The most exciting thing a writer can do is create a new idea. They run to their notepad or their computer, and a perfectly formed masterpiece falls out of their brain and onto the page. But then someone asks, “so what are you writing?” and everything falls apart.
Well, it’s sort of…
It’s kind of like…
It’s about so many things, but it’s also…
The wheels come off, and the writer looks at their baby with distain. Suddenly, scenes don’t fit together. The whole project is too big, or too muddy. The momentum stops, and the story dies.
As the name suggests, a Five Finger pitch is a five-pronged method of writing a brief pitch for your story. It distils the story into digestible, conversational sections that will make any meeting, writers room, or chit-chat over coffee go much smoother.
But what are the fingers?
GENRE
The first finger is genre. Where does your story sit in the pantheon of story archetypes? What can audiences expect when opening your script? Will they be shocked with body horror? Kept on the edge of their seats with thrilling twists and turns? Or will they be able to switch their brain off and watch some bombastic action?
Setting the stage first is an important part of pitching. You don’t want the person you’re pitching at to be ignoring your story while they try and figure out whether they’re meant to be laughing or crying.
MAIN PROTAGONIST
Crucial to any story, an active protagonist is the second finger of the pitch. Who are we following on this adventure? Be brief, but be specific. Of course the protagonist will likely be more nuanced in the script, but pitch audiences don’t have the attention span to hear about the intricacies of backstory or motivation. So, be specific to the story you’re telling. As iconic as they are, Harry Potter’s glasses aren’t important here.
An orphan with suppressed magical abilities – Harry Potter
A pharmaceutical chemist with a pet ape – Will Rodman (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)
American football coach turned FA football manager – Ted Lasso
The final point on the protagonist finger is to only include their character. Harry’s desire to kill Voldemort is not part of who he is, neither is Will Rodman’s need to cure his father’s dementia, those are all part of the next finger:
GOAL
What does your protagonist want? Why are they the protagonist? All narrative characters have a singular goal, and this third finger is the time to express it.
Tony Stark wants to take his weapons out of the hands of terrorists
Luke Skywalker wants to bring down the Galactic Empire
This can be as simple or as complex as you like, but again make sure it’s brief. Don’t confuse whoever you’re talking to with the intricacies why they want their goal. This isn’t the place for the want vs. need conversation. Just the want will do for now. The protagonists need should arise naturally out of finger four.
OBSTACLE
Who or what is standing in the way of your protagonist achieving their want? This should arise naturally out of the goal:
Luke Skywalker wants to bring down the Galactic Empire, but his father is the right hand to the Emperor himself.
Tony Stark wants to take his weapons out of the hands of terrorists, but finds his mentor is the one selling them the weapons.
Will Rodman wants to find a cure to his father’s dementia, but his treatments have the side effect of increasing the intelligence of the test apes.
The obstacle should hint at where the story is going, without explicitly stating where it will end. Remember, a pitch is a jumping off point. The audience should have an idea of where we will end up, but you should leave them begging you to tell them exactly how we’ll get there.
Tony will have to confront his mentor.
Luke will face the dilemma of his father’s corruption.
Will Rodman will face the consequences of his animal testing.
But how? Well, if your pitch audience asks that question, you know you’ve got something gold.
So, if you’ve got your audience in the palm of your hand, why is there a fifth finger?
WHAT’S IMPORTANT?
Chances are you’ll be having this conversation with a writing peer or with a producer. They’ll be someone who reads / sees a lot of great stories, but they can’t produce everything.
Okay, your story is good, but why is it important? Why should a producer sink potentially thousands into hiring a director, actors, editors, and a whole crew to make your story? This is the most important finger of the pitch, and it’s completely about you.
This is your opportunity to say why you’re writing this script. What world events inspired you? What personal tragedy? Which gap in the market are you exploiting? What trends have you noticed?
If done correctly, this finger will still inform the audience of what they can expect in the script. It can give ideas of tone, conjure up potential scenes we might see, and further inform them just what they may be letting themselves in for.
And that’s a Five Finger pitch!
So, what do they look like?
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Iron Man
A super-hero action story about Tony Stark, a cocky, billionaire arms dealer at the top of his game. After being kidnapped by terrorists using his weapons, he sets out to recover the stolen weapons in a high tech suit of armour of his own design. During his one-man war, he finds his mentor, Obadiah Stane, was working with and selling the terrorists the weapons.
In an increasingly hostile world, stories about the damage large weapons can do in the wrong hands is crucial to raise a responsible next generation. Doing it through the lens of a bombastic action film will draw younger audiences and expose the message to a larger demographic.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A science fiction story about Will Rodman, a pharmaceutical chemist testing an experimental dementia drug on apes to try and save his father’s mind. As his experiments bear fruit, Will discovers his drug has the side effect of increasing the intelligence of his lab apes, many of which are poorly treated.
Animal testing is an increasingly pertinent topic, with pharmaceutical companies and the cosmetics industry going under the microscope for their animal testing practices. As a species, we are also increasingly prone to diseases. Planet of the Apes is a beloved franchise with a big draw, so highlighting the human influence on the creation of that world is incredibly exciting.
Ted Lasso
A comedy drama series about happy-go-lucky American football coach Ted Lasso as he’s hired to coach UK football team, Richmond AFC. As he tries to improve the culture of the team, helping each player become their best selves, the team owner, Rebecca, does everything she can to destroy the club she inherited in her high-profile divorce.
Football is an intrinsic part of British culture, but Americans just don’t get it. The supporting base in the UK isn’t getting any larger either due to increased antisocial behaviour associated with the sport. Ted Lasso is an opportunity to bridge those two divides and show everyone on the outside of football just how beautiful the beautiful game can be.
Comments