Get Into Theatre Guide: How do I write a directing proposal?

How do I write a directing proposal?

Author: Andrew Loretto, co-director, Chol Theatre, Huddersfield.

There is no set format to writing a directing proposal as it will reflect your personal flair, passions and interests as a director, as well as the particular requirements of that project.

However, I would suggest that you should always try and get the following basics into any proposal

(I'll call the project a 'show' for now - but of course, it could be a play, an event etc.):

1. The title of the show

2. What the show is about

3. Why you want to make the show - why here? Why now?

4. Who you want to make the show with

5. How you envisage making the show

6. Who the show is for (ie. who is the audience?)

7. Your background as a director

8. Your full contact details (you'll be amazed how many people forget this...)

And then, if required and/or useful...

9. Timescale

10. Suggested budget

11. Marketing suggestions

12. CVs of yourself and key artistic personnel, script extracts, photos, images, DVDs, CDs as appropriate

13. A stamped address envelope if you want the material returned when finished with

Depending on the circumstances, you can write as short or long a pitch as required. But generally speaking, you want to be able to get the main info across in a concise fashion in two pages - a bit like writing a CV or job application.

You can always offer more detail to supplement the initial 'hook' page or pages.

The other thing about a directing pitch is that your creativity and passion should come across on the page - but still with clarity. If you wish, run the pitch past someone who knows nothing about the project to see if it makes sense to them before you send it to theatre companies.

The other thing is, yes it is a sales document, but it needs to be an honest sales document. Please don't pitch a project that you know you can't deliver or is not within your skill set. Be honest about your strengths and play to those.

Good luck!

Reproduced in its entirety with kind permission from Get Into Theatre.

Original source here.