Writer’s quotes to live by
“No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost
Spiderman Animator Shares Creation Process
Filmmaking is an extremely collaborative process as screenwriters Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman can attest to, and when everyone has the same vision on a project, as was done in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a multi-universal world was created.
Once the screenwriter crafts the script it’s out of the writer’s hands and is placed in the hands of other talented creators. Writer/comedic animator Emma Shih took her part in the collaboration seriously, and shares how she used herself for her own frame of reference while animating Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
The video shows side-by-side shots of Shih acting out the scenes to Jake Johnson, Shameik Moore, and Hailee Steinfeld’s voices, next to the final animated shots. Watch for yourself to see the very cool process.
If you’d love to read the screenplay to better understand the structure and/or how to write for animation, you can read the script here. You’re welcome!
Get Unstuck: How to Create a Great Outline
Today is Tuesday, and that means another edition of “Career Hack Tuesday”. In this episode, we focus on the dreaded ‘OUTLINE’. When it comes to screenwriting or writing of any kind, great outlines are key. They help with time management while creating a plan to follow, so that writer's block is mitigated and the process is able to aptly flow.
A great exercise for first time scribes and even those of you looking to flex your outline muscles, is to create an outline from one of your favorite movies.
The Outline Creation Has Two Definite Purposes:
It allows easy analysis for preferences in story structure.
It allows common tropes to be easily spotted, so that can be eliminated in the scriptwriting.
First: Pick a movie. Choose any film with the structure you’re looking to emulate story wise.
Second: Write down quick summaries about every scene in the movie, strictly story details. Take note of any location changes, this will aid you in noticing story pacing. Before you realize it, voila! your outline should be at least three pages long.
Finally: Disassemble Your Script
Break the outline down into major plot points. Start by separating the plot into its beginning, middle, and end.
Then break those segments down even further to better understand why the plot had to be the way it was.
The beginning breakdown should be the protagonist and their settings/world view and how they establish and shape the story.
The middle breakdown should be how everything established in the beginning is threatened by the inciting incident. Also, list any details that factored into the inciting incident.
And the ending breakdown should focus on how the protagonist succeeded, or failed, and how that affected the story i.e. what was learned/gained as well as any changes to the setting or character relationships. Same as the middle breakdown, you should list any details that factored into the ending.
Again, outlining is key. It is a process that is necessary in saving you time and will lessen the amount of stress that may come your way while finishing any project.
For anyone interested in a deeper dive into the importance of outlining, definitely check out this article. Enjoy!
Peep Show: Weird to GENDER Flip Weirder
*Heavy Sigh* we have another imported British comedy headed this way, this time in the form of the cult British classic, Peep Show. The POV comedy is getting another chance at a U.S. adaptation with a script in development at FX. Superstore writer Karey Dornetto is writing the adaptation, and if picked up will helm the series as well.
The original series, ran for nine seasons on British airwaves and is getting a gender role reversal with the two leads – played by David Mitchell and Robert Webb in the UK original –
*TRIGGER WARNING FOR (some) MEN
This go around, the leads will be played by women.
Men please remember, we did get a crack at the British remake, THREE CHANCES, in fact.
Spike passed on their pilot in 2008…
Starz networks attempted a remake in 2016…
Fox EVEN took a run at a pilot, starring The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki, in 2005.
You can watch the one that was produced in 2005 below; it was UTTER TRASH. You can watch it below, (your eyes have been warned though, and your time WON’T thank you, either).
I mean in a world full of original ideas, why are we still dipping in the realm of remake-rehash? Maybe Karey Dornetto can bring a fresh of breath air to this idea, I’m really holding out for it, until then guess I’ll be watching old re-runs of this classic.
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