ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the story department and discusses the importance of script development. The director’s role in working with the writer is also examined, and key concepts of script structure, character arc, and story pacing are discussed. Filmmakers such as Joel and Ethan Coen and Kenneth Lonergan are used as examples, as is the film Chinatown (1974), directed by Roman Polanski. Additionally, a case study is provided about how Alejandro Iñárritu develops scripts to make them more cinematic, and this chapter gives particular attention to his work on the film Babel (2006). There is also an interview with the Hollywood screenwriter Bragi F. Schut about his experiences of working with directors, and a list of tasks that a director can use to help guide this development process.
