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Don’t Just Pitch a Genre: Pitch the Flavor
- Screenwriting Staffing
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
At Screenwriting Staffing, whether it is through our Script Search Board or our Query E-Blast, we have noticed a clear pattern. The writers who find initial success, even something as simple as getting a script request, are the ones who understand subgenres. It is not enough to say your script is a “drama” or a “dark comedy.” The writers who get traction are the ones who can quickly explain the flavor of their story, using subgenres and tone descriptors that help producers immediately see what kind of project it is.
Take my recently completed script Going Gonzo n’ Fresno, which is now in the initial pitching phase, as an example
A manic depressive screenwriter and his burned out philosopher friend flee L.A. in search of peace, purpose, or maybe just a story worth telling. But their escape unravels, only to spiral into a fever dream of hallucinations, recklessness, and collapse across Fresno’s unforgiving desert wasteland, where friendship is the drug and Fresno is the overdose.
On paper, this is a dark comedy. But that barely scratches the surface. When I pitch it, I also call it irreverent, gritty, character focused, road heavy, surreal. Why? Because those words give a producer instant clarity. “Irreverent” signals the boundary pushing humor, “gritty” sets the raw indie tone, “character focused” reminds them it’s about relationships, “road heavy” shows the structure, and “surreal” promises the fever dream visuals. In two seconds, they know it’s not just any dark comedy, it’s this kind of dark comedy.
How You Can Apply This to Your Script
Step 1: Start with the broad genre.
That’s your entry point. For example:
Drama
Comedy
Horror
Action Adventure
Step 2: Drill into the subgenre(s).
Ask yourself: what’s the “flavor” of this story? A few examples:
Drama : Coming of age, family saga, biopic, courtroom drama
Comedy : Fish out of water, buddy comedy, romantic comedy, parody
Horror : Slasher, supernatural, psychological, body horror
Action Adventure : Heist, disaster flick, martial arts, road adventure
Step 3: Add tone and style descriptors.
These aren’t official subgenres, but they matter when pitching. Words like:
“Character driven”
“Stylized”
“Surreal”
“Irreverent”
“Grounded”
“High concept”
These sharpen the image in a producer’s head. For example:
Instead of just saying “It’s a drama,” say: “It’s a grounded, character driven family drama in the vein of Manchester by the Sea.”
Instead of just “It’s a comedy,” say: “It’s a buddy comedy with a surreal, absurdist streak, like Step Brothers meets Being John Malkovich.”
Instead of just “It’s an action script,” say: “It’s a heist driven action thriller with gritty realism, closer to Heat than Fast & Furious.”
Why This Matters
Producers need shorthand. They’re scanning dozens of pitches a week. Subgenres and tone descriptors give them quick context.
It shows you know the market. You’re not just writing, you’re positioning your script alongside films that have already proven themselves.
It makes your pitch memorable. Anyone can say “dark comedy.” Fewer people can say “irreverent, surreal, road heavy dark comedy about two burnouts spiraling through Fresno.”
Quick Exercise for Writers
Try this with your own script. Fill in the blanks:
Logline: _______________________________________
Broad Genre: __________________________________
Subgenres (pick 1 to 3): ________________________
Tone and Style Descriptors (pick 2 to 3): ___________
Then put it all together into a pitch sentence, like this:
“My script is a [broad genre]. More specifically, it’s a [subgenre(s)] with a [tone/style descriptor] approach, in the vein of [comparable films].”
Example:
“It’s a dark comedy. More specifically, an irreverent, road heavy, surreal story with a gritty indie tone, in the vein of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Sideways.”
Final Takeaway
Don’t just pitch a genre, pitch the flavor. Know your script’s subgenre, add the tone descriptors, and make it easy for producers to “see” the movie before they even open the first page.
At Screenwriting Staffing, we push our writers to think like this because it makes their pitches more focused, their scripts stand out, and their careers move faster. While we challenge every writer to master this skill, we also understand that some need a little guidance in the right direction. That is why we offer query letter assistance, helping you shape your pitch so it lands with clarity and confidence.
Want a fill-in-the-blank template to make this easier?
Download the Screenwriting Staffing
Subgenre Pitch Worksheet
This article was written by Jacob N. Stuart, an internationally produced, award-winning screenwriter and producer. His own work has starred actors such as Alan Ruck (Succession), Costas Mandylor (Saw), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie), and more. He is also the Founder of Screenwriting Staffing, where he has facilitated over 350 script deals with 115+ projects produced worldwide.
Want to work with Jacob directly on your pitch? Check out our Speedy Script Development Program.
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