WHAT DOES A DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE DO? (In the Entertainment industry. What Does A What does a Development Executive Do?)

Film Proposal Template / Photo Credit: Film Daily

WHAT DOES A DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE DO? (In the Entertainment industry. What Does A What does a Development Executive Do?)       

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

What Does A Development Executive Do?

Development executive

Development executives acquire and develop stories and screenplays that will make successful films. This requires an understanding of tone and genre, structure and narrative, and emotional impact. They identify a project with potential, overseeing screenwriters, reading screenplays and preparing development notes (script notes). Development executives may also be responsible for raising finance, or assist with packaging films, and securing pre-sales or distribution agreements. In large companies, responsibilities may be divided amongst development producers (executive producers), heads of development, development executives and script developer.

Development Executives are responsible for finding and developing stories and screenplays that will make successful films. They might be for general release or festival screenings. They need to understand what makes a good film script and what will appeal to audiences. 

Their primary role is to find new talent. They have to cultivate creative relationships with many people in the industry from Screenwriters, Agents, Directors and financiers to Broadcasters, Sales Agents and Actors. Development Executives spend as much as fifty percent of their time attending Film Festivals and other industry events.

Screenplays can take years to complete, and in some cases another it might be ten years before they go into production. It’s up to the Development Executives to see the potential in a project, and oversee Screenwriters as they work up the screenplay into the best possible version. Development Executives should be able to read screenplays, analyze their strengths and weaknesses. They prepare clear Development Notes (Script Notes) to help Screenwriters address these.

Development Executives may employ Script Readers, and additional Script Editors. If employed by an Independent Producer or Production company they also have to make sure that the company always has good projects to package, finance and produce. If necessary, they should also be able to troubleshoot story difficulties and personality conflicts. In the worst cases they might have to stop projects if they are not working out. 

Development Executives may also be responsible for raising development finance. They may help with packaging films, and securing pre-sales and distribution agreements, to raise production finance. 

All Development Executives have to be on the lookout for new projects and writing talent. But their exact responsibilities depend on whether they are working for a small independent Producer, a larger production company, or a screen agency. In larger companies the work may be divided between Development Producers (or Executive Producers), Heads of Development, Development Executives and Script Developers.

A development executive must be able to search through a maze of scripts, project ideas, and stories, finding those precious few that may become the next Oscar-winning movie or Sundance Festival jewel.

Duties

Development executives handle the acquisition and development of stories, scripts, and screenplays into successful theatrical films. This process can take a minimum of three years; some screenplays spend as long as 10 years in development before going into production. The development executive must intimately understand the genre and tone, the fundamental construction and phraseology of film stories, along with the emotional effect various films have on an eclectic audience mix. As well, a great development exec can simultaneously read a script and estimate the budget required to produce the film. It is imperative that development executives be able to pinpoint a project with genuine possibilities and then manage the screenwriter(s) while they massage and cajole the screenplay into an optimum version. To facilitate this, the development executive must be able to read the story or script and understand its advantages and flaws vis-à-vis the production process, in order to create concise development or script notes for the screenwriters to use during rewrites. The development executive may employ script readers to help with the sorting process and script editors to work with the writer, helping them cultivate multiple projects. At times, development executives may be required to raise funding for projects from various sources including government, public, and private sectors.

Skills & Education

The key skills required of a film industry development executive are the abilities to discern a viable and profitable story, to create a team capable of turning the story into an excellent screenplay, and to secure financial backing to ensure the completion of the project to its fruition. This must all be handled with a depth of understanding, tact, and good will in order to please and placate a variety of individuals with enormous personalities and egos. Education advantageous to the development executive would be script and screenplay writing, some psychology courses on human behavior, and basic finance study.

What to Expect

The world of a development executive is one endlessly filled with script-reading, project development, and meetings to procure financial backing. A highly sought-after development executive is one who has a nose for a good story, can keep the entire process on an even keel, and can fill the project coffers with more than enough funding to sustain the entire production.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS,

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Film Proposal Template / Photo Credit: Film Daily