As Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coat’s list 22 #storybasics I’ve picked up in my time at Pixar blazed through the internet this month, I wanted to try and find a fresh angle to do a post on it and add to the conversation. So I thought I’d pick a three from her list and tie then into posts where I’ve expounded on them a little more. (And it gave me a reason to connect it to some other Pixar posts I hope you find helpful.)
#3: Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now Rewrite.
Related posts: Writing from Theme (tip #20), More Thoughts on Theme, Diane Frolov & The Theme Zone, Serling Vs. Coppola, Eric Roth on Theme, William Froug on Theme
#16: What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.
Related post: What’s at Stake (tip #9)
#19: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
Related post: Screenwriting & Coincidence (tip #11)
You can follow Emma on Twitter @lawnrocket .
P.S. One of my favorite quotes on theme:
“The best thing that can happen is for the theme to be nice and clear from the beginning. Doesn’t always happen. You think you have a theme and you then start telling the story. Pretty soon the characters take over and the story takes over and you realize your theme isn’t being executed by the story, so you start changing the theme.”
Paddy Chayefsky (Network)
Related posts on Pixar:
Screenwriting the Pixar Way (Part 1)
Screenwriting the Pixar Way (Part 2)
Screenwriting the Pixar Way (Part 3)
Screenwriting the Pixar Way (Part 4)
The Dark Side of Pixar of Disney
Toy Story 3′s Ohio Connection
Writing Finding Nemo
