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WorldCrafters Guild

Workshop:  Outlining from a TV Show - & Homework

 

- [From: Jacqueline Lichtenberg * EMC.Ver #3.0] --

Rick (as usual a wondrous resource that man!) wrote:

> > What you say is the important part is just background as far as I am concerned.

JL here: a while back on the workshop, someone asked for a detailed definition of Tailored Effect. (1999 comment: "Tailored Effect" is the term I invented in STAR TREK LIVES! for the reason why Classic Star Trek has energized so many creative people.) Rick has just provided it in this exchange. One person's "important" is the other person's "background."

A writer, when making an outline for their own use, puts down on paper only the "unimportant" part, the part that's unimportant to the writer but will be important to some of the readers who don't see the world the same way the author does.

It is necessary for a writer to think in conscious detail about what's important to other people, strangers who look at things so differently -- because that's the distinction between the amateur or fan writer/writing (that is only about what the writer enjoys or admires) and commercial writing, which is about what the writer enjoys AND what a lot of other kinds of people enjoy TOO.

It isn't an either/or thing - but a both/and thing. To my way of thinking, the very best writing provides interesting connecting links between what the writer personally enjoys about the world, and what other people enjoy.

> > As for the actual outline, you did say to limit to 200 words or so. My first try had 200 words before the first commercial break, and it was all about the  plot.

I just posted a brief note on AOL in the JL Romance/Vampires board mentioning a Highlander episode with an identifying description -- I'd have to sign on and copy that or I'd put it in here for everyone. It's the episode 2 parter where a cd rom database of the Watchers is set up on a computer to go out to all the news agencies and Duncan is challenged to martyr himself to prevent that.

That's almost what I said on AOL about it -- notice how this description blends plot and Situation to the revelation of character/emotion -- a plot question would be "what would Duncan do?" but my question is "What would Duncan FEEL? in that circumstance?"

What interests me about this episode is the way the Situation makes Duncan (and Amada) sweat. They can't imagine what their lives would be like if their Secret is blown.

> > The outline for 'Intersections in Real Time', the episode being rerun this   week, is real easy from my point of view.

I must have that on my time-shifting tape now. Ill let you know if I have time before Worldcon.

>>Earth functionaries try to break Captain Sheridan and get him to sign a confession using physical and psychological methods of torture.

Oh, that's one I missed on first run. Yes, I saw the clips from it last week and recognized it as one I had not seen yet. I've missed quite a few - not by will, but by VCR.

> > As for writing for TV. It is one thing to be able to outline an already finished product it is something entirely different to think up the product in the first place.

Actually, no it isn't very different at all. Once you get the hang of doing it in one direction, you just do exactly the same thing BACKWARDS. It' s kind of like following street directions to someplace, then going home by following the directions backwards.

HOMEWORK:

For the workshoppers here's what you do with the outline that Rickeshay made : You take this (single sentence) OUTLINE and (it's better if you haven't SEEN the episode or even B5 as a show) and you WRITE AN EPISODE or short story from the outline.  

Yours won't be anything like the episode the outline is from -- and in fact, could be a saleable commodity all by itself.

For an example of me doing this exercise -- my Kraith Novel (Federation Centennial is the title) which starts with Sarek tied up and watching Amanda being raped -- is just James Blish's SPOCK MUST DIE reduced to an outline, then re-dressed in Kraith details. HOUSE OF ZEOR follows the same pattern, but a tad more sophisticated in variations.

Live Long and Prosper, Jacqueline Lichtenberg