Good Pitch brings together documentary filmmakers with foundations, NGOs, campaigners, philanthropists, policymakers, brands and media around leading social and environmental issues - to forge coalitions and campaigns that are good for all these partners, good for the films and good for society. It was created by the DocSociety (formerly BritDoc) in the United Kingdom in 2008, and has since spread to more than fifteen countries.

Story Money Impact is the Canadian producer of the Good Pitch program in Canada.

Good Pitch Van. 2nd Edition Video

WHAT IS GOOD PITCH?

For over 10 years, Good Pitch has been connecting the world's best social justice films with new allies and partners.

Since 2008, over 400 film teams have pitched at Good Pitch. During that time, more than 3,200 organizations from across civil society have attended a flagship Good Pitch event to learn about the films and to think about how they could partner with those projects. 94% of attendees recommend participating in a Good Pitch. In eight years, over 1,600 extraordinary strategic partnerships have been brokered at flagship Good Pitch live events, connecting filmmakers directly with new partners from the NGO, governmental, foundation, and philanthropic sectors.

GOOD PITCH VANCOUVER

Good Pitch Vancouver selects Canadian environmental and social justice documentaries that have the potential to become significant social change campaigns. The topics are diverse and powerful, ranging from global issues to the deeply personal. Films that are selected to participate enter into a six month program that includes two multi-day residency labs, and several months of strategy, research, and advocacy support, culminating in an event day and a robust coalition of supporters to launch the impact work.

Since 2018, Good Pitch Vancouver has taken 10 films and invited 376 representatives from 246 different organizations across Canada, the US, and Europe. More than 475 pledges and partnerships have been ignited with the aim of enriching the lives of individuals, transforming communities, and tackling some of the most urgent issues today. $227,250 has been raised for the impact campaigns.

In 2020, we are hosting 8 virtual events with Good Pitch Vancouver alumni films to further their impact coalitions.

GOOD PITCH VANCOUVER VIRTUAL

THE IMPACT LAB

The film teams selected for a Good Pitch Vancouver program participate in an Impact Lab to develop a customized strategy for their films, tailored to the issue they are covering. Using tried and true methods developed by the Doc Society, the participants are encouraged to think beyond traditional funding and distribution models. The focus of the impact strategies is on how to get the film in front of the communities who most need to see it, and how to create alliances with changemakers that are relevant to the content of the film.

WATCH THE IMPACT LAB SLIDESHOW

After the Impact Lab

STRATEGY

During and after the Impact Lab, each film team creates clear and concrete impact goals that organically arise from their film. Good Pitch Vancouver helps each film team build a succinct two page package to go out to potential partners with a strategy that ranges from short to long term goals, and from local to global impact, all tailored to the scope of the film.

RESEARCH

The Good Pitch Vancouver team leads a deep dive into the issue area. Through mapping the issue, potential partners and allies are identified. This can include academics, civil servants, NGOs, influencers, people with lived experience, brands, foundations and philanthropists. We dig to find those who may be most interested using the film as a tool for change.

OUTREACH

The outreach team at Good Pitch contacts all of these varied individuals and organizations, inviting them to discuss how they can contribute to the film being used as tool for change, or how the film itself can be used as a tool in their own work. Should a synergy emerge, an invitation to the event day is issued.

Pitch Lab

The film teams meet again after months of strategizing, research and outreach. Shifting their focus from what the film is about to what the film can do in the world, they support each other in crafting a clear impact pitch for the live event.

WATCH THE 2020 PITCH LAB SLIDESHOW

Event Day

On the Good Pitch event day, the filmmakers present their pitch one by one. After each presentation, a round-table of potential partners make pledges to the filmmakers based on the resources and ability of their organizations. These pledges are to support an activate the impact work of the film. The coalition for a campaign is initiated.

At the Table

Each team’s table consists of a strategic yet diverse group of potential partners in alignment with specific impact goals for the film. For example, An academic may pledge to use the film in their curriculum, or they may lend their research to become a resource for audience members after screening the film, an NGO may pledge to distribute that research to their network, or a political staffer may pledge to schedule a meeting with higher levels of government. These people have the potential to manifest actions to reach the strategic impact goals identified for each film. The moderator directs a discussion to build a coalition of partners that will offer support and funding to magnify the impact of each documentary project.

In the Audience

Good Pitch is an invitation-only event. Every attendee has been researched and personally contacted by the outreach team to create a high-level event at the intersection of industry and philanthropy, private and public, and corporate to grassroots. 200 potential new partners also have the opportunity to contribute from the floor and bring something unique to each project, including experts, educators, campaigners, non-profits, philanthropists, government, and more.