In short: A short film pitch deck runs to about ten slides: title and logline, the story with its ending, why you, tone and look, characters, team, proof of concept, plan and budget, audience and route, and the ask. Each slide answers one question the reader has. Keep it visual and send it as a PDF.
A short film pitch deck has one job: to get a decision. The reader is a funder, a producer, a crew member you want on board or an actor you want to say yes, and they will give it a few minutes. Make it about ten slides, give each one a single question to answer, and put them in an order that builds. The structure below works for most short films, and it adapts to a drama, a documentary, an animation or a music film.
The ten slides in order
| # | Slide | The question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title and logline | What is this film, in one sentence? |
| 2 | The story | What happens, including how it ends? |
| 3 | Why this film, why you | Why does this need to exist, and why are you the person to make it? |
| 4 | Tone and look | What will it feel and look like? |
| 5 | Characters and cast | Who are we watching? |
| 6 | The team | Who is making it with you? |
| 7 | Proof of concept | Can you actually do it? |
| 8 | Plan and budget | What will it take, and how? |
| 9 | Audience and route | Where will it be seen, and by whom? |
| 10 | The ask | What do you need from this reader? |
1. Title and logline
One strong frame, the title, the running time, the genre and a logline of one sentence. A logline names a person, what they want and what stands in the way. If it takes two breaths to say, trim it. Your treatment can hold the longer version.
2. The story
Three or four short paragraphs, or a handful of beats, covering the whole film from first scene to last. Include the ending. People deciding whether to back a film need to know it works, and they cannot tell that from a teaser. Keep character names to the ones that matter.
3. Why this film, why you
A short statement in your own voice. Say what drew you to the story and what you bring to it: a personal link, a way of seeing it, a place you know. It does not have to be grand. It has to be true, and it should be specific enough that nobody else could have written it.
4. Tone and look
Three to six images, with a line or two of words. Use stills from films you admire, photographs, paintings or frames from your own test shoot. Name the palette, the camera approach and the sound. This slide is where a reader decides whether your taste matches theirs, so be selective. A shot list and storyboard can back this up if you have them.
5. Characters and cast
A line on each lead, with a face if you have one. If an actor is attached, say so and give a credit. If you are still casting, describe the type and say how you plan to find them.
6. The team
Names, roles and one relevant credit each: director, producer, writer, director of photography, and anyone who adds weight such as a composer or an editor you have worked with before. Keep it to the people who matter. A short list of people who will definitely be there reads better than a long one of maybes.
7. Proof of concept
This is the slide that separates serious decks from hopeful ones. Show something you have made: a test scene, a few seconds of the lead in the right light, a sketch of the key effect, or an earlier short. One strong frame or a link to a short clip is enough. If you have nothing yet, this slide is your reason to make something before you pitch.
8. Plan and budget
Where you will shoot, how many days, and the broad approach. Then the budget in a single table: the total, three or four headings, and what is already secured. Do not paste a full spreadsheet. A production budget top sheet is the right level of detail, and the short film budget template helps you get the numbers.
9. Audience and route
Who the film is for and where it will be seen. Name festivals or platforms realistically, and say why they suit the film. A short list of the right places is more convincing than every festival you have heard of. The festival strategy and submission tracker will help you choose. If you are applying for money, the funding guide covers where to look. Always read the call itself, because funders often set their own format and length for what they want to see.
10. The ask
Say what you want, in numbers and in words. Name the amount, what it pays for and when you need an answer. Add your contact details. Do not close with a thank-you slide; end on the ask.
A worked example
Here is how one invented film fits the structure. It is called The Last Ferry.
- Logline: A night-shift ferry worker has one crossing left before the route closes, and a passenger who knows more about her than she expects.
- Story: Four beats, ending with her letting the boat drift for a minute before docking.
- Why you: The director grew up on that crossing and has spent a year interviewing the crew.
- Look: Five stills, cold sodium light against warm cabin interiors, handheld, with long takes and little music.
- Proof of concept: Forty seconds shot on a rented day, showing the cabin set and the lead at the window.
- Budget: One page, a total and four headings.
- Ask: A named amount, a start date and a deadline for a decision.
Format and delivery
- Use 16:9 slides, large type and few words. If you need more than about thirty words on a slide, the content belongs in the treatment.
- Put images first. Words explain; pictures persuade.
- Send a PDF. It looks the same on every device. Keep the file small enough for email, or share a link.
- Put the logline in the email. Many readers decide from the email before they open anything.
- Make one version for the reader. A deck for a funder stresses audience and budget. A deck for a crew member stresses story and look.
Common mistakes
- Hiding the ending. The reader is not your audience.
- Describing the film in abstract words. "A meditation on loss" says nothing. Say what happens.
- No proof. Without it the deck is a wish. Even a day of tests changes how it reads.
- A budget with no basis. Round numbers with no breakdown suggest you have not planned the shoot.
- Too many slides. If you reach twenty, you are writing a treatment.
- Reference images that look nothing like what you can afford. Show a look you can reach.
A proof-of-concept day does not need to be expensive. Granary's White Space, the infinity cove, is £395 for a full day (ten hours) plus VAT, with lighting and grip included, and film and drama studio hire sets out what is there. If you want a director of photography or a gaffer for the day, crew who already know the building are listed from £575 and £450 a day plus VAT. Once the deck is done, the script timing calculator is a quick check that your pages fit the running time you have promised.
Related guides
Questions we get asked
How many slides should a short film pitch deck have?
Aim for eight to twelve. A short film is a small project and the reader has little time, so every slide has to earn its place. If a slide does not answer a question the reader would ask, cut it.
Should a short film pitch deck include the ending?
Yes. Funders and producers are deciding whether the film works, and they cannot judge that without knowing how it finishes. Save surprises for the audience, not the people reading your deck.
What should a short film pitch deck look like?
Mostly pictures, with short text in large type, on a plain 16:9 layout. Use stills from a test shoot or tightly chosen references to show tone. Send a PDF, and put the logline in your email so it can be read without opening anything.
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