Writing for Animation, Comics, and Games Writing & Journalism

238 Pages·2006·5.8 MB·English

by  Christy Marx

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Writing for Animation, Comics, and Games
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Writing for Animation,
Comics, and Games
Christy Marx
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON
NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO
SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
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Acquisitions Editor: Amy Eden Jollymore
Senior Project Manager: Brandy Lilly
Assistant Editor: Doug Shults
Marketing Manager: Christine Degon Veroulis
Cover Design: Cate Barr
Interior Design: Charon Tec Ltd (A Macmillan Company)
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
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Linacre House,Jordan Hill,Oxford OX2 8DP,UK
Copyright © 2007,Elsevier Inc.All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or
transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,
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Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights
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E-mail:[email protected] may also complete your request on-line
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(cid:2) Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written,Elsevier prints its
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Marx,Christy.
Writing for animation,comics & games / by Christy Marx.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13:978-0-240-80582-5 (pbk.:alk.paper)
ISBN-10: 0-240-80582-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Animated films—Authorship. 2. Comic books, strips, etc.—
Authorship.3.Video games—Authorship.I.Title.
PN1996.M446 2007
808.2(cid:3)3—dc22 2006021435
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 13:978-0-240-80582-5
ISBN 10:0-240-80582-8
For information on all Focal Press publications
visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com
06 07 08 09 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
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Dedication
To Randy,LOML
Acknowledgements
I owe a great many thanks to a great many people who helped and supported
me during the writing of this book.
My deepest thanks to my editor,Amy Jollymore,who has the patience of a
saint and then some,ably assisted by Doug Shults. Thanks to Paul Temme and
Brandy Lilly for the final shepherding to completion.
Thanks to my excellent beta readers:Anne Toole,Randy Littlejohn,Ellen
Guon Beeman,and Heather Ash. Any leftover mistakes are entirely my fault.
Thanks for invaluable input from Ellen Guon Beeman,Kurt Busiek,Peter David,
Maureen McHugh,Terry Rossio,Sarah W.Stocker,Len Wein,
Marv Wolfman and many more than I can name.
Special thanks to Wendy Pini,Stan Sakai and Kurt Busiek for permission to
reprint art from their books.
Thanks and appreciation to the helpful people at Blizzard Ent.,Linden Labs,
Marvel Ent.,and Ubisoft who granted me permission to use material.Thanks to the
virtual Anhayla Lycia for the use of her Second Life image.
Much thanks to the terrific team of staff members at the WGA,and my fellow
professionals in the Animation Writers Caucus and the New Media Caucus.
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Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xi
Overview xiii
ANIMATION
CHAPTER 1 History/Evolution of Animation 3
Genres and Categories 4
Alternate Forms of Animation 8
CHAPTER 2 Terminology 9
Script Terms 9
Other Animation Terms 22
CHAPTER 3 The Basics 27
The Animation Process 27
The Script Process 28
The Script Format 32
The Differences 34
Working Out Act Breaks 41
The 3-D Script vs.the 2-D Script 42
Restrictions Breed Creativity 44
Other Things You May Be Expected to Do 44
Scriptwriting Software 45
The Animated Feature Film 46
Beyond the Basics (Advice,Tips,and Tricks) 47
CHAPTER 4 Breaking and Entering 55
Breaking into Television Animation 55
Breaking into Feature Animation 60
Getting an Agent 65
Getting Paid 67
vii
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viii Contents
Unions and Organizations 68
Location,Location,Location 71
(SECTION I) RESOURCES
Books 73
Trades and Magazines 73
Organizations 74
Education 74
Informational Sites 74
Writers on Writing 75
Obtaining Scripts 75
Creating Machinima 75
COMIC BOOKS
CHAPTER 5 History/Evolution of the Comic Book 79
Genres and Categories 83
CHAPTER 6 What Is a Comic Book? 85
Terminology 89
The Comic Book Script 94
The Script Format 95
Beyond the Basics (Advice,Tips,and Tricks) 99
Comic Book Script Samples 108
CHAPTER 7 Breaking and Entering 117
Create Your Own Comic 122
Copyright and Ownership 126
Getting Paid 129
Location,Location,Location 129
Agents 130
Unions and Organizations 130
(SECTION II) RESOURCES
Books 133
Trade Magazines 134
Links 134
Conventions 135
Copyright and Trademark Information 135
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Contents ix
VIDEOGAMES
CHAPTER 8 History/Evolution of Videogames 139
Videogame Categories 144
Alternative Markets 146
CHAPTER 9 Writing vs.Design 149
Videogames and Hollywood 151
Terminology 152
Fundamentals of Game Design 159
Game Structure 162
More Things You Need to Know 168
CHAPTER 10 The Script Format 177
FMV/Game Intro 178
Design Document 178
Game Bible 178
Mobs/Monsters/Bosses 182
Quests or Missions 182
Cutscenes and Cinematics 183
Dialogue 184
Slang and Fantasy Language 189
In-Game Text 190
Technical Material or Game Manual 190
Web Site and Promotional Materials 190
Beyond the Basics (Advice,Tips,and Tricks) 190
CHAPTER 11 Breaking and Entering 195
Publishers and Developers 196
Getting Paid 206
Location,Location,Location 207
Agents 208
Unions and Organizations 209
(SECTION III) RESOURCES
Books 211
Trade Shows and Conferences 212
Magazines 212
Links 212
Unions and Organizations 213
Looking for Jobs 213
Schools:United States 214
Schools:United Kingdom 215
Tech-oriented Temp Agencies 215