There's so much to accomplish in the first act of a feature. Worse, if the reader isn't hooked by page 15, they'll likely stop reading. For the First 30 Consultation, you'll submit the first 30 pages of your feature or one-hour pilot script, and then have a 30-minute story notes call with the executive. They will help you boost your hook and refine your set up to make sure it is as strong as possible so readers HAVE to know what happens next.
Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
When it comes to pitch tips, the biggest thing I respond to is emotion. I want to understand what the characters are feeling, what is changing for them, and what conflicts are pressing on them. If I can clearly track the stakes and the arc, I lean in much more.
For me, the strongest pitches are the ones that ground the story in real humanity. The more I can feel the emotional truth of the characters while someone is speaking, the more elevated and compelling the story becomes.
Right now, I’m particularly interested in stories that have an edge — projects that feel zeitgeisty and capable of breaking through with a specific Gen Z audience. I’m drawn to work that is brave, bold, and deeply committed to exploring the full complexity of its characters — the parts that are raw, embarrassing, even shameful. Those are the stories that feel honest, urgent, and ultimately the most impactful.
Mallom Liggon is a writer, producer, and creative development executive who specializes in helping writers take their work from promising to undeniable. His career sits at the intersection of story development, artist support, and industry access, with a focus on guiding writers toward clarity, confidence, and professional readiness.
At the Sundance Institute, Mallom has been part of the evaluation and selection process for the Episodic Lab, contributing to decisions across 1,500+ submitted scripts in the most recent cycle. He has also supported evaluation for the Sundance Feature Labs, giving him a deep understanding of what distinguishes projects that break through at the highest level. Through this work, he has developed a sharp instinct for identifying a script’s core intention—and the specific adjustments needed to help it fully land on the page and in the room.
Mallom’s background in program leadership further shapes his approach to development. As Director of the Filmmakers’ Workshop at New York Stage and Film, he led a nationally recognized lab for emerging writers—tripling submissions, building a professional reader pipeline, and overseeing development for dozens of pilots and screenplays each year. Prior to that, as part of the founding team at Diverso, he co-created Black Writers in Focus, the first paid internship for Black student screenwriters, helping launch careers and secure representation for a new generation of voices.
As a script reader and development professional, Mallom has evaluated 500+ pilots and features for companies including FOX, Disney Launchpad, and Rideback Rise. He brings a practical, writer-first approach to feedback—helping creatives not only strengthen their scripts, but also craft compelling pitches and position their work for industry-facing opportunities.
At his core, Mallom is driven by a belief that great writing comes from clarity of voice and emotional truth. His goal is to help writers access both—so their stories don’t just work, but resonate.
After registering, you will receive instructions on how to submit your material in your order confirmation email. After submitting your material, please allow about 3-4 weeks to receive proposed times for scheduling your call with the exec. If you haven't heard from your exec by the 3-4 week mark about scheduling, please email terra@roadmapwriters.com so we know to check in with them on your behalf about their proposed dates/ETA for you.
**Please note only features and one-hour pilots are eligible for First 30 Consultations. Half-Hour pilots are ineligible for First 30 Consultations.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with Roadmap's Code of Conduct.
Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel your registration for a refund or Roadmap gift card if you have not yet submitted your material for review. However, once your material has been received by Roadmap, your registration cannot be canceled. Having revised material or a desire to retroactively apply a discount or gift card code are not grounds for cancellation, refunds, or gift card credit. Once your material has been submitted, the only acceptable grounds for cancellation and a refund or gift card credit is an unforeseen, ongoing emergency on the part of either the writer or the exec resulting in more than 6 weeks without any scheduling update from the exec via direct contact or Roadmap, or a sudden change in the exec's ongoing availability. In the instance of an irreconcilable scheduling issue, the writer may still receive a written feedback report from the exec. In this case, the writer is not entitled to a refund or gift card credit as the exec has read the submitted material and provided written feedback in lieu of the call.