“Classic Alice” Production Blog: Writing

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Kate HackettRunning a production is tough stuff and can feel incredibly overwhelming, so I wanted to share my experience with you guys! I kept a production blog for my newest piece,Classic Alice, and tweaked it a little bit to make sure the experience was educational for anyone out there thinking about working a production.

Writing

Early Nov. 2013. A friend of mine called to ask me if I would like to set up a meeting with his partner to develop a show aimed for YouTube audiences about (and encouraging) reading. We met at a coffee shop and threw some ideas around. Initially we discussed a lot of hosting-type gigs. But at the end of the meeting, we had settled on a web series told in vlog format about a girl who lives her life according to classic novels.

This meeting was really about compromise: I had never been brought on to write FOR someone else before and I knew I would need to keep their desires in mind. The producers wanted something that would fit with YouTube audiences (hosting) and I wanted a narrative format so I could exercise both my writing and acting creativities. We found a happy medium and set a few deadlines with the plan to shoot in early January, and I think that’s really what you should expect to do when you’re asked to create a show for someone else. Yes, you have a vision, but so do they and at the end of the day… they hold the keys to the cash.

Mid/Late Nov. 2013. After some discussion with the producers, they agreed to let me write the pilot in whatever style I wanted. In its very first form, the nameless Classic Alice was a mockumentary-style Community-esque thing with a weird Abed-y friend filming the documentary, a super cool girl roommate of Alice’s who happened to be in a class with her, and a snarky teacher. The world was pretty expansive (classes, dorm rooms, cafeterias…) and had some fun scenes. I loved it. I was proud of it. I emailed it to my producers and they gave me a verdict: they wanted a vlog.

I’ll admit my disappointment here — I wanted to do this fun, handheld mockumentary style story! I had some killer moments that would have emotional punch and, let’s face it, when you’re telling a story as a vlog you miss out on some key experiences that you want the audience to see. Instead, everything is a recap. However, again, when you have a boss asking for a product? At the end of the day, you have to deliver.

So I went back to Final Draft and cannibalized my script. I cannot recommend this enough: if you have a little nugget of gold in something that you cannot or will not use, weave it into a different story that WILL see the light of day. Finding the key to unlock Classic Alice in this new format, however, was still pretty tough. Every writer instinct I had (show! don’t tell!) was smacked around while I tried very hard to craft an experience instead of a retelling or “shopping list” of Alice’s life. I found it in Andrew.

Andrew, who was originally our “Abed-y” character, became a cool-guy-buddy of Alice’s and the audience’s hook into Alice’s dorky little world. He was there as an anchor for both the viewer and for Alice; by letting her talk to him, we have an insight into her personality that we wouldn’t otherwise have. And honestly, he became kind of a godsend as I was rewriting the pilot. I had been kicking myself and really wrangling with how to make the story accessible via a vlog format; giving the audience (and Alice) Andrew made the entire piece more conversational instead of a one-sided monologue. Once I had him locked in place, I was able to bust out my rewrite in a few hours. I sent it along to the producers and got a quick “we love it!” reply and the call to write six more episodes, or to complete the first “book”.

I was able to get going on a rough outline for the show when I got a phone call from one of the partners. They were no longer going forward with the projected plans they had initiated with me. This happens – it’s showbiz. This HAPPENS. Let me emphasize again: HAPPENS! But I was left with a completed pilot and a trajectory for a first season and I just wasn’t sure what to do with it. I was, happily, given the green light to make it on my own if I so chose. I just had to make the call.

December 2013. I sat on this baby for a while; I had initially loved my mockumentary idea, but I didn’t want to fork over the cash to bust out a pilot of that scale on my own and writing the vlog was so tough just for one episode, I wasn’t sure I could do it for six. Or twelve. Or two.

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I wound up sitting myself down (forcing myself to sit down) and making a pro/con list. What were the benefits of shooting one way vs. another, that sort of thing; I find that when I make pro/con lists, I am able to compartmentalize what my issues are and figure out a pretty decent solution. This time, it was obvious: vlog style was the way to go. It was cheaper, YouTube has a built in audience for it that would match my target (man, oh man, do teen girls love vloggers), and I wouldn’t have to do as much casting, scouting, or anything-ing.

After I made that decision, I would sit down and create the first six episodes. I arced the show with pen and paper, then in Scrivener. I heavily used the Dan Harmon story circle to craft both the overall arc and the arcs in each episode (I suggest taking a look at that link! It’s worth it). I was able to bust the entire show out in a weekend once I knew where I was going; then it was just about bringing it to a few writing groups (if you write, you should be in a group!) to hear it aloud and making some adjustments to the story and dialogue for clarity, flow, and character development.

Next month I’ll talk a little bit more about the writing process and finishing up the script, then casting and preproduction! But just to recap this blog, I learned the balancing act of working for a company and keeping your artistic vision (it CAN be done, you just have to expect to compromise: I compromised a hosting gig for a vlog webshow). I also had to make a decision about how I wanted to tell my story and, like many writer/producers before me, I decided to let money play a little bit of a role in that construction. I don’t regret it, but I do kind of wish I had had a bigger budget so I wouldn’t have had to make that choice.

See you guys next time! As we at  Classic Alice say: Top Aces!