Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
1
Let The Motive Be Alive
If we only get motivated from the outside, then there is a mistake in the system.
Naturally motivated means: being set on fire, being enthusiastic.
This inner motivation goes along with how:
we follow our talents
we stand up for our wishes
we act regarding our mission.
All this has to be done with abandon, involvement and loving dedication.
Nobody ever will find a work, which automatically gives him fun all the time.
But fun is generated through us and our abandon, involvement and loving dedication.
Quote from „Abenteuer Business“ by Ralf Nemeczek und Isabella Sonntag
2
My Pi tch
THE ART OF THE PITCH
1995 Pitching & Communication Skills
Coaching, Teaching, Training: media, arts & culture, publishing, music…
My File Rouge is being a supporter for creatively working people… and I like it!
1977 Record Industry, Concert Management & Touring, Business-Trainee,
+ 15 years of acquisition and distribution of filmrights, co-financing, co- production
1986 In between: University, Coaching-Education + Training
Publications Pitch It! 2000; 2008; 2015 3rd Edition;
Pitch It! 2013 - Czech translation NAMU
Filmlehren-Bekenntnisse 2013 - Is it possible teaching film?
Low-Budget-Filme 2006 - Marketing & Distribution Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
3
T h o u g h t s B e f o r e Y o u r P i t c hA matter of Attitude + Preparation + Development
PITCHING = STRUCTURE + PASSION
I. Preparation „Pitching Contexts/Situations“
II. Preparation „Project Content“
III. Preparation „Person & Personality of Pitcher“
IV. Helps you in „Congruent Communication“
V. Results
PITCHING = DEVELOPMENT OF:
Projects + Networks + Self-Awareness
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
4
A Def in i t ion + An Approach
...simply a conversation starter...
Pitching is just a structured exchange of data about
projects + partners.
Sharing visions + missions between creative professionalswith similar goals.
Pitching is perceiving yourself truly as a professional.
Tip: Tell your stories to yourself first to deeply feel them and understand your part in the process.
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
5
You Are Your Own Project
Story Creativity Marketing
Emotional
Competence
The Art of the PITCH
Social Competence
Curriculum Vitae & Curriculum Animae => IMPACT
Money & Legal Issue/Theme/Motivation Producer & Team
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
6
1. Keytool : Sta tus of development
Status of your project ….
and the next steps of its development…
content Audience, User:
=> € & time-invest
…wishful thinking….
time of development
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
7
Real i ty Check = Status Def in i t ion
The problem: YOU are an expert. YOU know too much
content Audience, User:
=> € & time-invest
X? => hallucinations… ups…
…REALITY!....
time of development
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
8
2.Keytool : When Did The Idea P i tch YOU?
Emotional Impact in our Limbic System
Sens(e)ational experience
of: Seeing Hearing Tasting Tactile Touching Smelling
-> Emotion - Immediate personal reflection/check => enforced emotions
-> Effect: collision/ conflict on value system - clarifies your C.V. & C.A.
-> Filmmakers/Artists provoke, question or re-balance values
Film reaching audience => impact, emotional effect, theme
…Per – Sonare …Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
9
Curriculum Vitae & Curriculum Animae
In regards to your motivations: why is it interesting for you?
Personal
Cultural (our industry), social, educational
Regional, national, international
Economical
In the development process you must repeatedly re-connect to
Your original questions, to the basis:
Where do your questions come from?
Tip: from Determinism to Self Determination: Maslow‘s Hierarchy of Needs + Herzberg‘s Motivation-Hygiene Theory
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
10
Always prepare for each project/idea: Magic Focussing Tool 5 – 3 – 1 There are always open questions!!!
5 Positive, Strong, Unique Aspects (they stay with the project during its lifetime – USPs) Value Propositions
3 Critical Aspects / Elements (they change all the time during development)
Relevant for the pitch: depending on status => explain your strategy how to deal with the issues Tip: Think about those questions you don’t want to be asked!...
They are written on your forehead anyway ! 1 Ultimate Sentence – of the urge, the necessity „The Message Of The Creative“ in the context of content, theme, emotions, effect - or
in the context of production-related issues and U.S.P.s
Tip: They are great to be used as opening or closing sentences of both your informal and formal pitches, as a kind of thoughts and motivational statements.
11
I . P i tch ing Context = Mul t ip le Lengths…
Whether you pitch 30 seconds or an hour
the only answer is: I want to know more !
1 min tweeds „Elevator“- + BreakFast Pitch
3 min Social Talk… „Speed Dating“
5 min Public Format / Writers 3‘
7 min + Q&A Docs Standard Public Pitch
15 min Markets / Festivals
30 min…… Office Meetings…
and the magic 8 seconds….Cannes Producers Network
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
12Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
13
P r e p a ra ti o n - M a t r i x : I want to know more…
Skills: Structure & Timing 3. Formal
2. Public 4. NonPublic
Skills: Social Talk
1. Informal
Key-Subjects: Curriculum Vitae & Curriculum Animae
=> Theme + Motivation
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
Projects
14
I I . Preparat ion Pro ject
Key: Audience: For whom + why should the project be done?
Define: project's lifeline + timeline
define a strategy
-> Idea …………………………………………… -> Audience, User
Primary Target Group – financiers, distributors, sponsors, partners, curators, museums & galleries...
Secondary Target Group – paying audience, public, user...
What’s the benefit for everybody?
And for you?
Clarify your USPs + UBPs: What can only YOU offer? Why should one care?
Why do YOU care?
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
15
Preparat ion & St ra teg ic L i fe l ines
Keep watching your audience,
so the audience keeps watching you! …
Knowledge of hard + soft facts of your partners.
B2B Business To Business (…pitch the ending!!!)
=> B2C Business To Consumer
Pitching & Marketing grow strongly together…. as:
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
16
New Media = Di rect P i tch ing
D2F Direct To Fans
which benefits, perks?
360° project-development
distribution of crossmedia-projects
growing directmarketing/distribution to the user
Challenge:
the emotional contract between creators (professional
talent) and the user will change: Co-Creativity… !?
Entertainment = Engaging the intellect of your audience!
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
17
Convincing elements for the pitch of your project/idea - Resume
• Identify your own motivation(s).
• Stress your legitimacy (skills, experiences) and of your team.
• Contextualize your project/idea in the market and in society.
What kind of contribution you give/add to society, to culture,
to knowledge, etc…? What is your theme?
• Give a clear definition of your activity and timelines.
• Give a clear idea of your resources and needs.
• Have a clear goal for each meeting – what can you realistically achieve?
• Define the demand or the need and the sustainibility (crossmedia).
• Connecting the structural with the emotional experience in your pitch
creates a need! ...hopefully ;o))
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
18
Pi tch ing? - …always!
If you want to sell your project you have to pitch it!
Enjoy your projects, passion + profession!
as: You always pitch!
In your individual way….of course!
…so better be ready at any time,
and know yourself well….->
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
19
I I I . Preparat ion & Analys is o f the pro ject „YOU“
Inner Clarification = Pitching begins within:
Why am I doing what I am doing?
Psychological ABC:
Attitudes – Believes – Characteristics ….
SWOT of your personality + professional lifeline
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
20
Inner Clar i f icat ion - Ref lect + Develop…
Intellectual skills & capabilities:
You decide to be a Brain Owner
or a Brain User…
Personal & individual structures:
Curriculum Animae
Physiological, neurological, practical issues
Details...:
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
21
Me, Mysel f & I…
Intellectual skills & capabilities:
Communication skills & communication will
Basic knowledge about rhetorical tools, dramatic structure of talks
Active listening skills; ability to raise strong quality questions
Dealing with criticism (constructive or not!): active + passive
Vulnerability: “Criticism is the breakfast of the Champions!”
Separate personal criticism from subject related criticism
Conflict management, negotiation skills
Empathic awareness, emotional reading, open-mindedness
Perceptional skills with oneself + others, mindfulness
Reflection: Your vision + professional reasons why = your mission
Patience versus Impatience... - awareness of time-consuming process
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
22
Stay True To Yourse l f !
General personal & individual structures:
Values and AttitudesResponsibility, trust, respect & love for your creativity, your talents, your positionRespect for teamwork & acknowledgment of competence of othersMotivational & Learning Skills – wanting to sell your project!
Characteristic Traps (reflectable...)Taking risks: plunging into s.th. New, unknown. Be aware you can loose s.th. familiar.Resilience factor – there might be resistance from “out there”“Being perfect” trap – you are an expert....“Habit” traps - 100 different approaches... K.I.S.S. Procrastination – the last minute expert
Flexibility Stubbornness Determination/ClarityStrategy of Decision Making, Negotiation SkillsOver-Pitching & Missionary Over-eagerness
Dealing with Success... Self-Awareness & Self-Assertiveness Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
23
Reality Check: How to deal with stress?
Physiological, neurological, practical components:
Perception of Audience:
Size of group, their anonymity, eye contact, distance
Informal versus public pitching
Size of room:
Position (sit, stand), pitch with a partner (hierarchy/order/personal space)
Use of technical aids (microphone, presentation tools, assistance)
Q&A – anticipation; making notes, 5-3-1 tool
Contact with moderator
Personal Level:
Being in form, chrono-biology, raise of energy-level, take your “position”
Stress: some exercises
Water, lemon drops, tongue squeezer
……. And whatever your personal points additionally could be……
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
24
E c o n o m y O f W o r d s & A t t e n t i o n
Congruence of Communication and in Presentation
Since the early 60’s: studies about perception of communication
by Paul Watzlawick / Gregory Bateson at the Palo Alto Institute, CA
Verbal (the WHAT) ………… %
+ = 100%
Non-verbal (the HOW) ..….…... %
Position + Voice is the first to be out in the room of you, not the content.
…………. % body language, position, gesture, mimics
…………. % tonality, sound of voice, rhythm, volume, pressure, pitch/frequency
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
25
Walk As You Ta lk….
Verbal (the WHAT) ……7…… %
+ = 100%
Non-verbal (the HOW) ..….93…... %
Be aware: Position + Voice is the first to be out in the room of you, not content:
…55………. % body language, position, gesture, mimics
…38………. % tonality, sound of voice, rhythm, volume, pressure, pitch/frequency
ATTENTION:
The 7 % verbal content must be 100% professionally prepared.
Inner Attitude Outer Posture Position & Standing
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
26
P i t c h i n g = D e v e l o p m e n t
Pitching is a selling tool,
a communication tool,
about individuality + authenticity
responsibility for your creativity + the future
but mainly a great development tool...
for your project, yourself + your network
And by the way... PITCHING = FUN
.... SO ENJOY YOUR PITCH …
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
27
2013 translation of 2nd revised edition in German published in Czech by NAMU, Prague
28
March 11, 2015:3rd revised edition – in German… ups
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
29
Demand and Need = Idea
Mainly as an artist you create a needNeed: a recurrent question (future), radical = never
satisfied before, unknown, surprising, invention, i.e. a new medication for a disease, social
movementsIdea: what do you want to change with your idea? Timing: The moment in time for change is important?
Is it the time for yourself , society time, peers time, market time? And why?
Demand: satisfy a client with something he is lacking (present). It is presently existing but not accessable for him,
i.e. medical services in the countryside
Sibylle Kurz Pitching & Communication Skills 11/2015
30
Shareconomy & Crossparticipation
What in your project can interest others? Intrigue others?
What is the benefit of participating/collaborating in your project?
It is about sharing – utilizing everything for everyone
Win win – social, cultural footsteps through participation
Ex: Teija Ranninen, West Finland Film Commission invited all taxi drivers to a film set to identify with Turku as European Film City.They are now real good guides. They are proud now.