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GALLAGHER LITERARY
Literary Management ►
Development ►
Producing ►
Packaging ►
Financing ►
Production ►
Distribution
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Discovering exceptional stories. Developing extraordinary projects. Bringing talent to screen.
© 2010
► PLEASE PITCH ME YOUR SCRIPT VIA THIS LINK
Chapter 1: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD…
Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, I was a young passionate kid who made his mark on Hollywood, finding decades of incredible success, along with my
share of spectacular failures, but honestly way more than a fair share of luck and timing.
I've always noticed success is a convergence of luck and timing. And while talent or hard work are great, they're not always present in the equation.
Sure, I think I'm smaht, but more than anything I humbly acknowledge I've been incredibly lucky.
We can tell ourselves that work and brains made the luck happen, but most of the time I've seen brilliant hard working people fail, and horrible inept people succeed.
Why does this happen? No one knows.
My own career was not a straight line, but rather a twisted labyrinth through nearly every corner of the entertainment industry, from literary representation
and packaging, to studio development, acquisitions, production, international film finance, and worldwide distribution. ...and now back again!
Along the way, I worked with extraordinary talent, negotiated hundreds of deals, and helped bring some of Hollywood’s most recognizable motion pictures to
audiences around the world. Back in the days of movie rental stores I could walk down the isles and point to one movie after another that I was somehow involved in.
There were remarkable successes, gut wrenching disappointments, unforgettable personalities, and enough Hollywood stories to fill several books.
But like all good stories, eventually it was time for a change.
After more than three decades in Los Angeles, I traded the sweltering heat, studio lots, endless traffic, and choking smog for a piece of heaven among the towering
evergreens and near constant rain along the tranquil shores of a small quiet island in the Pacific Northwest. I love it here and I can breathe!
Today, my interest are reading, writing, and running an island based literary management & production company focused on discovering exceptional screenplays
and intellectual property, while developing promising projects, and bringing together the creative and financial elements necessary to get memorable films made.
I work with writers, producers, financiers, and production partners, all of my own choosing, developing and packaging projects that we all feel are worth
our precious remaining time and energy. My interests range from important independent films to commercially ambitious productions, provided there’s a
compelling story worth telling.
I’m drawn to intelligent, emotionally passionate, character-driven stories, whether they come from established professionals or entirely new voices.
And yes, after all these years, I'm still addicted to the rush I get when I discover a wonderful new screenwriter!
Brilliant new voices are born every day but finding them is like hunting for a 5 leaf clover!
Chapter 2: A LIFETIME IN THE BUSINESS...
One of the bizarre observations of spending decades in Hollywood is watching how the business evolved, and how the people you once knew as frightened assistants
eventually become the people running the agencies, studios and networks, and then frightening everyone below them. Some of it may be unintentional, but the rest is
pure human nature.
My own path has taken me from humble beginnings in entertainment law where my boss pointed to a long hallway of legal cabinets and said every day he wanted
me to pull out a new client file and study the details of contract law. That was probably one of the nicest things he ever did for me, though the task seemed
enormous at the time, it was certainly amongst the best training I ever got.
Eventually, I had the privilege of representing and working with an extraordinary range of talent, including Stan Lee, Dan O’Bannon, Kevin Williamson, Bob Cochran,
Tim Allen, Drew Carey, Johnny Cash, and finally, the multi talented and brilliant Aidan Gallagher.
Of course, representing Stan Lee was a particular privilege. His extraordinary imagination helped create some of the most recognizable characters in entertainment
history, and having him as a marquee client opened doors throughout Hollywood and established relationships that would prove invaluable throughout my career.
After years of agenting at the top agencies, I was recruited by Messina Baker, then one of Hollywood’s leading management agencies, to establish and lead their
literary department. The company represented television’s biggest stars of the time, namely Tim Allen and Drew Carey, and had the budget and connections to
meet with every top literary agent in town. And after weeks of interviewing the best and consulting with the heads of every studio and network, they were advised to
picked me. I credit being exceptionally nice to everyone I ever met, and remembering how you left someone feeling about you, is far more important than
the personal success of the deals you made. Never leave anyone resentful and always followup with gifts to show you care.
It was an extraordinary opportunity to work at the intersection of talent representation, literary development, packaging, and production, and I was welcomed into
the offices and homes of every agency, studio, and network head after that. Once you get to know someone's kids you're kinda friends for life.
My career later took me to Japan when I was searching for the source of studio financing, and suddenly I was recruited to serve as Executive Vice President of GAGA,
which was then the world’s leading international film finance and distribution corporation. Again, another company that had the budget and connections to pick
anyone in Hollywood they wanted, and for some reason they were told by the studios to pick me.
The position placed me on the other side of the negotiating table, working directly with the studios, talent agencies, A-list producers, and other financiers to
structure and negotiate film financing, acquisition, and distribution deals around the world.
I traveled constantly, attending every international film market, and negotiating films involving Hollywood’s most recognizable and successful motion pictures.
Among some of the films I’ve worked on during this time was; What Women Want ($374m), Hannibal (351m), Rush Hour 2 (347m), Chicago (306m), Van Helsing (300m),
The Green Mile (287m), Enemy of the State (250m), Scary Movie 3 (221m), The Others (209m), Gangs of New York (193m), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (181m), The Mexican (148m),
The Notebook (118m), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (104m), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (82m), Blow (83m), A Man Apart (44m), and many many others.
Over the course of my career, I’ve worked on well over a hundred motion picture deals involving films that collectively generated more than $8 billion in
worldwide box office, including numerous Academy Awards.
My involvement ranged from literary representation and development, to packaging, financing, production, and international distribution.
Each project presented different challenges and lessons, and each contributed to my understanding what it tales for films to actually get made.
Unfortunately, the films that reached theaters represent only a small part of the story. Most of my time was spent on an extraordinary amount of projects I helped
develop, negotiate, finance, and package that never made it to production. Some even got made and then got shelved due to lack of marketing funds.
As anyone who’s spent time on that side of the business knows, getting a movie made is considerably more difficult than getting a movie deal signed.
And while making a good deal is lovely, making the right deal is what gets the movie made and what you are eventually remembered for.
Few will remember me for just the deals I made - but quite a few will think of me fondly when they see one of our films on the screen that made them money.
I'll sometimes get a call from an old friend, just to say they were just watching an old film we did, and they wanted to thank me again for what I did for them.
Believe it or not that feeling of appreciation is better than gold. I know a lot of rich old men with zero friends and that's no way to live.
What all these experiences gave me was an unusually broad perspective on how the film business works. And the truth is it's relationships and trust on the
writer’s side, the agent’s, the studio’s, the producer’s, and eventually the international financier’s and distributor’s. You get all these people knowing you're not going to
screw any of them and that's a great place to be.
I learned that recognizing a great screenplay is only the beginning. Understanding how to get it made is about friendships and trust. The kind of stuff you can't bank,
but in the end matters far more in karma and friendships that can be stronger than family.
Chapter 3: SO, WHAT AM I DOING TODAY?
Well, I'm a bit older, but I’m back to doing what I’ve always loved: trying to discover unique and fresh material, doing my best to develop promising projects,
bringing new talented people together where possible, negotiating deals worth my time, and eventually finding ways to get movies made in the chaos of this
new digital age.
The difference is that after decades of working for someone else and fulfilling the diversifications needed for a corporate slate, I now have the freedom to be
considerably more selective and personal about the projects I want to make.
Today, a few colleagues and I operate as a boutique literary management and production company, combining our decades of experience and relationships and
utilizing all the latest tech in this modern world. You'd be amazed how much PDFs and Zoom calls have changed things from my day of pagers and suitcase
cell phones.
For a screenwriter, my involvement could extend beyond simply shopping your screenplay. I will use my decades of experience to analyze your script, identifying its
commercial potential, and then after some likely development period, I will formulate a packaging strategy, approach appropriate talent and production partners, and
navigate the complex paths to getting a film financed, produced, and distributed.
Having worked on both sides of the table, I understand that different projects require different approaches. Some need development. Others need packaging with the
right director, cast, producer, and financing structure.
Almost never does a screenplay arrive that’s ready to go, straight to market. The challenge is knowing the difference and the vision to see how something with
potential can be realized.
I absolutely adore working with talented screenwriters who have new stories to tell, whether they’re established professionals or entirely fresh voices.
For some writers, our relationship may develop into ongoing literary management. For others, it might be a collaboration on a single project.
I’m not interested in accumulating a large roster of clients like the old agency days. I just want to find writers and stories I genuinely believe I can help, and who
deserve and appreciate my help.
I also recognize that the industry has changed and continues to every year. New studios, production companies, streaming platforms, financing models, and
distribution opportunities have transformed how films are developed and brought to audiences and I enjoy keeping up on all of it.
But the key things haven’t changed. A great screenplay still needs someone who recognizes its potential. A promising project still needs the right people, the right
strategy, and the right relationships. And getting a film made still requires persistence, creativity, money, and still a staggering amount of luck.
My objective is clear: find quality material, bring together the people and resources it needs, and give it the best possible opportunity to become an extraordinary film.
Chapter 4: WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE...
After decades of experience in literary representation, development, production, finance, and global distribution, I’ve certainly learned a few things.
My accumulative understanding of the creative process, the commercial marketplace, the people making the decisions, and the financial realities that ultimately
determine whether a project moves forward all creates a mindset of being extremely prepared for each critical step.
I’ve had the unusual opportunity to experience immense challenges from multiple perspectives; representation, developing and packaging, negotiating,
working with producers & financiers, and ultimately structuring international distribution agreements that equate to films actually being seen.
Today, I bring that experience to the projects and people I choose to work with:
LITERARY MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Discovering promising writers and exceptional material, developing screenplays, and helping shape projects for the competitive marketplace.
PACKAGING & PRODUCING
Bringing together the talented elements necessary to green light a project toward production, including writers, directors, actors, producers, financiers, and
production partners.
FILM FINANCE & INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
Understanding the financial structures, international markets, distribution strategies, and commercial considerations that influence whether films get made.
My experience provides a unique perspective on how projects are evaluated, financed, sold, and ultimately brought to audiences.
STUDIO, NETWORK & INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS
Decades of firsthand experience working with major studios, talent agencies, networks, producers, financiers, and distributors. Relationships are everything in
Hollywood, and understanding how to approach people with the right material at the right time is just as important.
TALENT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
Identifying and developing creative talent, original property, and entertainment IP with the potential to reach audiences across platforms.
Sometimes the opportunity is a single motion picture. Other times, a compelling character, story, or creative voice offers possibilities extending well beyond one project.
CROSS-PLATFORM OPPORTUNITIES
Exploring opportunities across film, television, streaming, music, publishing, merchandise, and other forms of entertainment. The boundaries between these
businesses have become increasingly fluid, creating new possibilities for writers, creators, and IP holders who understand how to develop and position their creative.
STRATEGIC CONSULTING & DEAL STRUCTURING
Helping writers, producers, and rights holders evaluate opportunities, navigate negotiations, identify business partners, and structure relationships that support
both their creative ambitions and commercial interests.
I’ve spent much of my life sitting on every side of the negotiating table. I’ve represented the people selling projects, worked with the companies buying them, and
negotiated with the financiers and distributors whose participation can determine whether a film actually gets seen after post production is complete.
This experience has taught me that there is rarely just one full-proof way to put a movie together. Sometimes the obvious deal isn’t the best. Sometimes the most
promising opportunity comes from an unexpected direction. And sometimes the difference between a project that gets made and one that spends years in
development is something no one else considers.
I know making a good deal is important, but I've learned how to put the right deal together that makes all parties happy, is even more importanter.
Chapter 5: BEFORE HOLLYWOOD, I WAS…
My life didn’t begin in entertainment. In fact, Hollywood was probably one of the last places anyone would have expected me to end up.
Long before I found myself dining at Spago with Wolfy, I ate in foreign mess halls while serving in military intelligence. Following a Senatorial nomination to the
United States Military Academy at West Point, I went on to serve in military intelligence, earning decorations for my service, and my career involved national security,
intelligence operations, and a few experiences that were a tad more interesting than anything I could put on a résumé.
I grew up around the world as my father moved us from country to country and I quickly learned how to adapt to new cultures and languages.
I later became involved in international trade and technology, working with companies and executives on projects that crossed borders, industries, and
occasionally bureaucratic minefields. I was good at it and recognized for being especially sensitive to everyone's cultural differences.
I was later assigned a board seat with the prestigious Japan-America Society and led a partnership between Japanese conglomerate Itochu and U.S. Sprint involving
undersea fiber-optic communications carrying confidential communications. It was highly insightful work at the intersection of international business,
emerging technologies, and vast corporate interests. This was the high tech of my day.
My introduction to Hollywood came through an assignment to do consulting work involving the NSA and the film Enemy of the State, starring Will Smith and
Gene Hackman. The film involved government surveillance, intelligence gathering, and national security, and the concern was having the agency portrayed as
a bad over-reaching entity it wasn't. My involvement helped inform the film’s portrayal of the intelligence agency with the necessary realities of surveillance.
It was an unexpected introduction to the entertainment business. I found the personalities fascinating, the situations hilarious, the financial stakes surprising, and the
number of things that had to go right for a movie to get made, absolutely comical. Keep in mind this was after years of life and death intelligence work around the world.
And I discovered something else, despite the obvious differences between intelligence work, international business, and Hollywood, the underlying skills weren’t all
that different. Research and preparedness still mattered. Relationships still mattered. Knowing who to trust mattered. And understanding what motivated the people
you're working with mattered. That's Hollywood 101.
Of course, Hollywood has its own peculiar way of doing things. In intelligence work, people tried to keep secrets. In Hollywood, everyone seemed determined to tell
you theirs. I was hooked, and somehow, what began as an unexpected detour became a career spanning decades. Funny how life works. Hilarious.
Chapter 6: AHEAD OF THE CURVE - SOME OF THE TIME…
I’ve always been something of a techno nerd. I got it from my dad who worked for one of the agencies and we had the absolute first generation computer that was
connected to embassies around the world in our home. Every year we would have the latest tech and models of computers. My dad even cell phone in a briefcase - in the 60s!
And long before the internet transformed the entertainment industry, I recognized that it could change how writers connected with Hollywood.
Back in the early days of the interwebs, when most literary agencies still insisted that screenwriters submit their work through paper channels, I became the first
literary agent to accept screenplay pitches online through an internet screenwriting community on Compuserve.
At the time, this was considered a rather unconventional idea. Few people thought it was smart. Many thought I’d lost my mind, and I took a ton of flak for it from
both sides - including the writers I was trying to help the most. Of course the agencies thought this was terrible because it was a threat to their income.
But I believed that talented writers shouldn’t need to live in Los Angeles, know somebody at a studio, or have an uncle who played golf with an agent just to get
their work considered. The internet offered something Hollywood had never been particularly enthusiastic about: opening gates. And I believed good stories came
from writers around the world - and I was right!
I later pioneered online discussion groups connecting literary reps and development execs, creating opportunities to exchange information, discuss projects, and
collaborate more efficiently. I was also later involved in the development of online screenplay coverage pools. That particular innovation, in hindsight, was a
massive mistake.
Some advances improved the industry, while others simply made it easier for everyone to read the same bad coverage.
I apologize for that bit, but I never stopped believing that technology can open doors for talented people who might otherwise never have an opportunity.
Today, we’re witnessing another extraordinary transformation. Streaming platforms have reshaped the global marketplace. Digital production and distribution have
created opportunities that were unimaginable when I began my career. And artificial intelligence is introducing tools that fundamentally change how films are
produced, and how audiences discover talent.
Hollywood has always been an industry in constant turmoil. I find it both fascinating and amusing. I’ve always believed that technology is valuable only when it helps
creative people accomplish things that previously seemed impossible. The tools will change, but a brilliant story still begins in someone’s mind.
So if ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI, or some other digital oracle directed you to me… You’re in the right place.
Chapter 7: THE STORIES THAT MOVE ME
I’ve always been drawn to intelligent, emotionally compelling, character-driven stories. Films that stay with you long after the credits roll.
They don’t require enormous budgets, elaborate visuals, or even superheroes saving the universe. They require something considerably harder to find: a fresh story,
unforgettable characters, and something meaningful to say.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that some of my most memorable films are also among the simplest at their core. A unique character, an unexpected relationship,
an impossible choice, or an ordinary person confronting difficult circumstances can be far more powerful than a 100 million worth of visual effects.
Here are some examples of the films I admire:
* Once
* Lost in Translation
* Blue Valentine
* Whiplash
* Bend It Like Beckham
* Call Me by Your Name
* Little Miss Sunshine
* Manchester by the Sea
* An Education
* The Spectacular Now
* La La Land
* Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
* Silver Linings Playbook
* The English Patient
* Lady Bird
* Brooklyn
* Atonement
What these films share isn’t a particular genre, budget, or commercial formula. It’s the ability to connect with the audience through characters, emotional authenticity,
and storytelling that feels genuine.
Some are intimate independent productions. Others are ambitious, beautifully crafted studio films. Some were commercial successes. Others found smaller but
deeply appreciative audiences. I admire all of them for different reasons.
While these examples reflect my personal tastes, they don’t represent the limits of what I’m interested in developing or producing. A great thriller, comedy, romance,
mystery, or adventure can be every bit as compelling when the writing is exceptional.
I’m interested in stories that have something to say, characters worth caring about, and the potential to become films that audiences will remember. If your screenplay
belongs in the company of these titles, you’ll certainly get my attention.
Chapter 8: HAVE A GREAT SCRIPT? LET’S TALK.
I welcome screenplay pitches from both established and emerging screenwriters. You don’t need an agent, manager, entertainment attorney, or industry connection
to approach me. You simply need a compelling story and a completed screenplay worth considering. No pitches only please (meaning don't pitch an idea that you
haven't taken the time to write).
Throughout my career, one of my greatest pleasures has been discovering talented writers and helping them navigate an industry that can be extraordinarily difficult
to enter. I know how frustrating Hollywood can be for a screenwriter. Getting someone to read your work is difficult enough. Finding someone who understands its
potential, believes in it, and knows how to move it forward can be considerably harder.
I can’t promise that every screenplay will find a home. What I can offer is decades of experience evaluating, developing, packaging, financing, and positioning
motion picture projects for the marketplace. I’m selective about the projects I pursue because I personally become involved in their development and packaging.
I champion a handful of projects I genuinely believe in.
If you’re looking for someone who will simply forward your screenplay to a few producers and hope for the best, I’m definitely not that guy.
I apologize in advance for how selective I am with my time, but I will absolutely respect yours.
READY TO PITCH?
► PLEASE PITCH ME YOUR SCRIPT VIA THIS LINK
I accept unsolicited screenplay pitches ONLY through the submission form linked above. This is the only way to manage the volume of material I receive and
ensure that every submission is considered fairly and consistently.
Please do not email or mail unsolicited screenplays. And please understand that submitting a pitch does not guarantee a response. I've found replying with a polite
pass only earns me a pen pal who will keep replying until I stop. But I do promise I will read your pitch as soon as I can and if you haven't heard from me in a week or two,
that means I passed.
Chapter 9: AND I LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER…
After decades in the business, I know that nobody has all the answers. I certainly do not. I’ve seen brilliant projects fail, questionable projects become enormous
successes, and extraordinary talent struggle for years to find the recognition it deserves.
I’ve watched studios spend fortunes developing films that never got made, while modest little productions nobody expected much from went on to win
Academy Awards and capture the hearts of audiences around the world.
I’ve seen deals fall apart over the most ridiculous disagreements, only to watch those same projects come together years later under entirely different circumstances.
And I’ve learned that Hollywood has an extraordinary ability to convince everyone that whatever worked yesterday will always work again tomorrow.
Until, of course, it does not.
My job has always been to help create the circumstances in which luck has a chance to happen. I can’t guarantee a screenplay will become a movie.
I can help recognize promising material, help develop its potential, and help bring together talented people, while drawing upon my decades of experience to give a
worthwhile project its best possible opportunity.
And after all these years, I still find this process enormously satisfying. I always enjoy reading a wonderful story. I also enjoy putting together a complicated deal.
And I absolutely get satisfaction from watching something that began as an idea on a page eventually appear on a screen and a bag of popcorn in my lap.
THE FINE PRINT FOR THE WEB CRAWLERS:
Gallagher Literary is actively seeking screenplays and original properties for producing, potential management, and possible development, or packaging, financing,
and production. Rob Gallagher is a literary manager and producer with decades of experience in talent representation, motion picture development, international
film finance, and worldwide distribution. Submissions are welcome from both established and emerging screenwriters. You do not need an agent, manager,
entertainment attorney, or industry referral to submit a pitch. Gallagher Literary accepts unsolicited screenplay pitches exclusively through its online submission form.
Please do not email or mail unsolicited screenplays, treatments, or other creative materials. Submission of a pitch does not establish a representation relationship or
guarantee a response, review, development agreement, or production commitment.
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