Monday morning was filled with the nervous energy as Shane and I prepared for our Dealmakers Live pitch. We rehearsed and rehearsed and ate lunch to go over the questions that we might get asked by the judges panel if we were moved on to the second round. Who is your audience, what type of branding opportunities are available, tell me about what I might see in a typical episode … check, check, check.
We are at rehearsal here and this is when the nerves really started to kick in. Jonathan Torrens of Jonovision fame was the host. No big. Check out my Viddy here.
Well here is what we looked like on the stage. The video got caught off due to technical difficulties, but we caught the first few seconds, so it’s kinda like a Viddy. Jonathan referred to us as a J-Crew ad during rehearsal. He asks if I like working with a partner or prefer pitching alone. I told him that I liked having Shane by my side (he is an awesome guy and a brilliant director and co-creator). Of course things got misconstrued when he compared it to dancing together …
I felt great when I finished the pitch. I was mostly happy that I didn’t fumble my lines, blank out, or trip on the stage. We didn’t make it to second round (six contestants, top three go to second round, we were fourth), but I felt like I won. Why? Because Thom Beers came up to me after to tell me he liked my show. I got to show him my one-pager and hand him my teaser trailer DVD. He’s kind of a big deal. Yowza!
Shane and I got a picture with the hilarious host. He did a great job throughout the show keeping the audience engaged and entertained. Allan Novak was the segment’s producer and became a big mentor for #UNGTV. Without his guidance this show of mine would have never been elevated to the next level. That is what made this entire pitch competition worth it. Thanks Banff World Media Festival for this amazing opportunity!
