These ideas build on last year’s 79 ideas and thoughts to improve the screen development process feature article and were inspired by the AACTA Festival’s deep dive into improving the screen development process.
A huge shout-out to the audience members who contributed their wisdom – this is a collective effort.
Let’s deepen, challenge, and refine the way we develop stories for the screen.
- Time + Craft = Great Stories
We need more time – yes – but this needs to be combined with great craft. Time without
craft = more of the same. Quality storytelling takes Time + Craft. - Sharpen Feedback Requests
When you submit a script for feedback, what if you wrote a list of five questions you really want the reader to answer. This could help focus the feedback you get. - Childcare in Budgets
What would change if ‘childcare’ became a standard line in our development budgets? - Train Development Executives
How about we create a program for Development Executives that trained them in story craft and evaluation skills? Let’s make the role of Development Executive one of the most highly craft trained roles in our industry. - Do a Read Through Early
What about doing a read through with actors after the second draft to help refine the dialogue and story? This is not an expensive exercise and could add great value. You could do it on zoom and use readers if you don’t have cast in place. - Multiple Opening Scenes
Shonda Rhymes is known for writing her opening scenes over and over. She often has numerous options until late in the creative process. What if we embraced this approach and then audience tested the opening scenes at script stage? - Pay Producers in Development
Developing and financing stories is work. It should be paid accordingly. - Here is a Trick Worth Trying:
Change the font in the script and read it through. It can help your brain read with fresh eyes. - “Imbed your theme in the opening scene.”
Aaron Sorkin’s advice. Enough said. - The 2-minute Pitch Test
If you can’t explain your story in under 2 minutes your foundation is not strong enough. - Global Exchange Program for Development Executives
Let’s have a Global Exchange Program for Development Executives in production companies and Commissioning Editors networks, so they can learn from the best in the world. - Surprise!
Surprise is a key story element but it only works when you’ve first trained the audience to expect something else. - Give your Character’s Solitude
Make sure key characters have time on screen alone. This is when we really see them and it can be a great way to deepen the audiences connection to the character. - Breakdown Feedback
If the feedback you get is overwhelming – do a pass on the script addressing just one issue first. When that feels clear go back to the start and look at the next element. - Be Genre Satisfying
Know the ‘rules’ of your genre. Consciously and unconsciously the audience will expect you to meet these. If you don’t, you will leave them dissatisfied. - Break the Rules
That said, once you know the rules then you can consciously break them or alter them. Love My Way is a great example of finding a new way to look at a family drama. - Read One Great Script a Week
What would change about your storytelling craft if you committed to reading one great script a week? You can download the pilot episode of almost every great show online. Here is the BBC Script library to get you started: https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/scripts/. - Give 3 Tier Feedback
What if we started giving script feedback in 3 tiers:
– Key thoughts: Crucial must fix issues.
– Nice to Haves: Useful but not essential.
– Food for Thought: Insight to think about.
This could help writers know what to prioritise. - Start Sustainability Early
Let’s make a commitment to sustainability from development. Adopt eco-friendly practices right from the start. Check out the UK Albert System if you want tips on how to do this. - Industry White Papers on Best Practice
What if we got some of the best in our industry to write regular white papers about best practice in development to ensure we all keep learning. Imagine a white paper from Sarah Lambert or Sam Strauss on development, one from Tony Ayres on storytelling, and hearing from Imogen Banks on the art of producing. Korea does this. We should too. - Mentors Outside the Industry
Find mentors, but not in our industry. Find them in the business and finance world. A lot of people in our industry aspire to connect with/be mentored by their producing/writing/directing idols, but what would we learn if we looked to be mentored by business and finance specialist. - Post Mortems for TV Shows
Could we build a step in our process where we sit down after a show goes to air and really interrogate what did and did not work? Too often once a show does to air this honest feedback process stops. What learnings are we missing out on by not doing this? - Here is a Secret:
When producers and execs give feedback, even when they make suggestions, they often don’t know the answer. They sense what is off, but are looking for writers to find a solution. Decode their concern by looking for the note beneath the note. - Rewriting Rigor
Samantha Strauss wrote 18 drafts of Ep 2 of Apple Cider Vinegar. What would happen if we all had this level of rigor? - Big Print in the Pilot Script
Remember that your pilot script is a sales document as well as a story. The big print needs to work harder than the rest of the series to bring the reader into the world. - White Space Matters
Use white space on your scripts consciously. Make the reading of your script effortless. - An Industry Notes Guideline
What if we make an industry standard document on the process and craft of giving notes. This is so key to our process and yet no one ever gets taught how to do it. What if we had a best practice document that was created in consultation with the AWG, SPA and industry? - High Stakes Make Us Care
If you want the audience to care for your characters, make sure there is something at stake that really matters to them. - Said Judd Apatow:
“Stories are about flawed people trying to improve their lives and the obstacles they face along the way.” - Back to Basics
What if we had a Story Craft Check List to remind us of the basic elements of storytelling? We could tick it off before submitting: Clear Stakes? Active Protagonist? Compelling Conflict? Emotional Payoff? - Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Diary
The director of Amélie, spent ten years creating a diary of all the things he loved in the world. He then wove those into the film. Start your own archive. - Be a Story Entrepreneur
Innovate. - Writing Retreats
What if our agencies ran Writing Retreats? Ten writers could go away for 2 weeks with a script editor and spend the days writing together with a great script editor. What might come from this? - Said Jacquelin Perske:
“You want to tell your audience they are in safe hands… and that you will be taking them on a wild ride!” - Conflict Fuels Story
If you set up strong and clear conflicts between your characters then these conflicts will be a gift that will keep on giving throughout your story. - Said Lou Fox:
“Make your characters suffer.” - Stories move hearts and minds
Humans are much more changed by stories than they are by intellectual agendas. It has always been this way and it always will be. What a wonderful art form we are in! - Actors and Writers should collaborate more
Actors are incredible at deeply understanding a single characters arc. What if writers and actors spent more time together rehearsing and refining characters voices? - Industry Streamlining
Let’s encourage more collaborations between industry bodies so applications, agreements and industry templates can be more standardised across the board. This way we could spend less time on negotiations and applications and more time and money working together. - Kindness
Let’s remember that kindness goes a long way. - Said Richard Curtis:
“I always think about a project for a year before I write it.” - Advice from Love My Way:
“Start you show with a slap in the face and end it with a punch in the gut.” Jaquelin Perske’s advice to the writers on Love My Way. - Work with people…
…who really like you and what you do. - Plan Ahead
Start thinking early about the best lead writer or team of writers to work on a project. Our great writers are booked up well in advance. Plan ahead to get the best lead writer or best team, rather than the best team possible next month. - High stakes…
…make sparks. - First Impressions
Make the first time we meet the characters memorable. - …And last
And the last time we see them stick in our hearts. - Reconnect with your Passion
If you are mid-career and creating has become a way to pay the mortgage, remember the passion that made you want to create in the first place. Passion and authenticity are what drives truly great stories. - Every scene is a mini story
It needs a set-up, build and pay off. - Listen First
Before you give feedback on a script make sure you understand what the writer is really trying to say. This is a conversation that involves listening. Ideally this happens early in the process so everyone is on the same page at each point of delivery. - Said Mem Fox:
“A story starts when an event interrupts a pattern and this event should be of great interest to the character and the reader.” - Story Engine
If the series loses its mojo after the first episode there is a problem with the story engine. - Writing Coaches
What if there were Writing Coaches for new writers? They could help them navigate the industry as well as continuing to train in their craft. - New Characters
What stories and types of characters haven’t appeared before in Australian drama? Give audiences something they have not seen before. - All the reasons ‘no’
Before pitching, write a list of all the reasons someone might say no to your project -whether that is a screen agency, commissioner or distribution partner. Which ones can you address and which ones can you build into your pitch? - The First 10 Pages
We should see the series from the first 10 pages. - Active Protagonist
Make sure the protagonist is active in driving the story forward. - Australian IP
What if we took more seriously our own national stories, history, body of literature and theatre as a primary source of adaptation for the screen. What uncovered riches would we find? - Anticipation + Uncertainty = Drama
Build tension by making characters and audiences unsure of what is coming next. - The Inciting Incident
Before the inciting incident the character has certain, clear and specific ideas for their future. After the inciting incident their plans are disrupted, their sense of self is challenged and they begin to see the world differently. - Plot Backwards
Start with the ending and work backwards. It sharpens your storytelling. - Read the fine print in your contract
- Remember the Golden Rule of Storytelling –
According to the creators of South Park: “You need to be able to say ‘but’ or ‘therefore’ between every scene. Cause and effect are what makes stories interesting. - Write Roles Actors Want to Play
This means characters with depth and purpose, with dreams and hopes that matter to them. Then give them a unique story and choices that define them. - We Are a Visual Medium
Set the scene visually and do this in creative and inventive ways. - Surprise Yourself
If you can predict the characters next move, so can the audience. - Keep an Ideas Drawer
Industry trends change. You never know when their time will come. - Balance Emotion and Spectacle
Stunning visuals are great, but it is emotion that really stays with an audience. - What Would We Learn –
if we did a deep dive in the development process from countries such as Korea, USA and the UK? How could we collate this information and share it so we could all learn from the global leaders? - Making a Film or Television Series or Game can’t be an Infatuation
It needs to be a relationship. They take time. And they are better when we really care. - Give Notes in the Context –
Of what is possible given the time and resources available. - A Great Protagonist Needs a Great Antagonist
Your hero is only as strong as their opposition. - Don’t Just Work with People Like Yourself
You’d be surprised how much richness comes from different views. Even if it’s just because they cause you to articulate your own thinking. - Seek Honest feedback
Find readers who will tell you the truth – not just what you want to hear. - Use Metaphor and Symbolism
These add layers of richness to your storytelling. - Be a ‘Truffle Hunter’ for Tension
Be constantly trying to find the tension – in a scene, in a character and in the story. - The Power of Silence
Not every moment needs dialogue. - Share the Bible
What if we made sure that every cast and crew member had access to the show bible so they could know the story as deeply as the writing team do. - Evoke Wonder
Julie Eckersley runs the Expanding Media consultancy and is the co-host of the industry
podcast We Interrupt This Broadcast. Vanilla Tupu is the Development Manager at Wooden
Horse.
For more details about Julie Eckersley or to contact her go to: linkedin.com/in/julieeckersley.
To contact Vanilla Tupu you can reach out here: linkedin.com/in/vanillatupu/.