How to Pitch/Propose

Topic- subject

Example--: Lullaby by Creed (3:05)

Pitch- 1 or 2 sentences that narrows to a specific focus

Example: Telling the story of a kid who accidentally killed his little brother (you'll see how in the video) and the story is shot through 3 parts at 3 different settings that will go back and forth between the 3 throughout the video; the kid at the site of the death, the kid with pictures of his brother as well as flashbacks of him, and then suicidal thoughts. At the very end of the video you see him make a big decision.

Proposal- 1-2 paragraphs that describe the method, tone and means of how you are going to present the information to your viewer.

Example: The video will start with Ian Forlow on the side of a road (a side road that isn't busy and has a dirt shoulder) there will be a cross that I will make out of sticks on the side of the road to show that whoever died there was killed in a car crash right there. Then you will see clips of Ian alone, most likely in his room, with pictures of his little brother and Ian looking out the window, stuff like that where you know who he is thinking about and you know that he is hurting and depressed. Then I will go to Ian on an overpass or a bridge that goes over a busy road and you see him contemplating ending his life by jumping. You can see the distress in his body language and on his face. Then I will go back to Ian on the side road, then back to memories of him and his brother, or just clips of his brother so you can see what's going on in his mind, then I will go to the second stage of Ian's suicidal attempts with him with a bottle of pills (Same emotional representation as on the bridge only this time with pills). Then I will go back to the side road, back to the alone in the room type of thing remembering his brother except this time you will see pictures of a totaled car, so you know how he killed him, and then I will go to the last stage of his thoughts that will be Ian with a knife, doing the same thing. Every time that you see Ian on the side road, I want to represent how crumbled he is, and how sad he is and how he doesn't look like he can function, but on this last shot of him by the side of the road I want to show him pulling it together, looking strong and confident, and then walking away with what you can tell is a better attitude than how you first see him. Again, the same thing with Ian alone remembering his brother, He will straighten up a little and you can see he's different in this shot than the last time you see him in the room, he puts the pictures away and moves on. Then finally, in the song, the ending has a little upbeat 2 second guitar thing that fits perfectly with having 3 quick shots of Ian closing the knife, putting the cap on the pills, and then walking away and off the bridge with a shot from the ground looking at his feet, and then the song will end and you will just see a fade out of Ian walking off. The last 3 quick clips will have the video audio in it of the knife closing, the cap clicking on the pills, and then Ian's footsteps as he walks off the bridge.

check out the video to see how well it came out:

Other Examples:

Topic- Loose your stress by doing things you like

Pitch- This video, to the song "Float On" by Modest Mouse will be about two high school students worrying about school stress, family stress and all the things that are weighing down their shoulders. These students channel their stress through sports/hobbies and eventually the work load doesn't seem as much and they are more relaxed and put together.

Proposal- I am basically going to show every element of the students stress, what really pushes them to a breakdown. The long hours of them working and never fully being satisfied. Show how their family doesn't make it better and how they feel like they are drowning in work and stress from other people's actions.

At each verse I will show the student stressing then at the chorus I will show elements of their sport/hobby that relieve the stress or distract them from the stress. It will show how much they love the sport/hobby. I might go back and forth between the stressing and their sport/hobby showing that they will get through it. I hope to choose actors that have sports or hobbies that I can easily shoot without other people around them so it is really focused on them or maybe show very little interaction between other students. I really want this video to be focused on the two students and not so much their peers or parents so you focus on them. I also want to focus solely on their sport/hobby and why it relieves their stress.

Pitch: I will create a video that shows how skateboarding offers a break from the stress and anxiety of school work, sports, and life in general. While, skateboarding is a foreign thing to many, we all deal with stress from school and our lives and can relate to having a way of relaxing and taking a break. This video will help show other kids who deal with the same pressure and stress what skateboarding offers, much more than the stereotypes surrounding it.

Proposal: My music-based video project will focus on the escape skateboarding offers from the stress and anxiety of school and life. While, skateboarding is a more of a unique escape, it relates to a story we all know in our own lives. Everyone has their own ways of dealing with their stress, whether it be throwing a football, watching tv, or just going out for a jog. Through the use of creative visuals and music that complements the tone, emotions, and pace of the visuals, I will show the not so know joy and haven skateboarding offers.

I will have one primary actor for the video. It will begin with him coming home from another stressful day at school. He will try to start to do his homework but only finds his stress building. To relieve the stress, he grabs his board to get outside and heads to the skatepark or possibly somewhere else (weather permitting). I will film his stress building and then have some nice low angles of him skating away from it all. I will then show him reaching the skatepark. The video will in know means be focused on tricks but instead capture the fun, goofiness, and laguhter that he enjoys with his friends. I will then get him leaving the skatepark, heading to the house, and then sitting down to reengage in his work, much more relaxed.

and this is how it came out...