During all of our Stephens College Residency Workshops, my favorite job as Executive Director is when I moderate a panel at the Writers Guild.
Last August, we hosted “Beyond the Book” which covered writing adaptations and spin-offs. The panelists shared ideas about how to manage IP; we discussed how creative decisions are made when one deviates from the source material and how thematic material, characters, and plot points are emphasized or expanded upon in TV series and features.
I always like to cover shows that focus on female-driven stories (no matter the writer) so while Olivia Newman, writer-director of Extremely Bright Creatures was out of town we were happy to hear from John Whittington, who wrote the first drafts of the script – and Lego Batman, which provided a completely different challenge. The rest of the panelists were a great set of writers across mediums including MFA Mentor Valerie Woods (The Crossover, The Big Cigar, Sweet Magnolias), Jessica O’Toole (XO, Kitty; The Summer I Turned Pretty); and Rhiana Yazzie (Dark Winds).
It’s already time to start planning and booking our WGA panel for January – stay tuned for that topic – and that recording, which we’ll post in early March.
The Writers Guild Foundation teams up with Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting for a conversation about writing adaptations and spin-offs for the screen. This conversation covered how writers approach adapting IP to the screen, how creative decisions are made to deviate from the source material, and how thematic material, characters, and plot points are emphasized or expanded upon in TV series and features.
Panelists include:
- Jessica O’Toole – XO, Kitty; The Summer I Turned Pretty
- John Whittington – Remarkably Bright Creatures
- Valerie Woods – The Crossover, The Big Cigar, Sweet Magnolias
- Rhiana Yazzie – Dark Winds
- Moderated by Dr. Rosanne Welch, Executive Director, Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting.
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