Pitchstorm
Pitchstorm Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Starting the Game
Whoever bought dinner for someone else most recently is the executive for the first round.
3 - 5 Players
The executive draws three NOTE cards. Everyone else chooses to draw either three PLOT cards OR three CHARACTER cards. (They may not draw from both decks!)
To make their movies, each writer chooses a card from their hand to use in their pitch and places it face-down on the table. They then draw a card from either the PLOT or CHARACTER deck, and WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT, attach it to their chosen card to create a complete movie.
When every writer has a face-down movie in front of them, the writer to the executive's left flips over both their cards and reads them aloud. They then have 45 seconds to pitch their movie idea to the executive. Once at any point during the pitch, the executive may yell PAUSE, stop the timer, and read one of their note cards to the writer. The writer must work this card into their pitch, no matter how bad it is. After each pitch, the executive draws a new note card to refill their hand to three cards.
After each writer has pitched their movie, the executive decides which movie they liked the most. The writer who pitched the winning movie keeps the note card that was given to them as a point. If no note was given to them, they may take a note card from the deck to count as a point.
6 - 12 Players
For a larger game, players break into teams of two. Choose someone you like, because they're going to be your partner for the whole game.
To make a movie as a team, one player draws three cards from the CHARACTER deck, while the other draws from the PLOT deck.
Each member of the team chooses one card to add to their pitch, but they MAY NOT talk to each other about the card they are playing or the type of movie they want to pitch.
Also in this mode the executives will be on a team. Each executive draws their own hand of three NOTE cards, and MAY NOT show their notes to their partner.
When everyone is ready, the team to the executives' left reveals their cards and has 60 seconds to pitch their movie together.
During each pitch, each executive may PAUSE the timer and play one note onto the pitch. After each pitch, both executives draw a card so that they have three notes in hand.
Once every team has pitched, the executives consult with each other and choose which movie they like the most. In the case of a disagreement, whichever executive has more cash on their person at the moment of the decision makes the final call. (Bank accounts and credit cards do not count!)
For an odd number of players, the odd player out may play as an individual and create movies using the same steps as in a 3 - 5 player game, or they may join another team and form a team of three.
How to Win
Winning isn't the primary focus of this game, but if that kind of thing is important to you, we recommend you set a goal based on the length of game your group is looking for.
For a short game, play until everyone has had a chance to be the executive once. For a longer game, play until one person receives 4 points.
If the game ends in a tie, each tied player competes in a 30 second lightning round judged by everyone else at the table. The winner takes it all!
Timing the Pitches
In order to time the pitches, we recommend using the standard timer feature on your smart phone. But if you don't have a phone handy, any stopwatch will do!
- 3-5 people: set your timer for 45 seconds.
- 6-12 people: you get 60 seconds to make your pitch!
Variant Game Mode: Writers' Room
In the Writers' Room variant mode, players act as TV writers pitching seasons of television to the executives.
Round 1
The first round is the same as a regular round of Pitchstorm, except that everyone is pitching the first season of a TV show instead of a movie.
Rounds 2 - 5
The winner of the previous round becomes the executive for the next round. (It's their show afterall!) Whatever was said in the winning pitch from the last round becomes canon, and everyone else pitches ideas for the next season of that show.
To create their next season's pitch, players draw three PLOTS or three CHARACTERS and select one to add to the show for the next season. Keep in mind, that writers should be using all of the characters and events that have already happened as the base of their new season pitch.
6 Seasons and a Movie
When a player wins a round, that player decides if they want the table to continue pitching seasons of the current show, or cancel it and start with a fresh idea. If a show reaches 6 seasons, the next round is to pitch an epic finale movie to wrap up the show. After this round, the show is cancelled and the table pitches a fresh idea.