Pixar's Rules - Revision history

AlanBatie at 02:40, 12 June 2012

2012-06-12T02:40:23Z

AlanBatie at 02:40, 12 June 2012

2012-06-12T02:40:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:40, 11 June 2012
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	Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling.		Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling.

	#: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.		# : You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.
	#: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.		# : You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.
	#: Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about til you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.		# : Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about til you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.
	#: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.		# : Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
	#: Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.		# : Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
	#: What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?		# : What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
	#: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.		#: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
	#: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.		#: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

AlanBatie at 02:38, 12 June 2012

2012-06-12T02:38:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:38, 11 June 2012
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling.		Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling.

	#1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.		#: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.
			#: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.
	#2: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.		#: Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about til you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.
			#: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
	#3: Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about til you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.		#: Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
			#: What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?
	#4: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.		#: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
			#: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
	#5: Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.		#: When you're stuck, make a list of what WOULDN'T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.
			#: Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you've got to recognize it before you can use it.
	#6: What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?		#: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone.
			#: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
	#7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.		#: Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it's poison to the audience.
			#: Why must you tell THIS story? What's the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That's the heart of it.
	#8: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.		#: If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
			#: What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don't succeed? Stack the odds against.
	#9: When you're stuck, make a list of what WOULDN'T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.		#: No work is ever wasted. If it's not working, let go and move on - it'll come back around to be useful later.
			#: You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.
	#10: Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you've got to recognize it before you can use it.		#: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
			#: Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d'you rearrange them into what you DO like?
	#11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone.		#: You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can't just write ‘cool'. What would make YOU act that way?
			#: What's the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.
	#12: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

	#13: Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it's poison to the audience.

	#14: Why must you tell THIS story? What's the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That's the heart of it.

	#15: If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

	#16: What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don't succeed? Stack the odds against.

	#17: No work is ever wasted. If it's not working, let go and move on - it'll come back around to be useful later.

	#18: You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

	#19: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

	#20: Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d'you rearrange them into what you DO like?

	#21: You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can't just write ‘cool'. What would make YOU act that way?

	#22: What's the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

AlanBatie: New page: Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling. #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. #2: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fu...

2012-06-12T02:37:52Z

New page: Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling. #1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes. #2: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fu...

New page

Pixar's 22 Rules for Storytelling.

#1: You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

#2: You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be v. different.

#3: Trying for theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about til you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.

#4: Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

#5: Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

#6: What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

#7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

#8: Finish your story, let go even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

#9: When you're stuck, make a list of what WOULDN'T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

#10: Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you've got to recognize it before you can use it.

#11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone.

#12: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

#13: Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it's poison to the audience.

#14: Why must you tell THIS story? What's the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That's the heart of it.

#15: If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

#16: What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don't succeed? Stack the odds against.

#17: No work is ever wasted. If it's not working, let go and move on - it'll come back around to be useful later.

#18: You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

#19: Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

#20: Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d'you rearrange them into what you DO like?

#21: You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can't just write ‘cool'. What would make YOU act that way?

#22: What's the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.