Jane Espenson Explains How Soap Operas Are Made
Screenwriter Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica) got an inside look at how soap operas are made, and, as she frequently does on her magnificent blog, she shares what she’s learned with us. It’s fascinating, to say the least.
The production aspects are insane– the show I visited doesn’t shoot, as you might assume, an hour’s world of material each and ev’ry blessed day. No. They do FIVE shows in FOUR days. So it’s more than one standard episode every working day. With no hiatus, of course. Year ’round, I’m sayin’. Holy cats.
“Holy cats” indeed!
Not surprisingly, she also gives us some insight into the writing processes of these shows.
By the way, one of the results of the process is that there is even more of a premium on chameleonship in this writing than there is in prime time writing. If a script reflects the individual voice of a particular writer it can be somewhat distracting (or wonderful, depending on the show and your point of view on these things) in a prime time show, but in a show that airs every day and that has beloved characters with decades of history behind their voices, a reliable consistent authorial sense is absolutely required. That great new spin you put on that scene is going to be the spin that tears the machine apart.
It’s funny, because “uniqueness of voice” is generally a highly regarded quality for a writer to have. “Finding one’s voice” is considered to be of paramount importance for any aspiring writing (my voice = asshole). Apparently in soaps? Not so much. This may explain why all soaps look and sound the same. Not to suggest that I’m watching soap operas every day, or am completely enthralled with Jesse’s search to discovery the truth about Richie’s untimely demise.
Personally, I don’t see the appeal of writing for a medium that requires you to strip you away from your writing, but I suppose a girl’s gotta eat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find out what newly married Aidan and Greenlee are up to.
Leave a Reply