Writer’s Resources for Animation
Sunday, November 7th, 2010As anyone who has been following my blog and correspondence with my e-penpals knows, I have been planning to post some resources that I think will be helpful for people interested in writing for animation. A few people (stand up Francis, Ale, and Ginger) have sent me great ideas for Jimmy Two Shoes episodes, and alternate characters for the series.
All these ideas have to go through the usual channels (in other words, through the production company, from an agent, and with a signed release form). It’s all a little baffling and intimidating if you’re new at the game.
When I was starting out in the business of writing for television, there was hardly any television industry in my country (Canada) and I didn’t have the nerve – or the Green Card – to pick up and go to L.A. to write. So I pounded on a few doors for a few years and eventually, in the mid-1990s, broke into the business writing for a live-action political satire show entitled This Hour Has 22 Minutes. It was and is a terrific show. Wicked smart and very, very funny. So much so that I honestly feel that The Daily Show and The Colbert Report owe it a debt of inspirational gratitude.
Long story shorter, I became interested in writing animation when, after three years at 22 Minutes, an opportunity came up to co-create an original new series for Teletoon, which was a relatively new specialty channel at the time. What a wild ride that was! With two other partners, I co-created a series that was at first called “Ollie’s Under-The-Bed Adventures”. After legal rumblings from a company that already had their own Ollie and industry feedback that something involving children under a bed might smack of things that were at worst illegal and at best possibly depraved – we changed the name to “Olliver’s Adventures”. The pilot episode that I wrote won a Gemini Award (Canada’s version of the Emmy’s) for Best Animated Program, and we sold the series in Japan, Great Britain, Australia and several other countries. It was a revelation. It was huge fun writing the show – and I could even make a decent living at it! From there, I became more and more interested in creating animated series, and learning my craft by writing for other animated series. I co-created Jimmy Two Shoes with Sean Scott, and have a new series in development with Nerd Corps, which I can’t talk about yet (I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement), and wrote a novel entitled STAR Academy (for “Superior Thinking & Advanced Research) that has been optioned for television, and which I hope will become a series. I also co-created a series (live-action) called “Finding Stuff Out” with Jonathan Finkelstein at Apartment 11 Productions. We are just about to begin working on the first season, which has been picked up by TV Ontario, and Knowledge Network.
I was fortunate in that after I caught a break writing for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, all the rest of the pieces more or less fell into place.
But for everyone trying to make that first break for themselves, how do you learn to write for animation, and find a way into the business? For now, I’ll keep this short – mostly because I’m working on “Finding Stuff Out” – but I’m going to start modestly, and gradually add more and more resources here.
For starters, here’s a book that I think provides an excellent overview of writing for animation: How To Write for Animation, by Jeffrey Scott.
One great feature of this book is that it tells you how to write a “beat sheet”. I actually didn’t know what that was when I first got into the animation business. So here’s what it is: a point-form breakdown of your story that will save you hours and hours of precious writing time, by keeping you from going off on dead-end tangents. If you want to write for animation – or live-action comedy or drama, for that matter, I highly recommend that you read this book.
Here’s another book that I think is extremely useful: The Art of the Storyboard by John Hart. It covers the storyboard process for both animation and live action (i.e. shows with flesh-and-blood people in them). Even if, like me, you’re not very good at drawing, it will help you start thinking in a more visual manner. Unlike live-action scripts, animation scripts have a lot of visual description in them from the writers, whether the writers can draw or not. It’s ironic, really, because after going through the writing and story editing processes, the scripts are then handed off to the animation director, storyboard artists, and animators, who are some of the most visually oriented people you could ever meet. Live-action scripts, on the other hand, end up in the hands of a director who may or may not have a keen visual sense, but will probably be quite annoyed if you write a lot of camera direction in the action lines. And if you actually can draw, it will help you hone your vision. Either way, it’s all about visualizing in your mind’s eye.
Okay, gotta run for now, but that’s a start. I will update this, so check back.
Good advice, will use it in the very near future ..
Also I feel good that you use the ideas of some, I think it’s great
I have only one question that occurred to me today
Why the program is called “Jimmy Two Shoes”?
What inspired you?
Cool, interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing this. I look forward to seeing updates from you.
Thank you very much for the shout out. Sean and Ed.. you mad geniuses!
Aw. :( Where my ideas not that great, did you turn them down because they all have one thing in common, or are you just naming a few of the people who gave you ideas? Either way, they had alot of good ideas, even the non-JimmyxHeloise ones.
Hi, Edward!! Hey, I saw the 2nd season of Jimmy Two-Shoes and it was AWESMAZING!! I also have a question. When does the 3rd season of Jimmy Two-Shoes starts? Does it start in the middle of June? Please tell me!! I must know!!
Hi, Edward!! Hey, I have a question. When does the 3rd season of Jimmy Two-Shoes starts? Does it start in the middle of June? Please tell me!! I must know!!
Hey Deon, Hope you’re well. Glad you’re enjoying season 2! Here’s the tricky part. Season 2 & 3 were originally supposed to be all “Season 2″. Then it was split into two seasons. There are 52 x 11 minute episodes altogether from the original season 2 and 3, so hypothetically speaking, Season 2 begins with the “27th” episode. It’s actually up to the broadcasters to decide what that episode is, since they are written so they can be shown out of sequence without it being confusing to you when you’re watching. So long story short, whenever you’ve seen 26 new episodes, you will know that the next new episode you see is the beginning of season 3. Enjoy! Cheers and thanx, Edward
So season three is technically season two? Thats something nice to consider. Jimmy Two-Shoes is an awesmazing show either way, but I usually take season two’s more seriously that one’s and three’s. Also Edward, do you mind answering my first question as to why you didn’t mention my name? I’m not upset, I just want to know.
Thanks, Edward!!!
I know your busy, but I’ve got two questions for you.
Does Beezy have reality warping powers too, or does he have to be a ruler in order to have them.
Do other Miseryvilians celebrate there birthday, or just the people Lucius likes? If the second one, that could explain why Heloise doesn’t age.
Hey Blahdalizer,
Sorry I didn’t mention you by name – especially as you’ve got such an interesting one! I have hardly checked back on this site for the past six months. My bad. I’ve been finishing the sequel to my STAR Academy novel (”Dark Secrets”) and working on a new show that combines live action and animation. It will be called “Finding Stuff Out”.
Re your questions, Beezy has mainly belching powers. If/when he became ruler, I think there would be some big changes in Miseryville – and in Beezy. Heloise doesn’t age because she’s just that sort of girl…
Thhank you SO much for answering my quesstion.
Oh I see. Heloise just dosen’t want to age. Makes sence since she’s a shapeshifter. Or does she just have a growth problem? If that’s the case, I’ll be fine. Not every day you get a girlfriend you can snuggle like a teddy without getting aressted.
Hey, Edward!! It’s me again!! Still no word for Jimmy Two-Shoes season 3? If there is, please tell me!! I would love to hear the new storyline of Miseryville, and another question. Fromthe episode” The Hooded Chicken”, will we see Heloise’s feet for the 1st time?
Hi Deon, No, still no word… Maybe if enough fans write to the networks that will prompt them to renew it.
Write to the network? How do I do that? I have to keep this show alive.
I just sent a letter to Teletoon. Hope that works.
Also Edward, sorry to bug you again, but I’ve made another real life connection to Jimmy Two-Shoes.
In “Misery hearts”, Heloise was angry that her story didn’t finish and didn’t get to the part where the main couple kissed so she tried to confront the creator. Heloise reminds me of me and the fanbase, the story reminds me of Jimmy Two-Shoes (the show) and how she tries to confront the creator reminds me of what I’m doing right now.
Have you ever made that connection before?
Thanks, for sending the letter to Teletoon. If enough people do that (and send letters to Disney XD in other countries) then maybe we can get another season.
As far as your question goes… absolutely. Every character I’ve ever created is drawn from real life. Usually more than one person, as in the case of Heloise, who combines characteristics of several of the most perplexing women I’ve known…
Really? Because I really want to see her feet for the 1st time. I wonder how they look. Is it probably the same foot design of Jimmy’s foot, or another foot desing for Heloise? I really must know, Edward! I REALLY NEED TO KNOW!!
She’s a shapeshifter. She can make her feet look like whatever she wants. I have a theory on why she has shapeshifting powers, but that’s up to Edward to decide.
I live in America so I sent a letter to Disney XD. I didn’t know you could send mail to them too (I thought it had to be the origin country). I have more questions to ask you.
1. Is there a limit to Heloise’s shapeshifting powers? Like she can’t turn into an older version of herself if she wanted to?
2. Is there anything Heloise is afraid of?
Hi Deon, Honestly, the question of Heloise’s feet is a closely guarded secret. Sean and I j feel that it’s more fun if we leave it to everyone’s imagination. Does she even have feet, for example? Could she have possibly invented some other means of locomotion – a mild anti-gravity device, perhaps – to allow her to float footless above the ground? I’m not saying that’s how it is. Just a fun possibility…
Well in that case, I had additional theories to Heloise’s feet at the end of “The hooded chicken”
1. Heloise was on a contraption that produces multiple footprints to keep Jimmy and Beezy guessing.
2. That was just a joke like how Jimmy turned into a pony and a zombie in “Heloise’s big secret”.
I meant “Heloise’s secret admirer.”
I’m gonna talk about an idea I had a long time ago. I know you won’t do it and it’s kind of been done anyway.
Split personality
Heloise gets tired of her desire to cause misery getting in the way with her attempts at winning Jimmy’s heart and vice versa. So she makes a machine that separates her good side from her bad side. Her good side acts cute and hangs out with Jimmy while her bad side causes misery. Latter both sides start to feel sick because they’ve been separated for too long and if they don’t reunite soon, they will both be in comas for a hundred years or something. so Jimmy has to use the same machine Heloise used to split herself to fuse herself back together. He success at fusing her back, but then accidentally gets fused with her. They have Jimmy’s legs torso and left arm, Heloise’s right arm and both Jimmy and Heloise’s heads. Jimmy asks Heloise if she can unfuse them, but Heloise ofcource refuses.
If Jimmy and his friends have no specific age, I would like to say my theory of there ages. A synopsis said that Jimmy was 14 years old and an article (I’m not sure if it was here or not) said that Beezy and Heloise where near the same age as Jimmy. Since Beezy was seen driving in “Catalogue of Misery”, I would like to believe Beezy is 16 if not older. Heloise would chronologically be between 12 and 16 (probably 16) but biologically no older than 8. Heloise is unable to age because either of the following:
A. She said “You can’t keep me forever” to Lucius thus Lucius used his powers to make her words backfire on her.
B. She made a deal with Lucius to give her shapeshifting powers in exchange for her ability to age.
C. Aging is just different in Miseryvile.
D.
Other?
Exactly!
I have some questions Edward:
1. Is Heloise human?
2. If Heloise is human, how come she can shapeshift?
3. Is there a limit to Heloise’s shapeshifting (eg. what’s stopping her from turning into an older version of herself)?