Storytelling and Creating an Effective Pitch Deck

Pitch decks are like picture books for investors, distributors and collaboration.  You want to think about the story and journey you are taking them on. Storytelling is a major part of building people’s interest in anything, be it laundry detergent, banking or your film.  What’s the emotional journey you are going to take people on with your pitch deck?  

The story hook

In Lisa Cron’s book Wired for Story she talks about how if people aren’t feeling, there is no meaning.  By creating an over all story journey for your readers, you are better able to grab their attention.  You need to have a strong opening that hooks the audience and draws them into your project. This can be done through the use of visuals, such as concept art, reference images or stills from your film, as well as through a well-written synopsis that sets up the story and characters and a clear journey from slide to slide that build the story of why this project is a great investment.

Establishing tone and mood

The tone and mood of your film are essential to the overall storytelling experience. It’s important that the emotional tone and mood of your images and fonts represents where you want to go with your story.  Think about how the text and images play off of one another to create the mood you’re going for.  There wants to be zero confusion around what type of story you’re telling.

Building character arcs

Introduce the main character or characters and show their emotional arc.  People get excited about stories when they feel like they can relate to the characters on screen.  Showing the character’s arc gives investors, distributors and collaborators a sense of who the person is and the journey they are going on.  According to Lisa Cron in Wired for Story, people want to know when and why people change as one of the main driving factors for listening to stories.  How can you concisely showcase that story.

Deliberate Use of Images

The images on the page will be the first thing anyone looks at or sees.  When laying out the images in your deck, think about both how they relate to the story and how they relate to one another in a montage.  Think of each slide in your deck as one frame in a strip of film celluloid.  How to each of those images relate to one another to tell the story you’re looking to tell?

Demonstrating market potential

End your deck with examples of how your investors can get their money back.  You’ve taken them on a journey through the story at this point, and now the journey ends with how they will get their money back.  Give examples of how the film or project is marketable and all the ways you can reach audiences for sales.  What’s the experience you’re thinking of creating and how does that stand up to similar films?  

The other amazing part about thinking of your pitch deck as a picture book for investors is that when its well executed, it’s an example of your ability to tell stories that supports why you can be trusted with the funds.  Well crafted, polished pitch decks that have a clear story and journey show you are professional and know what you’re doing.

Learn more

To learn more about pitch decks, how to craft story with them, and what to avoid, join my freeworkshop: What Makes a Film Pitch Deck Stand Out.