The Elevator Pitch

 THE ELEVATOR PITCH

by Mike Colonna

714-747-5670

The head of World Wide Pictures Dominic Mancino enters an elevator.
ROCCO, a young screenwriter, walks in behind him on a crutch. In his right hand he’s holding four copies of his screenplay “The Homeless Detective.” An action/drama.
Dominic’s standing in front of Rocco and presses the button to the top floor.  Rocco aware that Dominic’s offices are on the 20th floor of this New York Skyscraper has planned his pitch to get Dominic’s interest.
Dominic is waiting for the elevator to begin it’s ascent to his 20th floor office. 
Dominic looks back at Rocco. He’s a little top heavy holding five scripts under his free arm.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Do you need help with that?
ROCCO
No I think I can handle it.
DOMINIC MANCINO
I’ll be more than happy to hold onto those for you.  What floor are you getting off on.
Losing his balance, Rocco drops the scripts on the elevator floor. He loses his crutch and the scripts fall in front of Mancino.
DOMINIC MANCINO (CONT’D)
Here let me help you with those. Looks like you’ve got quiet a project you’re working on.
ROCCO
Yea, It’s a script I’ve been working on. I’m hoping to someday get in front of a producer to pitch it.
DOMINIC MANCINO
You came to the right place. What’s the log line.
Rocco picks up his crutch, steadies himself and takes a deep breath.  His shot at the big time has come. 
ROCCO
A former SAS Agent dodges a ruthless Bolivian Drug Cartel and Scotland Yard while smuggling cocaine in his Formula 1 cars.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Sounds like it’s got some potential.
The second floor bell rings, the doors open and two of Rocco’s friends enter the elevator.  Pre-planned, everyone acknowledges each other.
Rocco begins handing out his script to the two his new elevator companions. Like clockwork they begin reading the characters in Rocco’s screenplay “Stringer.” As he hands the script to his friends.
ROCCO
Mr. Mancino, I hope you don’t mind my friends reading part of my script.
Knowing he’s been had, Mancino goes along with the pitch.
FRIEND ONE
Interior Berlin Train Station-Morning, An extremely active train platform.  A sign reads Platform 18. The Eurostar to Copenhagen is getting ready for departure.  Whistles, announcements are heard throughout the giant terminal. Vanessa, 20’s American, attractive, dressed in Levi’s, a Parka makes her way through the First Class coach looking for her seat in the First Class Parlor Coach. She arrives at her seat, set’s her backpack down looks at a bald headed, mustached middle aged man seated across from her assigned seat.
FRIEND TWO
You need help with that?
The elevator hits the third floor, the door opens, and Deana, a friend of Rocco enters the elevator, is handed a script and begins.
DEANA (VANESSA)
Thank you, I packed light, (Laughs)
FRIEND TWO
I detect and American Accent?  First trip abroad.
The train begins to pull out of Platform 18.
DEANA (VANESSA)
Ya, is it that Obvious?
FRIEND TWO
(Stringer) No, Just a guess. You got a name?
The elevator is ascending.
DEANA (VANESSA)
It’s Vanessa.
FRIEND TWO
(Stringer) Call me Nick. Nick Stringer. Nice to meet you.
DEANA (VANESSA)
Like Wise.
FRIEND TWO
(Stringer) Mind if I ask you where you’re from?
DEANA (VANESSA)
I just arrived from Los Angeles. Long Beach to be exact.
Dominic begins to sense that’s he’s been set up. But enjoys the banner and originality which has become and actual elevator pitch. Jonathan and his friends realize that Dominic is on to them. He reluctantly signals them to continue with a sly grin on his face.
FRIEND TWO
(Stringer) A million years ago, I raced in the Long Beach Grand Prix. My girlfriend an I had friends in Long Beach, we loved it.
DEANA (VANESSA)
It’s all coming back to me, when I was a little girl living with my dad, I vaguely remember meeting someone like you and his beautiful girlfriend. His name was Nick, Nick Stringer.  That’s you. This is bullshit.  Unbelievable we meet thousands of miles from home.
Stringer has an epiphany and is visually moved.
FRIEND TWO
(Stringer) Vanessa? Now I remember your dad paraded you up and down the beach, he was very proud.

DOMINIC MANCINO
Well you all have peaked my imagination. Let’s finish this read in my office.
They all leave the elevator, walk into the 20th floor, and walk by Mancino’s secretary.
Miss Lynn, I want you to meet Rocco and his two friends.  I never did get there names.
DEANA
Hi, I’m Deana and this is Brett.
MISS LYNN
Wow, what a crew.  Good luck in there.
They enter Mancino’s office.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Can I get you some water, or something to drink.
All in unison.
NO SIR.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Let’s read a few more pages then give me a short synopsis of where you’re going with this screenplay.
ROCCO
We’ll pick up where we left off.
Deana Continues
DEANA (VANESSA)
I can’t believe we’ve connected. What’s with this train ride to Denmark, it’s a long way from Long Beach. How did you meet my dad.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Ok, you’ve got me.  Rocco give me a short description of your script.
ROCCO
Stringer, the main character besides leading the life as a mercenary for the CIA, MI-5, the Mussad, was a big time celebrity in London entertainment circles. His friends included the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Hollywood movie actors.  He need money to keep his Formula One team afloat, and the easiest way to do that was to sell drugs to his friends.  Scotland Yard kept a close eye on Stringer, even after his heroic acts working covert operations as a paid contractor. After months of surveillance Scotland Yard acted.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Did all of these events really happen or did you take liberties with the characters and embellish their stories.
ROCCO
If I didn’t embellish their actions the story would not be worth the ink on my printer.
DOMINIC MANCINO
Well said. Is there anything else you can add to make me want to turn this into a mini series or movie.
ROCCO
I think a mini series would be my first choice. 
DEANA
I think Rocco has a bead on the characters, a great imagination, Stringer is a combination of Jason Bourne and James Bond.  We’re all working together to make this a memorable project that we can be proud of.
ROCCO
Mr. Mancino, I promise you that if you pick my script we will work day and night to make this a success. We’ll work with your producers and writers.  I have a few actors in mind for the Stringer role, and the other characters.  We will work with you and make this project a success.

DOMINIC MANCINO
Before we end this meeting, how did you come up with this unique script.
ROCCO
We’ve been working on this script for more than 7 years.  And I’ve got to make a confession, Vanessa is my sister, and Stringer and my dad were best friends, back in the day.
DOMINIC MANCINO
You’ll be hearing from my legal department within the week. By the way, I guess you could call this the perfect “elevator pitch.”
Everyone shakes hands.
The end.