Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Pitching Stories: Sande Scoredos, Sony
Pictures Imageworks
Sande Scoredos is the executive director of training and artist development at Sony Pic-
tures Imageworks. She is committed to working with academia, serving on school advi-
sory boards, guiding curriculum, participating on industry panels, and lecturing at school
programs. She was instrumental in founding the Imageworks Professional Academic
Excellence (IPAX) program in 2004. Sande chaired the SIGGRAPH 2001 Computer
Animation Festival and is the curator chair for the SIGGRAPH 2008 Computer Animation
Festival.
Sande produced
Early Bloomer
, a short fi lm that was theatrically released. Her other
credits include:
Stuart Little, Hollow Man, Spider Man, Stuart Little 2, I Spy, Spider-Man
2, Full Spectrum Warrior, The Polar Express, Open Season, Spider-Man 3, and Surf's
Up
. Currently in production are
Beowulf, I Am Legend, Watchman, Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs
.
Before the Pitch: Register Your Work
Before you pitch your idea to anyone, including your family, friends, your uncle Joe who
works at a studio, or even to random strangers, protect everyone—and your idea—by
fi nding out who owns the rights to your idea. Do not talk about your idea until you have
gone through the registration process or have an agent. You never know who is listening
at Starbuck's. If you are pitching for a school project, you may fi nd that your school
already owns the rights. Likewise, if you work in the entertainment industry, your
company may own the rights to anything resembling intellectual property. Ask your
career services advisor or legal department about ownership rights and be sure to read
your deal memo and contract agreement.
Most studios will only take pitch meetings through an agent. That is to protect you and
them against copyright claims. For information on copyright fi lings, check the United
States Copyright Offi ce website,
http://www.copyright.gov/
. Read the guidelines care-
fully and follow the procedures.
Know Who Will Hear Your Pitch
Now, prepare for that pitch.
Successful pitches are carefully designed and orchestrated. Many brilliant ideas have
fallen by the wayside due to poor pitching skills.
Whether you are pitching a 30-second short to your animation professor or an epic to
a studio executive,
fi nd out who is going to hear your pitch
.
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