How Failing My Pitch Rashaped My Approach to Storytelling

“Hello… we have an art drama… 90 minutes… about human destinies…”

That’s how I once started pitching a project to potential investors.

Silence. Not a single question.

And that’s when I realized:

Investors don’t buy a “film” — they buy the feeling that this movie already lives.

Today, I use a simple formula that turns a boring report into a moment people remember. Let me share it.

❌ Why Regular Pitches Don’t Work

Because they sound like vacuum cleaner manuals. Technically correct — but no one’s interested.

The brain gets tired from the “genre — length — logline” format. It wakes up when you tell a story like it’s already happening.

Numbers matter — but later. First comes the emotional spark.

✅ What Worked for Me — And Keeps Working

1. The Hook: Start not with logic, but with a feeling.

Bad:

“A film about the social context of migration and isolation.”

Better:

“At the Hungarian border, a van carrying migrants crashes. Only one woman survives. She’s pregnant. In darkness and rain, she stumbles through a field. An old farmer sees her — and decides to let her in. That decision changes everything.”

Start with a moment that’s visual, specific, and instantly emotional.

2. One “Sticky” Fact

Bad:

“The film will be shot on location.”

Better:

“We’re building a real farm — not a set, but a living space where the actors will breathe, move, and live as their characters. No trailers. No lighting grids. Everything will come from the environment.”

One fact that shows you’re not just telling the story — you’re bringing it to life.

3. End with a Question or Personal Challenge

Bad:

“Thank you for your time.”

Better:

“If one cold night, a woman knocked on your door with nowhere else to go — what would you do? That’s the question at the heart of our film.”

👉 Make the last thing they hear make them feel like they’re already inside the story.

Before and After — From Personal Experience

Before:

“Hello. I’m presenting a social drama project. It’s 90 minutes long. The script is ready. We’re looking for a sales agent and co-producers.”

After:

“I read a news story: a pregnant girl was found in a Hungarian forest after a car crash. No one knows how she survived. But I knew — this was the beginning of a film.We’re shooting in August, in Hungary, on a real farm. No fiction. Just two characters. Just truth.Now tell me honestly — would you let her in?”

Result: Questions. Discussion. A follow-up call. Real interest.No fancy spreadsheets. No 40-slide presentations.

My 7-Day Pitch Prep Plan

Days 1–2: I wrote my “entry point” into the story. Not an intro — an action moment.

Days 3–4: I came up with one fact that shows the film’s “signature.”

Days 5–6: I tested it on a friend, recorded myself (yes, it was painful to listen).

Day 7: Said it out loud on Zoom. Not perfect, but in my real voice.

Why It Works (From a Scientific Perspective)

Emotion → Action.An investor says yes not because “the spreadsheet adds up,” but because you moved them.

Story = Connection.When you don’t talk about the project, but start the film right here and now — people listen differently.

The goal is not to “get funding,” but to help this story exist on screen.

🌱 For Those Who Are Ready:

If you’re ready to pitch — start as a director, not as a beggar.

Even if you haven’t shot a single frame — your film already exists in your mind and your voice.

P.S. Got a pitch of your own? Send it to us — we’ll help make it not just clear, but unforgettable.

Who We Are

If you’re looking for a production company that knows how to tell honest, powerful, and deeply human stories —that’s us.

Sauban Film Productions is an independent company based in Europe. We develop, produce, and support films at the intersection of reality and drama, auteur vision and international relevance.

We work with directors who aren’t afraid to ask hard questions —and with stories that last longer than the theatrical run.

We love:

• Co-productions that enrich cultures

• Films that leave a mark

• Partners who see cinema as an act of trust

Got a story?We’ll help bring it to life.

📩 info@saubanfilm.com🌍 www.saubanfilm.com