How to Build Pitch Decks for Development and Inspiration

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:  

*includes worksheets/templates for participants

What previous attendees have said ...

"Very thorough and interesting presentation! Many thanks for making it happen!"

"I’ve just watched the replay and it was a very thorough session with actionable advice (and supporting docs!), so thank you. I’ll make sure to put all of this to good use now."

"This was a great and very informative presentation, Maya really provided great insight and detail, and the pace was perfect."

Indie Filmmaking Crash Course, Part 2: Navigating Post-Production

In Part Two, we delve into post-production essentials that can elevate your film to new heights. From the intricate art of editing and sound design to the transformative power of music and color grading, this symposium offers a comprehensive exploration of the creative elements that shape the final product.

Discover strategies for navigating film festivals, understanding distribution channels, and mastering marketing tactics to ensure your film reaches its intended audience.

Gain valuable insights into selling and self-releasing films, and learn how to seamlessly transition from one project to the next in the ever-evolving landscape of independent filmmaking.

Topics Covered:

Indie Filmmaking Crash Course, Part 1: From Script to Screen

In this symposium, we delve into critical aspects of independent filmmaking, guiding you through the transition from script to production, engaging with investors, crafting pitch decks, managing rewrites, networking, casting, budgeting, and scouting locations.

Discover the intricacies of SAG regulations, contracts, and administrative processes, as well as the importance of physical and mental health during the filmmaking journey. Uncover the secrets of routines, habits, and creative processes that contribute to successful filmmaking endeavors.

Gain insights into the Hollywood landscape, the art of communication, and the significance of setting the right energy on set.

And explore the dynamics of relationships, crew chemistry, and handling unforeseen challenges, empowering you to navigate the unpredictable journey of indie filmmaking with confidence and finesse.

Topics Covered:

Logline Workshop

This workshop is available quarterly, so check back for the next session date.
All registrants receive a FREE entry to the 2025 Script Pipeline Pitch Competition.*

Everything you need to know to sell your story and yourself … in just one sentence.

There are two questions every writer must be able answer clearly and quickly:

“What’s your story about?"

“What do you write?”

The answer to the first question will reveal the genre, tone, hook, premise, and stakes of a single project. The second question will reveal what you as a writer care about in your work, and why you're the best person to to tell the stories you do.

You need your story idea boiled down to a single, compelling pitchable sentence to get the attention of a manager.

Our logline workshop will teach you how to do just that ...

In this exclusive two-hour event, we'll:

You may have never written a logline before. Great! We’ll do a lot of that together.

You may have been banging your head against the wall trying to construct a great logline, but you’re frustrated that you can’t quite hit the mark.

We'll workshop the loglines you love and the loglines you hate. You’ll leave with the tools you need to whip them into shape and build future loglines with ease.

While we hope to get to as many of the attendees' loglines as possible, we will only be able to get to a handful for live feedback. First come, first serve.

However, during the workshopping of loglines, you'll see how Merridith's advice will apply to your own process, and now you'll have the tools to use to get to the next level. If you're interested in working with Merridith in a one-on-one session after the event, we'll send all attendees her information to reach out.

*Rules for Free Contest Entry Bonus: Any Symposium event that offers a free entry to one of our contests applies to future submissions, not refunds on past submissions.

**CONFIDENTIALITY: In an effort to best facilitate event participation, the recording will only be shared with the registrants and not available on-demand. If you're uncomfortable sharing your logline, that's fine, too, as it's not required.

What Attendees Have Said ...

"The Symposium gave me a whole new way to think about the logline. Loved it!"

"Merridith was professional, knowledgeable, and encouraging. The logline info that Merridith shared is spot on and will help me tremendously, And that's the whole point!! Thanks very much."

"Great information that can be immediately put to use. Appreciated not only the content but also the facilitation of the workshop. Not too many workshops provide the course materials at the beginning of the class. Kudos!"

"It was awesome and incredibly helpful for someone like myself who is just learning about screenwriting and the various skills one needs to have. Really enjoyed it. The two hours just flew by, and it was of real benefit. Thank you."

"I had a fabulous time—very knowledgeable instructors. They kept things moving along and gave attendees great suggestions."

Networking Advice to Get and Stay in the TV/Film Industry

You have dreams as a screenwriter. You work and write and sacrifice and say no to fun stuff with friends because you're working on your craft. Getting better.

But the thing is, if you don't know people in the industry, you'll lose out on opportunities to people who do.

You might have the chips stacked against you.

But what if you could learn actionable hacks that could save you YEARS of mistakes and propel your career relationships, in the time that it takes to watch one film, for the cost of a few coffees at Starbucks?

During the first ten years of my time in the TV industry, I made EVERY SINGLE freaking mistake you can make when it comes to networking.

I cringe every time I think about it.

But all those mistakes bring a lot of award-winning, kick-ass insight. So, I reverse engineered how networking is in the industry, and how to do it, especially when you have no bloody clue what you're doing.

And it completely changed my career. Previous session attendees contact me all the time to say these tips have changed things for them, too.

Straight up—this is NOT a dry, boring session. Why should it be? We need to kick down those doors! This is our livelihood!

It will help you with some of the most common challenges writers face. Here are just some of the things you'll learn:

1) Secrets and attitudes we need that people don't tell us.

2) Hacks from the TV and film industry on who writers should network with and who is usually overlooked.

3) Adjacent industries we can build our skills and presence in until the TV/film industry recovers in the next year or two.

4) Networking in person, like at live events, including how to know who to talk to, the best areas to find them, and what to say. (P.S. And how everything can come down to a foot!)

5) How to send an email to someone you don't know and get a response. (P.S. And tips like why "I" makes people run for the hills!)

It's super high-energy, it's funny, it's irreverent, and it's filled with TRUTH. I will bear my soul and tell you cringeworthy stories!

The session has received 100% positive feedback, including from industry bodies like WFTV CA, LSF, MANFF, writing groups and international universities. It was voted "most useful session" at LSF, University of Derby, and Bolton U. Upcoming sessions include Ed TV Fest, WGGB, BAFTA, NFTS, etc. 

Join in! You'll feel so much better, and empowered with actionable steps to take. The sooner you start (even if you're a new writer), the sooner you'll get all the benefits! 

What attendees have said ...

"Great, practical advice, even for writers who already research the crap out of this stuff. Great advice for introverts and neurodivergent types! One of my favorite parts was the even photo and analysis of body language and people dynamics—so helpful!!"

"I was really thrilled to find that this webinar was very concise and accurate in the objective of giving meaningful advice! Amanda was so great, and it was truly inspiring."

"Amanda’s no-bull brand of advice was welcomed by this newbie “Imposter.” She exfoliated at least a decade’s worth of mistakes, offering practical insight into an intimidating and overwhelming industry. Networking is the one big bad monster I feared couldn’t be overcome, making me question whether or not this industry could be my home but Amanda normalized the fear so many of us face when trying to meet new people and make new connections while offering solutions to help us  get over the hump."

"Loved Amanda's energy and positive mindset. It also gave me fresh inspiration and a more lighthearted approach to networking, generally. I'm going to have some fun with it. Some practical stuff like the social media purge was good to include. Be yourself was kind of an underlying message I got from Amanda and I'm going to embody that—my peeps are out there."

"I loved hearing the first-hand experiences, and I adored the visual elements enhancing the speaker’s thoughts regarding cold-emails."

Writing to Budget

If you want to be a professional screenwriter you need to realize a couple of things.

  1. 95% of a screenwriter’s income come from works for hire. Rewrites, adaptations, writing for hire.
  2. Each one of those jobs comes with a budget to write to.

Every time you get a writing assignment of any kind it comes with what the budget for the film is, and you are expected to write to that budget. Every writer at some point gets these same limitations.

You either learn to write to them or they hire someone else who can.

There are a lot of ways to write to budget while still being as creative as you can be. You just need to learn them.

Bob Saenz will share the tips he personally uses to write to budget.

What Attendees Have Said ...

 "Great insight from a business professional! A well presented webinar that stuck to the topic plus Q&A at the end."

"Bob gave detailed examples of what is important to know about budgets when writing a script. His book, That's Not the Way It's Done, summarized some things I had not learned in my multitude of writing classes. This webinar on budgets taught even more things I would not have thought of, such as the cost of moving trucks from location to location. I always look for his Sunday posts on Facebook. He's definitely a working expert."

"Loved the detailed explanations and honesty."

Directing for Writers: A Crash Course

Learn how to tell stories with the visual language of cinema. 

In this seminar, filmmaker writer/director Kevin T. Morales will give you a crash course in directing and teach you all the ingredients used in creating camera shots and their emotional purpose so you can visualize your story and bring it to life off the page. 

Whether you're looking to direct your first short, hone your already-existing directing skills, or want to dive deeper into a director's mind to understand how to craft your script in a more collaborative way, Kevin will shed light on the intricacies behind the skillset of film directing.

This session will cover the use and emotional impact of ...

What Attendees Have Said ...

"Wow, Kevin brought the perfect mixture of lecture and real-world examples."

"For a writer making the leap to directing, it was perfect. Morales was able to condense but still fully explain the terms, tools and effects of cinematic storytelling. Very worthwhile. Look forward to receiving the recording!"

"I was thoroughly impressed by Kevin’s expertise and ability to share his knowledge. Incredible condensation of so many complex topics in such few hours! Thank you so much for this session!"

"The speaker was really good, and I actually learned more than I thought I would. I'd love more events about directing. Thanks!"

The Ins and Outs of Being a Script Supervisor

There are many ways to work in the industry and learn what makes a good script besides being a screenwriter.

As a budding writer, Jessica Hobbs began script supervising in 2013 with the skills she learned working as a stage manager for live theater. Along with a sharp attention to detail and a love of reading scripts, aspiring Script Supervisors need excellent organizational and communication skills to manage coverage, consistency, and continuity.

In this session, Jessica will cover:

What Attendees Have Said ...

"I just love an insider's view of filmmaking. She did relate what she does to screenwriting quite a bit, which was great, but I also really enjoyed learning about what a script supervisor does, period."

Finding Success in the Current Film & TV Industry Climate

The last few years have been a rollercoaster for screenwriters. Starting with the WGA’s action against agents in 2019, going into the pandemic, and then last year's strike, there’s been a lot to adjust to on the screenwriting front.

Screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup will discuss all that you need to know about our ever-shifting landscape and explore how to build the sort of successful career you're seeking.

In the context of working in today’s industry, we'll explore: 

Building a Kick-Ass Deck for Both Pitching and Inspiration

How to create a stunning deck to inspire and also help sell your feature or TV series

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:  

*includes worksheets/templates for participants

What attendees have said ...

"Very thorough and interesting presentation! Many thanks for making it happen!"

"I’ve just watched the replay and it was a very thorough session with actionable advice (and supporting docs!), so thank you. I’ll make sure to put all of this to good use now."

"This was a great and very informative presentation, Maya really provided great insight and detail, and the pace was perfect."