How to Write for Animation by Jeffrey Scott

Getting Ready to Write

Understanding the World of Animation

Types of Animation

Types of Distribution

Audiences

Types of Animated Media

Genres of Animation

Writing for Animation

Basic Overview

TV most common format is the "half hour" (22 minute) 3 basic steps:

1. Premise
2. Story Beats - not included in this section, but the main step later in the book
3. Outline
4. Script

The Premise

Premise - a simple telling of the story, 1.5-3 pgs. Beginning middle end.

• Communicates the story
• Sells the story

Should be as short as possible but long enough to tell the story!

Economy of words.

Work well in context of series - fit characters and format

Needs to stand out as different

old idea + new time/place/characters = fresh idea

character-driven story

The less experienced (younger) your audience, the more interested in action rather than people.

Look at what's popular (really?)

Keep it simple

Working writer needs to be able to come up with LOTS of ideas. Like, 50+ at once, and at best half approved.

Keep a file of ideas.

Stay true to your audience - whether the ultimate audience of the show or the editors reviewing the premises.

What does the buyer/backer want?

Next Comes the Outline

An outline is a complete story, in written prose form, laying out every scene that will be in the final script. (Story beats)

Half-hour outline: 15-25 beats, 10-20 pages.

Beats (scenes): 5 sec to 5 minutes long

Dialogue optional!

Then Comes the Script

In screenplay format!

• description of the physical environment
• any action
• dialogue
• transitions, camera angles, camera moves when necessary

Format Lengths

7 minute

Looney Tunes, etc. Slapstick, no time for character or story

11 minute "Quarter Hour"

Powerpuff Girls, Dragon Tales, WordGirl - story arc, minor character changes, B story, no act breaks (act break between episodes)

22 minute "Half Hour"

My Little Pony, Batman, Muppet Babies. Time for A, B, C stories, character interaction. 2-3 acts, sometimes a cold open. 30-45 pages.

The following designations do not appear in the book

44 minute "Hour"

uncommon in animation as a format, but frequently done as a two-parter of 22 minute episodes. Also Star Trek: TNG. A plot, B plot, C plot, D-velopment. You can have one main story going on and a secondary framing story in the background, or something evolving over the course of the episode, worldbuilding, etc.

89 minute "Feature"

The minimum for a movie to be considered an animated feature - and hence the running time of most non-Disney animated features. Sometimes a 4-parter TV movie broken into 4 22minute episodes, for example WordGirl's "The Rise of Miss Power". Each act practically has its own 3 act structure, lots of time for musical numbers etc. Think of it this way: you can introduce a season-arc-sized problem in the first half and resolve it in the second, without having to reference it over the season. See also the (frequently overused) Blake Snyder's Beat Sheet, from Save the Cat, which expands each of the four acts of the dramatic structure with 3 acts or so each.

If you're not pitching to an existing show, choose your format based on how you like to write, or what depth of story you're best at.

How to Write a Premise

Practice makes perfect in cartoon writing.

This book focuses on half-hour action comedy, because it's the most common format.

When writing a premise for an existing series, make it:

1. As unique and creative as you can
2. Fit well within the format/characters expected
3. Familiar/relatable elements you can have fun with

Story can be fleshed out using subplots:

A-story (Action)

main action plot, what happens -= beginning, middle, end

B-story (Barrier)

a complication to prevent the A-story from resolving immediately, usually character-driven.

C-story (Character/Change)

In order to resolve the B-story, you need to have a character arc or change happen.

C-story is not mentioned in this section

This is not the only way to describe A/B/C plots or stories. Most resources describe the B story as a completely different thing that is developing during the course of the A-story sequence, that isn't so much a direct barrier as it is a distraction that also has to be dealt with. (Move this note to the subplot page when created)

Premise should be 1.5 pages or so.

Writing Dialogue

Dialogue Checklist

Feature, Internet, and Sample Scripts

Writing Animation for the Internet

This book was written before YouTube existed, it has no useful information here.