Making a Pitch
Charlotte Moore
Charlotte Moore commissions and oversees production of documentaries from the independent sector for the 大象传媒. She oversees a variety of films including observational documentary series, factual dramas and documentaries,
and is responsible for the New Talent strand Fresh for 大象传媒 Three.
As part of a master class
organised by 大象传媒 New Talent for new and aspiring documentary film makers,
Here Charlotte explains how the story, title and characters are all vital to a film proposal.
Q1. How important is a film's story?
I think stories have to work on different layers, particularly when you have an hour to fill... I rarely want something that's just a straight journey.
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Q2. What else should film makers bear in mind?
Where's the jeopardy, where's the conflict, where's the dilemma? Where's the moment that's going to be the peak that I'm leading to in the film that's going to keep everyone watching?
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Q3. How much importance do you place on a film's characters?
I think that many films really succeed on the strength of their characters.
You don't have to love your characters but you have to feel utterly engaged
by them.
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Q4. How important is a film's title?
It sounds daft, but the title does matter. I think it matters from the moment
you put your proposal in... the best ideas are often sold on their title.
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Read part one, which covers putting a pitch together.
