Pitching Is Over In 2025

Part Three of my 2025 Predictions

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Thank you for all the emails, texts, and calls last week during the peak of LA fires. Fortunately we are safe, have not had to evacuate, and are definitely one of the lucky ones. But it goes without saying our hearts break for those in our LA community who haven’t been as fortunate. We are still processing the devastating events of last week but feel it’s time to get back to work.

Next week we’re due to kick off the Funding Strategies Bootcamp and everything is still scheduled as planned. What’s changed is that we’ll be donating a portion of course sales to various LA Relief Efforts and already have one generous member of our community who will match our donation (if you’d like to do the same, let me know!).

If you register for Funding Strategies Bootcamp before this Thursday 1/16 you’ll save 10% plus be a part of our donation efforts.

Thank you again for your support and we look forward to rolling out Funding Strategies Bootcamp with you next week!

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Is Pitching Really Over In 2025

Back in 2022, Pitching projects to networks, streamers, and studios was at a fever pitch. If you wanted to get a feature or series of any scale made (aka higher budgets) pitching around town was the primary mechanism for getting a green light. Agencies flourished by orchestrating these pitches on behalf of their clients big and small. So much so that around 600 scripted TV series were made and over 500 movies were released.

Then came the dual strikes in early 2023 which lasted the better part of the year, and the subsequent huge reset of 2024 where those numbers reduced dramatically and pitches crawled to a near stand-still. The few pitches that did happen in 2024 didn’t generate the instant green lights of the past. Pitching became an exercise in frustration instead of the previous driver it once was. A shell of its former self.

Soon enough A-list talent got the hint and started making shows and movies themselves without pitching studios, networks, and streamers - tapping their own funds or their personal connections to get shows and movies made. Ironically, it’s the mindset us independents have used to operate all along - if you want something made, you make it your damn self.

Pitching networks and studios has never been the primary driver for independent projects getting made but it certainly contributed to them flourishing in the recent ‘golden years’ of production. During 2022 and the years leading up to it, there was more crossover from Indies to streamers/studios/networks than ever before. And now, we’re back full circle to where we started and ‘pitching for a green light’ is dead again. If you want your show or movie made this year, time to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself.

But how?

The answer to that question pretty much boils down to figuring out the funding piece.

That means everything from brands to co-productions (though I believe both of those things are inherently misunderstood by independents and I plan to dive in deeper to that in my course).

It also means getting comfortable with spending your own money. Asking for more from friends, family and investors and learning the art of creative deal-making.

Stretching your dollars with tax incentives and overseas (cheaper) locations.

Smaller footprints and crews.

And a host of other things I’m probably forgetting lol.

Will this last forever?

Of course not. Y’all know everything is cyclical in Hollywood. Though some of the recent changes to our business are structural, I do believe some of it is cyclical and eventually we will revert back to some version of the ‘pitching glory days’ to generate new project green lights. But not before we fully embrace the mindset of figuring out how to make things yourself and with a few partners along the way.

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What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

On that note, I’ll wrap things up for today. I hope you have a wonderful day ahead and I’ll speak to you again soon…

Stacey

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