Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read [Paperback]

Michael Hauge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

Your career can be made in 60 seconds - if you make the right pitch! Master the Elevator Pitch, even when you've got less than 60 seconds. Get your screenplay or Novel read by the major power of Hollywood - guaranteed!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Hauge is a screenplay consultant, screenwriter, and independent producer who has worked in Hollywood for the past fifteen years. He has taught screenwriting at UCLA, USC, and the American Film Institute, and has presented his two-day intensive screenwriting seminar to more than seven thousand writers and producers throughout the United States, Canada, and England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932907203
• ISBN-13: 978-1932907209
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING BOOK!! GET READY TO PITCH..., October 11, 2006

By 

Matthew Terry (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read (Paperback)

In front of me were six Hollywood types. One a writer, one a director of commercials, one a Producer, one another writer and a couple more. It's all a blur now. I stood, with my back to 200 people or so and pitched my idea. My legs shook, my knees knocked, was I going to fall over? Throw up? What was going to happen?

I started with the premise that I had thought up over 7 years prior: "What if two children went to visit Santa and found him to be a disgruntled bitter old man?" That was my leading question and I fell into my pitch after that. When I was through (which seemed like forever) - the Producer looked at me and pointed at me and said: "Now THAT'S the perfect pitch. I want to read that script. I can sell that script."

She's still my Producer/Manager - but the script hasn't sold...yet. What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What can you learn from that experience?

Well, I can tell you that after I pitched I got peppered with questions from the panel and, well, I answered them. Which opened up MORE questions and I answered THOSE and then they thanked me and I sat down and people from around the country gave me a "thumbs up!" and "Good job!" And I sweated. I couldn't tell you much.

Michael Hauge, though, can. In his wonderful book: "Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds" he breaks down the entire process of selling your story.

Now, he does not go into what makes a sellable story, how to best deal with the three-act format, which software programs are the best, character arcs and story beats. This book is what it is. A book on selling your story. Writing it and dealing with all those aspects are left to other books.

Where Mr. Hauge succeeds is in dealing with all the details of the sell. Figuring out what it is you want to sell, figuring out who you want to approach, the avenues, means and methods on how to approach them, the 60 second pitch, and then the aftermath. This is all spelled out in excruciatingly clear detail (which is GREAT). No big words (okay, he does use the word "antecedents") - no convoluted paradigms or methodologies - just the basics on how to get your butt out of your chair and tell people about your wonderfully fantastic idea (which, of course, you should be doing already).

Another one of the excellent things Mr. Hauge does - is he devotes nearly 40 pages of a 180 page book to executives from all over the Hollywood food chain, to explain what works and doesn't work during a pitch. I found this to be a fantastic tool. Whether they contradict or compliment what you've read in the previous 140 pages - it doesn't matter.

This is an amazing book that really puts the nuts and bolts of the 60 second pitch in your hands but Mr. Hauge gives you the tools to really create something of worth and value out of it. A MUST for anyone with an idea to sell.

I've just finished a screenplay. I'm about to pitch it. It's wonderful. I'm passionate about it. It's a "High Concept" idea with great casting possibilities. Thank GOD for this book.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Author has command of his craft and communicates well, March 13, 2007

By 

Greg Abbott - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read (Paperback)

I attended 2 of Michael's seminars at Screenwriting Expo '06 and this book contains the same "special" quality of Michael's in-person class: He wants you to succeed. The book is an Instruction Manual for understanding, crafting and marketing your story. The material is digestible for beginners, valuable for all levels of writing, simple and thorough. There is a nice balance of "Do" and "Don't" advice. The "Executives on Pitching" Section provides confirmation and flavor to the meaty material that precedes it. This book is not simply a compilation of quotes and buzzwords. Michael has command of his craft and endeavors with the heart of a mentor to infuse it in his readers. 2 thumbs up :)

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Irena Tully, February 7, 2007

By 

Graham Tully "Irena Tully, Impulse Production... - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read (Paperback)

Writers are lucky to have this book available - it provides them with much specific & essential guidance on their quest for perfection and success. And it makes things easier for us - film company executives - as well, because dealing with writers who have been enlightened by this book saves us time, compared to dealing with those who choose the shaky road of "trial & error". Thus this book is invaluable to both Writers and Executives. [...]