If you don’t want your screenplay to die on your desktop, then you need to learn how to perfect the art of pitching and be prepared to sell your story at any given moment.

Women In Film hosted a “Perfect Pitch” event Aug. 27 at the West Hollywood Library where a panel of experts gave their advice to six randomly selected audience members who were allowed to give 2-minute presentations about their movie or TV series.

It’s important to properly “set the table” before diving into the story, panelists said, adding those pitching should “describe the world and characters” and make sure to mention the story’s genre and tone right away.

Pitching a TV series? Be prepared to talk about your vision for seasons 2-5, panelists agreed.

Another story element writers should have in their pitch is an explanation of the lessons learned throughout the conflict.

In addition to pitching advice, some panelists described the types of stories they’re looking to produce.

Naketha Mattocks, director of Kids and Family – Live Action Movies at Netflix, said she’s interested in making movies that feature “people who are under represented.” Her goal is to ensure “every kid and teen sees themselves represented” on screen.

Another topic discussed was how to get a studio executive to read your screenplay. Mattocks outlined how the projects she receives are from “producers, managers and agents who have relationships with Netflix.” She described the best solution for anyone without those connections to network in order to get their material to “the best people, which could lead to us.”

When a couple of audience members started their pitches by stating they were “not prepared,” Mattocks stressed a writer should always be ready — at minimum — with a 2-minute “elevator” pitch.

Explain “why did I write this” in order to punctuate the pitch, she added.

Other pitching advice shared during the event included:

• Know your audience! Tailor your pitch to the person you’re speaking to.

• Be brief, but don’t rush! Keep your eye on the clock. Typically, you should aim to pitch under 20 minutes. If you have additional time, talk about which movies inspired your story.

• Evoke emotion! If your story is a comedy, then the person you’re pitching to should laugh out loud! Thriller? Make sure you’ve got them at the edge of their seats. Romance? The room should swoon!

• Read the room! Make eye contact and pay attention to the person in front of you. Don’t just read your pitch.

• Deliver on what you came to pitch! Don’t forget to explain the theme — what the story is really about.

• Make a good impression! That way you’ll live to pitch another day.

The panel also included Kirsten Schaffer, executive director at Women In Film; Miri Yoon, president of production at Vertigo Entertainment; Amy Baer, president/owner of Gidden Media; and Jane Fleming, partner at Court Five Productions.

Visit womeninfilm.org for more information about Women In Film.