Writing a Spec for Sense8
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Hello and Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! This is not my favorite holiday (in fact I quite depise it cuase it’s over commercialized) but that’s neither here nor there.
Many of you who know me know that I love Sense8 and that I have been working on a spec script for the show for over a year now. It’s been taking me so damn long that I actually added it to my New Year’s Resolutions, in part because the script I wrote is a Valentine’s Day episode! 😀
The process of writing this is something I think folks could benefit from. I, myself, am still learning and making my way in the industry, but why not share my experience with others? So here is my free Valentine’s Gift to you all:
How to Write a Spec
Analyze the structure of an episode – This might seem like a duh thing, but before you even attempt to write a spec you need to know the ins and outs of the show and how an episode proceeds. Procedurals are so easy to do in this regard cause you know what will happen. The Good Wife was prob the only exception. Also, when writing, you need to know if the show is written in acts (anything that’s not premium cable or streaming) or if it’s written full out. Despite it seeming “Easier,” I actually struggle writing with act breaks, which luckily didn’t come into play with Sense8. It wasn’t all rainbows though because it was damn near impossible because what structure does that show really have? The creators said they structured the series like a 12 hour movie, there are no act breaks, and it’s just character, character, character. Not the best thing to pick for your first solo spec lol however
The structure in Sense8 lies not with act breaks, but with movements. It’s very much like classical music in that way. So for any of you that want to do a Sense8 spec, here’s the episodic structure:
1-10 mins: intro/recap with characters and beginning problems
around 10 mins in: flashback introduced
25 min: characters are pushed into acting/conflict happens (personal and plot) with a denoument
33 mins: team up before big confrontation
40 mins: consequences of characters actions from earlier
Now go back and watch an episode and see how well this matches. For me, figuring out the structure was the key to writing. I could see if my pages lined up very easily and given how interwoven the characters are, having this was great.
Outlining is key – Sense8 is a complicated show and I made my life even more complicated by deciding to write this mess without a finalized outline. This was partly cause I was #madt that I had to change my plot around after the Christmas special. Don’t be like me, outline your spec like you would a regular show! It’ll be so much easier for you when writing if you at least do a scene outline. If nothing else you’ll have scene headings.
When I started to write in earnest, I only had the beginning outlined and the final 10 pages outlined. This meant I had to outline as I went along while writing whew.
Pro Tip: Speed View in Final Draft is a Godsend when you are working on a script. Once you get into a rhythm don’t bother trying to count the pages. Just write!
Write the episode only you can write – This would seem to go against what many of us think about specs in that we want them to be mirror images of the show. But how will you stand out if it’s exactly like what they already have? I credit this step to Kirk Moore, writer on American Crime and 13 Reasons Why. He actually came and spoke at my school and told us that writing a spec is uniquely you.
I knew that my episode would revolve around Valentine’s Day because it would allow me to revolve the episode around themes of love and companionship, or the absence of it. Originally Sun was going to be my juxtaposition from the other sensates but with her getting out of solitary, I just focused on giving her a good day lol From there I tried to focus on how to push the characters forward in interesting ways or revel in their staticness. Kalagang fans will be happy with my script I think and I really wanted Riley to get in on the action in a way she hasn’t. Always find the parts that intrigue you about a show, but remember to do something only you can do.
One thing that didn’t make it: an orgy. Sorry.
Since this is a spec script that I’m planning to submit to a fellowship, I would love anyone to give me feedback about how it flows and what I could improve upon. Thanks!
[pdfviewer]http://lenoirauteur.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2_13_17-TJohnson-sense8-spec_Queen-of-Peace.pdf[/pdfviewer]
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