About this Event
Have you ever considered how Comic Book or Graphic Novel can help scriptwriters?
Do you think your novel or film screenplay could be adapted into a graphic novel?
Does your project have a Transmedia element that could include a digital or webcomic?
In this unique workshop, #1 New York Times Bestselling List and Eagle Award winning comic book and graphic novel writer and screenwriter (Doctor Who, Superboy, 2000AD, Spider Man, X-Men, Battlestar Galactica) takes you through the steps to turn your idea into a comic book or graphic novel and the steps you need to take to get yourself published, in a revised for 2021 version of his acclaimed one day masterclass.
With over thirty years experience as a professional writer, and almost eighteen years worth of experience as a comics creator for both UK and US publishers, Tony has worked in all areas of the industry, from DC to Marvel, and Image Comics to Titan Publishing, and with a new career emerging in film and TV screenwriting in both the UK and the US, Tony has written for BBC One, ITV Studios and Amazon / Audible among many others.
This is your chance to learn from a master in writing for comic books and graphic novel script writing, while at the same time discussing other medias such as film, TV, audio and games.
10:00: Introduction
10:15: It’s Not The Easier Option
What stumbling blocks a writer can find in their way when moving from screen to sequential art storytelling.
- Why scripting comics isn’t ‘easy’ – and why a comic of your screenplay won’t sell your screenplay
- Comparison: Screenplay / Novel / Script, using an example
- Visual Thinking and why it’s great – the original spark of an idea
- The ‘Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda’ moment
- Who? What? Why? When? Where?
- Why ‘working backwards’ helps you move forwards
- Storytelling: The characters – what do they want? Why do we care?
- Storytelling: The conflict – protagonists and antagonists
- Storytelling: Keeping the reader invested over time
- Describing your characters – how will an artist know?
11:45: Writing The Story
Now you have the initial idea, it’s time to build on that frame.
- Comparison: Anthology / One-shot / Mini Series / Ongoing / Graphic Novel / Web Series
- The High Concept / Elevator Pitch
- The restraints of a comic script (length, page turn etc)
- The importance of the full synopsis
- Chekov’s mantelpiece rule – and why it’s vital to comics
- The rising act structure
- Subplots and supporting characters
- Is your story all it can be – the joys of hindsight
- Devil’s Advocate – does your idea stand up to scrutiny?
13:00: Break
Your chance to network and form new alliances with like minded screenwriters and filmmakers.
14:00: Writing The Script
Now you have the story, we now master the dos and don’ts of scripting it.
- The full synopsis – the ‘treatment’ for comics
- Breaking it down: Scene by scene
- Breaking it down: Page by page
- Comparison: Full Script / Plot-Art-Dialogue (‘Marvel’ style)
- Know your comic terms – the language of the comic script
- Types of panel / how many to a page
- The Temporal Flux of Panel vs Time
- Dialogue: Why a writer should always letter at least one page.
- Comparison: Screenplay dialogue / Comic dialogue
- Action Versus Spoken Word
- Adaptations of existing material
- Licensed Properties and Preexisting Characters
15:30: The Industry
Now you have your script, what do you do with it?
- Self Publishing: finding an artist.
- Self Publishing: Percentage or Page Rate
- Getting known: Webcomic / Vanity Press / Small Press
- Conventions / Networking – the dos and don’ts
- Submitting to the established comic book companies
- Know your target – does your story match their style?
- How much does an agent help a comic creator
- Selling yourself rather than your story
16:30: Graphic Novel and Comic Book Live Ammo!
Students pitch their ideas in front of the class to get individual feedback.
End of Play: Networking
Join us for a beer or a glass of wine to mingle and create (drinks not included).
About presenter Tony Lee
A #1 New York Times Bestseller and Eagle Award winning graphic novelist and screenwriter, with licenses under his belt including Doctor Who, Star Trek, Superboy, 2000AD, Spider-Man, X-Men, Battlestar Galactica, Shrek, Wallace and Gromit, Megadeth, Joe Satriani and Ozzy Osbourne, Tony also works in television, film and audio where he has written for BBC One and Amazon UK / Audible among others, working with both US and UK producers and studios as a go-to ’script doctor’.With thirty five years experience as a professional writer, Tony has created stories in pretty much every medium to date.In 2010 he became a #1 New York Times Bestseller for his graphic novel adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In 2014 his Doctor Who / Star Trek Graphic Novel ‘Assimilation Squared’ reached #2, and in 2019 his full cast audio drama of Dodge & Twist was #4 in the New York Times Audiobooks Bestselling List.
Additional resources
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Raindance Film Training Centre, 10a Craven Street, London, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00 to GBP 149.95