Screenwriter Dale Launer   

 

RULES OF DEVELOPMENT aka HOW TO TALK TO A SCREENWRITER

  • Rule One
    READ THE SCRIPT IMMEDIATELY .
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  • Rule Two
    YOU'VE FINISHED THE SCRIPT, NOW CALL THE WRITER IMMEDIATELY AND PRAISE THEM!
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  • Rule Three
    BEGIN YOUR PRAISE WITH A VAGUE COMPLIMENT, THEN FOLLOW IT UP WITH SOME SPECIFIC POSITIVE COMMENTS.
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  • Rule Four
    SET THE MEETING AND STICK TO IT
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  • Rule Five
    THE MEETING - START A VAGUE POSITIVE STATMENT
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  • Rule Six
    DO YOUR BEST TO TAKE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE SCRIPT
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  • Rule Seven
    GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE SCRIPT PAGE BY PAGE AND TELL THEM SPECIFICALLY ALL THE MOMENTS YOU LIKE!
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  • Rule Eight
    BEING NICE PAYS OFF - AKA THE BENEFITS OF BEING POSITIVE
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  • Rule Nine
    WHEN GIVING A SCRIPT CORRECTION BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE
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  • Rule Ten
    DON'T PUSSYFOOT ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE.
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  • Rule Eleven
    ASK QUESTIONS!
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  • Rule Tweleve
    CONVINCE THE WRITER THERE ACTUALLY IS A PROBLEM
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  • Rule Thirteen
    SOMETIMES YOU WILL BE WRONG.
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  • Rule Fourteen
    THE WRITER IS WRONG AND REFUSES TO SEE IT. WHAT DO I DO?
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  • Rule Fifteen
    DON'T OFFER SOLUTIONS. CONVINCE THE WRITER THERE'S A PROBLEM AND THEN LET THEM COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.

     

  • Rule Sixteen
    DON'T "SPITBALL" IDEAS. (SEE RULE FIFTEEN)
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  • Rule Seventeen
    DON'T "SPITBALL" IDEAS. (SEE RULE FIFTEEN)
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  • Rule Eighteen
    DON'T "SPITBALL" IDEAS. (SEE RULE FIFTEEN)
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  • Rule Nineteen
    WHAT IF YOU HAVE A GREAT SOLUTION?
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  • Rule Twenty
    THERE'S A PROBLEM AND YOU'VE DROPPED HINTS AND DESCRIBED YOUR GREAT IDEA VAGUELY, BUT THE WRITER CAN'T GRAB THE HINT?
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  • Rule Twenty One
    SUBMIT YOUR IDEA AS A CLICHE THAT SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY DISMISSED
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  • Rule Twenty Two
    DANGER! HACK WRITER AHEAD
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  • Rule Twenty Three
    PREFERABLY HAVE ONLY ONE PERSON IN A ROOM, ONE EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT EXEC FOR EVERY WRITER
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    8. BEING NICE PAYS OFF - AKA THE BENEFITS OF BEING POSITIVE

    But let's say followed the rules to the letter, and let's say you showed the writer all the spots, sections, scenes and sequences in the script and praised the writer for what they done well. You're not only making them feel good about their writing, you're validating specific areas, and the more of these areas you can validate, the more colors the screenwriter will have in their paintbox.

    In addition, when you tell the writer what you like - you're giving them a precise roadmap to your taste. So if you want them to write something that you like - they'll have to know exactly what it is that you like. When you validate parts of the script you think is good, you'll just get more of what you like. And everyone's happy.

    So if you've found 50 things you liked in the script, then they'll have 50 things to draw from when they have to make changes. If you have 100, or 1000, the more the better and the easier it will be for them to give a corrected and improved draft. Even if it takes you days, it will be time well-spent.

     

    GO TO RULE NINE

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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