Jun 27, 2023

Michael Jamin, screenwriter of "King of the Hill" and "Beavis and Butthead," offers good advice on pitching while taking down online trolls.

Television writer/showrunner Michael Jamin ("King of the Hill," "Beavis and Butt-Head") recently gave those trying to pitch ideas to studios and platforms in the wake of a social media post that attempted to call him out. He offered solid advice.

In response to a post in which Jamin is picketing with other screenwriters as part of the ongoing WGA strike, social media user paulstevensstevofficial wrote: "I'm not a fan of the WGA.

"I usually don't respond to trolls," Jamin began his video reply.

Setting A Troll Straight On The Facts.#screenwriting #screenwritingtips #screenwritingadvice #screenwritingcontest #tvwriters # screenwritingsolutions pic.twitter. This video is not for the person who made that comment, but for those who may not understand the nuances of the pitching process.

Jamin began by explaining three mundane reasons why he pickets in the Disney parking lot: it is the closest studio to his home, it is easy to park, and it is comfortable to walk.

He further explained that he has been in the industry for 27 years and has worked at almost every major studio except for the new streamers. In fact, he noted that he had worked for a Disney-owned company on numerous occasions and had proposed numerous projects to Disney.

And Jamin offered a simple analogy to explain how he defines successful pitching. It's like Major League Baseball: if you get one hit every three innings, you're a great hitter. Selling a show is the same way; if you sell one every three or four times, you're good. ...... I don't care who buys it, as long as someone buys it. That's a win.

That said, a show doesn't even have to be picked up for the pitch to be a win. Jamin's idea of winning is much broader:

When I go pitching to any studio or network, I explain what winning actually looks like, unless they buy the pitch. A win is when a studio or network says, "That was a great pitch; we're going to do it. It's a big win because they're saying, 'Hey, come back, you're up to bat next.'

In other words, Jamin's trolling is right. He once refused to pitch to Disney. But that doesn't seem to bother Jamin. But if he sells one somewhere, that's all that matters.