#3 - Interview with Director/Writer/Producer Duo Mercedes Bryce Morgan and Katrina Kudlick

March 2, 2023

77 min episode · 2 min read

Interview With Director

Episode

77 min

Read time

2 min

AI-Generated Summary

Published Dec 21, 2025

Key Takeaways

✓Pitch Materials: Create both simple elevator pitch versions and detailed documents within same materials - busy executives need quick comprehension while thorough readers require nuanced details for complete understanding.
✓Mood Reels: Two-minute visual mood reels prove invaluable for securing funding by conveying tone when executives lack time to read full scripts - discovered this after successful financing rounds.
✓Actor Value System: International sales determine actor worth based on overseas recognition - casting teenagers becomes nearly impossible due to lack of established value, requiring strategic balancing with known talent.
✓Opening Questions: Start director pitches with personal questions like "What was your saddest moment?" to engage self-involved executives and create immediate attention before presenting your creative vision and themes.
✓Genre Cycles: Erotic thriller imagery previously discouraged in pitch decks now actively sought by buyers due to horror film success - executives filter trends through profitable genre performance patterns.

What It Covers

Filmmakers Mercedes Bryce Morgan and Katrina Kudlick share practical pitching strategies, from creating mood reels to handling investor rejections, plus insights on actor value systems and horror film development.

Key Questions Answered

•Pitch Materials: Create both simple elevator pitch versions and detailed documents within same materials - busy executives need quick comprehension while thorough readers require nuanced details for complete understanding.
•Mood Reels: Two-minute visual mood reels prove invaluable for securing funding by conveying tone when executives lack time to read full scripts - discovered this after successful financing rounds.
•Actor Value System: International sales determine actor worth based on overseas recognition - casting teenagers becomes nearly impossible due to lack of established value, requiring strategic balancing with known talent.
•Opening Questions: Start director pitches with personal questions like "What was your saddest moment?" to engage self-involved executives and create immediate attention before presenting your creative vision and themes.
•Genre Cycles: Erotic thriller imagery previously discouraged in pitch decks now actively sought by buyers due to horror film success - executives filter trends through profitable genre performance patterns.

Notable Moment

An executive reviewing a pure horror pitch suggested replacing character deaths with chicken transformations because dying seemed too intense, despite the project being specifically developed for horror-only buyers.

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