TV ANIMATION WRITING RESOURCES

*If you want to break into TV Animation Writing, this is for you.

**Even if you’re at the very beginning of your writing journey, this is also for you.

Pay Survey:

How much are assistants, writers, and story editors at various studios making right now? Check out this survey curated by @MadisonBateman

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eTBBWgPTZhEEBsnYDUwjZz_qKnvy6uZvd5gJCpfV49s/edit?usp=sharing

*Please use this as a guide for what to negotiate per studio!

Also refer to the Animation Guild wage surveys for future information on minimums:

https://animationguild.org/contracts-wages/

For those starting on your journey, this is what script format looks like:

INDUSTRY STANDARD FORMAT

Screenwriting format comes easier with the use of software like Final Draft

Cheaper and free options:

CeltX

Writer Duet (first few scripts free and great for writing partners!)

Highland 2 - https://quoteunquoteapps.com/highland-2/

Fade In (cheaper than Final Draft, but a lot of the same functions)

Here’s a list of more– https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/free-screenwriting-software/

Note* These books are a great resource to have on your desk when you come up against a sequence you’re unsure how to format or organize:

The Hollywood Standard - Christopher Riley

The Screenwriter’s Bible - David Trottier

ANIMATION PRODUCTION PIPELINE

Rise Up Animation has put together this info on the animation pipeline: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczg67mOmze1F0F98b5aMW3rqf1YiG8u73Ukzlzm1Oit9WIHA/viewform

*RUA also provides advice sessions for BIPOC looking to learn more about the animation industry!

The Animation Guild (TAG) Showrunners Training Series:

https://animationguild.org/showrunner-training/

*Interviews with various roles and how they function within the animation process

Maaike Scherff’s TV Animation Zine:

https://ko-fi.com/maaike/shop

*Great and free primer to working in TV animation from the artist’s perspective

BOOKS TO READ

(Note* Buying books can add up, see if you can borrow from a library or friends!)

How to Write Animation - Jeffrey Scott

Animation Development: From Pitch to Production - David B. Levy

Animation Writing and Development: From Script Development to Pitch - Jean Ann Wright

Art of Dramatic Writing - Lajos Egri

Save the Cat - Blake Snyder

Immediate Fiction - Jerry Clever

The Writer’s Journey - Christopher Vogler

Invisible Ink - Brian McDonald

Your Screenplay Sucks! - William Akers

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting - Syd Field

Write to TV - Martie Cook

STORY - Robert McKee

Into the Woods: A Five-Act Journey Into Story - John Yorke

Elephant Bucks - Sheldon Bull

Eight Characters of Comedy - Scott Sedita

Coffee Break Screenwriter - Pilar Alessandra

The TV Writer’s Workbook - Ellen Sandler

The Comic Toolbox - John Vorhaus

The Hollywood Standard - Christopher Riley

The Screenwriter’s Bible - David Trottier

"The Tipping Point" - Malcolm Gladwell ( "The Stickiness Factor" chapter 3)

Gardner's Guide to Writing and Producing Animation - Shannon Muir

Writing for Emotional Impact - Karl Iglesias

CHILDREN DEVELOPMENT READS

Queen Bees and Wannabes - Rosalind Wiseman

Masterminds and Wingmen - Rosalind Wiseman

Preschool Clues - Angela C. Santomero

Radical Kindness - Angela C. Santomero

The Yes Brain - Daniel J. Siegel, MD, and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD

READ MORE ANIMATION (AND MORE!) SCRIPTS

https://www.simplyscripts.com/genre/animation-scripts.html

https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/us-animation?authuser=0

https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/home?authuser=0

https://screencraft.org/2019/08/12/21-series-bibles-that-every-tv-screenwriter-should-read/

https://www.shorescripts.com/tv-series-bibles/

BBC scripts: https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts?fbclid=IwAR1SIZ88INNkuETyTWxK69dJhWMbZI4BHcF1GlQzk3DBAeoZQmckx3TLjwk

http://okbjgm.weebly.com/downloads.html

Courtesy of Noelle Stevenson/Mattel/DW:

A script from S2 that Noelle wrote for She-Ra:

https://www.scribd.com/document/485015148/SHE218-SaveTheCat-RecordDraft?fbclid=IwAR3Is1dQAvwMWoFyZqArUy7YurzOX89znBDfctY007T6XNH6nDKDIQXkszU

Courtesy of Dan Milano and the Glitch Tech’s crew:

1st and Locked Draft Sample: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HQs8Rly2iaqgr-L6qDFOFRRp--OGGcQe

Internal Guide for Writing on Glitch Techs: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bhg7trrjtN352nbYglPUoEydjA-662Rz/view

More resources:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1W1b64wa2cztp0ymgqAsDN1d0cs2H4zI-?usp=sharing

Courtesy of Spencer Rothbell- Clarence Outline for “Lil’ Buddy”

https://issuu.com/srothbell/docs/clarence_lilbuddy_outline052014revised

PITCHING AND SERIES DEVELOPMENT

Read and learn existing show bibles - https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/tv-show-bible-examples/

Bravest Warriors Pitch Bible-

https://www.scribd.com/document/118981476/Bravest-Warriors-Pitch-Bible

PODCASTS

Typin’ Toons - https://www.typintoons.com (ultimate animation writing podcast)

ScriptNotes - https://johnaugust.com/scriptnotes (ultimate writing for Hollywood podcast)

La Lista - https://lalistapodcast.com

The Writers Panel - https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-writers-panel/

Good One (about writing comedy) - https://www.vulture.com/news/good-one-podcast/

Paper Team - http://www.paperteam.co/

*It's a long running TV Writing podcast (4+ years) aimed at helping aspiring writers break in, by giving practical advice about the craft and business of TV writing, as well as interviewing established writers and industry professionals about how they got their start. Paper Team has had featured panels every year at Wondercon, and recently at the Austin Film Festival as well. Also offers a 'Paper Scraps' segment like the ScriptNotes podcast 3 pg challenge where TV writers can send in teasers from their scripts for feedback on-air, and win prizes or mentorship opportunities.

(Note* The next podcasts have interviews of a variety of animation professionals, including writers!)

The Animated Journey - https://www.theanimatedjourney.com

Black n’ Animated - https://blacknanimated.podbean.com

The Animation Network Podcast - http://www.theanimationnetwork.org

Ink and Paint Folk - https://inkandpaintfolk.podbean.com

Basic Brainheart - https://soundcloud.com/user-625579819

Paper Wings - https://chrisoatley.com/all-podcasts/visual-storytelling-podcast/

Nickelodeon Animation Podcast - https://www.nickanimation.com/podcasts

Austin Film Festival At Home Series - https://austinfilmfestival.com/blog/news/aff-at-home/

Animation Guild’s Writers Craft Virtual Panel Series -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaIWUezyweatxSzVzwN_fdA

JP Lecture Series, hosted by Julia Prescott- (virtual during Covid)

Email to be added to mailing list of future events, $8-10 tix: [email protected]

In the Cut Talks ($15, various topics) - https://inthecutla.org/resources

Rise Up Animation YouTube channel (various animation roles interviewed): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwrpD2lrhekf8UKj1HJp3JA?sub_confirmation=1

Surviving Animation YouTube channel: Http://YouTube.com/survivinganimation

GREAT INTERVIEWS WITH ANIMATION WRITERS

*Cartoon Network Talk with Jeff Trammell and Kate Tsang

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFdNirZHmcs/

*writer/creator Emily Brundige - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cassie-soliday/ink-and-paint-girls/e/68737790

*writer Jeff Trammell - https://blacknanimated.podbean.com/e/09-jeff-trammell-writer-black-n-animated-podcast/

*creator of We Bare Bears, Daniel Chong - http://www.theanimatedjourney.com/2016/07/05/ep-020-daniel-chong-creator-and-executive-producer-of-we-bare-bears/

*writer Mercedes Valle - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cassie-soliday/ink-and-paint-girls/e/51653262

*writer/voice actor Haley Mancini - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cassie-soliday/ink-and-paint-girls/e/50293244

*writer Mia Resella - http://www.theanimatedjourney.com/2017/10/11/ep-055-mia-resella-writer-in-the-nickelodeon-writing-program/

*writer Laura Sreebny - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/35-writer-laura-sreebny-seizing-opportunities-for-creative/id1200561920?i=1000397499937

*writer Taneka Stotts -

https://blacknanimated.podbean.com/e/34-taneka-stotts-tv-and-comics-writer/

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Film Courage - https://www.youtube.com/user/filmcourage

Lessons from the Screenplay - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErSSa3CaP_GJxmFpdjG9Jw

ARTICLES

* Struggling to find time to write? Read this pep talk: https://catapult.co/stories/do-you-want-to-be-known-for-your-writing-or-for-your-swift-email-responses

* Dan Harmon’s Story Structure 104: The Juicy Details: https://channel101.fandom.com/wiki/Story_Structure_104:_The_Juicy_Details

* From Jean Ann Wright at AWN.com: https://www.awn.com/users/jean-ann-wright

* “The Difference Between Live-Action and Animation Writing” - https://www.awn.com/blog/difference-between-live-action-and-animation-writing

* Writers Guild Foundation - https://www.wgfoundation.org/search?q=zoom

* Khan Academy/Disney Imagineering and Pixar in a Box - https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/hass-storytelling/imagineering-in-a-boxhttps://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/pixar

* From Lee Jessup about writing as a team - https://leejessup.com/not-so-fast-consider-these-5-things-when-contemplating-a-writing-partnership/

* Advice from Josie Campbell about breaking in - http://cozyjamble.com/faq-2/

* What does a script coordinator do? This document is about being an SC on a Drama series, however much here is also true and relevant to working on an animated series: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mRhiN0ykveJkcKFRIh9irFmbzi1eWuB8/view

* Gina Ippolito writes about how she gets and keeps jobs:

* https://ginaippy2.tumb