There are times when you need to make the world your oyster and show what you worth: preparing to present your project in front of an audience of experts and potential investors is one of those times. To know what to present and what to focus on is essential, but it can be hard to figure things out without help.

Because here at FEST – Pitching Forum we are very thoughtful and want our participants to have the best chances of being selected, we assembled a list of elements to take in consideration to prepare an exceptional submission:

Synopsis

When preparing a synopsis, it is really important that you tell the whole story, from the beginning to the end. Here the intention is not to grip the attention, but to clearly establish the protagonist, the conflict and its resolution.

Note of Intent

The note of intent is supposed to point out the personal interest of the author on the story. What drives him, why he wants to do this film, why he is investing in it. It is also intended that we understand, in artistic and production terms, why is this specific team producing this specific film.

Budget

The total budget gives the jury a clear idea of the project dimension. It is fundamental that the budget remains realistic. Obviously it’s not expected the value to be precise, but being reasonable can distinguish a consistent project from an immature one.

Production Details

In this section, we want to know if there is any funding for the film and how the production costs will be supported. In case of being a book adaptation, we want to know if there is already an agreement with the author. It’s also relevant to give a perspective of the distribution plans and other possible support or endorsements to the movie.

Teaser or Trailer (not required, but…)

In the particular case of documentaries, it is really important that a brief teaser is shown, to make clear the kind of language that it’s to be used, what footage has already been collected or other important references. In the case of fiction, it is also useful for the jury to be able to see some edited and processed images.

Visual References (not required)

This point is an extra. It is not required to present visual references or “Moodboard”, but it can be helpful when showing the style and visual dynamics of the film.

These are the main guidelines that you should take in consideration when preparing a good submission to the FEST – Pitching Forum.

The deadline is 1st of April, so hurry up and good submissions!