Director David Wellington throws out the word, “orpie” (his slang for dialogue that looks good on the page, but will likely sound awkward coming out of an actor’s mouth). Show runner and head writer Tassie Cameron thinks a particular scene could use a “save the cat” moment (in other words, a script device to endear a particular character to viewers). Another writer, Semi Chellas, pipes up that a proposed plot twist is “mutant subtext” (a term she coined to mean something in an episode that seems random).
At the far end of the table, Ellen Vanstone, a long-time journalist and the co-creator of the ABC/Global show Rookie Blue, which debuts on Thursday, listens to the weird lingo with a huge grin on her face. “What I love about scriptwriting,” says the National Magazine Award-winner, “is the jargon and linguistic shortcuts used to get an idea across quickly.”
And it’s precisely the staccato exchange of ideas in this room that persuaded her to join the rush of television and print reporters and editors to TV and film scriptwriting to pay the bills and challenge themselves in a different creative genre.
Long as they get the show & the time right, right kids? Rookie Blue, Thursday 9pm, ABC/
5 rumbles:
I've always held that a writer is a writer no matter what they write. And I'm quite confident there will be just as many journalists able to make the transition to TV writing as there have been lawyers and actors.
What particularly pleases me about this piece, however, is the acknowledgement that writing hard news is just "a different creative genre".
Only thing I'm thinking is that they have some nice furniture in that writing room. All the chairs match. And is that a window behind them?
Luxury.
Back to your rotting log, Zmak! And be careful. That log has to last til Hiatus!
it be Global, not CTV, Mr. McGrath...
Frak! Thanks.
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