I am writing this post on the plane to True/False. On my flight are many people of the doc world: I’ve already spotted Susan Norget, , , Matt Cowal, Lauren DeFilippo, Clare Manchon, Mars Verrone, Sam Soko and Paul Dallas.
Ted Hope graciously invited me to write a guest post for his terrific Hope For Film newsletter. I wrote about 5 questions I am asking myself about documentary today and I think it’s a good one. Check it out!
To celebrate my debut on HFF, I am running 48 hour flash sale on annual subscriptions. Use this link to get 50% off: https://lennypane.substack.com/TedHopeSpringsEternal
What makes a good doc pitch?
I love to look back on the pitch materials from completed films. It’s super interesting to see how much of the original idea makes it all the way through to the end. Today I thought I’d share the best pitch I ever wrote. I feel confident I can call it the best one I ever wrote because I received an immediate green light upon its receipt. It was just an email I sent to Bill Simmons, who was putting together Season One of Ringer Music Box for HBO. He’d liked Hail Satan? and asked me to pitch him something.
Listening to Kenny G is my top-rated film on Letterboxd. (PSA: people say don’t read the reviews. What are you nuts? Definitely read the reviews! At least on Letterboxd. Don’t you want to know how your work lives in the world?)
Below is the original pitch, and at the end I’ll say a few words about why I think it was good, how it could have been better, and what was the one idea from it that didn’t make it into the movie.