Get Your Story Pitch ‘Ready to Go’
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Get Your Story Pitch ‘Ready to Go’
Details
THIS CIRCLE IS PERFECT FOR
- Experienced writers, directors and other storytellers who already have a creative portfolio, several years of experience in the industry working at a studio or production company, and a story pitch in progress for an animated feature or TV series
WHAT TO EXPECT
- An overview of the development process
- Notes – training on how to give and receive notes productively
- Tips to help mentees create and refine their pitches
- How to know when your pitch is ready
WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
- Fundamental storytelling/development how-to’s
- Creating a story from scratch
- Animation pipelines and market preferences
- How to get representation, buyer meetings, etc.
CIRCLE DESCRIPTION
This is a creative development mentorship, ideal for writers, directors, and other storytellers who already have a creative portfolio, several years of experience in the industry working at a studio or production company, and a story pitch in progress for an animated feature or TV series.
This mentorship circle aims to work the story and presentation together to help participants elevate their story pitches and get them ready to take out. We’ll work to refine your story and make sure the most important points are coming through in the most concise and intriguing way.
Topics and exercises will include:
- An overview of the development process
- Notes – training how to give and receive notes productively
- Tips to help mentees create and refine their pitches
- How to know when your pitch is ready
- And so much more!
It would be oh so cool to cover everything in this circle, but since our time together is limited, there are, unfortunately, some things we will not have time to cover:
- Fundamental storytelling/development how-to’s
- Creating a story from scratch
- Animation pipelines and market preferences
- How to get representation, buyer meetings, etc.
Please note that while I will be discussing your pitches over the course of this circle, I will not be representing your pitch in front of any studio, representative, or production company. There are many factors that determine whether or not any pitch will ultimately be purchased or produced. While you will gain valuable knowledge, insight, and skills in this group, participation in this circle does not guarantee any particular outcome for your pitch.
So, ideally, you have a story you’d love to tell and are excited to build the skills to hone your pitch and make sure you tell your story well.
Qualification Criteria
Early Career (3-5 yrs of experience)
Mid Level (6-10 yrs of experience)
Upper Level (10+ yrs of experience)
Day / Time
Times Per Month: Twice
Day / Time: Tuesday afternoons
Timezone: PST
ADDITIONAL Application requirementS
Please submit the following:
- Resume
- Personal statement explaining why you’d like to tell this story in particular and why in animation
Circle Leader
Osnat Shurer
Osnat Shurer produced of the Academy Award©-nominated films Moana (2016) and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). She also oversaw the development of Moana: The Series (2024) for Disney.
Shurer first joined Disney Animation Studios in 2012 as VP of Development, overseeing the development of a full slate of features for the studio.
Shurer, currently co-Chief Creative Officer at Baobab Studios, is known for cutting-edge, award-winning VR films, games, and animated TV series and features. As producer & CCO, Shurer helps guide the development of her films, then manages them through story, script, music, casting, production, and release, overseeing franchise partnerships and opportunities such as publishing and consumer products.
Shurer helped change the approach to cultural collaboration at the Walt Disney Company, creating the Oceanic Story Trust (Moana) and the Southeast Asia Story Trust (Raya and the Last Dragon) – teams of Pacific Island and Southeast Asia consultants with whom production collaborated closely throughout the development, production, and release of both films.
Previously, Shurer served as the Executive Producer of the shorts group at PIXAR where she produced a host of hit shorts, including the Oscar®-nominated films Lifted, One Man Band , and Boundin; created an in-house documentary team to produce DVD content; oversaw the development of theme park attractions, and created shorts like Jack-Jack Attack and The Adventures of Mr. Incredible (with visionary director Brad Bird) and Exploring the Reef with Jean-Michael Costeau with director Andrew Stanton.
At Pixar, Shurer also helped create several cutting-edge multi-media shows, including MoMA’s impressive Pixar: 20 Years of Animation, which continues to travel the world, featuring Artscape, an immersive widescreen unique digital artistic experience, and Zoetrope, a 3D dynamic installation using pre-cinema tech – dimensional character sculptures to simulate continuous motion.
Before joining Pixar in 2002, Shurer produced and directed film and television in various mediums – live action, animation, live television, theater, and various interactive presentations for museums. She worked on documentaries worldwide, in such places as India, China, Tibet, Japan, Africa and Europe, with directors ranging from Michelangelo Antonioni to Alfonso Cuarón.
Shurer grew up in many parts of the world and studied film at NYU.
She resides in the San Francisco Bay area in California.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Current Title: Co-Chief Creative Officer
Studio / Employer: Baobab Studios
