The structure is similar to other pitching events. You will submit a logline and synopsis of your project online at our secure website, along with your profile (bio or company information). These will be read by the participating producers/executives after which you will be emailed a list of the producers/executives who have requested to meet with you to hear your pitch in person. You will be scheduled for a 20-minute (including transition time) one-on-one virtual pitch session via Zoom with each executive who has requested to meet with you.

We understand that “Upfront” and “Market” mean very specific things in the industry, however, we wanted to set up more than just a typical pitchfest. We hope that the objective of not only hearing about projects, but also meeting with potential collaborators, is conveyed.

Submission Fee:

• All submissions are $25 each (limit 2)

Registration Fee (in addition to the submission fee and only required if you are selected and intend to participate):

•  $40 flat fee for any number of meetings (all fees are non-refundable)

July 1, 2022 is the deadline. There is no additional fee because there will be no late submissions accepted.

The list of executives who selected your project and your meeting schedule will not be released to you until the Registration Fee is paid. Your participation depends on this.

This event is only open to Act One ALUMNI and those in good standing with tuition payments. All partnerships must have at least one alum on the project.

Yes. However, there is a limit of 2 projects per person/company.

This is the one exception to the 2-project per person limit. If you have a writing partner, you still only have 2 submissions each – so a total of 4 between you; it’s up to you how to use up your “2 submission” limit. This is, of course, assuming you are both alums.

If you have a non-alum on your project, you only have 2 projects total (including partnerships), no exception.

This event is for filmed entertainment, which can cover quite a bit: Feature Films, TV, etc.

Yes. Please refrain from submitting projects in their first or second draft.

1. Completed script
2. In the process of producing
3. Produced, looking for a buyer

• Completed Pilot script
• Completed Pilot Script AND series overview/Bible
• In the process of producing
• Produced, looking for a buyer

No. However, since we require the project to be a completed script available upon submission or between January 8 – January 22, it is strongly suggested you have the writer attached as a partner, or at the very least a clean chain-of-title. All partnerships must have at least one alum on the project.

Yes. We offer a couple of opportunities as follows:

Crash Course : How to Ready Your Pitch – TBD

Pitch Practice with Alums

This is a alum-community event – we’ll find a space for us to pitch to one another and practice our verbal pitches.

Yes. If you have a production company, you can submit your profile as a company. However, you will need to have at least one project to submit with your profile.

Although many new writers are sometimes hesitant to share their ideas because of apprehension about having their ideas stolen, pitching and sharing is an essential and normal part of creating filmed entertainment. Although Act One cannot guarantee anything outside our control, we do stand behind the executives we have invited to hear your pitches and we believe they uphold the highest standards of the industry. That being said, we highly recommend for any work you complete: Register your material with the WGA. For pricing and other details, visit www.wga.org.  You may also want to register your material with the Copyright office (www.copyright.gov). Maintain a paper trail to track who you have pitched, what you discussed, what was submitted, and record dates for all activities (i.e. meetings, phone calls, etc.). For an extra layer of protection, you may choose to send material through a third party, such as an agent, manager, or entertainment attorney.  This helps to ensure you have a witness who can back up your claim.  All of the individuals you meet at the Act One Upfront are professionals who we trust, and it is highly unlikely that your script or idea would ever be ‘stolen’.