Documentarians will always be pitching. Whether on a formal stage at a film festival or informally in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, filmmakers are always garnering support for their films and developing their audiences. Though it’s not always everyone’s favorite part of the filmmaking process, pitching can offer a valuable opportunity to reflect on your narrative, assess your production decisions, and help further develop your film. It can also be a way to fundraise and grow your audience even before your film is released.
Join us for a pitching workshop with the IDA Artist Services Manager, Maria Santos. For the first hour, she will share some tips for preparing a pitch and using that process to keep developing your project. Then, we will take a 20-minute break to review the recommendations from the presentation and reset. In the last hour, we will have 3 IDA members pitch to the virtual room. They will each have a total of 20 minutes to pitch and receive feedback from the audience. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide constructive feedback.
Event Details
- Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
- Time: All in Los Angeles time
8:00 a.m. - start presentation
9:00 a.m. - break
9:20 a.m. - Members' Pitch begins
- Location: Virtual Link
- Capacity: Up to 500 people
Eligibility
Pitching participation is open to IDA members at the Doc Maker level or above. To be considered, please complete our Interest Form to share more about your project and if you’re preparing for a future pitch. Selected pitch presenters will be notified one week prior to the event. We recommend that you have a pitch written and prepared before the workshop. Maria Santos will be able to give you one round of feedback on your pitch draft before the pitch on the 25th. If you are pitching, you must be comfortable receiving feedback from a public audience, IDA members, and other industry professionals who may be attending.
Access:
If you have any access needs that you would like to share with us, please email access@documentary.org at least two weeks prior to the event. We will do our best to accommodate.
Code of Conduct
All participants agree to read and approve the IDA Events Code of Conduct here.