorn & Unicorn and more. Hard of hearing, classically trained. New York.
Learn more at
Follow the journey
For 1:1 consulting, pitch decks, or to book a workshop for your organization - email [email protected]
Workshop Agenda
?: 01:00 PM - 01:05 PM
Welcome & What to Expect
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: We'll begin with introductions, a live poll, and an overview of the session - the goals, what to expect, and how this workshop will help position your film project for success with investors, grants, and festivals.
?: 01:05 PM - 01:20 PM
Understanding Film Development
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: What film development actually means, how it's different from production, and why it's the step that separates projects that move forward from ones that stall. We'll cover the core deliverables every filmmaker needs before cameras roll — pitch deck, treatment, budget, schedule, and sizzle reel — and how they work together to make your project fundable.
?: 01:20 PM - 01:35 PM
Writing Your Logline
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: Your logline is often the first impression your film makes — whether you're pitching to investors, applying for grants, or submitting to festivals. We'll break down two proven formulas for writing loglines that clearly capture your story, and put your instincts to the test with an interactive quiz using real examples from film and TV.
?: 01:35 PM - 01:45 PM
Shaping Your Treatment
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: A treatment is where your idea begins to take shape on the page. We'll walk through how to expand a logline into a clear, structured narrative that communicates tone, style, and vision — and how it becomes one of the most important documents in your development package.
?: 01:45 PM - 02:05 PM
Designing Your Pitch Deck
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: A slide-by-slide breakdown of what makes a strong pitch deck for film — and the common mistakes that lose funders by slide three. We'll cover the difference between creative and investor decks, walk through real examples, and discuss how to tailor your deck for grants, labs, festivals, and private investors.
?: 02:05 PM - 02:20 PM
Crafting Your Elevator Pitch
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: You'll learn how to build a 30–60 second elevator pitch from scratch, and discover what actually makes a network executive lean in and say yes.
?: 02:20 PM - 02:30 PM
Live Q&A
?: 02:30 PM - 02:40 PM
Producer in the Room: Meet Our Surprise Guest
Host: Gautam Singhani
?: 07:40 PM - 07:55 PM
Live Pitch Round: Pitch Your Film
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: Selected participants deliver a 2 min film pitch and receive direct feedback from two working producers - Gautam Singhani and Brittany Franklin. A real world pitch simulation designed to sharpen your delivery and help you understand what industry professionals want to hear. Even if you're not pitching, you'll learn from watching.
?: 07:55 PM - 08:00 PM
Wrap-Up & Next Steps
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: Key takeaways, recommended resources, and how to keep building momentum on your film project after the workshop.
Office Hours with Gautam
?: 03:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Premium Ticket Holders
Host: Gautam Singhani
Info: A small group session exclusively for Premium ticket holders. This is 30 minutes of direct, personalized guidance - bring your specific project questions, whether it's pitch deck feedback, development strategy, funding roadblocks, or figuring out your next move. Think of it as office hours with a working producer.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 17.50 to USD 199.99
