How to Pitch
(be as creative as you can!)
How to sell the idea
How to communicate ideas efficiently and persuasively.
The inverse pitch - outline your concept or vision to external ancillary companies who will support the product, i.e advertising companies
- Key aims:
To present an idea to a clearly targeted audience
Outline the unique selling point
Outline both the creative and business points, how are they going to make money out of it
Sell your team ands it's creative and professional talent
To evidence clarity and professionalism, make it easy to understand
- The dual audience:
The development department, they understand the process of game design and development so don't bore them with details that they all ready know and don't dumb it down as they already know!
Everybody else, make your pitch in an appropriate manner for both audiences so not completely technical but not patronising
We will be pitching to both audiences
- What a shoddy pitch says (what not to do):
If the pitch is shoddy why would they assume that the game is different, bad pitch, bad game
If you cant put together a simple pitch then how can you put together a complicated game?
If you don't put in the effort they think you are being disrespectful and will you out in the effort
- What do you need for your pitch:
The sell sheet! A short attention span that explains your idea and target market, include the title, genre, number of players, platform, a brief description, and a bullet point list of features. Make sure it fits in with the style of the game
Examples of concept art and relevant assets. Game demo or storyboards, narration.
Perhaps include a story board or a rough idea of an intro to the game, snapshots rather than a complete storyboard.
Game deign overview, not over explained or detailed explanation of the game overview, aesthetic style, mechanics, music style, controls and interfaces, quick and don't go overboard
Presentation, make sure to make it look entertaining, not white on black, keep the same theme with the game as with your presentation
Any particular technical innovations or challenges
Competitive analysis, showing an understanding of the market and your position within it. Identify the competition and evaluate it, say what makes your game different from the games that are already out there
- Your audience:
Understand your audience
What do they want
Let the heart rule the head
It's all about them, tell them what they will be doing, say you will be controlling the character like this, you will be falling in love with this character ect...
- Common mistakes:
Not listening, answer their questions, incorporate their ideas
Not spotting the real destination, don't rabbit on
Lecturing the audience, don't tell them what to do
Boring the audience
- Your audience are people to:
Tell a story
Get personal
Steven Speilberg: "I make films for the masses but I talk to them one at a time"
- Keep it simple:
Avoid jargon
Talk like a human being
Zig when others zag, do something different
Demonstrate your enthusiasm
Be yourself
Get them laughing
- 5 steps to preparing a presentation:
1. Gather and gaze, have everything that you need
2. Look for meaning, something that people can relate to
3. Forget about it, relax and enjoy it
4. Share your ideas, be open
5. Write your presentation, make sure no spelling mistakes and grammar
- BOOK: James Webb-Young's 'A technique for producing ideas'
LESS IS MORE!!! IT REALLY REALLY REALLLLLLY IS!
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
