Don't Think About Writing Cinematically Do This Instead - Brandon Violette

What does it mean to think cinematically? I think there's a kind of a myth that persists in writing for kids is that it's either easy or boring or whatever. And I like to think that you could think big when you're writing for kids television. That's really what it means. And so um really try to maximize the promise of the concept of every episode. So if it's if there's some opportunity or some promise of this action finale, like really push it. And really see like every show is a little bit different and I like to say like creative restrictions are good. Like you should draw a box around every show that you're on and and cuz even if it's kids, it's like it could still be uh they're not all the same. And so every show has its own world of what can happen, what you can do, what not. So you should draw a box around it and then try to push as much as you can against the edges and that's where you'll really hit on something unique. And so and you could go over and then that's when the network's like, "That that doesn't work. " or "That doesn't ring true. " or you find it. But you have you you finding the voice of the show and thinking cinematically just means pushing as much as you can to get the most out of a concept and make it feel like you're there's no reason that an action scene can't be really compelling and and all that in a kid show. It's just I think you could you could feel like you're transported even in um something that's made for kids. Yeah. So that's what I think is thinking cinematically. It's like just like push push. Yeah. When you say push against the edges, so you're putting a box around it knowing like, "Okay, it's for this age demographic here. But what if I go a little over where maybe the parents will like this? " Is it or is that kind of what that is? Yes, it can. So there's So glad that you brought that up because I was on a show and we were trying to get it a joke in or something in and the network pushed back. So we had a weekly meeting and I brought it up. And I said, [snorts] "What is the line? " Because so many shows have winks to adults, right? And like that's you know, this is one thing like what is the line? Cuz I see sometimes that's okay, sometimes it's not okay. And this executive said gave a great answer which was, "In this particular case, this show is very complicated, already probably too complicated for kids. And so we need to keep the barrier to entry low. So if you're taking a complicated setting and you're trying to put in too many winks to adults, then you're going to start losing kids. So we need to do everything we can to try to keep them. " And I thought that was a very good answer. So something like Bluey which is so simple and there's a lot adults like it, there's a lot of winks to there's older jokes, right? Like there's some of that going on. But the sim the setting is simple. You don't need to it's a family at a house, that's it, right? And so then you can layer on some other stuff. But if you're going in complicated out of the gate, uh then you need to be wary of how much you're playing to the adults because it's still for kids. So you need to keep that in mind. So that was how to deal with that. Interesting. Okay. — Yeah. So remembering this is our general audience. We're hoping maybe we'll pull in a parent in the back they'll be like, "Oh wait, I just heard that. That's funny. " you know? But it's not necessarily for them. Okay. — Right right. And the idea of creative restrictions is uh I'll just how you frame the approach in your mind. So if someone's coming into this saying it's kids TV, I can't do anything. I can't Well, that's not going to be a great script. So that's why I'm saying you have to find the boundaries by pushing. Don't think don't box yourself in because then you're not going to do anything special. So try to push and that's what's going to make something that feels unique. And so that's why I'm like embrace the restrictions and then try to find them. Don't just box yourself in and think you can't do anything. So it's a part of a mindset shift. What is cinematic writing? Can you give us an example? Ooh. First thing that came to mind was directing on the page which I think is you want to take the reader. And so something that I try to do is that even scripts shouldn't have to read like technical documents. Like you want them to have a rhythm and a flow even if they're not meant to be read out loud like the dialogue is, but it's going to be at read by the network and then it's going to go get storyboarded. But I think to present a complete vision in each script. That's what it means. And then everything can change or storyboard artists can find ways to plus it and the actors can improvise, but you want to present a completed vision. And so that's what I think that means. Mhm. Have you always written cinematically? Uh no. You try to find it. If you have to write for yourself and delight yourself. And you have to have fun. And so I think that is it like you have to do your

you do your best work when you're relaxed and you can still be relaxed under pressure. I mean that's kind of what you have to learn is how do I relax while I'm doing this? Cuz it has to be fun. And so I remember early on a head writer asked me uh I think he could tell I was like stressed out about something and he's like, "Yeah, but are you having fun? " So oh yeah yeah. He's like, "Good. " And that's a reminder. And it's so when you are relaxed and you're having fun and you write and to delight yourself first cuz that's you're the first reader, then I think that there's something special to that then hopefully carries over on the page to the network or to the storyboard artist who gets it and is excited to do the scene and you know, things can change. They will change. But you want to you know, hand something that's like really well thought out. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. — good little checking in yeah. How did you learn to write cinematically? Um I think it goes back to write what delights you. It write what delights you and start there. And then and if you want to think big and say, "Oh, this sequence where they're pushing this whale up the hill reminds me of like Fitzcarraldo. " or like Werner you know, Klaus Kinski is pushing the steamboat over the mountain, right? Like that's there's things that that you could take and like, "Oh, this is that. " and and but ways to adapt it not to like as a intentional wink or a nod, but just don't be afraid to think big and push it and yeah. Okay. So again, going back to what you said, you are the first reader. You have to do it for yourself first and because otherwise it's not really going to lift off the page. And that's what you want. That's what you want to strive for, I think. Right. But you know, just to play devil's advocate. So if you are the first reader though, at times you're going to be very critical of yourself. It's human nature. We're all going to go, "Ah, I don't know if I like this. This is no good. " — Mhm. So then how do you get out of that? How do you stay the audience's eyes and ears, but then also take your own ego out of it where you're either bashing it or praising it and you maybe can't see it for what it is. Yeah. I think I've never thought of like writing as playing God. Like some people think like, "Oh, I love it cuz I get to control all this stuff. " I never thought of it like that. I find I follow the story and and just you want to feel challenged and but like follow the story and see how you could make the most of these moments that you write on the page and try you know, there's a certain time where you're writing something and it clicks and that's when you start to see it in your head. And write what you see in your head. Like that's it. It's like writing visually. Writing cinematically is like writing visually. But like I you see after a while you see it in your head and you hear the actors' voices hopefully. And and so you need to follow that. It's not about like you're controlling the story or you can do whatever you want. It's like, "No, you got to follow the story. " And I think that's a key way to do it. Yeah. And so the characters they're in that in your head and they're almost telling you what the story is. Yeah and you're seeing the scenes play out in your head. So you know if it's a good scene or not. You know if it works. And so that's what you want to get to. And so then you're out of it. You're not thinking is this good or not. It's like you're seeing it in your head. And is this a moment that can sing or not? And then write it that way. You know? So don't be afraid to direct on the page. Push in. Do all those things that they tell you or you know, don't do. Do it. Don't overdo it. But again, there's you want to present a complete vision. And so I think that's the way to do it. And then even if it all changes, that's fine. At least they don't feel like they have to save it. They feel like they're lifting it. It's always going to change, but Well, you know, in just in that moment though, so you're almost talking about rule breaking which is something you advocate for Right. — some sense because you have a handout too as part of your Story Series podcast which is about rule breaking. — Yes. So uh we'll go into more of that later, but it sounds like that's something that you like to that that's part of that pushing out against the edge. Okay. — right. There's a freedom to that. And so you want to you know, if you want to call it channeling or what these ideas or whatever, don't you want that relaxed kind of flow state that like an athlete feels, right? An athlete in a flow state I doubt would say they're in control of the environment. That's not what it's about. It's not about being in control of the story. But you want that flow state while you're writing. And and you got to get that bad version out first and then you can get there hopefully. Yeah. Thank you for watching the video all the way to the end. Here is a complimentary question from our book Story Questions.