First Pitch

Murder. Greed. Corruption. Lust.

And that's just your first three minutes.

Presented annually since 2002, First Pitch is an evening of rapid-fire storytelling that brings together the soon-to-graduate students from the bachelors and masters programs with representatives from across the industry including agents, managers, and producers.

Since its inception, First Pitch has attracted some of the entertainment industry's most prestigious companies, including CAA, William Morris, ICM, UTA, Paradigm, Endeavor, Fuse, Management 360, Sony, Paramount, Miramax, Universal and Thunder Road, to name but a few.

The scripts offered cover all genres in film, television and Web programming. First Pitch has proven invaluable to students as a means to reach out to the industry to forge relationships that can help launch their careers.

A sampling of past First Pitch participants who parlayed their experience into professional trajectories includes Caroline Dries (Smallville), Christina Kim (Lost), Kam Miller (Law & Order SVU), Brad Riddell (American Pie Band Camp) and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (Numb3rs).

First Pitch is organized and operated by students in the division, overseen by members of the faculty and staff. By tradition, each year's event is hosted by an alumnus or alumna from the school who has made a significant creative impact in writing for film, television or new media.

Past First Pitch Hosts include:
  • 2002
    Shonda Rhimes, M.F.A. '94, creator/executive producer Grey's Anatomy
  • 2005
    Josh Schwartz creator/executive producer The O.C
    Jamie Vanderbilt, B.F.A. '99, writer Basic
  • 2006
    Andrew Marlowe, M.F.A. '92, writer Air Force One
    Jeff Davis, M.F.A. '00, Criminal Minds
  • 2007
    Elisa Bell, B.F.A. '87, author of Little Black Book
    Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, M.F.A. '02, staff writer on Numb3rs
  • 2008
    Matthew Weiner, M.F.A. '90, creator/executive producer Mad Men
  • 2009
    Brian Peterson, M.F.A. '97, executive producer Smallville

Scripts offered at First Pitch are also assembled into the annual Script List, which is made available exclusively to representatives attending the event. The Script List is subsequenly published online two weeks later.