Panel To Panel: Writing Comic Books and Graphic Novels

February 2, 2013

Event Date: Saturday, February 2, 2013 || Speaker: Brandon M. Easton || Check-in: 8:30 AM ||

***This event has been cancelled! Please check back for rescheduling***

Panel to Panel covers the basics of comic book/graphic novel scripting as well as the realities of the 21^st century comic book industry.

Topics include:

1) The basic outline and physical structure of graphic novel scripts.

2) What to include in your panel description and how to avoid common writing errors.

3) Figuring out your story length.

4) The principles of adapting your novel or screenplay into a comic book.

5) What kind of art team you should look for and how to hire them.

6) What to do with your finished product.

7) Understanding and reacting to the new digital marketplace for comics and graphic novels.

Instructor:

Brandon M. Easton

[email protected]

Time: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (PST)

Course Schedule:

8:30 am – 9:00 am: Arrival/Check-In.

9:00 am – 9:15 am: Introductions.

9:15 am – 10:30 am: What does a comic book script look like? Examples of comic book scripts, the different ways of scripting comics and understanding how time, space, movement and plot interact on a comic book page.

Suggested reading: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud. (ISBN-13: 978-0060976255)

10:30 am – 10:45 am: Break. (Note: Please be punctual for breaks as I will begin immediately at the appointed times and would like to minimize interruptions).

10:45 am – 11:15 am: How should a comic book panel be constructed? We will discuss what should and shouldn’t go into your panels. How much description is necessary and ways to spur your art team to make your scene have the maximum impact. There will be examples of “good scripting” and bad.

11:15 am – 12:15 pm: How to adapt a screenplay or novel into a comic book. Identifying the key scenes and sequences from your original project and arranging them into a cohesive and compelling visual narrative. We will discuss story length and the advantages of the 24, 48, 64, 96 and 128-page comic format.

Suggested Reading: Come in Alone by Warren Ellis (ISBN-13: 978-0970936004)

12:15 pm – 1:15 pm: Lunch break. Lunch not provided. You may purchase food/drinks from Showbiz Store & Cafe.

1:15 pm – 2:30 pm: Once the script is done, what next? The art team – this part of the process can be the most thrilling and maddening aspect of completing your project. We will fully explore the ways in which you can hire an art team (penciler, inker, colorist, letterer), where to look, how much to pay them, how to manage them, what the work-for-hire contract should look like and what to do if (when) they screw up.

2:30 pm – 2:45 pm: Break.

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm: Done! What to do when your project is finished. We will discuss the convention scene, agents, publishers, printers (should you bother printing the book, or keep it digital?) and how much time you should spend on your hype machine with social media.

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Extensive Q&A section with websites, handouts and clarifying anything from the course of the day.

Meet the Instructor:

Brandon M. Easton is a professional writer, screenwriter, and educator based in Los Angeles, CA. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Easton is a graduate of Ithaca College and Boston University’s prestigious Screenwriting program. With over fifteen years of experience, Brandon has penned articles for the Boston Herald, Crashpad Magazine, and a variety of other publications. After teaching in NYC public schools for six years, he decided to go for his screenwriting dreams in Hollywood and eventually scored a writing gig on Warner Bros. new ThunderCats TV series and Hasbro’s new show Transformers: Rescue Bots.

Brandon produces a popular podcast titled Writing for Rookies – the only show dedicated to comic book and Hollywood scriptwriters. His published work includes Arkanium and Transformers: Armada for Dreamwave Productions, a column for Blacksci-fi.com, and Shadowlaw, his newest major project that was released in January 2012 to much acclaim and an immediate sell-out from Arcana/Platinum Studios. Shadowlaw garnered coverage in publications/outlets like USA Today, Wired, Forbes and Ain’t It Cool News.

Brandon recently signed a multi-book (graphic novel) deal with LION FORGE ENTERTAINMENT, a new transmedia company based out of St. Louis, MO and will have major properties in comics and animation released in 2013.

Location: