WOW! Five days of intensive wandering, going up one elevator and down another. Pitching my TV series and three screenplays, meeting old friends, and making new ones. That’s what the American Film Market is all about. This was my second visit in ten years to Santa Monica and the AFM, and I was not disappointed. I was on a mission, and Stage 32 prepared me to meet the challenges all creatives are confronted with.

What do I do, what do I say, and how do I say it?

First, I was given the opportunity to enroll in Alexia Melocchi’s five-minute pitch classes specifically designed to help you pitch at the AFM.

Second, and here I expose my foibles. My pitch was horrible, and I knew I needed help. Before AFM, several times, I was stuck in this imaginary elevator with an agent I chose through Stage 32. On my way up to the eighth floor, I coughed and sputtered and drew a blank. She was prepared to hear the greatest story ever told, and I thought I was prepared to tell it. Instead, she heard, “Eighth Floor, Lingerie!” Yes, I blew it.

So, what did I do? I did what any storyteller would do (at first). I let my foolish pride get in the way, and I put the blame on them. “What do they know,” I told myself. Thankfully a Stage 32 member in my network told me the truth. “Your pitch needs some work there, Lee” Now me being from the Bronx, New York, I was a little skeptical about taking advice from Brooklyn. But as I realized soon enough, she was right. Praise for the “Writer’s Room.” If you haven’t visited this haven of creative friends, you are definitely missing out on an opportunity to catapult your writing and pitching skills up several levels.

It was a week later that I saw the Stage 32 advertisement for Alexia’s class. I immediately signed up, and it was the best decision I ever made in my writing career.

Now you should know that I am a best-selling author with several books under my belt. I love writing sci-fi, historical fiction, horror, and thrillers. It has been my staple for years. I also have written 23 screenplays and doctored several. It’s what I love. I have been a member of stage 32 for a few years, and I liken it to the best online school available to creatives anywhere. If I could get a degree in “How to Make It in The Film Business.” I would get it here.

“Okay, now where was I?”

There I am, back at the AFM. Decked out in my T-Shirt and baseball cap advertising my new comedy TV series and out I went amongst the crowd of screenwriters, filmmakers, producers, actors, and distributors. Truthfully, dreamers all. It was as if I was an adventure seeker in a vast, unexplored jungle of creatives. If not for Stage 32, I would have been lost. But you should know this, Stage 32 is the compass we need to navigate our way through this landscape. And here I was, walking around like I owned the place. After all, if you’re going to dream, DREAM BIG!

I walked all over from the eighth floor down to the fourth and back up again. Stopping at every booth and display. Having pre-set meetings that I arranged ahead of time and gave them the pitch of a lifetime. I bumped into Alexia twice in my foray into the world of distributors. Her praise of me to others there will stay with me forever. What a gracious lady. I owe her many thanks.

Never knowing what would come of it, I was prepared. I had my pitch deck in hand, and when the opportunity afforded itself to present it, I did. With some success, mind you, but we’ll get to that in a few. I attended several sessions on a roster of subjects that clearly were geared toward everyone attending. Stage 32 played a big role at the AFM, and they deserve high praise for the hard work evident in their presentations.

The best session by far was the TWO-MINUTE PITCH CONTEST. Yes, I entered but was not fortunate enough to be picked. No worries, I realized I did the pitch all wrong. Instead of photographing myself delivering the pitch, I spoke off-camera and photographed the storyboards instead of me. I let the pictures tell the story. What a knucklehead! Hey, if you don’t learn from your mistakes, you’re doomed to repeat them. Anyway, the contestants were very entertaining, and their pitches were varied and thoughtful. It was obvious they had practiced their pitch over and over. They all deserved the accolades, and believe me, there were no losers. The judges really had a hard time picking a winner. Think about it. Could you deliver a winning pitch in two minutes? Of course, you can. But it takes practice and a thorough knowledge of your material.

I met so many wonderful people and gave out over 100 business cards and several pitch decks. I was on a roll. Lesson learned, always be prepared to pitch your story. You never know when the moment will arise and you will pitch someone who can make all your efforts worthwhile. Here’s what happened to me.

A moment of pause. Take a deep breath, lean back, and relax.

The Backstory. In 2012, I moved to Singapore and lived there for three years. It is a beautiful country and the gateway to Southeast Asia. I had been there before during the Vietnam conflict. I was an officer in the U.S. Navy and served aboard a nuclear attack submarine. I even wrote a story about it. U.S.S. Shark. The tagline is “Under Siege – Under Water.” I wanted to visit the Thailand booth and meet with some people I had met when I vacationed there on Ko Phi Phi Island. A paradise located off the coast of Phuket.

While there, I wrote a story titled “Search for the Quan Jin Jade.” The tagline: Lara Croft meets Indiana Jones.

Sometimes my surroundings tell me to write a story. So, I do.

Standing there at the American Film Market, speaking with several people about movies and making them, this huge entourage of people, all dressed to the nines, walks over to the booth. The manager of the booth then walked over to me with this whole group in tow. Standing In the center of this group was the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. The manager of the booth then asked me to pitch the story to the Deputy Prime Minister. I was flabbergasted! He wanted to hear my story about the “Quan Jin Jade” and how it was buried somewhere on Ko Phi Phi Island over one thousand years ago by pirates.

I told the Deputy Prime Minister I wanted to film this movie in Thailand. He was blown away. Me, I was floating three feet above the floor. I couldn’t believe what was happening. The Deputy Prime Minister asked for my business card and told me they would be in contact with me. He said he would invite me to Thailand to film my movie. And they would contribute to help fund it if I used Thailand actors and crew. Somebody, Please, Pinch Me!

And if you think that was all, just wait. A few hours later, I talked to a newbie about Stage 32 and all it has to offer. You would think that RB Botto hired me to be an ambassador. No, not at all. If not for Stage 32, I would be sitting home, staring out the window, dreaming, what if? A fellow standing near us was listening to me talk about how he could gain the knowledge he needed to promote his stories. I concluded my discussion and walked away pleased that I was able to introduce another person to Stage 32. I really felt good about it.

So, walking to the elevator, I was met by a gentleman who heard me touting the benefits of being a member of Stage 32. He asked me what I was doing at the AFM. I told him. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said he was a distributor looking for new content for his company. So, not to miss an opportunity, I gave him "The Pitch." Not just any pitch, I gave him the "Melocchi Pitch."

He stood there, seemingly mesmerized by my presentation. He laughed and said, “I’ve never heard a pitch like that before.” I thought, of course, you haven’t. That was a pitch right out of the Stage 32 playbook. Then he asked, “What else have you got?” Oh, brother, I pitched my three screen stories. And my new TV comedy series. I had him.

We stood there, hundreds of people milling around us, and we could have been standing on the top of Mount Everest. He asked what I was planning, and I told him. He offered a funding package that sounded great. We made plans to meet again and put this all together in a partnership that would get my projects off the ground. I know it sounds simple and too good to be true, but I tell you it is true, and I owe much of my good fortune to Stage 32. By the last day of the AFM, almost everyone in the building knew me. They came up to me to give me a business card, and I gave them mine. I made so many new friends. It was great!

At this juncture, I am a success story. There is still a lot to be done, and I plan to see it through. I want everyone that is reading this blog to write to me. Friend me on Stage 32. If I can offer any advice, I will. If you just need a friendly ear to listen, I can do that, too. Join in, make your own success, and let Stage 32 be the compass that will lead you in the right direction. Finish that story. Practice your pitch, and before you know you will hear, “LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!”

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