The Pitch That Sold a Pilot with Elaine Del Valle

Want to hear the actual 20-minute pitch that Elaine Del Valle delivered that sold her pilot, "The System," to CBS?

Writer, director, producer and CSA casting director Elaine Del Valle will join us for a virtual workshop in which she shares her real pitch.

We'll also discuss:

• How this idea came to be

• How Elaine attached actress Andrea Navedo from "Jane the Virgin" to the project

• How Elaine got the project in front of "Jane the Virgin" showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, who was able to show it to CBS Studios as part of her first-look deal

• The process of building and fine-tuning the pitch

• What happened after the pitch meeting

Read about the project in Deadline here!

Elaine Del Valle was a director in the 2022 Moonshot Film Challenge. She wrote, produced, and directed the independent feature Brownsville Bred—a deeply personal coming-of-age drama based on her own life. Adapted from her autobiographical novel, acclaimed Off-Broadway solo show, and SXSW award-winning short film, the feature premiered as the 2025 Centerpiece at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, where it was named one of the Los Angeles Times’ “Most Anticipated Films” and won the festival’s only feature award. “Brownsville Bred” was officially named on the Academy’s Best Picture eligibility list, putting this powerful indie film in the same conversation as major studio releases. You can watch this film on demand on Apple TV or Prime.

Elaine also directed the Tubi Original Midnight Hustle. In 2025, she was selected for the prestigious Alliance of Women Directors Mentor Latina Director Fellowship and awarded the Made in NY Women in Media grant. She is also a WarnerMedia 150 Artist, a Sundance Writer and Director Lab alumna, and a Shondaland Directing Program finalist.

Elaine’s work reaches far beyond directing. As a writer, Elaine's original one-hour procedural drama pilot, The System, was bought by the CBS network. As an actor, she’s had recurring guest star roles in the ABC drama Queens and Dora the Explorer. As a producer, she’s produced over 50 titles. Her latest film, a feature length mixed media  documentary called “TheyDream,” which Elaine produced and co-wrote.

FREE for Moonshot Members. Your free ticket will be automatically applied when logged in on the website.