and end. Center the story on the star. (Sometimes it’s okay to center the story around one
of the other major characters instead.) Your story should grow out of the star’s character.
It’s the star’s weakness, his goal, his story. He should move the action ahead by what he says
and does. He must solve the problem. He shouldn’t be off stage for more than a couple of
pages, or maybe not at all. Show him off. Normally, the villain in a cartoon is reallybad, but
preschool shows may contain only funny villains. Remember that your hero is only as strong
as your villain. It takes a superhero to vanquish a strong villain. Every character you include
should be absolutely necessary. Be sure that you have enough props available in your arena
for your gags. Consider the budget; use few characters, fewer special effects, and a minimum
of expensive action unless you’re writing for a big budget show.
You may want to start your planning at the climax of your story and work backward.
Many writers feel that it’s easier to plan a story after you know where it’s going. If there’s
a twist at the end, you need to plant the seeds of it in the beginning without giving away the
twist. As your story goes along, increase the jeopardy. Add a dire threat. For greater tension
include a time factor (the raft that’s about to slip over the falls). There should be no easy
solutions to the problems. If the story isn’t working, it’s probably because there’s not enough
conflict. Solve one problem, and the solution leads to another. In comedy the harder the
star struggles to get out of his predicament, the deeper he digs himself in. A six- to twelve-
minute cartoon will have a simple plot. A shorter cartoon might have only a situation and
attempts to overcome it, which all fail until the very end. A longer cartoon will need more
structure.
Network Television Censors
Television censors (Broadcast Standards and Practices, or Program Practices) have to
approve each premise, outline, and script. You’ll want to consider this when you’re writing
your premises. Of course, each network has slightly different standards. Requirements are
sometimes much stricter in one country than another, or at least the concerns are different.
If the material is created for children, then the standards are generally stricter than if it’s
scheduled for airing late at night. Standards in the United States address the mass audience
and what the networks see as the standards of viewers and parents in their particular audi-
ence. Cable networks are generally less restrictive than the broadcast networks. Although
writers often have an adversarial relationship with the censors, I can assure you that without
censors watching over them some writers tend to push the envelope, and anything and every-
thing would soon go out over the airwaves.
Violence is a big concern. Is this something kids can imitate? A finger stuck into a
nuclear reactor is okay because a child will never come into contact with one. A wire pushed
into an electrical plug is not okay. Writers should exaggerate and blow up gags until they
are no longer imitable. There is anxiety about killing real people and using realistic weapons
or firearms (including baseball bats or cue sticks). Laser guns and other fantasy weapons
are more acceptable. There is worry about real children flying. Superheroes are okay, but
young kids could jump off a roof, believing that an umbrella would actually keep them in
the air. There are concerns about showing kids or animals inside a washer, dryer, or oven.
Some broadcasters require that seatbelts be worn in vehicles and helmets be used for biking.
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