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The First-Person Voice: Getting Past “I”

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Book Pipeline

Book Pipeline connects writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry through competitions and workshops, providing hands-on support to bridge the gap between emerging authors and the industry since 2014.

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Script Pipeline connects writers with producers, agents, and managers, facilitating over $8 million in sales through competitions and ongoing industry support, helping launch major films and secure high-profile representation since 1999.

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Film Pipeline connects filmmakers and writers with agencies and executives, focusing on diverse storytelling and playing an active role in developing and promoting projects, reviewing thousands of submissions annually since its launch in 2018.

How to Build Pitch Decks for Development and Inspiration

Recorded

April 16, 2025

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Topic

Business

How to create a stunning deck to inspire, to help sell your feature or TV series, or to aid in financing your project.

Pitch decks are useful for more than just pitching your script. Many writers create them for story inspiration—to set the tone, help them develop characters, or create an outline. Creating a formal pitch deck can help, even in the early stages of writing!

And, of course, they're good for their original purpose ... pitching your vision.

As a screenwriter and graphic artist, Maya Zivkovich will focus on tips to help you create a stunning pitch deck worthy of any producer's consideration.

Some say pitch decks or series bibles are some of the hardest things you’ll ever write. But, with the right tools, guidance and a dash of inspiration, you can easily build a kick-ass pitch deck & series bible.

Maya will walk you through the importance of this document and break down the different components needed for your deck to truly stand out from the rest. No design experience necessary—you’ll get plenty of her best tips and tricks from her many years and expertise as a graphic artist (and no, you do NOT need to use A.I. ...)

By the end of the presentation, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge, tools, templates, and the motivation to get you on your way to creating your very own deck. 

The presentation will cover:  

  • A brief history of pitch decks
  • The difference between pitch decks and series bibles
  • Key components for decks and bibles (sections/categories)
  • Formatting and referencing
  • Good VS bad (what not to do)
  • Examples of different decks and bibles
  • Q&A

*includes worksheets/templates for participants

What attendees have said ...

"Most detailed lecture on pitch decks and show bibles. Really like the Q&A and found that many questions were also my questions."

"I really appreciated that the presentation was long enough to cover all of the content and have a robust Q&A session, and that Maya provided templates for us to use so that we can implement the knowledge she shared with us. I feel confident that I can create a decent first pitch deck when the time comes!"

"The topic was covered thoroughly and the talk was full of great information and practical tips. The presenter spoke well and had clearly taken the time to organize her material in a clear and natural way. She also took the time to answer all of the participants' questions, even though that meant staying a bit over the talk's allotted time. Definitely got my money's worth on this one."

Host

Maya Zivkovich (she/her) is a screenwriter and experienced graphic designer from Montreal Quebec, Canada. With over 18 years in the field of design, Maya’s career now comes full circle as one of her first jobs involved designing DVD covers. Now she’s returned to working with the entertainment industry once more. She’s combined her writing knowledge with […]

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The First-Person Voice: Getting Past “I”

October 8, 2025
Building an interesting and dynamic world full of believable characters can be extra challenging when the reader can only see that world through one set of eyes. By the end of this presentation, you’ll be armed with a variety of techniques to help you use first-person effectively in a variety of genres and to recognize several pitfalls before you get too far along.

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Symposium, presented by Pipeline Artists, is a year-round virtual conference empowering creatives with honest, no-nonsense guidance across the arts. Through seminars, industry panels, and Town Hall discussions on screenwriting, filmmaking, publishing, and career-building, Symposium offers grounded advice from working professionals to help you forge your own unique path.

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