Research the people who will be listening to the pitch. If you know the names of the individuals who will be in the meeting, become familiar with their previous work and to what they are currently attached. If you know only what studio they represent, look into the studio's history. Many times, a person or studio's past work indicates a preference.
Create a context for your pitch. Define the genre of the screenplay, and prepare a quick background of the story to use before the detailed pitch.
Establish a rapport with the people in the meeting. Before launching into the project that some time to chat and make small talk. Find a common ground. As with job interviews, pitch meetings can often be successful by creating a personal connection with those involved.
Create the mood of the screenplay within the pitch. Comedies should have a funny pitch similar in humor to the script. Likewise, thrillers should have a suspenseful, tense pitch. Make those in the meeting feel as though they are getting a taste of the experience.
Make specific points. Use concrete language to describe scenes. Don't be vague in your descriptions. Make the listener imagine exactly what the script attempts to create.
Keep descriptions short. Use as few words as possible while being specific in describing scenes and characters. People in the meeting don't need to know every detail, just those which are most important. Also, limit the amount of names used to only the main characters, and even then keep it below five. Too many new names in a short time can become confusing.
Use milestones while taking about the story. Markers such as "Act 2," "at the midpoint," and "the final scene" help make the flow of the story clear and provide context while detailing the story.
Set up plot twists as they are in the film. Don't give any potential secrets or punch lines away immediately. While describing the story, provide hints about what's to come, but keep any revelations for the end.
Clarify any confusion in the room. If anyone has a confused look, ask them if they have a question or need an explanation. Don't let doubts fester or break focus.
Bring the meeting full circle before ending. Recall something that was said at the beginning of the meeting as you leave. Use something referenced casually or brought up during small talk. This shows personality, an attention to detail and gives the people in the meeting something to remember.
Avoid overselling the script. If a pitch comes off too rehearsed, it can feel like an infomercial. Any enthusiasm should be genuine and not practiced.
Don't make comparisons to other films. These come off as vague and at times overly ambitious. No one knows what "The Godfather" meets "Thelma and Louise" would look like, and comparing your untested script to wildly successful films can come off as pretentious.
Don't disagree with anyone in the room. Flattery sells, not argument. Even if you hate the ideas presented, smile and stick with noncommittal statements such as "I'll think about it and get back to you" or "That might work."