Book Review - How to Write for Animation

Review by Ron Cotton - August 26, 2005

by Jeffrey Scott (http://www.jeffreyscott.tv/)
Published by The Overlook Press (http://www.overlookpress.com/)
224 pages, Copyright 2002.
ISBN 1-58567-240-8 (US Hardcover - $27.95)
ISBN 1-58567-428-1 (US Softcover - $18.95)

“Toon Town is a Boom Town! The reason animation is expanding so rapidly today is because for the first time we have a generation in which everyone under the age of fifty grew up on cartoons.”
- Jeffrey Scott, Introduction

The process of writing for animation and writing for film are not worlds apart. For most writers, a job is a job, nonetheless. This book, outside the realm of independent filmmaking has been one of the my most influential reads. Independent filmmakers can travel into undiscovered territories delving into untapped resources when reading “How to write for Animation.” Jeffrey Scott's experience and craft as a master storyteller is immortalized here, enabling his readers room into the depths of a serious writer. Every stone is turned over about the animation writing industry, leaving nothing to chance.

“So successful was Jeffrey's first story-editing assignment that ABC ordered an additional thirty-two half-hours of the series, a record at that time. Remarkably, Jeffrey didn't just edit these scripts, he wrote them all! Over the next three seasons he wrote nearly a hundred more!”
- Joseph Barbera, Forward

The forward is written by the very own Joseph Barbera, Co-Chairman of Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. Next, your introduced to the ever-growing animation industry and the call to arms for new blood with better stories. After a short page on how to read the book, your ready to go. Jeff explains the medium of animation, the basic steps needed in the process, and explains the varying types of animation on simplistic terms. The tools of the trade chapter was quite simple. So simple that if you have a computer with an installed copy of Microsoft Word and Internet access, you had nearly all tools at your disposal.

“I made a decision when I first started writing that I would always try to make my ideas unique in some way. I owe a lot of my success to the fact that I was able to come up with new ideas instead of regurgitating material already seen in other cartoons.”
- Jeffrey Scott, Basic Overview

The meat of the book is Part Two: Animation writing. This is where Jeffrey Scott challenges interactivity from his readers, and outlines the strategy by breaking it apart in three simple steps: premise, outline, and script. Jeff demands more than just words on a printed page, he'll expect no less than your full potential at every step of the process. Developing Your Story Beats is where Jeff forces you into the down and dirty process of critical thinking and writing.

“If you're thinking about playing Cartoon God and creating an animated world, or you've already done so and want to get it into the proper form, here's what you need to know.”
- Jeffrey Scott, Writing a Presentation, Bible, and Pilot

I found this chapter pivotal, showing a professional example of what a complete series Bible would look like, when selling your own movie idea. It was complete and even sold me on the ideas. I felt somewhat cheated after reading Part III: Selling Your Animated Project and if I was to advance into a professional animation writing career, I'd throw my hands up in the air and give myself up to an agent. This what the only section I've found in Jeffrey Scott's book lacking specifics.

Jeffrey Scott simply is the most qualified person to write a book detailing animation screenwriting. Writing over 600 scripts in his career with over 200 exclusively for Hanna-Barbera, more than any other in the history of the studio's lifespan with 3 Emmys under his belt qualifies him as the expert, period. Surprisingly, Jeffrey Scott's lighthearted writing style grows on you even if you're professional differences get in the way. No caution is needed when reading “How to write for Animation” as you'll not be tripping over massive egos anytime soon. Jeffrey Scott dubs this book as his ego project, yet this book is at the very least a vital read for those who wish to advance themselves in an animation career.

Highly Recommended.