At NATPE’s LATVFest I ran into Jason Sklar and Randy Sklar known as the Sklar Brothers and they told me about the time they pitched their web series to Ex-Disney Chief Michael Eisner poolside at his estate for his web video company Vuguru.

When pitching your web series there a few things you should remember.

1. Know Who You are Pitching.

Before you pitch your web series get an idea of who you are speaking with even if you have just met them at a conference or party. Ask them a few questions about what they do, what kinds of web series they are looking for, what they have done in the past, when they are looking to publish or distribute a new web series.  Take five minutes if you can and research them online. In the sales world this in know as “Qualifying.” Make sure that the person you are pitching wants what you are pitching and has the power to fund and distribute your project. The last thing you want to do is pitch a funny, sexy web series to a mommy blogger site.

2. Know Your Pitch Inside and Out

Take time writing out your pitch and reading it out load while learning it. Make sure that it’s as short as possible and in a conversational tone before you memorize it. Remember, you are going to be telling this to someone not reading it so it should sound natural and be in your voice.  Also keep in mind that the person you are pitching may have questions or want to change things. Practice your pitch on your educated friends and family before you pitch strangers. This will help you anticipate questions and prepare responses.

3. Prepare an Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short version of what your web series is about. It’s a pitch that should take as long as a short elevator ride. This is a great pitching tool to have at parties and events so that you can create interest in your project in order to set up a meeting where you will have your listener’s full attention. Again practice this on your educated family and friends as well. I say “educated” because the last thing you want is for your mom to say after listening to your pitch, “Oh, that sounds wonderful.” You need push back from someone who knows storytelling so you can make your pitch as strong as possible. After you give your elevator pitch 50-100 times you will learn where it needs to be tightened and where it needs to be expanded by reading your listener’s reactions and seeing what moves their emotions.

4. Know How To Play Emotions

Information, Entertainment and Storytelling are all about moving emotions. If people don’t care about what you are doing or saying in your web series than they won’t watch it. Know what the possible human emotions that will be in your series and bring them out in your pitch. When I interviewed the Streamy Award Winning Sklar Brothers they told me that if you are pitching a funny show you need to make them laugh in the pitch. The same is true for something sad or scary. Remember if you can give yourself goosebumps while telling a story you will do the same to your listener.

5. Don’t Pitch Past a “Yes”

When you hear the person you are pitching to say something like; “Let’s set up a meeting.”, “Let’s do lunch.”, “When can we get together to discuss this more?” , “I love it. I will have our business department call you.” … STOP TALKING ABOUT YOUR SHOW! Say something like; “Great.” Sounds good. What times work for you?”, “I look forward to their call. Are you doing anything fun this weekend?”

Many times inexperienced producers don’t know when to shut up and they will blow the deal by blabbing on and on. Remember every time you open your mouth there’s a chance you will say something that will make them question their decision. Once you hear a “yes” stop talking, wait to be asked another question but do your best to change the subject, get out of there and and run with your “yes’ to the ink drying ceremony of the contract.

<object width=”400″ height=”300″><param name=”allowfullscreen” value=”true” /><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always” /><param name=”movie” value=”http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9143218&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1″ /><embed src=”http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9143218&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowfullscreen=”true” allowscriptaccess=”always” width=”400″ height=”300″></embed></object><p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/9143218″>Hugh Forrest SXSW</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user645398″>1timstreet</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

In Las Vegas at the National Association of Television Programing Executives ( NATPE ) Market I had the chance to catch up with Hugh Forrest of SXSW and got to ask him about his interactive event.

He may not be the cutest 13 year old girl video blogger on the Internet. Nor is he the most conservative News Anchor. But he certainly is the smartest Sci-Fi Musical Comedian in the Galaxy and he’s definitely an online video leader.

Hayden Black started creating online videos with Goodnight Burbank in 2006 then went on to produce and star in Abigail’s X-rated teen diaries and now he’s launch a new web series called The Cabonauts and when I met up with him at NATPE’s LATV Fest in Century City last week, he told me about his business deal with Dailymotion.

It use to be that you needed a transmitter and a FCC license to create live television. Not anymore. New live video sites are popping up everywhere.

I had the chance to catch up with Stickam CEO Steven Fruchter to talk about live video and how you can monetize like Leo Laporte is doing.

Are you using live video to market or make money?

Tell us about it.

“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH BOYYYYYYYY!” are the two words that Public Enemy rap star Flava Flav is famous for yelling and now with filmmaker Dion Taylor they are engaging their audience in a whole new way.

I caught up with Flav and Dion in their Press Junket suite at THE HOTEL in Las Vegas during NATPE where they told me about their new TV show and how they would be running TV commercials to get viewers to TEXT in to a new online property.

Are you using TEXT or other ways to engage your audience and market your products, services or videos?

In the past brands have waisted millions of dollars advertising in broadcast to consumers that would never buy their products just to reach the consumers that would be interested in their products and services. This overspill may soon be a thing of the past as media buyers find web video shows that allow them to reach targeted consumers.

Now that we have web video marketers can reach the audiences they want with less money and more ROI. Take for example the web series DadLabs. DadLabs is a show about parenting for Dads. They embrace the challenges and fun or fatherhood and share tips about being a dad in an Internet video series.

I caught up with Clay Nichols of DadLabs at NATPE and he told me about how he got started in online video and how he finds brands that can benefit from sponsoring his show.

DadLabs is a start-up company dedicated to providing creative media content and information products to serve this new generation of “Super Dads” and the three former teachers behind it are having a blast serving a niche that parenting brands want to reach.

“Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DadLabs is an information and entertainment company that fosters the father/child relationship through media, instructional and retail products. The mission of the company is to strengthen families and benefit children by empowering today’s fathers. The company provides resources to expecting, new and veteran fathers that will launch them into a more active and creative role in the lives of their children. DadLabs speaks to the corporate executive and the delivery driver with a voice that is authentic and genuinely male, with wisdom and self-deprecating humor of experience. The products and services offered are honest, informative, sometimes off-color, but always dedicated to the spirit of fatherhood. DadLabs speaks guy and presents information through guy-colored lenses.

Founded in 2004 by Troy Lanier, Clay Nichols and Brad Powell, DadLabs aims to be the voice of the new fatherhood. The company was founded on the core value that parents must be the primary movers in the lives of their children and fathers must play a leading role in this journey. The team at DadLabs is committed to assisting the busy father by providing him with accessible and digestible information and parenting ideas. DadLabs will not only inform and entertain fathers, but will also foster creative father/child activities through retail products.

The trio bring more than 30 years of teaching and hands on fatherhood experience, as well as professional film making and writing experience. Troy Lanier and Clay Nichols are accomplished authors and were named to the Austin Chronicle Best of 2005 for their book “Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off Your Shorts.” The company’s first DVD, DueDads: The Man’s Survival Guide to Pregnancy scheduled for release in the summer of 2006 recently won a 27th annual Bronze Telly Award.

All three founders have been long time teachers at Austin’s St. Stephen’s School and combined have seven small children. ”

How are you finding the right brand fit in Internet video?

Let me know.

One way to watch Internet videos on your TV is with Boxee Boxee gives you a true lean back entertainment experience to watch movies, TV shows, music and photos, as well as streaming content from websites like Hulu, Netflix, ABC, CBS, Comedy Central, Last.fm, and flickr.

I ran into Gidon Coussin on the trade show floor at NATPE and he gave me a quick demo of Boxee. Unfortunately I had to get really close to him to hear what he was saying.

How Do You Watch Internet Video on Your TV?

While I was at NATPE in Las Vegas I ran into the man who wrote the book on how to make iPhone Apps and he told me about all the fun things he was up to besides making iPhone Apps.

Let me know if you are in the market for an iPhone App and I can hook you up.

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