This is just as well - as I completely ballsed up my spiel and made Pissheads out to be the most boring, unfunny and amateurish film ever to be conceived (I am sure Ben Race would call that an accurate reflection of the project - but we’ll save that thought for another day)... Mr Cowan requested the script and gave me a couple of their brochures to get a feeling for the company, so all was not lost - but all in all it was a shitty experience (probably for Michael as much as me!) Still we live and learn and this set back was just what I needed to focus my mind for my next round of pitches.
The next few meetings were all much better than the first, and apart from an agonising couple of walks to and from the Grand Hotel things were going well. I finally had a chance to pitch to my prime prospect Sales Agency - unfortunately the UK Acquisitions people were both in meetings, which left me to pitch to the US Acquisitions Director. This filled me with dread - as I’m not sure Pissheads will travel too well across the pond. However she seemed genuinely interested in the film and said although it wasn’t the sort of project that they’d pre-buy, she wanted to make sure we kept them informed of our progress with production - R E S U L T!
Time for a late lunch of Spaghetti Carbonara, and then a pitch meeting over a couple of pints at Le Petit Majestic. The scene got a few laughs and the project pack was scrutinised... another script request and that was the end of the formal part of my Cannes 2010... Although not the end of my Cannes.
We then met up with the Vita Nova and Tall Tree crews and had a magnificent dinner with another couple of producers and filmy types - everyone was buzzing over their own successes at this year’s Cannes and the prospects for their respective slates... all went well and I have another few people who want to be extras in Pissheads!
The night was rounded off with a beer at Caffe Roma with the Geordie Mafia and then the trudge up the Suquet to our apartment.