Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry

by Peter Desberg, Jeffrey Davis

Inside tips on how to craft pitches that seal the deal—no matter what industry you work in—and banish presentation anxiety forever

From impromptu elevator pitches to full-board presentations, sales and marketing professionals face an “audience” daily―often with make-or-break consequences. As the person delivering the performance, you need to know you have a great script and are able to maintain composure throughout.

To help you perfect both pitch and performance, there are no better coaches than clinical psychologist Peter Desberg and writer/producer Jeffrey Davis. With experience and insights from both the film industry and the corporate world, they understand the pitch process.

In Pitch Like Hollywood, they show you how to up your game substantially —no matter what business you’re in—by incorporating elements of a classic Hollywood driving emotion, piquing curiosity, and ultimately winning over decision makers with powerful persuasion and performance. They take you on an insider’s tour of the entire process, from defining the fundamentals to designing effective presentation strategies to overcoming stage fright.

With chapters that include Persuasion Boot Camp, The Pitch Panic Cycle, and Creating the Pitch II (The Sequel), Pitch Like Hollywood provides a front-row seat in a master class on giving great performances for any audience, every time—at board meetings, sales calls, and whenever else you want to make a case to get the results you want.

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2022

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors share a basic pitch model: hook, log line, 3-act story structure, and a lot of advice about the research beforehand, the prep, and how not to screw up a pitch (nerves and so on). It's all good, especially the pitch stories, but it's a bit repetitive and it feels padded. A classic "barticle" -- an article masquerading as a book. Worth adding to your library of story and pitch books, though.

[Scott Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pitching, a core business practice, involves marketing an idea to a potential collaborator. Because thousands or millions of dollars can depend on a ten-minute presentation – or less – mastering every element of this type of presentation significantly benefits those who sell their ideas for a living. Desberg and Davis use their experiences coaching people in the film industry in Hollywood, an especially demanding domain, to bring these pitches to life.

First, the good. The basic knowledge of this book – how to pitch and how to fight through anxieties before pitching – can help those new to this practice. The examples are interesting, if a bit (but not totally) unbalanced towards one industry. This book is especially thorough in describing the psychology of pitching. Anyone seeking to overcome first-time jitters will benefit from this book’s comprehensive approach. It’s clear and easy-to-read.

Now, the weaknesses. Desberg and Davis present very little new theory about pitching, marketing, or rhetoric. Its main “newness” lies in copious examples from Hollywood. This helps those involved in this industry, but little help exists for those of us – most of us – involved in other industries that may be just as “high-stakes” (for example, biomedical devices or political leadership). This book could use some generalization of its principles through broader examples. Finally, there needs to be some kind of conclusion because it just stops cold-turkey. Some kind of summary of its intended intellectual contribution would help, but this motive may be missing from the book’s overall concept. Instead, the authors make a terse joke through an allusion that doesn’t accomplish much for the book.

Because of these weaknesses, this book only directly addresses two main audiences: those involved with the film industry and those who are just learning to pitch. I’m not sure the book reaches many others. It does a thorough job, for sure, but it offers little material to attract those already skilled in the art of selling a product. After finishing the book, I’m still not convinced that the film industry surpasses other critical fields in the pressures of pitching. A more generalized approach might have mitigated these concerns, but the authors’ expertise likely lies in this one industry, not more broadly.

[Jung]

The Hollywood pitch has the potential to improve your chances of pitching success. By embracing the art of storytelling, you’ll be able to capture your audience’s curiosity. And by practicing various persuasion techniques, you can make sure they’ll believe every word you say. Although you never know what might happen at a pitch, relaxation training will definitely help you manage panic and stage fright – and strike down distractions wherever they appear.

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Pitching can be unpredictable, so learn to embrace the unknown.

So, you’ve followed the recipe, and have prepared a compelling story to back up your idea. You’ve researched your audience, and have spent hours in front of the mirror gesticulating. To top it off, your meditation skills have now become second nature. But the thought of standing before a group of people who have the power to change your life still fills you with dread. You’re not ready, you tell yourself. What should you do?

Regardless of how well you’ve prepared, some of us are just more anxious than others – it could be that you’ve suffered from stage fright in the past. And while bigwigs in Hollywood would probably advise the more shy among us to “just stay home” and simply mail in your pitch, the authors disagree. This is because every unsuccessful pitch is still an opportunity for you to hone your skills, get feedback, and improve. So no matter what happens, you’ll always come out having won something. Mailing in your pitch, on the other hand, means your great idea will end up languishing away in a huge pile of paperwork for all eternity.

Even the most confident pitchers still run into situations that cause them to freak out. Peter, one of the authors, explains that although he’s made countless pitches over the decades, there have still been situations that scared the living daylights out of him. Take choosing an outfit, for example. Peter knows all too well the importance of choosing the right outfit for a pitch. It should be tailored to the audience you’re pitching to, of course. Sure, if you’re pitching to a young start-up, you might not want to overdress. But generally speaking, opt for business attire. And maybe keep a hoodie in your backseat just in case.

But one pitch Peter attended proved that even this advice can very quickly become moot. One day, he arrived at a top publishing house to pitch a book. He knew the president of the company would be attending, so he wore his best suit. As he walked into the conference room, he was aghast to see everyone wearing non-work clothes. It turned out that the company had a casual Friday policy – but no one had told him. The miscommunication definitely caused a rocky first impression, but after a few minutes he managed to land a successful joke about the situation.

So, the truth is that you never know what obstacles might arise during your pitch. But with solid preparation and relaxation training, you’ll be well-equipped to handle most situations. And hey – if one pitch goes south, don’t worry. In virtually all cases, it’s not the only one you’re ever going to have.

[Denise Griffitts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by Peter Desberg and Jeffery Davis, this book takes readers on a journey through the high-stakes world of Hollywood pitching and provides valuable insights into what makes a successful pitch.

The authors draw on their extensive experience working in the film industry to provide readers with practical tips and strategies for crafting compelling pitches that capture the attention of decision-makers. They break down the pitching process into easy-to-follow steps, from identifying your audience to delivering your pitch with confidence and conviction.

One of the things that set this book apart from other pitching guides is its focus on storytelling. The authors stress the importance of creating a compelling narrative that engages the listener and makes them care about your project. They provide numerous examples of successful pitches from the film industry, analyzing what made them work and offering insights that readers can apply to their own pitches.

Throughout the book the authors use a conversational tone that makes for easy and enjoyable reading. They inject humor and personal anecdotes into their advice, making it feel like you're getting insider tips from seasoned professionals. They also include exercises and prompts to help readers apply the concepts they've learned and develop their own unique pitching style.

[Michelle Cornish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential tips for successful pitches! Not only does this book walk you through the pitch process and explain how your pitches may be going wrong, but it also shows you how to craft your pitch while keeping in mind the psychology of pitching. "The best pitches tell a compelling story using the hook, the logline, and the three-act structure." This book is full of pointed advice such as how starting your pitch by telling someone you're going to change their mind will only make them spend your pitch not listening to you and looking for ways to disagree with you. The 5-stage Pitch Panic cycle section was helpful in understanding how to take control when you feel like you are losing it, and the final five chapters provide invaluable tools for creating and practicing your pitch so you'll be successful when it's go time.

[Theodore Kinni · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I usually associate pitching with characters like the late inventor and pitchman Ron Popeil, who earned a spot in America’s cultural history—and a small fortune—hawking products such as the Chop-O-Matic, the Pocket Fisherman, spray-on hair, and the Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ oven on late night TV. (“Set it, and forget it!”) But that’s a reductionist view, at best. Pitching is a form of interactive selling that business leaders at all levels need to master."

My interview with the authors is here: https://www.strategy-business.com/blo...

[Sandra Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and useful business guide. Regardless of the industry you work in, everyone will eventually have to pitch an idea.

My Review

[Alejandro · Rating 1 out of 5]

The imaginary example about the travelers and the Peruvian "campesino" is so racist