One-page pitch letter to agents or producers — sells your film idea in three sentences. Gate or wall, depending on how sharp your hook is.
You write a query letter because no one will read your 120-page screenplay until you've proven the story ignites in three sentences. This isn't modesty—it's respect for the time of agents and producers who sift through hundreds of such letters daily. A good query letter opens the door. A bad one lands in the trash before the second line is read.
The structure is rigid: Sender lines at the top, then the agent's or producer's name (researched, not "Dear Sir or Madam"), followed by one to two introductory sentences briefly outlining your connection to the story or your previous work. Then comes the so-called hook—two to three sentences telling the core of the story and its emotional or dramatic tension in the present tense. No synopsis, no character descriptions. "A cop has to arrest his own daughter" is a hook. "The story is about a cop whose daughter is involved in crimes" is broad material that doesn't ignite. After the hook, follow two to three sentences about you: Who are you, what have you shot, what work shows you can tell this story? Then one to two sentences about the treatment or screenplay—finished, available, length, genre. Conclude with thanks and contact information.
On set, you quickly realize: Every filmmaker underestimates the power of the query letter. You gain three months of shooting experience, and suddenly you understand why the first scene needs no explanation—because the visual information carries it. The same principle applies to the query letter. The agent doesn't want to know why your protagonist acts that way. They want to feel the drama is inevitable. Concreteness trumps explanation. "An impoverished pianist steals instruments to pay his mother's debts" is stronger than "The story explores poverty and morality."
Common mistake: You overcomplicate the hook. Five supporting characters, two plot twists, a love story—all in one query letter. The result is diluted. Agents are experienced enough to know: If the central tension isn't readable in two sentences, it won't work in a 110-minute film either. Keep the letter to one page. Arial or Times, 11 or 12 point. Professional, understated, no formatting games. Your story must speak for itself.