Does anyone know anything about the Animation Magazine Pitch Party? It seems like it might be good way to gain exposure in the industry, especially since the judges include and have included people like Craig McCracken and David X. Cohen, but given the chances of winning, is it really worth the nearly $400 entry fee?
It seems as though the possibilities of getting your pitch made into an actual show would be slim, even for the grand prize winner.
Any advice/help is welcome. Thanks in advance.
Link: Animation Magazine Pitch Party
CelShader
Just the fact that it's possible should motivate you, not hold you back. Consider what you're getting, what doors it opens. Besides, if you had to invent a scenario to get those connections and get that exposure for your work, especially to those specific people, can you imagine a better or more direct setup?
Plus, like that site says, that's a virtual giveaway as far as magazine advertisements go.
Your money would be better spent putting together a quality pitch document.
The judges spend about ten minutes looking over all of the "ads" and pick their top ten. That's it. No real feeback and you get no personal contact with them.
Plus, the quality of the pitches submitted is quite poor, none have gone onto any level of success.
The pitch party has always struck me as similar to talent agents who agree to rep you if you pay them a fee up front. It's the reverse of how it's supposed to work. If you're good, the agent makes money from booking you - you're not supposed to pay the agent to look around for stuff you may or may not book.
I'd like to know more about what projects have actually been launched based on Pitch Party exposure. If this is their fourth year, then some property should be in some stage of production, right? Heck, the ones that "won" the first year should already be on air somewhere.
There are some big names attached, which lends some credibility to the effort, and I don't think it's an outright scam, but results speak for themselves. What are the results from the previous 3 years?
On the other hand, the best entry in this competition could be the worst in another. Y'know, like a grading curve. That it would happen a few years in a row is bad, but still. When I checked the site by the way this was only going to be their third competition.
I'd personally try a more direct approach but I don't feel like this is a really awful thing, I think it is the kind of opportunity that could work for some people who aren't into more conventional means.
Check the link again, SL. It's the fourth annual pitch party.
I don't buy your scenario that the quality may be lacking relative to other opportunities. I could spin an equally likely scenario of my own, but the bottom line is that this "contest" purports to put your work in front of some very powerful people in the industry. People that have the power to get shows made.
If the quality is so bad that no shows have seen the light of day in three years, then one has to ask the question - why? Why not, and why keep running a contest where the only one that seems to benefit is the magazine charging multiple hundreds of dollars to enter?
Like I said, I don't think it's an actual scam, but I'd sure like to know who's benefitted in the past. Aside from AM, that is...
With respect, SL.
You know what happened? I was looking at another festival thread in a different window, and they number theirs I II III and so forth, and in the back of my mind I saw the graphic from that site and plastered it over the text for this competition since I'd read them around the same time.
I didn't say it was likely, but there don't seem to be many controls over the quality of submissions in this contest -- aside from "Do you have the cash?" --all I was saying is that it could happen. That's why I included the bit about it being strange to happen with any consistency.
I'm certainly not in defense of one thing or another, simply because I don't know enough about that scene yet. I'm going off what it seems like. Since you've dealt with the circuit of getting exposure for shorts before, what similar contests (I use that word in the literal sense) exist that are comparable to this, and what is their general ratio of successes to non? I am always told to imagine just how difficult it is to get anything off the ground, optioned, etc. in order to push a higher quality of product, but also to emotionally prepare for the realism that it -isn't- a cinch. Even with a great idea you still have to sell it. Plus one of the judges (McCracken) is essentially coming from the same experience as many of the people who will have submitted; it doesn't make sense to me that he'd attach himself to a sinking ship.
Jab, Danimation and I are working on two ads. One ad is for my property "Fly Guy" and the other is for Christoph's, called "Malfaryus."
Christoph is in Germany and is limited in the number of ways he can get his project in front of the right people. I'm only three hours from Burbank, but without an agent or entertainment attorney, the doors remain closed.
My only option has been to enter contests that ARE open to anyone, in the hopes that the visibility will pay off in some way. I tried to get "Fly Guy" into Frederator's shorts program, but it's just not a "shorts" project.
Here's a chance to get a discounted ad placed in a high profile magazine, that AT THE VERY WORST, will be seen and considered by those judges, one of whom is from Nickelodeon, which is my #1 choice. Even if I don't win, even if I don't get the "prize" of a live pitch to the judge of my choice, maybe one of the judges may like my project enough to contact me. Or, since the magazine is read by a zillion people in the industry, there might be somebody out there who isn't a judge, but still in a position to pick up a show, and I could hear from them.
So they don't have any success with launching those shows. So? How many shows get pitched, how many GOOD shows or even GREAT shows get pitched and never get picked up? There's not enough room on the 'tube and there's not enough time or money to get every good cartoon idea made.
I asked a video game developer what I should do if I had a good idea for a video game. He laughed and said they've got more ideas for games than they have money to make them.
I bought the ad, and my idea will be seen. That's worth $375 to me.
Wow! I did a search for this topic and read the responses without checking the year. This topic was started LAST June, not this one. Well, it's still timely, as this year's ads have to be in their hands by June 7th.
I wish you the best of luck SG2K, although I stand by what I said a year ago. Even moreso now that the contest is in it's fifth year. This contest is, at the very least, selling the concept that your show could move a step or two along the development path. All I'm wondering is whether that's happened. I'm sure the contest fulfills what it advertises, but they're implying that there could be even more, and that's where I have a problem.
If you're going into it with your eyes wide open and your expectations at a reasonable level, then it's all good. You ought to reread these sentences of yours, though:
"How many shows get pitched, how many GOOD shows or even GREAT shows get pitched and never get picked up? There's not enough room on the 'tube and there's not enough time or money to get every good cartoon idea made."
Don't get me wrong; I don't have a problem with the contest - I have a problem with the exorbitant fees they charge to enter.
I don't look at it like it's the cost of entry. I look at it like it's a higher profile alternative to running a classified ad that nobody will ever look at. I get a 1/6th page color ad that I KNOW a lot of people will see. That's what I'm buying, not a contest entry.
I find the cost a little steep but I can hardly talk; I'm getting an ad for the "cost" of an illustration. (Mind you, I'm very pleased with the way Ed's ad illustration turned out so it doesn't feel completely like mooching.)
It will be good to have the thing (s) out there in print, and in a publication by and for professionals. I'm aware no major show's ever come off of those pitch parties, but what the heck?
I agree with Space Ghost and Jabberwocky. I think to look at the entry fee as only an entry fee is the wrong way to go about it. I look at the contest as a way for "cheap" advertising in a highly publicized animation magazine - and advertising rates are usually very expensive.
Plus this year's competition is getting extra exposure for the 5th anniversary, so the magazine will also be distributed at Comic-Con and Anime Expo. I believe to place an ad in any of those conventions' programs books is higher than the pitch ad.
Needless to say, I'm also participating. :p
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Nicholas Night has his show, The Hair-Raising Adventures of Aaron & Ned, in development with Melwood Pictures. The same exec that picked that up is judging this year, just under Exodus Films. Whether that show ever makes it to TV or not, that guy now has a development credit and contacts in the business that he likely wouldn't have had without the Pitch Party.
I submitted to the Pitch Party this year too. Like Spaceghost mentioned, people that live outside of L.A. don't have many options to make connections. Living in LA without a way to get your work seen would probably be even more frustrating!
And hey, you get to see if Todd freakin' McFarlane likes your work. Where else is that going to happen?
Dusty.
Hey, I remember that winning ad! Well, good on him it's gotten him somewhere, and all the more encouraging for us guys. *Excellent!*
Well, there is one, at least...
Here's some update info from Animation Magazine's website:
What’s become of past winners?
Nicholas Night won our first annual Pitch Party with his property The Hair-Raising Adventures of Aaron & Ned. The win resulted in a development deal with Spyglass Ent., and a video game option from SecondSun Ent. Though Aaron & Ned is still looking for a home, Melwood Pictures, an animation company founded by Max Howard and John McKenna, brought Night on board to help further develop his ideas and take them to the networks.
“Winning the Pitch Party contest was a significant factor in moving my career forward,” Night tells us. “I am currently creative director at Melwood Pictures, with several series properties in development, a feature that has been optioned, and a 26-episode "bridge" series (ages 4-7) deal on the table.”
“I liked getting the chance to put an idea out there to test the waters and see if anything would come of it. It was a fun opportunity for some exposure in the industry,” adds Matt Hebb, whose The Adventures of No-Beard, Boy Pirate was the third-place Staff Pick in last year’s competition. “I did wind up meeting (and getting a job from) the person who placed second in the professional judge voting at the Comic Con. I already knew four of your other contestants from school, but it was great getting to meet him and it was the job he gave me that has launched my comic book career.”
Other past contestants tell us that the exposure increased traffic to their web sites and helped them establish important industry contacts. Chris Leathers says he thinks winning the 2004 Pitch-Party with My Annoying Little Brother influenced his placement as lead 3D artist on the first season of the Nicktoons’ series Kappa Mikey. In addition, Dennis Salvatier ended up getting a 12-month option from Cybergraphix Animation for his Pitch Party entry, The Bolt.
Last year's winner, Leo Antolini (Edgar and Kipp) also tells us he learned a lot about the art of pitching as a result of the contest. "I met with Peter Gal from Nickelodeon and gained some great experience, useful feedback and good contacts out of the whole thing."
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I've been back and forth with the whole pitch party thing. I think the idea is great but if it was truly to try and get some "good" ideas seen or possibly developed it should be run different. It seems it is rather for a little cash flow instead.
It seems a production company can stand to make some money from a good idea so why not ban some studios together to possibly back the contest financially. As it is now, since it's started, there have been a few good art ones and fewer good ideas. In my opinion it's more for people that can afford to do it rather than something decent (not saying there have not been some).
If they could get it backed so it were possibly free or a reasonable rate it could be amazing, I believe. It would be open up to people with great ideas that can't afford it, not to mention if you have 5 good ideas but can only afford one entry fee.
I almost think it would be better to have some tough love too. Perhaps sort of like an American Idol thing where you weed out the crappy ones.
The one guy (first winner) who almost is doing something with his idea doesn't quite seem to warrant that fee to me. Hopefully, I'm wrong and there are more that I don't know about but it tells me the entires are lacking. I hope the ones that look at it as an ad find it worthy of the increased traffic to your site. I wouldn't.
like I said it's a good idea but could be much better. Getting a chance to pitch should be about having a good idea, not the pockets.
by the way, I was reading the tips that said "characters kids can latch on to". Does this mean it's pointless to submit adult ideas? I didn't realize it was just aimed for kids.
anyway, good luck to you that did it.
Speaking for myself, I'm not looking for increased traffic to my site. I'm looking to introduce myself and my work to people in the industry who are in the position to develop ideas, and to hopefully make good industry contacts for the future.
The fee is expensive in terms of a contest entry. I remember when I first found out about the contest, I thought the cost was ridiculous. But as I've gained more experience and have researched ad costs for publicity purposes, I realize that in terms of ad space, the fee is actually reasonable.
I am a working independent and I do not have big pockets, so whether or not I can afford this is questionable. This contest is an investment in my idea, so I'm willing to find the money to participate. I also think the exposure will be worth it. Besides, that's what aunt AmEx and cousin VISA are for. ;)
The contest's format could be improved and I do think your studio idea is a good one. Anything to lower the fee! I have several ideas, but I could only afford one at the moment. As far as submitting adult ideas, I don't think it's pointless, but I would keep in mind the judges. The idea I chose to submit is the one that I think will appeal to the majority of judges, so it does target kids.
Good luck to everyone else, too!! :D
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The director for [adult swim] has just been added to the list of judges, so with he and McFarlane on the panel, there's hope for adult content cartoons.
I think you can judge success a number of ways. Reading that article, it seems to me that many people got jobs or at least made contacts. For $400 lousy dollars. Seriously, and I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but if $400 will make or break you, animation probably isn't the business to be in. I'm not saying that there might not be a higher priority for your $400 than a Pitch Party ad, like supplies, parking fees for your animation job in Burbank, one tank of gas, etc. I'm just saying that in the grand scheme of things, $400 is nothing. I'm limited in my contacts, and Jab is limited because of distance, so for us, it made sense.
And I want to ask Todd, "How's your balls?"
It's a good thing I'm looking forward to a long weekend. I'll use it to flesh out a little general overview over what I have in mind. And Ed, since your name's on my ad and you're my American contact and also far wordier in English than I am, prepare to get involved at some point!
PREPARE! Prepare! [SIZE=5]Prepare! [SIZE=4]Prepare! [SIZE=3]Prepare! [SIZE=2]Prepare! [SIZE=1]Prepare!
[SIZE=2]Hey cool, an echo!
[SIZE=7]DOOM! Doom! Doom! Doom! Doom! Doom!
[SIZE=2]That guy from Adult Swim is an interesting addition to be sure. So they keep adding judges? -gulp- Sounds like there'll be a LOT of competition.
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]
That's a definite plus for me if they are open to adult ideas.
I'm glad you have a healthier view on the contest. Personally I have been in animation and have contacts so perhaps I see it differently. I hate to say it but there are alot of cool people in animation and willing to talk, if you have a good portfolio and talent I don't believe it's too hard to make contacts (without spending $400). $400 won't make or break me but to me it's better served on my kids. Again, perhaps a different view, if I were single I may do it. There have been plenty of "free" pitching opportunities that in my opinion have about the same chances. Then again , like I said , I don't think the quality has been there in the past so perhaps the chance of winning is pretty high. Maybe I will do it next year.
Personally, I think you have a good chance of landing a job or even having your idea looked at if you do a short. There's your two in one demo reel and sample.
I knew a guy that did enter a couple of times and was one of the tops for the viewers poll (which to me should stand for more) and nothing came of it.
good luck to all who entered and let us know how Todd's balls are (money well spent)
Since I financed the ad, all I am is "Executive Producer." But that's a credit I can live with. :)
I'm fifth generation California Improved Okie. It's a wonder I can speak the language at all.
Hey, is anyone who participated going to attend Comic-Con for the live Pitch Party event?
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Only if I get in through this "contest." I should be there, but it just seems like they just herd the people through. It doesn't look like the optimum place to present your "baby."
I was going to the Con anyway. The series my ad is for has a comic book coming out in November. Have to go try and pimp it to the poor, unsuspecting populace. Plus Im a comic book colorist, the scum of the professional circles ;) But pro nonetheless. I'll take it!
What is the live event all about? Do they have a webpage detailing this? I've only seen it mentioned in their ads in the print magazine, but not online.
Dusty.
I'm not sure what happens at the live event, either. I also saw the print ad with no further information given, that's why I was hoping someone could tell us what happens. I'm in Maryland, so flying out to California just isn't going to happen. Since you're already going, you could be our spy! :D
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Looky, looky!! The online voting is here: http://www.animationmagazine.net/pitch_party_06_vote.html
There're some really promising ads posted. The Fly Guy ad looks great! Mine is called Ragamuffin (the tomboy girl with the boogie on her finger). I hope everyone else who participated will identify their ad, too.
The voting ends June 22, so I hope AWN will vote for us! :p
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Ooh, thanks for the news, Sharvonique!
I must say, yours doesn't look half bad, either! In fact, I sincerely believe it looks better than a fair deal of the others. You have one of my votes!
It's a good thing every voter's entitled to five, meaning I don't have to be totally cheap and just vote for Ed's and mine. (And I won't be too disappointed if y'all spare my ad, Malfaryus, a vote, either.)
Good job to everyone that entered and good luck.
To me this group overall is alot better in art/design, characters and concepts than the past ones.
my hope has risen
Yeah, there's some tough competition. It's not a walk in the park for any one entry. Wish Commandos looks like the one to beat, IMHO.
Well, and ours of course :)
There definitely is some tough competition this time. To me there are quite a few that have great potential, how do you judge? they have to have some guidelines on age range, audience etc... because I see good ideas that could hit all areas.
Wish Commandos was definitely one but to me it feels like it would hit the younger side with a message behind it. If that's the audience they are going for it should be a winner ,otherwise, there are some other good ideas.
maybe a few of these will get a chance to pitch eventually.
again, good luck!
Thanks a lot!!:D I didn't realize Malfaruys was your entry. I think it's among the top choices.
That's great to know and very encouraging as a participant!
I agree, the competition is tough. But I think that makes this year's contest more interesting and fun. :p
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I'll be sure to give a report of the live Pitch Party event if I can go. I think its only for the winners. It said in the print ad that the grand prize winner would get the chance to meet all of the judges. That would be incredible!
My ad is The Enigmas. Green, Third row, middle.
There's a ton of great entries! I liked The Little Guy's characters a lot. I had 3 that I chose first (one being my own, of course), then the last 2 choices were toss ups. Took me half an hour to finally decide. The good thing about the stronger competition this year is that it would make winning a lot more meaningful!
I didn't realize the live event is only for the winners. It would be neat to meet all of the judges.
The Enigmas has some really nice artwork. I also hope you do well at Comic-Con.
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OK, everyone. Today's the last day to vote for your favorites, so get your votes in: http://www.animationmagazine.net/pitch_party_06_vote.html
The results should be posted tomorrow, June 23rd. Because of the tough competition, I'm really curious to see which ad got the most votes.
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I hope they won't just announce the winner and that's it. I'd very much like to know how well we did in comparison.
The penciller is Casey Maloney. I write, ink and color. Speaking of Casey, (plug alert) go pick up his book Children of the Grave at Amazon.com or ask your comic shop!
The more I think about it, I don't know a whole lot about the contest :) The live event might be for everyone that entered. If it were just for the winners, it'd be a pretty lean event.
So are they announcing winners today, or next Friday? The suspense is hideous! I agree with Jabberwocky, I hope they give us how many votes each one got. They've got the numbers anyway, so might as well let us see if we were close.
Dusty.
The winners were announced today, and ..... my ad wasn't selected.
I thought that only the online votes were going to be posted, so I was surprised to see that the judges picks and the staff picks were also announced. I thought that the winning ad, Happy-go-Lucky, probably was favored to win. It just seems like something that I would already see on TV.
It would have been nice to win or to have placed, but it was still a fun experience. :) Now I'm wondering what's going to happen when the magazine hits the stands.
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Just checked myself. I was surprised, too, they combined staff, judges and online voters. Pity none of us were even mentioned. What I find most disappointing is that it doesn't look as though the unmentioned ones will get to know how well exactly they did in the competition.
Now I need to find a way to procure a copy of the magazine in which they'll print the ads.
Happy-Go-Lucky was the only winner among my choices.
Well, that was a good kick in the gut to end the day. I'm off to be bitter somewhere ;)
Dusty.
Y'know, for guys who claim to have gone into this with only the expectation that their ads would appear in the magazine and be seen by pros in the industry, there seems to be a lot of disappointment in the way the contest wrapped up.
I'm sure you guys were hoping (at least a little) to be in the running at the end, and for what it's worth, I was hoping for the same for you. But your disappointment does seem to be at odds with what your stated goals for entering this thing were. You've still bought a cheap ad in a professional magazine that will be seen by industry pros, right? Chin up!
I just wrote an email to Christoph that said basically the same thing.
Peter Gal saw "Fly Guy." That's worth a mint to me.
And this is just the online part. I know the judges and staff voting is over, but the mag doesn't see print for a couple more weeks. The creators of the top three will be interviewed for the September issue. Obviously their projects will get substantial exposure. For the rest of us, will they run the ad with any kind of commentary next to it?
I really need to present this to Mr. Gal and go into more about the story than can be revealed in 30 words. I made a comment at the bottom of the linked "winners" page, but it was a vague "thanks" kind of post. I didn't think it would be appropriate to use the space as a vehicle to pimp my project or ask for Mr. Gal to email me.
But I sure as hell WANTED to, lol.
Ah, nobody likes losing, but I don't think anyone regrets entering. I'd still do it all over again, and will probably enter again next year. But I'm thinking comedies focusing on funny character designs are the way to go next time around. Action shows usually have too much story behind them, like SpaceGhost was saying.
I don't think any additional info will accompany the print ads other than the coverage of the winners.
Dusty.
DSB, I don't mind not winning at all. For me personally, winning would have meant having to come up with a plethora of custom-tailored, pitch-able material in a very short timespan and organise a trip to the US (accommodation and all) on top of that. The way it is, I can continue working on the idea much more relaxed and give it another shot when I'm good and ready.
I can't deny I'd have loved a tiny bit of feedback, though, even if it had just been a number in a list. A little disappointment only shows how competitive we are. ;)
YEx2, good job, too! I saw the comic book sketches which shows me you really put a lot of effort and thought into The Enigmas.
Thanks Jabber. I've been doodling notes and drawings about them for nearly a decade. Finally got the money and time to do something real with them.
Isn't BKN headquarted in Germany? Have you tried submitting material to them? You probably know of these, but here's some links anyway:
http://www.bknkids.com
http://www.baumhaus-medien.de/
http://www.asl-studios.com
I don't know if these are anywhere near where you live, but I bet they're closer than Hollywood ;)
Oh, and US/Canada folk might be interested in this:
Submit to Breakthrough Films (Atomic Betty, Captain Flamingo, etc)
Dusty.
Hey, thanks! I sent something off to Breakthrough Films. I tried the Baumhaus site, but it's like, in Greek or something.
My middle name is Zeus. DU SPINNER! (That was Greek!)
Thanks for the tips, YEx2 - you can never have too few people to pester, right? I shall proceed to pester them. With my Greek.
The only disappointment is the initial sting of finding out you didn't win something, nothing more. Like I said before, winning would've been nice, but my goal was the exposure and I've succeeded with that.
For all of us who entered, we've gained some recognition and familiarity with our projects from the readers who've followed us on this thread, from the judges and online voters, and from the readers of the upcoming magazine. That exposure will only help us in the future, because I'm pretty sure none of us are stopping here!
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What's more, I've discovered how much better my project is than some of the other stuff getting pimped out there. Coming from a noob, I think Fly Guy and Malfaryus look pretty damn good compared to some of those other projects, and IMHO, that includes some of the winners.
Got some fantastic news today! One of the judges emailed me about The Enigmas! Haven't set anything up yet, but I may get to meet with her at the San Diego Con to talk more about the series! Got the email right after seeing Superman, so I was already excited :) I'm so giddy I can barely type!
I don't know if its bad form to announce the judge or not, so forgive my vagueness at the moment.
Dusty!
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