Story-telling unit contextual research of 4 screen writers
Sian Heder
Sian Heder is one of 6 writers for the American TV series "Orange is the new black", the series focuses on Piper Chapman who is sent to a minimal security prison how ever episodes also feature backstories to other reoccurring characters in the series.
As a writer (she is also known as a producer, actress and director) she is known for "Tallulah", "Orange is the new black", "Dog eat dog", "Men of a certain age" and "Mother". She has won the "Grand Jury Award" at the Florida Film Festival, the "Jury Award" at the Oxford Film Festival Mississippi USA and the "Short film competition award" at the Seattle international film festival.
Orange is the new black is a well known show for amplifying the voice of trans people.
Orange is the new black is a well known show for amplifying the voice of trans people.
Within "Orange is the new black" she has written 6 episodes one of which being "Lesbian request denied" which features a flashback for the shows transgender character (Sophia Burset).
The episode's featured flashback is of a fireman (Burset) searching a destroyed building, another comes in and tells them they're moving out. Burset is later seen changing in a stall away from the other men, while taking of his clothes he reveals the pink women's underwear.
The way this scene is written demonstrates how difficult it is for a trans person to be themselves around the people they know, Burset felt the need to hide who he was.
(This is something I would like to try and incorporate in my film as it's something many trans people go through).
Burset was written with a stereotypically hyper masculine job and as the scene transitions into Sophia doing her makeup using what ever she can to use as makeup is a strong contrast that I found really interesting.
(This is something I would like to incorporate for my lead character, I'd like to try and make their background as masculine as possible without it becoming too exaggerated. In Orange is the new black Sian Heder uses the subtle connotations of being a firefighter for a living to signify masculinity to the audience.)
The way this scene is written demonstrates how difficult it is for a trans person to be themselves around the people they know, Burset felt the need to hide who he was.
(This is something I would like to try and incorporate in my film as it's something many trans people go through).
Burset was written with a stereotypically hyper masculine job and as the scene transitions into Sophia doing her makeup using what ever she can to use as makeup is a strong contrast that I found really interesting.
(This is something I would like to incorporate for my lead character, I'd like to try and make their background as masculine as possible without it becoming too exaggerated. In Orange is the new black Sian Heder uses the subtle connotations of being a firefighter for a living to signify masculinity to the audience.)
Overall something I've taken from Sian Heder's writing is the subtle way of hinting at certain personality traits. The use of pink underwear isn't a hugely exaggerated way of say this character is transgender, it's something that's hidden from the other characters and is only shown to the audience (putting them in a privileged position of knowing something that the other characters don't know)
Charlie Covell
Charlie Covell is one of writers for the cross channel trilogy Cucumber, Banana, Tofu on E4, Channel 4 and 4oD. She is new to the writing industry and episode 4 of "Banana" is one of her first screenplays.
When asked what attracted her to "Banana" she specifically said "It's a rare and amazing opportunity for any writer, let alone someone who's just starting out"
Covell is an actress and a writer known for "Forget me not" (2010), "A fantastic fear of everything" (2012) and "Marcella" (2016)
Banana is an anthology series that looks at the wider LGBT spectrum. There are 8 episodes each based on a character and looks at their life and struggles in society.
The 4th episode in the series focuses on Helen, a trans restaurant manageress who is persistently bothered by her boyfriend Eddie. Eddie not only stalks her but uploads a sex tape of her on the internet.
The episode looks at the effect that this has on Helen, Covell's written her character as any other in that she doesn't hint that they are transgender through Helen, it's subtle remarks such as her employee saying "Yes Sir" among others.
(This is something I would like to incorporate in my own work for my lead character, this goes against the usual writing conventions for trans people and could be influenced through Covell's own experiences in the LGBT community.)
As well I this the way Covell has written Helen's distress in the later half of the episode particularly as she walks down the street where everyone stares at her and she feels alienated. This is something that a lot of transgender people already feel, the writer has just emphasised it through Helen's eyes.
(This is something I am keen to include for my lead character, particularly as the audience is introduced to them after they have been beaten up)
I also enjoyed the way the writer wrote the internal struggle after the video is released on the internet. I found that especially when Helen's family arrived to help her the audience was introduced into what it's like for the family of a trans person, especially the mother. I found it interesting that the scene didn't actually revolve around Helen's family but how she handled them and their reaction to the video, the whole episode features a lot of characters but the audience is always concerned with what's going on with Helen. This is particularly refreshing as other films and TV shows that include trans characters tend to deviate from the character's plot line and goes into how other characters feel about what is happening to them.
Overall what I have taken from episode 4 of "Banana" is to write the lead character as if I'm writing any other character, to try not to focus on the fact they are transgender and therefore not to make it a big deal for them.
Charlie Covell is one of writers for the cross channel trilogy Cucumber, Banana, Tofu on E4, Channel 4 and 4oD. She is new to the writing industry and episode 4 of "Banana" is one of her first screenplays.
When asked what attracted her to "Banana" she specifically said "It's a rare and amazing opportunity for any writer, let alone someone who's just starting out"
Covell is an actress and a writer known for "Forget me not" (2010), "A fantastic fear of everything" (2012) and "Marcella" (2016)
Banana is an anthology series that looks at the wider LGBT spectrum. There are 8 episodes each based on a character and looks at their life and struggles in society.
The 4th episode in the series focuses on Helen, a trans restaurant manageress who is persistently bothered by her boyfriend Eddie. Eddie not only stalks her but uploads a sex tape of her on the internet.
The episode looks at the effect that this has on Helen, Covell's written her character as any other in that she doesn't hint that they are transgender through Helen, it's subtle remarks such as her employee saying "Yes Sir" among others.
(This is something I would like to incorporate in my own work for my lead character, this goes against the usual writing conventions for trans people and could be influenced through Covell's own experiences in the LGBT community.)
As well I this the way Covell has written Helen's distress in the later half of the episode particularly as she walks down the street where everyone stares at her and she feels alienated. This is something that a lot of transgender people already feel, the writer has just emphasised it through Helen's eyes.
(This is something I am keen to include for my lead character, particularly as the audience is introduced to them after they have been beaten up)
I also enjoyed the way the writer wrote the internal struggle after the video is released on the internet. I found that especially when Helen's family arrived to help her the audience was introduced into what it's like for the family of a trans person, especially the mother. I found it interesting that the scene didn't actually revolve around Helen's family but how she handled them and their reaction to the video, the whole episode features a lot of characters but the audience is always concerned with what's going on with Helen. This is particularly refreshing as other films and TV shows that include trans characters tend to deviate from the character's plot line and goes into how other characters feel about what is happening to them.
Overall what I have taken from episode 4 of "Banana" is to write the lead character as if I'm writing any other character, to try not to focus on the fact they are transgender and therefore not to make it a big deal for them.
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is an English screenwriter from Portchester.
He is known for writing episodes for "Babylon 5" (1998), "Lucifer" (2015-2016), "Eternals" (2014) and "Doctor Who" (2011-2013) among others.
His writing career started in journalism and then moved into books, the series "Sandman" collected multiple awards from America.
In 1991 it became the first comic to recieve a literary award, and the 1991 World Fantasy award for the best short story.
After this Gaiman moved more into screenwriting, in 1996 he wrote the screenplay for "Neverwhere". Moving forward a few years to 2011 he also wrote 3 episode of "Doctor Who"; "Rain Gods", "Nightmare in silver" and "The Doctors Wife".
Gaiman's episode of "The Doctor's Wife" lead to him being described as "a hero" by the Times.
"The Doctor's Wife"= While travelling with his companions the Doctor hears a knock at the door from a distress signal supposedly from an old friend. After following the signal he lands on a junk planet/asteroid with 4 inhabitants; Auntie, Uncle, Nephew and Idris, a woman who claims to be the T.A.R.D.I.S.
This episode in particular focuses on the Doctor's ability to control his emotions when he is pushed to the very edge (being taunted with false cries for help from fake Timelords), it looks at the lengths he will go in order to protect his friends as well as exploring morality within Amy and Rory's relationship when the antagonist (House) has trapped them.
However Amy and Rory are not his only friends, in this episode the audience is introduced to the idea that the T.A.R.D.I.S. is a sentient being and that she/it does view the Doctor as a dear friend.
I particularly like this episode because of the way Gaiman created his own character from essentially and inanimate object, through this he was able to explore the relationship between the Doctor and the T.A.R.D.I.S further. The way Idris' character is written as an enthusiastic yet also slightly mad character I think works really well with the Doctor's character (he is described as a mad man in a blue box). While Amy, Rory, Auntie and Uncle are more subdued, the duo's chemistry therefore tells the audience that their is a long history between the two of them because they are so similar.
Overall from this episode I learnt how easily a long term friendship can be shown subtle uses of dialogue or actions (Gaiman does this in lines like: "Hello I'm sexy", this is a well known nickname the Doctor has for the T.A.R.D.I.S. and has at least been used the length of the revival series) when the two characters are around each other the audience can see there is a history between them without one of the characters having to say it (show don't tell). This is something I'd like to try with my lead characters to establish their friendship with each other.
Neil Gaiman about "The Doctor's Wife" BBC America
However Amy and Rory are not his only friends, in this episode the audience is introduced to the idea that the T.A.R.D.I.S. is a sentient being and that she/it does view the Doctor as a dear friend.
I particularly like this episode because of the way Gaiman created his own character from essentially and inanimate object, through this he was able to explore the relationship between the Doctor and the T.A.R.D.I.S further. The way Idris' character is written as an enthusiastic yet also slightly mad character I think works really well with the Doctor's character (he is described as a mad man in a blue box). While Amy, Rory, Auntie and Uncle are more subdued, the duo's chemistry therefore tells the audience that their is a long history between the two of them because they are so similar.
Overall from this episode I learnt how easily a long term friendship can be shown subtle uses of dialogue or actions (Gaiman does this in lines like: "Hello I'm sexy", this is a well known nickname the Doctor has for the T.A.R.D.I.S. and has at least been used the length of the revival series) when the two characters are around each other the audience can see there is a history between them without one of the characters having to say it (show don't tell). This is something I'd like to try with my lead characters to establish their friendship with each other.
Neil Gaiman about "The Doctor's Wife" BBC America
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss is an English actor, screen-writer and author.
His work includes; episodes from "Sherlock", "Doctor Who", "An Adventure In Space and Time", "Agatha Christie's Poirot" and "The League of Gentlemen" among others. He's won the 2016 Primetime Emmy for "Outstanding Television Movie: Sherlock", 2011 BAFTA "Best Drama Series: Sherlock" as well as 8 other awards for Sherlock.
Gatiss is one of 3 credited writers for the "Sign of three" episode of the TV series "Sherlock", in the episode Mary and John are finally getting married while Sherlock is put under pressure to save his friends wedding and solve a crime that appears to have no relation to it. It looks at the friendship between Sherlock and Watson as well as the effect the marriage will have on it (it's because of this look at friendship the episode has that I decided to look at it).
Sherlock and Watson's friendship is one of the most well known parts of the Sherlock series ever, when ever the story gets rewritten in a cartoon or live action piece the pair are essentially always best friends.
Gatiss' "Sign of three" episode is one that in my opinion looks at how dependent Sherlock's side of the friendship is. The episode starts with Sherlock (SH) being caught dancing by Miss Hudson (MH), people who are regular viewers of the show or even people who just know the general SH character will know that this would be considered embarrassing for him to be seen dong (it shows he is caring for another person), this is connoting to the audience that he is pushing himself out of his comfort zone for John's wedding indicating he cares about him. Later in a wide shot of Mary, John and Sherlock outside the church the dialogue asks for "A shot of the newly weds", while he still stands with them this is connoting that Sherlock considers himself family to John and by default to Mary.
Further into the episode Sherlock is introduced to Major Sholto (MS), his sarcastic way of saying his name and attempt to downplay MS and John's friendship (If they're such good friends why does he barely even mention him) indicates jealously further implying SH is more dependent on John in their friendship then John is on him. Another indicator of their friendship in a far more subtle way is when SH uses "Vatican Cameo" as a precursor to danger that, this was originally used in an earlier episode where SH assumes John knows it from his army days and bringing it back here reaffirms their friendship more.
Finally in the last sequence of events where SH solves the murder John essentially mocks him as encouragement, this is something other characters don't do again connoting that John isn't any other character and that he is important to SH.
Overall from this episode I've seen how variations of friendship can be shown through subtle indications, something I'd like to try to incorporate in my script is the sense of dependence of one character on another especially since my character Matt is dependent on Lucy to look out for him. I picked this episode as I found it particularly interesting how Gatiss decided to write the interactions between SH and John. SH speaks to everyone within the main storyline about John before finally being encouraged by John to solve the crime (The edit implies that this conversation between them 'jogged' something in SH's mind), it's through this interaction that the crime is solved and the audience sees how important John is in helping to solve crimes.
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