Mary K. Plummer has a diverse background from both the creative and technical side of production. As a writer, she has over 12 years of experience and has written numerous feature length scripts including: "OUT OF THE BLACK" for director Karl Kozak which is currently in post production and slated for release in 2001.

DEVELOPMENT, in a nutshell is the process that turns an IDEA or STORY into a SCREENPLAY or TELEPLAY ready for production.

The development department ACQUIRES properties in a variety of ways, and at different stages ranging from an IDEA or PITCH to a SPEC SCREENPLAY.

The IDEA is that fragment of a story whether whole or partial that usually fits into the sentence "An idea/story about a __________ who ______________'s."

There is no magic for coming up with a great idea, or trying to predict which ideas the public will want to pay eight bucks to see. (After all, it is the film business)

Ideas for scripts often come from real life stories, the news, history, the mailman, relatives, friends, or perhaps revising an 'old favorite' story, or most daring and sometimes hardest to sell... an ORIGINAL IDEA. (There are some people in the film business who believe there are no more original ideas - imagine that.)

The IDEA is often expressed in a simple LOGLINE which is the story boiled down into two or three short sentences that capture the basic story - in a TV GUIDE style brief.

A LOGLINE is popular to quickly get someone's attention, or pass the basic idea along to them. However, the purpose is to get them to want more information. So, it's best not to leave the house with only a LOGLINE - it's just an organized idea and if someone wants more, and you don't have it - you just lost your shot. Not to mention - your idea is now out there. (Length 1-3 sentences)

WRITERS TIP - FROM A WRITER: If you you have a really BIG and really ORIGINAL idea that you have never seen before and believe it's the kind of holy-cow idea that will make people flood the theaters... DON'T TELL EVERYONE. In fact DON'T TELL ANYONE (in the Hollywood system) until you have developed it a bit more yourself and turned it into something you can protect.

THE GOOD NEWS: If you really have a great idea, you have a good shot at getting it to the next level.

THE BAD NEWS: You cannot copyright, or protect an IDEA. It's too brief. It's too small - no matter how big you think it may be.

DON'T start your career on just an idea. Take it further - if you're a writer. If you're not a writer, find one and work with them.

The PITCH is one of the most common ways to bring your story to a development executive or producer before you do any extensive writing. The PITCH is a way verbally tell your story/idea (often starting with a logline). Pitching is a difficult process, but it's the only way to get your unwritten story into development. However, to pitch - you have to KNOW YOUR STORY well enough to tell it. So it requires thinking through the story, know the different acts, and be prepared with some details and key moments. If all goes well, and your pitch is well received - you may get hired to write the next step (if you are a writer) or your pitch may be purchased and the development department will hire a writer to take it further.

If your PITCH is bought, or OPTIONED, you will be dealing with legal documents such as WORK FOR HIRE, ACQUISITIONS OF RIGHTS, OPTION AGREEMENTS (see the Library section of IF Studio for samples, or the Business Affiars section of IF Studio for details).

The following steps are common processes and forms the story takes as it becomes a script. Development departments vary, as do preferences for the number of steps it takes to complete a screenplay. It often depends on how well developed the story is to begin with. Also, how much research is required, and the subject matter.

The SYNOPSIS is a simple one to two page document that tells the story in the simplest form. It includes elements like the setting of the story, who the main characters are, what they are trying to do, some of the obstacles they face, and how the story ends. (Length 1-2 pages)

WRITER'S NOTE: A SYNOPSIS is a simple document to read. It's a great document to show someone quickly what the story is about. It's one of the most difficult documents to write, and it's always easier for me to write a synopsis AFTER I've finished the screenplay because I know the story so well. However, I also know that you're generally not ready to write your script unless you can first write a synopsis about it. The synopsis truly boils the script down to WHO and WHAT it's really about, leaving out the secondary characters and details.

An OUTLINE is a fragmented series of notes, or scenes that make up the entire story from the OPENING to the ENDING. There are many techniques for writing outlines. It serves as a blueprint for the screenplay. (Length and technique varies upon the writer)

The TREATMENT is the short story version of your screenplay. It reads like a book demonstrating what we see, and what the characters think and do - without including dialogue. A TREATMENT can be copywritten, and sold to Production companies. This stage is very common within development departments. It's an easy form to read, and make changes to the story before the script is written. Treatments vary greatly in length depending on the writer, and the genera of story. An action or suspense story with a lot of scenes based on action rather than dialogue might have a long treatment up to 60 pages. A romantic comedy, or dialogue driven story could have a treatment as short as 10 pages. There is no set length, and the styles greatly vary. (Length 8-60 pages whatever it tells to tell the entire story in detail without dialogue)

WRITER'S NOTE: A well written TREATMENT can be an excellent template for writing the screenplay. As a writer I prefer NOT to write the treatment, and only develop my stories as far as a thorough outline. Part of the screenwriting process for me is the unknown, and the spontaneity that happens while fleshing an outline into a screenplay. Many other writers prefer treatments because they like to know all the details prior to adding dialogue and extra description or action. It's a matter of preference. Of course, if the job calls for a treatment - we write a treatment.