to get your name out there and repeated over and over again. Check out animation-related
websites. Many animation writers have their own website, and you can e-mail them there. Just
remember that good writers may be extremely busy with tight deadlines, so be brief and to the
point when you ask for advice.A few professional writers have been forced to use pest control!
Agents and Managers
There are animation agents who represent animation writers. But even if you obtain an
agent, you will still need to look for work on your own. Most agents are not eager to take
writer-developers with no track record. And even if they do, they prefer to spend their valu-
able time finding work for those who can provide a better monetary return on their time.
Many working animation writers have no agents at all. Most story editors will read your
sample script without an agent. However it’s difficult to get development people to look at
an original project without an agent or entertainment attorney. Contact the Animation
Caucus of the Writers Guild of America, in west Los Angeles, for a list of agents who handle
writers. This is a list of all literary agents, not just those that represent animation writers. An
entertainment lawyer will submit scripts for you if you wish to hire them for that purpose,
and they’ll negotiate any resulting contracts. But be sure you contact only entertainment
lawyers so that they know the industry. Without either an agent or an entertainment lawyer,
you may be asked to sign a release form, giving up some of your rights. Companies are in
mortal fear of being sued!
Other Suggestions
You should be immersed in the animation medium so that you know instinctively what
sounds right and what doesn’t. Watch cartoons on television, and go to see the latest ani-
mated films. Rent animation at your video store. Get to really know the current series on
TV. In order to write convincingly, you need to know those characters so well that you know
exactly what they would do at any given time. Read entertainment magazines like Anima-
tion Magazine,The AWN Spotlight, AWN’s Animation Flash,The Hollywood Reporter,Daily
Variety, and Kidscreenso that you know what’s happening in the animation industry, who’s
buying what and why, what series are popular with the kids.
When you watch cartoons on TV, make a list of the writers, story editors, and produc-
ers for each series. The story editors are the ones who will hire you. Producers can also give
you an “in.” Every second Tuesday The Hollywood Reporterpublishes a list of production
companies and the series that are in production. This listing includes TV animation series
with credits for the series’ producers and story editors. If you don’t subscribe to The Holly-
wood Reporter, you may be able to find it at the library. Often the listing is out of date, but
this gives you a starting point in your job hunt. Call these companies and ask for the story
editor you find listed. If that story editor is not available at that company, try to talk to
another. Remember that today most writers and story editors in the United States are free-
lancers and work at home, moving often between companies.
Ask any story editor that you contact if you can send them a sample script and if they’re
accepting ideas for premises (written for free) for their series. Ask them to send you a bible
316 Animation Writing and Development