Just a couple of comments of the Disney story structure method that came out in this meeting:
Early on, Walt commented both “Get the contrast in there” and “that is a good contrast.” You will always see a lot of contrast in Disney story.
Walt stated “That would be better than a long bunch of dialogue.” Disney always tried to minimize dialogue — “showing” instead of “talking.”
“CHARLIE: I can’t feel it is very dramatic when the Huntsman softens and doesn’t kill her. I can’t get the connection of it being dramatic. A fellow like the Huntsman who is sent out on a job should do it – a fellow like that wouldn’t confess that he couldn’t do it.” Character, Character, Character! …and motivation behind character.
“WALT: Yes, but I say there are birds and she sees just this one little bird, maybe, with his foot caught in a twig or something and is held there and she helps the little bird along.” Setting up sympathy for the character, through what a sociologist would call indirect reciprocity. After this set up, we now, as an audience, don’t want to see that character get hurt.
“CHARLIE: The Huntsman could have a black beard on chin.” And now we know who gave the Huntsman his black beard, and when.
