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How to pitch a perfect treatment for every brief

Genero tips • Written by Ellie Cameron-Krepp, Community Manager

The demand for eye-catching, thumb-stopping and highly creative content has never been bigger. At Genero we bring briefs and opportunities from brands, clients and music artists around the world to our community of incredible filmmakers, animators, editors, photographers, designers and creatives.

If you spot a brief you’re interested in, the next step is to get pitching. Most submissions on Genero involve you submitting your relevant examples of your work, along with an overview of your idea and a response to the brief – which might include a full treatment PDF. The requirements vary from brief to brief (so be sure to read each one carefully) but one thing always helps – a good first impression.

Whether you’re familiar with the pitching process or new to the industry, you’ll always want to put your best foot forward, so we’ve put together a few pointers to help you create a perfect pitch, and increase your chances of being commissioned via Genero.

1. Make your profile stand out.

Keep your Genero profile up-to-date by writing a short bio, uploading a slick profile photo (or logo!) and linking to your best work by making the most of Work Library. It’s nice for the client to put a name and face to your treatment if you’re pitching as an individual, or a great chance to show off your branding if you’re a production company or agency.

Genero profile layout

2.  Tailor your work for the job.

Write your pitch and choose examples of work with the client in mind. Linking to your latest showreel gives a great overview, but it’s just as important to submit examples of work that are relevant to the brief and idea you’re  pitching. If the brief is calling for experience in a certain field – make sure you highlight your ability to execute similar content.

Genero user profile experience

3. Don’t rush.

Take your time reading each brief and the submission requirements. Clients want to see that you understand the task at hand! Your response should always be personalised, on-brand and right for the audience. Don’t just recite the client’s brief back to them – but be memorable and show them what a collaboration with you could look like.

When it comes to writing – Take your time. Always double check your spelling and grammar, as mistakes can be a real turn off. Creative production is about precision, and if you’re careless with your treatment, then it won’t give the client much confidence in your ability to complete their job.

4. Be visual.

Clients want an approach that is well thought-through, and one of the best ways to communicate your idea is with by getting visual. Always consider imagery like mood boards, storyboards and visual references to convey your approach or aesthetic. Giving context by sharing the styles, techniques or equipment you’re using can also go a long way!

5. Introduce your team.

Whether you’re a freelancer or a production company – be clear about who will be working on the project! Clients need to know who they are selecting to create their video, so introduce the team you’re putting forward for the brief. Be sure to share relevant reels, bios or key info, and find out how to add your team to your pitch here.

6. Keep it simple.

Much like an elevator pitch, you need to try to get your main idea across quickly but clearly – and in a memorable way. You might have the best idea for the brief, but if it’s ten pages of detailed text or a 20 minute external video pitch, whoever is reviewing your pitch might lose interest quickly.

While attention to detail is a plus – Clients also don’t want to scroll through pages and pages of complex budgets or schedules. In fact, we ask that you don’t include a budget or cost breakdown unless specifically requested in the brief. The budget is set for a reason, so make sure you’re pitching for the correct amount, as we won’t be able to accept pitches that quote under or over the budget.

If the brief does ask for detailed documents, consider uploading these separately to the main treatment.  Careful planning looks great to a client, but the information can be easily lost within the treatment if you don’t lay it out clearly.

Think about what impression you want to have – and make it easy for the client to understand your concept, experience and approach.

7. Save, preview and pitch before the deadline.

Make sure you pay careful attention to the submission deadline and familiarise yourself with GMT! Each brief lists the closing time in both GMT and your own local timezone. We always recommend leaving yourself time before the deadline – just in case you run into any technical difficulties.

When you’re ready to go, you can save your pitch as a draft and preview it before you submit! You’ll always receive an email notification confirming your submission has been received – and clients can start reviewing your pitch straight away.

Want to see how others have managed to nail a brief? Click through below for a selection  of full treatments that were commissioned by clients on Genero.

Everyone has a different style and approach to treatments, but if you stick to these key rules, it will go a long way in helping get your ideas commissioned.

Most of all, have fun with your submissions,  and remember that we’re always here to help if you have any questions about the pitching process.


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