How to Pitch Roman A Clef
There’s a reason why some of the most loved classic books and acclaimed novels in literature are Roman a clef. A French term meaning “Novel with a key,” Roman a Clef represents a story about real life that is overlaid with a facade of fiction generally including fictitious names which represent real people and the “key” being a relationship between nonfiction and the fiction. Choosing to write a story that is roman a clef may be the result of a desire to veer toward satirical sharing of the information, a scandalous endeavor, or as a means of portraying personal experiences in a less than personal way.
Learning how to pitch a roman a clef to a producer is something that will almost certainly require some careful consideration even for the most avid screenwriter with plenty of background or experience.
These loosely fictionalized stories represent some of the most profound films of all time, but what kind of struggle did the screenwriters have in pitching them to the producer prior to production?
Know What to Call Your Story
Before you pitch a story to a producer, you need to have a stronghold of what the story is. Know what you’re working on! A fictional story that has some truths to it, is not necessarily a roman a clef.
Likewise, a roman a clef is not always a full truth approach to a story, it’s partial truth, with enough fiction tied in that there are certain lines crossed which will prevent others from making the connection to the real life events.
It’s likely that, if you’re writing a screenplay in this capacity, the goal is to produce a film a clef, the film version of a roman a clef. A film a clef is the French term for “film with a key.”
This is the film equivalent of a roman a clef, and represents similar techniques such that the film screenplay would represent a fictionalized account of a real life event.
Devise a High Concept
If your roman a clef features a high concept, it’s going to be easier for you to pitch than an idea with a low concept. For example, formulate your plot such that the focus of your story is around the plot rather than the characters.
In doing so, you’ll be better ready to pitch the story to a producer. When pitching a roman a clef that has a high concept based around the plot, the idea of a logline becoming the basis for the pitch is simple.
Consider the following loglines for the roman a clefs listed below:
- The Devil Wears Prada – A naive young woman comes to New York and scores a job as the assistant to one of the city’s biggest magazine editors, the ruthless and cynical Miranda Priestly.
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades.
- Apocalypse Now – During the Vietnam War a US captain is forced into one final mission; to locate and terminate the command of a rogue and delusional US colonel.
Prepare Screenplay Script
Your screenplay script should be between 1 and 20 minutes. Generally just a few minutes will be sufficient. Prepare your logline, title, and a brief pitch that delivers essential details and sets expectations for the movie.
Don’t focus time so much on explaining the details of the story. But rather on telling the basics in such a way that the producer will have interest and questions about the pitch.
Focus your attention on the following:
- Revealing the hero or protagonist of your story.
- Delivering details of the character’s everyday life.
- Share the opportunity that the hero faces.
- Provide details that support the opportunity.
- Discuss the goal or motivation for the hero to accomplish the desired outcome.
- Discuss the conflict that the hero will face and how they will overcome it.
- Tie in with two recent films that have similar genre, tone, and potential market – prove the potential of the film.
In Essence
Learning how to pitch a roman a clef is all about delivering the perfect, short, and engaging pitch that keeps the producer interested in your story.
After the pitch, prepare for a short 5-10 minute question and answer session. This will allow you to further explain any fine details that may have been overlooked. That’s it!