Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Writing Animated Features

... From a non-union gig to an IATSE assignment.

'Nemo' writer set for Sony toon

David Reynolds has been tapped to pen an untitled animated feature for Sony Pictures Animation.

Reynolds, who co-scribed Disney/Pixar's "Finding Nemo," will base the feature on an original story by veteran animator Stephan Franck ("Despicable Me"), who will direct. ...

Next stop, a script deal under the WGAw.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

uh...Andrew Stanton and Bob Peterson wrote Finding Nemo.

Anonymous said...

...next time you decide to use IMDB you might want to click additional credits...

Reynolds is also listed.

Anonymous said...

...next time YOU use Imdb, understand it's tremendously flawed. Or maybe in your ignorance you don't realize not everything you read on the Internet is true.

Anonymous said...

Except that David Reynolds is indeed listed as a co-writer in the end credits of Finding Nemo.

So, unless my DVD copy is flawed, Reynolds definitely wrote the screenplay alongside Bob Peterson and Andrew Stanton.

And if he really didn't, I guess the Academy screwed up, too. They should take back his original screenplay nomination. :-P

Anonymous said...

Well, his agent isn't going to get any traction from The Emperor's New Groove.

As with all these things, success depends on the team that Sony is putting together, and the Sony team themselves. A single writer has far less to do with it than the announcement would like you to believe. The requirements for the job are 1) a certain type of experienced animation writer that they would like to work with, 2)the word PIXAR, and 3) the word FINDING NEMO.

Anonymous said...

Mostly, it seems, the word "Pixar".

Tim said...

Screenwriting credits are funny things. Of course we all realize that all the names listed didn't sit around a table in a grand collaboration of talent. No, drafts were completed, then handed off to somebody else who would bring some fresh ideas to the table, or who can write better dialog. Yes, most times the biggest contributors are listed on the screen first, and sometimes your name placements depends on your ability to negotiate. (btw, if two of the names are joined by an ampersand (&), that means that they are writing partners (i.e. Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio). If the names are separated by "and", the worked on separate drafts.

Occasionally, a writer comes in simply to punch up the humor. and even if only one or two jokes are used, they can still get screen credit (if their agent is crafty enough).

Once in awhile, even a big name will do polish work on a script and not get any screen credit (but still receives residuals). Joss Whedon did work on "The Lion King", and Quentin Tarantino did a dialog pass on "Crimson Tide". Both are uncredited.

Anonymous said...

if two of the names are joined by an ampersand (&), that means that they are writing partners (i.e. Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio). If the names are separated by "and", the worked on separate drafts.

...such a system could only be devised by writers...

Bob and Rob Professional American Writers said...

Well said, Tim. It may not be a perfect system, but it works well enough. Famous last words, right? Next time were in the middle of a credits arbitration, we'll either curse the system or praise it!

Happy Holidays!

Bob "&" Rob

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