Derivative Works IV: Taking Back the Culture

In previous Derivative Works pieces, I’ve written about how the stigmas regarding fanfiction are inaccurate, and how derivative works can use a majority-centric work to create a space for a minority. In that last essay, I wrote about how cover songs can ‘queer’ a mainstream song, giving queer voices a way to access a song [...]

Derivative Works III: Cover Songs and Culture

I originally wrote this article for Generamus Magazine, though I remain unsure if it was printed in their most recent issue, or whether it was slated for the third, upcoming, one. Here, it will work as the third in my series of articles about derivative works, this time discussing how cover songs can stand in [...]

WRITING/PERSONAL: Building a Portfolio I

So, in amongst the many projects I’m tackling for school and elsewhere, I’ve begun thinking about the breadth of work I’ve done over the past few years, and what would add up to a good, wide-ranged sample of my work. And, of course, what it means to have a portfolio in the first place…

WRITING/FANDOM: Fan Seasons

Writing is often both fun and purposeful, such as writing a pilot or a spec for my portfolio, or blogging to increase my exposure. But sometimes you just want to work on a project because it’s just fun. Fan seasons, known by many other names by their faithfuls, are such a project. To sum up… [...]

WRITING: Writing Specs II

One of the best practices for writing for TV, I’ve been led to believe, is writing spec scripts. What’s a spec script? It’s a ‘speculative script’, and in the context of the television industry it’s typically a speculative episode of a television series that you’re not affiliated with. Writing one proves that you can take [...]

Paratexts in TV: Glee and The Walking Dead

I’m currently reading Jonathan Grey‘s Show Sold Seperately, a book exploring the effect of paratexts on, particularly, media productions like television shows and movies. Over the course of the introduction, I was reminded deeply of a number of recent situations I’ve encountered that many of you should be familiar with, which took place after the [...]

WRITING: Writing Specs I

Spec scripts are one of the most important forms of writing to an aspiring TV writer trying to get their first job, particularly in Hollywood. These are how one gets agents, and how those agents get you jobs. Not only that, though, they’re immensely fun to write if you’re a fan of the genre you’re [...]

Derivative Works II: Fanfiction vs. Original Works

Did you know that the pieces of writing most aspiring TV scriptwriters use to secure jobs are close cousins to fanfiction? The TV spec script is a script of a currently-running (or very recently cancelled) show, written by a writer unattached to the show to use as a calling card. This script is offered to [...]