Directors Association DRCT and Producers Alliance Advertising Section Present Pitch Reform

Together with the Producers Alliance Advertising Section, the Directors Association DRCT has set out to modernise the pitch processes for advertising film productions in Germany. In a strategic alliance, both associations have developed a pitch reform that will serve as the basis for all pitches from 2024 onwards.

A central component of the reform is a model for proportional remuneration of the pitch costs incurred by production companies and directors, the so-called pitch cost share (PCS).

Furthermore, with the pitch reform, DRCT and the Advertising Section advocate for full transparency about participants in pitch processes, more respect for the work done and resources invested, as well as fairness and equal opportunities.

Claas Ortmann, director and board member of DRCT, says, "Every pitch is without a doubt a great opportunity for us directors. At the same time, many days of unpaid work go into a pitch, often under extreme time pressure combined with strong competition. On average, more than 33 hours of unpaid work (source: Free the Work) are required for the brainstorming and creative supervision of the first treatment alone, not counting all the further coordination leading up to the final decision. This creative and time commitment is now appreciated for the first time with the Pitch Cost Share."

On the part of the production companies, the average cost per pitch is around 9,500 euros, according to the Producers' Alliance Advertising Section.

The pitch cost-share model for advertising film productions is based on the size of the advertised budget. Up to and including the director's call, i.e. the first formal exchange between production, director and client, the process remains free of charge, as do genuine 'single bids'.

"Respect, appreciation and mutual trust are the basis for a fruitful, creative collaboration. Our common goal with the reform is therefore to establish fundamental values and new standards around the pitch process, which will ultimately benefit everyone involved," says Elisha Smith-Leverock, director and board member at DRCT.

"We have worked towards this joint initiative with DRCT full of conviction because the creative performance of the production fundamentally depends on the selection of the director," says Myriam Zschage, spokesperson for the Producers Alliance Advertising Section. "Together we stand for the quality of moving images in Germany - raising this awareness is the overarching goal of a pitch reform."

Director Hanna Maria Heidrich from the DRCT board adds, "We know from conversations with international colleagues that similar initiatives are planned in other countries. Therefore, we hope that the pitch reform will be able to set impulses beyond the borders of Germany. As DRCT, we are not only committed to the overall interests of our guild in the industry, we also want to specifically strengthen diversity and sustainability in the directing sector and would like to encourage all industry partners to follow this path with us. Authentic angles and new perspectives are more important than ever before."

The Directors Association DRCT, which now has more than 200 directors for advertising and branded content, as well as the Producers Alliance Advertising Section with its more than 120 member companies, are immediately implementing the pitch reform.