Gabriel Chu is currently a story analyst at Sony Pictures and works with artists, writers, and directors to identify and develop new ideas and stories, shepherding them from page to screen. Prior to joining Sony Pictures, he was an executive at Vertigo Entertainment, working closely with award winning directors and writers on both animated and live action film projects for Warner Brothers, Lionsgate, The Weinstein Co. and Fox Animation. Gabriel started his career at director Bryan Singer’s company, Bad Hat Harry Productions, and has also worked at Summit Entertainment and Mandalay Pictures. He spoke with Creative Screenwriting Magazine about his role in bringing stories to the screen and how screenwriters can benefit from his expertise.
What is Sony’s film and TV remit right now as it relates to your job?
As a member of the Development Team at Sony, I work alongside the executives at all of our labels including Columbia, Tri-Star, Screen Gems, and Acquisitions on our current projects and help field incoming submissions. The Story Department is a bit of an audience proxy and backstop.
Describe your most common daily activities over the past week.
As we stay on a project for its entire duration at the studio, I’m usually reading, tracking changes between drafts, and writing story notes on the latest drafts that came in.
Gabriel Chu
Where are your most common sources of new material/ story ideas?
The Story Department actually defers to the executive team regarding accepting submissions. We only work on what they pass along to us, so we don’t actively scour and search for new material.
What’s the most unusual place you’ve found new content or story idea?
While I don’t pitch new ideas anymore, when I was an executive, I really loved sifting through Reddit and Twitter for some amazing stories. Short stories are also a great jumping off point.
Is IP still the most dominant source for new content? How much room is there for original content?
I would say while there is room in independent film for original content, the majority of what is coming out of the studios is IP based. We will buy original scripts every now and then at Sony, but out of those, the ones that get made are from writer/directors that already have a pretty established track record.
What should a writer have in their wheelhouse before approaching you?
What I can say is that scripts that are packaged with meaningful talent (be it an actor or director – preferably both) get the most amount of traction and consideration at Sony Pictures. Otherwise, I would say, try and make a short film and submit it to festivals, win some awards and get the attention of a manager.
What are the most common misconceptions writers have when a producer shows interest in their work?
Just because a producer shows interest in your work, it doesn’t mean it’s going to get made. A film spends an average of 5-7 years in development alone. Make sure you hire a good lawyer to protect your material and even if the producer can’t pay for an option, make sure you build in some windfall should the film ever get made and be a success. Nothing is real until contracts are signed and you see your work on the screen as things can fall apart at any stage.
What are some of biggest points of conflict between you and writers in terms of notes you give them?
I work almost exclusively in commercial film, and sometimes, conflict can arise from the need to clarify and simplify the story as much as possible to keep the project as accessible and widely palatable for a broad audience. We’re trying to make a product that people from all walks of life and experiences can enjoy. Structure sometimes is also an issue, we adhere to 3 act structure for a reason. It’s tried and true, but sometimes if a writer wants to do something more artistic, it doesn’t work for commercial film and there’s some push back/conflict there. But all in all, we try to make sure it’s a conversation and issues are robustly discussed.
How do you characterize the current state of the industry?
We continue to be in a state of transition with day and date streaming/theatrical releases. The good news is, people want and need content. The trickier thing is, how we are going to distribute that content sustainably.
Are there any genres that are particularly popular right now?
Musicals, Horror, and surprisingly Rom-Coms are all en vogue right now. Books remain popular as well.
What are you watching at the moment?
Loki, Mare of Easttown, Castlevania, and Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist.
If you were given a $1 billion for a production slate, how would you spend it?
I would greenlight Dino Riders the movie, make a few small award-winning indie dramas, and then make a bunch of silly fun movies like Eurovision and Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar.
