“22 Story Basics from Pixar”
In researching a previous post, I ran across a slew of blog items I’ve done over the years featuring the Pixar process of storytelling. How about this from 2012:
Emma Coats — “freelance director of films, boarder of story” — recently posted 22 #storybasics I’ve picked up in my time at Pixar. Here is a series of posts I ran featuring each of the 22 which I and members of the GITS community analyzed each one.
“22 story basics from Pixar”: #1–4
“22 story basics from Pixar”: #5–9
“22 story basics from Pixar”: #10–13
“22 story basics from Pixar”: #14–18
“22 story basics from Pixar”: #19–22
But this particular story doesn’t end here witness an email I received from Stephan Vladimir Bugaj:
Hi Scott,
I’m a filmmaker who has been at Pixar for 12 years, including codeveloping stories with one of our directors for the last 3 years, and then cowriting a feature screenplay for one of those stories full-time for the last year. I’m also an avid GITS reader.
I love sharing what I’ve learned at Pixar with other filmmakers, and to that end I have a free eBook available which goes in-depth into the now famous “Pixar’s 22 Rules of Story”.
I think it would be of interest to other GITS readers.
It’s totally free for anyone who wants to read it, no strings attached.
Please feel free to share the link, or embed the PDF download directly, in a GITS article online.
To download the free ebook, click here.
At the time I noted how I disagree with the term “rules”. First off, I don’t believe there are any rules related to screenwriting and storytelling in general. Second, I don’t think Pixar perceives their practices as rules either. A better word choice might be principles or practices or as Emma Coats referred to them in her original post story basics.
In any event, Stephan’s ebook is a valuable addition to our collection of texts in helping us learn more about the Pixar process and their success as storytellers.
I think anyone who works at Pixar would tell you there’s no magic formula involved. Just a lot of hard work and trusting in their collective process.