Animation : What Animation Scripts Do YOU Study? by Karen "Kay" Ross

Karen "Kay" Ross

What Animation Scripts Do YOU Study?

Hey, Stage 32 Animators! We in the Writer's Room host a slew of engaging events, including one I co-host with Lit Kilpatrick called "The Coverage Report" where we read peer-written scripts, provide coverage for it, and discuss those notes once a month. HOWEVER, we've recently added a second round per month, but where we read PRODUCED scripts instead!

So, I started researching features we could read, looking for a wide variety of genres, and I have to say - I am finding a significant lack of animation scripts available online! Where do y'all find animation scripts to read? Which ones have you read and studied?

In thanks for your shared links, I offer you Pixar's "Onward": https://variety.com/2021/film/awards/onward-pixar-script-read-1234897015/

*Fair Warning - it's embedded in the article.

James Welday

Karen "Kay" Ross I've been working on animated feature spec for some time, and when I need to check a script for reference, I go here: https://www.scriptslug.com/scripts/genre/animation. They have a plethora of great and eclectic choices.

Melissa Spearman

A Discord group that I am a member of occasionally posts scripts for animated productions to read on the large, free-to-access, online library that they host for their group's members. It's called The Script Hive, and if you're on the platform then you can follow the link that I have listed down below to join it: https://discord.gg/vsfnU9zC

Mike Boas

That script slug site is great! I have a huge digital collection of screenplays, but haven’t focused on animation scripts. In many cases, animated films don’t start as screenplays, instead evolve from storyboards. It goes back and forth between artists and screenwriter. Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3) touches on that in some of his videos.

Mike Boas

Michael Arndt’s got a great video lecture on the Pixar approach to writing Toy Story 3. https://youtu.be/FBcwt3QlY_8

Bob Harper

What's difficult about many of the main studios animated features sis that story artists and directors, many times will start the "writing" process prior to a script and then tweak the story continuously with the visuals all the way up to final edit sometimes. So, a lot of times, early drafts don't often truly represent what ends up on screen.

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