"A Beautiful Mind", "The Social Network", "Erin Brockovich", "12 Years A Slave", "Catch Me If You Can", "Casino", "Into The Wild", and countless other award winning, blockbuster hits, have been based on true stories that were developed into incredible film narratives that explore the human condition. There's an unmatched fascination audiences have in watching films rooted in true events, and producers gravitate toward these projects if there's a storyline that works. Pitching a movie idea or screenplay based on a true story is a good strategy for gaining the attention of Producers.

As a screenwriter, or filmmaker, think like a producer when you're working to develop a pitch based on a true story. This often involves investigating any underlying rights, bringing a much greater likelihood for success when you have the exclusive rights to an amazing true story you pitch. Lets also not forget that the most interesting story that you know best, may just be your own, or the story of a relative or close friend. Not every film worthy story is known to the public, so it often requires a person to come forward with direct knowledge of an amazing untold story they're passionate about. iPitch.tv and the new media age allows that to happen. So lets dive into five main categories that often hold the most viable true stories for film, and learn a bit of strategy for creating these pitches.

Life Story Rights  - When you're pitching a true story based on a person's life, or specific event(s) in their life, its important to have their permission, and to hold the exclusive rights to their story. This can be done with a simple letter of agreement stating such. Ultimately it will be the production company or studio who proposes a deal with all the fine points of participation, and you want yourself locked in that agreement by having the written agreement that allowed you exclusivity in shopping the story on behalf of the person the story is about.

If the story chronicles your own life experience, or that of a relative or close friend, then having the rights to shop it isn't such an issue. But becauase you're close to the story, make an extra effort to really examine and identify the events that can translate well for a cinematic experience. What's dramatic to you, because you actually lived it, doesn't necessarily translate to compelling drama for a movie audience or television viewers. On a positive note, there's no better person who knows your amazing experience better than you, so you'll be able to deliver a pitch that is rich in detail. 

On a creative level, you'll want to write a pitch that encompasses the storyline within their life that you feel holds potential as a film. It should involve any theme like; against-all-odds, man vs society, man vs nature, man vs himself, comeback/redemption, rags to riches, true crime, love story, justice, social issues, and so many others that together weave the fabric of the human experience.

Current Social Issues  - When an issue in our society reaches mainstream news, causes broad debate, or may impact everyone indirectly or directly, it carries enough interest to become the focus of a dramatized film. If a compelling narrative can be crafted, it allows the audience to experience it on a visceral and intellectual level. The best strategy is to identify the most interesting true story related to that issue that may have been covered in the news, or any publication. Having the Life Story Rights tied to a Current Social Issue is a great combination for pitching as a movie. 

Historical Subjects  - When writing a pitch based on an historical event or person, be sure you're focusing on some aspect or angle that hasn't been explored yet. This is what provokes curiosity, and becomes the key marketing angle in promoting the film. The Internet allows us to do deep research on subjects, making it very easy to discover interesting facts about subjects the general public may not be aware of. 

Magazine/News Article - Scouring news stories online, or any print publications can deliver some very interesting story subjects. A story that is newsworthy may hold a dramatic component that can be developed into a larger narrative for film, and its an efficient way to cover a lot of ground to find those diamonds in the rough. Also, by having a story in print, it becomes something tangible that Producers and Studios like to have as a point of reference for development. 

Non-Fiction Book-to-Film - Studios love adapting books for the big screen because they have a built in audience, and the narrative is already solved to a certain degree. A book is a tangible intellectual property that provides substance that investors and filmmakers need to gain traction in the development of the project. Start by researching subjects and stories you feel may make a great movie. Then research to discover any books written on that specific subject. When you find what may be the definitive book on that subject, contact the publisher, asking for information on the "sub-rights", and who represents those rights. They'll typically refer you to a Literary Agent on the east coast. Contact that Lit Agent to learn the status of the book. If the book isn't a new release, then you'll stand a better chance to land an agreement to shop the book to Producers.