One-Page Pitch: When Does It Actually Happen in Your Workflow?

Hey everyone, Camille Dubois here, Production Designer. I've been diving into a lot of resources lately about pitching, specifically the 'one-page pitch.' It's often highlighted as this absolutely crucial document, the gatekeeper to getting your project off the ground. And I totally get why, conciseness is key in a busy industry.

My current project is a speculative sci-fi short, and while I have a pretty clear vision for the aesthetic and world-building, I'm finding myself a bit stuck on the actual timing of this one-page marvel. I've tried drafting it early, almost as a mission statement, but then as the script evolves, I feel like I'm constantly rewriting it. Or, I've waited until the script is nearly locked, and then felt like I missed an opportunity to use the one-pager to guide the development itself.

So for those of you who've successfully navigated the development process multiple times (producers, directors, writers) when do you personally integrate creating and refining your one-page pitches into your overall project development workflow? Is it usually the very first step, a foundational document, or do you flesh out other elements like the treatment or even an early script draft before tackling this 'most important document'?