Are animated specs worth the time?
I have been tossing around an idea for an animated feature film. I have a ton of notes, character breakdowns, beat sheets, outlines, etc., etc. Now its just a question of putting it down on the page. My question is fairly simple and straight-forward: Am I wasting my time?
I’ve read that writing specs for animation should be avoided, as the big animation studios typically take pitches, ideas, and submissions internally. Is this the case?
I know you are credited on Corpse Bride and Titan A.E. I’m assuming those were both work-for-hires. But what do you think about specs?
– Jack Mulligan
Go ahead and write it. It’s very unlikely that an animation spec will get sold and produced, but remember, that’s not the only goal of writing a spec. You write specs to get your next job, and if you can write a great animated spec, do it.
Both Titan A.E. and Corpse Bride were rewrites of movies already close to production. In both cases, I didn’t need to write at all differently than live-action. There were small semantic changes — in animation, you number for sequences rather than scenes — but when reading the script, you wouldn’t necessarily know that it was going to be animated rather than live-action. So don’t freak out about some special formatting you see in a printed script or guidebook. Just write it like a normal feature.
Last year, I had a meeting with Disney Animation, in which they talked through all of their upcoming projects. It’s clear they really develop in-house, and aren’t searching the town for new material. And I suspect that’s true for all of the majors.
But the animated spec you write could be a great sample for live action, particularly if it showcases comedy and set-pieces. If you write Shrek, you can write funny, and someone will want to hire you.
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May 27th, 2008 at 9:17 am
When he was still an assistant, Drew Goddard—writer of Cloverfield and many episodes of Lost—chose a new series he thought might become successful (Six Feet Under), got a sense of the series, wrote an amazing script and handed it to everyone he worked with… not with the hope that the script would be produced, but in the hope it would lead to work. Note that he chose to write a spec script of a series still on the air and likely to be successful, not an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:37 am
While the majors may develop inhouse, I have heard of smaller companies who look for animated specs. Obviously not the budget of the majors, but if your desire is to get a start in the business, there certainly are avenues regarding animated specs, from what I have seen.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:00 am
First, let me confess that I’m not nearly as successful as John August. But…I’ve also written animation for hire (for 20th Century Fox, where John did Titan A.E., though our film was never made). I got that assignment based on a live-action spec. In other words, I didn’t have to write animation to get a job in animation. I should say that getting a job in animation wasn’t my goal. It was just a nice outcome.
The question I would ask myself if I were you is what my goals are. I would imagine that an animation spec would be a good sample for animation assignments (and perhaps for live-action assignments that are in a similar genre/for a similar audience?). If animation is your goal, an animation spec will serve you well. If your animation ideas is sensational and you don’t have a sensational live-action idea, I’d also say write it (writing well is always to your benefit, whatever the medium).
I share John’s perception of how they do development at Disney (having also met with them). I still have relationships with 20th Century Fox and I think it’s the same over there. That is, they’re unlikely to buy your spec. However, they do hire writers, and a good writing sample, whether animation or live-action will always serve you well.
A quick note about specs versus writing samples. All specs are writing samples. Some also sell (in features that is). Bottom line: most specs end up being writing samples, whether they’re TV, live-action or animation. The process is basically this: your script goes out (ideally via your agent) and maybe someone buys it. More often, no one buys it — for various reasons that have nothing to do with whether they like it. However, the same people who opt not to buy your screenplay may love it, or love your writing, and either approach you about a writing assignments or request a general meeting with you that can lead to work later on if you play your cards right. Needless to say, that’s a great start to a career. Any spec that can help you get jobs is therefore potentially valuable. If you also want a shot at selling it, long-form is probably a better way to go than animation, but the odds of selling a spec are low enough that writing an animation idea you think is great would be better than writing a so-so live action idea. And if you love animation, your spec might just get you some general meetings with some of the animation execs.
@Ross Pruden — The process Ross describes above is the standard process for TV (which is where Drew Goddard appears to have gotten his start). You always spec an existing show — ideally one that decision-makers are interested in reading (a critically acclaimed show in it’s second season is a good way to go — a show that’s been around forever not so much, as people may be sick of reading it). TV specs are never produced (if there’s an exception I don’t know about it). They’re meant to be samples and nothing else. Pilots (when you write the first episode of an original tv show idea) are different, but unless you’re an established TV writer or, to a lesser degree, an established feature or long-form television writer, odds of selling a pilot are very very slim).
Hope that contributes something…
May 27th, 2008 at 10:09 am
@ Paula:
Thanks for that. I should have underlined the idea that any script you write is a writing sample — which is why every script you put out there should be as strong as possible, regardless of the genre or intended audience.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:38 am
@Paula
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t David Milch’s first script for Hill Street Blues a spec? I think he won an Emmy for it to. Talk about the exception to the rule!
May 27th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
@ James
Thanks! I just did a quick Google search and it’s a little unclear what happened, but in one interview he says this:
“HILL STREET BLUES was a show I joined in medius res –â€? Milch began, “Jeffrey Lewis brought me out to Los Angeles in 1982.”
And a bio on the HBO site says this:
“In 1982, David Milch, a lecturer in English literature at Yale University and neophyte screenwriter, wrote a script for HILL STREET BLUES. The episode, “Trial By Fury,” premiered HILL STREET’S third season and won the Emmy®, the Writers Guild Award, and the Humanitas Prize for that season.”
So, yes, fantastic exception.
Worth noting: He had a relationship with Jeffrey Lewis, who was then on the Hill Street Blues staff, so he may have had inside information that allowed him to write a spec that was consistent with where the show planned to go in season three — or, he may have been given a shot at one of the two (I believe it is) open assignments available on every (?) show that go to people who have the connections to get them. Or maybe it was just one sensational exception to the rule (though I have to believe his relationship with Jeff Lewis played some role). I’d love to hear more details if anybody knows them.
May 27th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Do it! Write it! I mean… you have got an idea, right? Why waste this thought with fears? Any spec can be rejected by the big companies… nobody can ever be sure if his or her spec script can be sold… thus it’s called a SPEC script, right? Don’t waste your time with inner conflicts and don’t risk this great idea to get lost within! And if you ever get to this one particular pitch and people are fascinated by your story you simply add the tip of the iceberg and surprise them by saying “Hey, I’ve already written a (spec) script for it… you like to read it?!” - I guess this will make them freak out (in a positive way)!
May 27th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
The start of Ronald D. Moore’s career is another interesting TV spec gets made situation:
In 1988, he managed to arrange a tour of the Star Trek: The Next Generation sets through his girlfriend. While on the tour, he passed a script to one of Gene Roddenberry’s assistants, who liked the script enough to help him get an agent who submitted the script through the proper channels. About seven months later, executive producer Michael Piller read the script, bought it and it became the third season episode “The Bonding�. Based on that script he was offered the opportunity to write a second script and that led to a staff position as a script editor. Two years later, he was promoted to co-producer, then producer for the series’ final year (1994). [Wikipedia]
May 27th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I think it’s a major waste of time. Most of the studios produce in-house and breaking into animation is very hard for a feature film.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Depends on how far he’s come with the idea. If he’s in a position to immediately write the first draft - and it sounds like it - he might as well go ahead for a) practice, b) writing sample, and maybe c) spec sale.
I guess the best way to get an animation gig - if that is your bailiwick - is to write a live action, high-concept family comedy. “Simpsons” director David Silverman and “Ratatouille”’s Brad Bird are both working on live-action projects at the moment. Tim Burton flits between live-action and animation. They’re not polar opposites.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I’m kicking myself for not being able to remember who it was, but someone interviewed on The Treatment with Elvis Mitchell talked about sending a spec script to a show and having it bought and shot, he ended up doing a couple more after that. If I remember correctly it was a pretty big sitcom.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
One of my projects in the pipeline is an idea that I love, and think could be a strong film - but the problem is it’s an adult film (edgy, urban, dark) that could only be done as animation.
So I keep pushing it back down the list. I’ll write it, but don’t expect it to ever be more than a writing sample.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Steve,
I don’t think any writing is a waste of time. If nothing else, it gets one more script under his belt and gives him more practice. And as others have mentioned, it could get him an agent/meeting/assignment in the future.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:50 am
I completely stand correcting on TV specs getting made. Who knew? Thanks everyone.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:36 am
For the entrepreneuring folks out there, there’s one other consideration then it comes to animation - development is a much more steady, stable process than live-action filmmaking. For the most part, any work that gets done is recorded somewhere. Because you’re not dealing with several months (or years) of wheeling and dealing followed by a sudden, comprehensive push for all the expenses and assets of the movie, animation can be an ideal platform for a producer to launch a career from.
In other words, with an animated project, every step forward adds permanent value. It’s hard to take a step back. If you’re looking to develop films as well as write them, you can add talent to your animated project as money and circumstance allows, and that talent can start working for you right away.
Something to consider, if you’re the entrepreneuring sort.
May 28th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
This is very informative. I think just the act of writing a spec to write a spec is good experience and gives you the ability to do something it sounds like is not common.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Long time listener; first time caller. I was wondering about this myself. Thanks for everything, Mr. August.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Thanks for the tips everyone. It definitely gives me confidence moving forward. It is definitely different from the stuff I usually work on, so it will be great to have something more diverse in the hip pocket.
Time to put the pen to the page…
May 29th, 2008 at 8:21 am
This is a very useful post, thanks John. I’m wondering if there’s much use in writing a spec film script for an animated/live action hybrid film in the vein of “Sin City”? Would it make more sense to just write it as one or the other, either entirely animated or entirely live action? I guess the market for animated/live action hybrids is pretty small, so I’m guessing it’s better to choose one or the other style when it comes to writing a spec.
May 29th, 2008 at 9:36 am
You know, there’s one other difference I’ve never considered before now, between working in live action and working in animation…
I’ve worked in theater for years, and I write for actors. At heart I’m a director, and something Peter Jackson said on his Weta Hobbot Q&A resonated with me - writing is the only way to really know the intent of your characters, and it gives you so much more when you finally do get wo work with actors. Between the two of you, you and your actor, you have all the pieces of a character. That’s how I’ve always seen it, and I can’t imagine directing something I didn’t write or adapt. It’d be like flying blind.
That said, a character in animation has other partners, and in that sense, it’s liberating. When writing for actors, I tend to liberate them by challenging them. I know my strengths as a director, and I know my patience and love allows an actor to go to some really hard places to get to.
In animation, one liberates through color and motion, as much as through the actions of the character. It’s great, because all of a sudden a character’s actions aren’t confined to this one person’s inspiration, or even their physical limitations. Increasing we’re seeing this freedom misused in live action cinema at the expense of the actor, but in animation, that’s the point. Each character is driven by the inspiration, emotional range, and whimsy of a collective. Certainly, the actor is one of the elements in that collective, but actors are always surprised to see where the animation goes from the voiceover booth… for a reason!
May 29th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Tim W.,
I agree, any writing one does is good and helpful. If it gets you outside of your own life and into the mindset of a character, it can only sharpen your writing skills.
I have a side question — I know there are a lot of fiction writers who post their stuff for free on the web hoping to catch the eye of publishers (this is a pretty passive way to go about it, but some have garnered a following by publishing like this). Is there any impetous for doing this sort of thing in the screenwriting community? Does anyone know of any websites where this has been done? Just curious.
May 30th, 2008 at 6:01 am
@Madrugada Jones: Triggerstreet.com (which was co-founded by Kevin Spacey if I remember correctly) is a site where writers post their screenplays for free to a community (that needs registration). I don’t know if anyone ever got signed via that page (there are a few mentions of being optioned) but the feedback it provides can be quite helpful. The community is quite large and also covers novels, short stories, plays and short movies (which range between “Least funny home videos” and “high end short films” in terms of quality).
May 30th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
@ coeur42,
Thanks for the helpful information. I’ll look into it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 am
When I was still an assistant at an agency I had a feature animation idea that I knew would sell. I didn’t think I could write it myself, so I attached some mid-level writers I had access to and pitched it around town. Everyone told me it was impossible to sell a project this way - I had no credits! Well I sold it to Fox and Disney tried to counter-bid. Now those writers are gone and I’m attached to write it (though I think it’s probably not going to get made). BUT the point is - don’t let anyone in this town tell you something is impossible. One of the great things about Hollywood is that there are no rules. Just play nice. Write the spec - good writing always leads to work. Good luck!
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Jud, Yes! Such a great story. Congratulations!
June 5th, 2008 at 3:20 am
Does anyone have any advice on what agents are open to reading animated feature scripts. I have a Frankenstein-with-dogs childrens animated feature idea called Scampenstein that I am trying to find a home for.