Yet Another Beginner's Guide: The Elevator Pitch and This meets That

Apologies again for the late post. Physical Therapy started yesterday and after getting dry needles shoved into my spine and electrocuted, I’m about 15% better. MOVING ON TO TODAY’S LATE POST:

So here’s something that may or may not ever happen to you, but it’s an exercise worth thinking about:

On average, it takes 37 seconds to get in an elevator, the doors to close, the elevator to go down one floor, the doors to open, and for you to leave. That’s what this article said anyway. You’re in an elevator right now and next to you pops in <INSERT FILMMAKER YOU’RE CRAZY ABOUT> It gets even better. They’re just hanging up their cell phone and saying out loud “Well crap. Now I need to find another project to attach myself to.” THEN, they turn around, look at you and say “sup.”

The doors close.

Now you must summon your greatest story idea, put it into an easy-to-digest summary and you’ve got 30 seconds to do it. How do you do it?

Here’s how I’D do it, but FIRST–

The Crux

In getting ready to write this post, I searched out a few articles on using “this” meets “that” and was mostly underwhelmed by the negative response. “It makes your story too simple.” “It shows you’re not original.” “Everyone does it.”

If anything, when executed properly, “this” meets “that” can often be something so damned exciting that you yourself can’t wait to see it.

Two of my writing mentors told me a story on how they sold a story on a simple “this” goes “here.” Like, legit sold a pitch on an idea that was summarized into a small sentence. What was it?

“The Dirty Dozen goes to hell.”

Now. If you haven’t seen that movie, check it out sometime. I think that idea alone is pretty badass and while it never hit the big screen, it did become a comic book.

So if the crux of the matter has anything to do with those above-listed critiques, screw them. You’re in a damned elevator and you’ve only got 30 freaking seconds! If you can combine a strong enough “this” meets “that” you’ll get a meeting where you’ll eventually be able to show your creativity.

Furthermore, if you can pitch two successful things together, you might have a REAL shot at inceptioning the hell out of that producer with the thought “only THIS particular person can execute this story.”

Sheesh. Now to the meat.

How tho?

First, you gotta make sure that what you’re pitching is based on two already successful properties. You wouldn’t want to say “Well it’s Norm of the North meets Osmosis Jones.” You’d want to pick successful movies that HAVE worked in the past. So you’ve got a movie that has typical medieval fare and there’s a witch who throws the characters forward in time. You’re better off saying “It’s like Braveheart meets Ghostbusters” than something like “It’s Your Highness meets The Jacket.”….What would that even be? Sorry.

If you can’t think of a second movie, then give it a cool location or a cool element. “Dirty Dozen goes to hell” could be something like “Ghostbusters go the middle ages” or “Home Alone, but it’s a spaceship.” Know what I mean?

Secondly, you’ll give a logline. I recently read the first few chapters of this book that I’m DEEPLY loving called The Fantasy Fiction Formula where the author talks about using the SPOOC method. Situation. Protagonist. Objective. Opponent. Climax.

So:

Situation: When he finds out that someone is after the Philosopher’s stone hidden in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Protagonist: Harry Potter

Objective: vows to keep it safe…But can he stop

Opponent: the evil Lord Voldemort

Climax: from stealing it and coming back?

Try doing this with your idea and see if that helps. Once you’re locked in with that, give them the “this” meets “that” and you’re in like Flinn.