When I started This Time Next Time, I wanted to help people with storytelling in all forms. Since launching the business, I’ve helped fiction writers, playwrights and screenwriters at all stages of development. Last week, however, I truly delivered on the promise of the premise of This Time/Next Time when an app developer came to me for assistance with the pitch deck he was preparing for potential investors.
Make no mistake about it, a pitch deck and a narrative story share fundamental similarities. Like any story, a pitch needs to inspire the audience and give them confidence in your direction. I’ve found plenty of writers in the film and episodic space who don’t fully understand how enormously hard it is to get green lights or raise money for projects. Executives and studio heads and financiers are not idiots who don’t see your genius; they are looking for very specific products that satisfy specific demands from the people who enable them to pay their mortage. Unless you’re making an indie film then all bets are off!
Anyway, like any well-crafted narrative, a pitch deck needs a clear and compelling structure that takes the audience on a journey. For example, in a narrative story, you start with a hook—a compelling introduction that grabs attention. For the love of god don’t blah your way into a story. In a pitch deck, this hook is your problem statement. As a story progresses, the plot introduces challenges and obstacles. In a pitch deck, this is where you present your unique solution, illustrating how your product or service overcomes these challenges. Finally, just as a story needs a satisfying resolution, a pitch deck ends in a clear ask, whether it’s funding, partnerships, or support. The goal is to leave the audience convinced, just as a great story leaves readers satisfied.
Finally, both a story and a pitch deck need compelling characters—in the case of a pitch deck, it’s you and your team. Just as characters in a story drive the narrative, your team drives the venture, embodying the expertise and passion needed to succeed. Despite the arrival and potential nightmares of AI, I still believe people want to invest in other humans.
Last week, as my client talked about the origin of his idea and the core problem he’s solving, he grew more excited. In talking about the project, my client found answers that were eluding him. It reminded me of a little diddy about writing that I have coined: Writing is different than thinking is different than talking. Storytellers need to do all three as they engage with the creative process. More on that another time.
At one point, my client said, “This isn’t even tech stuff - it’s human stuff.” Hell, yes. In all storytelling, a advise people to lean into the humanity of it all.
This time and next time…
