Graham Ward and Dr. Eric Samuelsen, Department of Theatre and Media Arts
Writing the web series Alabaster Sky was a process of daily adaptation. From viewing every web series and documentary-style movie we could get our hands on, to inventing a method of structuring serial fiction that’s non-linear, this project tested us daily. The success of the production itself is yet to be determined, but the writing process can be considered successful in its attempt to test the limits of new media. The most significant area of work in the writing process was marrying the series’ documentary style with a non-linear structure.
Very few fictional web series have been produced in a documentary style. Fewer have been done with any level of repute. Our motivation for writing Alabaster Sky as a “mockumentary” or fictional documentary was in part to embrace our limited arsenal of film equipment, but we wanted our series to distinguish itself from the low quality of its predecessors, to embrace the documentary style and push it in new directions. We were convinced that much of what makes homespun web series difficult to watch is the lack of structure in the writing. A true documentary is careful about the presentation of information. Most doc-style web series present the story as “found footage,” making it look raw, unedited, and low quality. We thoroughly researched fictional and documentary structure so that our series wouldn’t seem homemade. Our strongest sources were Save the Cat by Blake Snyder and industry examples of documentary-style films.
Our process for structuring the script mirrored Snyder’s method in that we used note cards representing scenes tacked onto a bulletin board. We began following his process exactly, but with time realized that the series needed to be non-linear, which together with the episodic structure (as opposed to the solid three-act structure of a feature film) meant that we would have to depart from his suggestions. We created a board divided into six episodes instead of three acts. Once we had determined the order in which we would tell the story (which revolved around the emotional journey we wanted the characters and audience to take), we were able to piece the scenes together in a way that would make the events more engaging to watch.
One of the methods was poignant repetition of certain sequences at different points in the series. A scene that the audience saw in episode one would take on new meaning when seen again after a critical revelation in episode three. This technique followed a bit of advice given by Lost creator J.J. Abrams. He suggested creating metaphorical mystery boxes—little riddles that the audience is interested in understanding or solving—as stepping stones to the final payoff. Creating mystery boxes became a large part of our approach to non-linear structure.
In doc-style movies such as The Blair Witch Project, REC, and Cloverfield, we noticed that the characters don’t seem motivated to continue filming in dangerous situations. We wanted to explore ways to maintain the motivation the keep the camera rolling rather than turning it off and running away. There were several sequences we wrote in to establish the motivation for filming in the face of danger, and we likewise established that not every important moment would be caught on film (a technique that sees remarkably little use in documentary-style fiction). Non-linearity was our friend in this area, since the puzzle of chronology became a stronger focus than the through-line of the series’ action.
In order to maintain an authentic documentary feel, we used a script that acted as a highly detailed synopsis more than a dialogue. In moments when key lines needed to be said, they were scripted, but the majority of scenes were detailed in terms of character objectives, attitudes, action, and necessary expository information. There were a few times when the actors struggled to improvise a clean dialogue with what they were given, but for the most part this was a very effective format.
The first block of filming on the series is complete, with about one more episode left to shoot. Production has been stressful, fun, desperate, and rewarding. We look to finish shooting in May, once the weather will again match August. Some of the most challenging moments were when the script needed to be reworked at the last moment because of unforeseen limitations. Some of the action was simplified, and some of the most high-concept moments were bagged, but in general we stuck to the integrity of our original concept and script.
Together with my collaborators, I want to express my thanks to the Office of Research and Creative Activities for their generous support of student-initiated research. This experience has taught us a lot about the process of screenwriting in a practical situation. Its aid in my own education has been priceless. Thank you for all that was provided for us on this production.