If you’re in need of support and accountability to cross the finish line, then the Elevator Pitch accountability sprint is for you!

Overview

Are you planning to pitch your next investor or collaborator and unsure how to get their immediate buy-in? Have you ever walked into a meeting and can’t quite speak to who you are in a clear, concise and brief statement? Looking for someone to hold you accountable and to help propel your project or career forward? This Elevator Pitch accountability sprint is for you!

Submit by November 15th to be considered to participate in our Elevator Pitch accountability sprint. If selected, you’ll be paired with another woman or nonbinary creator to be your partner to support you over two-weeks in December (December 2nd - December 13th) along with the entire cohort to grow your network of collaborators. 

You’ll have the opportunity to gain access to resources to write and present a two-minute elevator pitch, attend an Elevator Pitch workshop (open to everyone who applies), and receive feedback on your pitch from industry leaders in a “Meet the Mentors” session with producers Maria Altamirano and Myriam Schroeter. 

APPLY HERE with additional information

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FOR THIS COHORT, WE ARE SELECTING UP TO TWELVE (12) WOMEN AND NONBINARY CREATORS AND/OR ENTREPRENEURS TO PARTICIPATE TO ENSURE WE PROVIDE THE BEST BESPOKE EXPERIENCE FOR THE COHORT. 

APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM DOES NOT GUARANTEE PARTICIPATION. 

THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH. SEE BELOW FOR THE PARTICIPATION CRITERIA, KEY DATES, MENTORS/FEEDBACK LEADERS.

SELECTED PARTICIPANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY NOVEMBER 22ND.

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Your submission fee goes to support The Owning It program. We are grateful to our members and applicants for their support.  Also, all applicants will receive access to the Elevator Pitch Workshop led by Kia Brooks, The Gotham’s Deputy Director.

We hope you’ll join us!

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INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY:

• Sign up here on this site and pay the submission fee.
• Apply with more details here to ensure your application will be considered.

KEY DATES:

• Thursday, October 17th: Submissions Open
• Friday, November 15th: Deadline to Submit 
• Friday, November 22nd: Notifications of selected projects 
• Tuesday, November 26th: Owning It Sprint Orientation for selected participants
• Monday, December 2nd: Owning It Sprint begins
• Wednesday, December 4th: Owning It Sprint Orientation/Elevator Pitch Workshop
• Wednesday, December 11th: Elevator pitches due for feedback
• Thursday, December 12th: Virtual Meet the Mentors and Networking Event
• Friday, December 13th: Final Feedback Due by Mentors
• **By participating in this program you are also committing to meeting with your partner at least twice in the two week period and will attend the Meet the Mentors event at the end of the program. 

CRITERIA: 

• You are a woman or nonbinary creator. 
• You have written at least one (1) draft of your elevator pitch.  
• Applicants should have experience and training within at least one of these fields:
  • Directing
  • Producing
  • Production Company 
  • Screenwriting 
  • Small business in film and entertainment (can include production company, entertainment platform, event business, etc) 

• You have worked on your elevator pitch within the last year.
• You do not have to be New York based to participate in the sprint. 
• To participate in this program you are also committing to meeting with your partner at least twice in the two week period and will attend the Meet the Mentors event at the end of the program. 
• Your goal of participating in this sprint is to refine your current elevator pitch for potential funding and/or partnership opportunities. At the end of the sprint, you will record yourself giving your two-minute elevator pitch for feedback from the mentors. 

APPLICATION FEE:

• Members: $20
• Non-Members: $25

Instructors

Maria Altamirano

Maria Altamirano is a Peruvian-American, Spirit Award-nominated producer. She produced Alexis Gambis’ Son of Monarchs, winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, and Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, produced in partnership with PASTEL and A24. The latter screened at Sundance, NYFF, San Sebastián, and BFI London, was nominated for two Spirit Awards and a Gotham Award, and was named one of the Top 10 Independent Films of 2023 by the National Board of Review. Maria also produced Jackson’s short Nettles, a Criterion Channel selection, and was Co-Producer on HBO’s Peabody Award-winning series Los Espookys. A 2023 USA BAFTA Breakthrough, Maria is a fellow of Film Independent’s Producing Lab, the Imaginar Producers Residency, The Gotham/Rotterdam Lab, and the Cannes Producers Network. She holds an M.B.A. and an M.F.A. from NYU and previously was Market Research Manager at Paramount Pictures, where she generated key development and marketing insights for the studio’s slate.

Myriam Schroeter

Myriam Schroeter is a French-American producer based in New York. Her work spans commercial, narrative, and conceptual art. Select narrative credits include independent films Sing Sing (TIFF 2023, A24 acquired), The Light of the Moon (SXSW 2017, Narrative Feature Audience Award), Gramercy (Locarno, Telluride and BFI London 2020) and Between The Temples (Sundance 2024, Sony Picture Classics release). She just wrapped production on Eva Victor’s feature debut, Sorry, Baby with Pastel (Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski). Her work with multidisciplinary artist Adam Pendleton include three films in his dedicated ‘Who is Queen?’ installation (MoMA) and Pendleton’s portrait, Ruby Nell Sales (Whitney Biennial 2022 - “Quiet As Its Kept”) - exemplifying her trusted collaborations with subjects and filmmakers.

Myriam spent two years working as a creative development executive at Big Beach Films. While there, she optioned IP, reviewed project submissions, discovered fresh talent and grew their independent film slate. She now produces under her own banner, Putshki - a creative space to build community and explore the potentials of storytelling in film. She also runs art-based Ecstatic Static, an independent production company and online resource that supports artists working across film, photography and time-based practices. Myriam is an alumni of The Gotham Week Film Market (2022, 2024) and Rotterdam Producing Labs (2023). She is a graduate of Northwestern University and resides in Brooklyn.

Moderators

Kia Brooks

The Gotham Film & Media Institute - Deputy Director

Kia Brooks is the Deputy Director of The Gotham Film and Media Institute. Kia’s experience in strategic communications (including PR and Marketing) and events spans over a decade and she enjoys supporting and advising creators and entrepreneurs in taking the next steps in their projects and careers. At The Gotham, she oversees the organization’s programming, communications, and development efforts. Before working at The Gotham, Kia worked in film publicity for companies such as Focus Features, Oscilloscope Laboratories, and Tribeca Festival. Kia received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communications from American University and a Certificate in Fundraising from New York University.