Consulting: Creative & Marketing Analysis
Assets Reviewed
Feature Film Screenplays
Pitch Packages
Business Plans
Budgets
Schedules
Waterfalls
Equity Investor Presentations
Distribution Strategies
BTS Social Media Marketing
Trailers
Rip-O-Matics
Television Scripts
Reality TV Formats
Series Bibles
Loglines
One Sheets
Synopses
Cast Wish Lists
Talent Reels
Sizzle Reels
Key Art
Novels
Non-Fiction Books
True Life Stories
Adaptation Strategies
Limited Series Proposals
Book Proposals
Manuscripts
Bios
Websites
Affinity Marketing Campaigns
Deliverables
A 2-hour video (or in-person) conference
Written Feedback and Copyediting on all StoryTelling & Story$elling Elements
Scripted
Creative
Genre, character, structure, plots, subplots, themes, dialogue, tone, image systems, storytelling devices, writer’s voice and writing style.
Marketing
Concept, execution, marketability – and yes: the nitty gritty of grammar, typos and marketing- and production-ready formatting.
Best Prospects Financiers, equity investors, other financing strategies, distributors, co-production partners, grants and development programs.
Potential Attachments Distribution- or financing-attracting actors, directors, showrunners and key department heads; clever casting strategies; credibility-establishing subject matter experts.
Target Audience Demographics and psychographical assessment
Potential Product Placement Brands, advertisers, sponsors and/or joint venture marketing affiliations
Ancillary multimedia opportunities VR/AR, video games, platform and/or social media, blogs, vlogs, alternative marketing and distribution strategies, toys, spin-offs, etc.
Approach Strategies for all.
Written critique of all marketing materials loglines, synopses, treatments, one-sheets, leave-behinds, trailers, sizzle reels, investor presentations, business plans, pitch packages, proposals, websites, website outlines, social media marketing plans, distribution plans, etc.
Video Assets Reviewed:
- Sizzle Reels
- Trailers
- Rip-o-Matics
- Talent Reels
- Completed Scenes
- Segments Proof of Concepts Pilot Presentations
After advance review, we’ll video conference to share screens and analyze all of your project’s marketing assets (or needs). Suggested edits provided in a written report (paper edits). Actual re-editing of existing footage or scripting and shooting of new footage can be discussed and arranged.
Attending a pitch fest or similar event? Like NATPE, the AFM, The Great American/Canadian Pitch Fest, Stage 32’s Virtual Pitches? Review the “Catchers” (prospective buyers, financiers, reps) you think might be the most receptive to your material and we’ll identify others, discuss who might be your best candidates – and why – and prioritize and strategize a ranked list of who you might want to schedule pitch appointments with for your specific scenario and goals – and identify unique approach strategies for each.
- Pitch Preparation: Through this proactive, constructive analysis, we’ll identify the emotional and marketing hooks and precise key words to pull all the pieces together into a structurally effective, engaging and intriguing pitch construction.
- Pitch Critique: Take your verbal pitch and/or written marketing materials to the next level through immediately implementable improvements.
- Pitch Practice and Coaching: One-on-one role play and/or directed pitch rehearsal(s) for partners or even the whole team on pitch execution. This one-hour Zoom, Google HangOut, Skype or conference call provides kind, honest, constructive analysis – and practice. Boost your confidence – and really nail it – and secure more meetings and requests.
Reality
- Creative: show type, format, genre, tone, episode structure, season and/or series arc(s), hosts, subject matter experts and talent ideas
- Marketing: Same as above with an emphasis on broadcast, cable and OTT networks (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.) as well as client-supplied time buy scenarios
Books:
- Creative: genre, type, format, character, structure, plot(s), subplots, themes, dialogue, tone, franchise potential, film and TV adaptation strategies
- Marketing: Same as above with an emphasis on publishers or adaptation strategies
Business Plans:
Project’s and plan’s viability, analysis of cash flow, investor waterfalls, comps, team bios, key art, video assets, etc.
- Professional Copy Editing / Polish Notes (of course typos will be caught, grammatical and spelling errors corrected*, format and/or genre-specific stylistic improvements will be suggested).
* If the submitted literary asset is not of a market-ready, professional-caliber, copy editing will be limited to identifying chronic mistakes line-edited only in the 1st Act.
** Rewrites Reviewed for Half-Price **
Loglines
A logline is the hook – ideally 25 words or less – that piques initial interest.
Ideal loglines will reveal the project’s high concept, sources of conflict (drama), introduce the main Protagonist(s), Antagonist(s), Love Interest (or, for reality television: Talent, Host or Subject Matter Experts) and intrigue the listener/reader/viewer to believe that the project will deliver on its genre and/or format in a unique and interesting way.
Beginning your pitches with great loglines should entice your Catchers to want more – and request your materials.
Logline Analysis & Polish: Submit your logline (or up to 10 for the same feature film or pilot script) and we’ll dissect the best elements and refine the best approaches for different purposes/targets. Taglines and key art may be included if available/desired.
Logline Selection:
Get an unbiased but professional and honest third party assessment and unbiased ranking of up to 10 one- to two-sentence summaries of the various feature film projects or sample episodes you’re contemplating developing in terms of projected marketability, intrigue as well as constructive polish suggestions and keyword refinements)
PROJECT
Consultations
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1st 10 Pages: A review and discussion of your most critical first impression.
Budget and Schedule Review: A quick overview of red flags that jump out and key issues to consider.
One-Sheet Polish: Review, discussion and suggestions on how to make your leave behind pop!
Project Review and Analysis: Storyboards, look book, cast wish list ideas, director’s and/or producer’s vision, challenging scenes, logistics, issues.
PowerNetworking Brainstorming and Strategies: Potential Buyers, Financiers, Equity Investors, Distributors, International Sales Agents, Reps, brand presentation, “Big Six” studio strategies (film and broadcast and cable TV), OTT opportunities, social media promotional or crowd funding campaigns, affinity marketing, product placement, sponsorship, grant ideas, etc. requests.
Career
Consultations
Actor Career Consultation:
Headshot review and selection, reel review and edit suggestions, audition practice, brand analysis and PowerNetworking career strategies brainstorming.
Writer Career Consultation:
Logline and project review and strategizing, brand analysis, agent and manager and/or project PowerNetworking Hit List brainstorming, refining, ranking and approach strategies, what’s the best project to work on next? Writing partner advice and legal considerations.
What People Are Saying
“My consultation with Heather was incredibly informative and productive. She really helped me understand how to sharpen the focus on my project. Upon looking at the attachments she sent afterwards, I realized how she really worked this through. Well worth the consulting fee! She’d definitely be my first pick to help me produce!”
“Heather possesses a keen understanding of how the entertainment industry operates. She was invaluable in helping me construct a game plan to define and reach my goal target audience in the most efficient, effective manner possible – to fill the theater with casting directors for my one woman show. Not only did Heather demystify the art of schmoozing but she also provided me with the tools to overcome my fear of cold calling industry folks.”
“Heather is so inspirational, she could raise the dead!”
“She’s a story yoda.”
“Using Heather’s techniques and system, the day after her seminar, I had meetings set up with Oprah and Warren Buffet and now have access to A-List celebrities.”
In Person Sessions at Industry Events
While I consult year-round via phone, email and video* chat (Zoom, Skype), I also love to meet in-person at, during and around entertainment industry events such as film and television markets like the American Film Market in Santa Monica, CA every November); NATPE (the National Association of Television Program Executives in Miami, FLA every January) and related events such as CES (Jan) or NAB (April), both in Las Vegas, Nevada; StoryTellers on WalkAbout retreats, writers conferences. Or better yet! Bring me to speak to your group! And let’s meet around a custom function we produced together!
*It’s nice to see who you’re talking to but Zoom, especially, also facilitates safe, convenient computer screen sharing – and sessions can be recorded, if desired.