Good in a Room

In GOOD IN A ROOM, business consultant and former MGM Director of Creative Affairs Stephanie Palmer reveals the techniques used by Hollywood's top writers, producers, and directors to secure financing for their projects - and explains how you can apply th

Whether you work in Hollywood or not, the fact is that selling ideas is really difficult to do. The reason the pitching secrets of the most successful writers and directors are relevant is because these people have evolved an advanced method for selling ideas. 
Whether you’re a screenwriter, a journalist with an idea for a story, an entrepreneur with a business plan, an inventor with a blueprint, or a manager with an innovative solution, if you want other people to invest their time, energy, and money in your idea, you face an uphill battle…. 

 

When I was at MGM, the hardest part of my job was not cutthroat studio politics or grueling production schedules. The toughest part of my job was whenever I had to say “No” to an idea that was almost there. 

 

I had to say no a lot. Every buyer does. The buyer’s work is to say yes to projects that are ready, not almost ready. And no matter how good the script is, if the seller can’t pitch it in a compelling way, how can the buyer see the potential? How can he get his colleagues on board? How can he recommend the seller to his superiors? The fact is that poor pitches doom good projects.

 

It happens all the time. The ideas, products and services that are pitched more effectively… win. That’s just how the game is played. No sense getting upset over it. Instead, let’s accept the challenge and learn the strategies and tactics that will allow us (and our ideas) to succeed.

Reviews

[Evil_Angel]

I definitely agree and it goes with writing as well. If someone says your writing sucks it definitely makes you think twice before trying to write again. But you are right in saying there is no sense in getting upset. Once you learn not to give a f*ck about what people think that is when some of the best work comes out. This was a really interesting first piece thanks for sharing :)

[Wulfstan Crumble]

You certainly hit the nail on the head about selling ideas and the difficulty in rejecting ones that are almost there. I hope that in further installments you might look in more depth at those two perspectives, good selling/bad selling and how to look at such things from the buyer's perspective. It would be an interesting and valuable series on this site. Essential reading maybe.

[larryb]

Very interesting reading Steph i liked it..

[Eagle Cruagh]

Stephanie, you are full of it !

Now that we have that out of the way, let me explain;
you are full of the finest ideas that I have seen, you rock, as the
saying goes.
How do I know this ? Because I think exactly the same as you.

This rambling critique has only one purpose--- it is to say,
hang in there Stephanie. You are on the mark, bravo.
It was a pleasure reading your short treatise.
Thank you. I am sending this on to several of my friends who can use
the direction.
---- Eagle Cruagh