Screenwriting : Coming of age narrative standards by Anu Deshpande

You could focus on specific moments in the timeline and cast multiple actors for the same roles. Convincing makeup could also work for certain characters to help identify the time period. “This is Us” is the first show to my mind which jumps back and forth across more than sixty years, but they are not limited to a fifteen-episode mini series. So if you are sticking to 18 years, that could help, just look at Boyhood.

Hi. No I am not concerned about actors and their appearances. I am talking about the time and how to fit that narrative in 15-20 episodes. I am asking about is 15 episodes fine for showing a time lapse of 18 years?

Sounds like each episode would be a year? Are you trying to cover an entire year in one episode or have each episode focus on a defining event for that year? (in the family or in the person's life) I don't think it would work if 1 episode equalled a year in time. I think it would work if you had each episode be separate by a year but focus on, as I said, a defining event in that year such as Birth of a sibling, parent cheating, grandparent dying, first day of school, first best friend (years later best friend moves), first date/love/kiss.

There would be all kinds of things surrounding that as well. Early episode has bright new lunchbox, later episode has same lunchbox all beat up being used to store weed.

IMHO start with "The earliest memory I have is..." and there's your intro to episode 1.

You may need to use a heavy dose of V.O. narration as well a la' "The Wonder Years" or "The Goldbergs".

Good luck!

Yes each episode will be defined by an event.. progressive towards the final thing which will be the ultimate gratification of the two protagonists. So if each episode is an event in the 18 years, then what's the trick to show time lapse/change ? Like should it be a jump of 2-3 years or each year is accountable?

Anu Deshpande That would be up to you. You could have 2 or 3 episodes cover one year and then jump a few years with the next 2 or 3 episodes, then jump again a few years etc. Or you could have each episode be one year.

As far as timelapse/change there are multiple ways to do this. Here's just a couple of ideas that popped in my head:

As an intro to each new "time" have it start with a morning wake up. First one (or time) is a little kid being woken up by his/her mother. Their bed has little kid covers/sheets. The wallpaper is little kid stuff and pictures. There's little kid toys on the floor, etc.

Next jump the kid a few years older is being woken up by an alarm clock which they sleep through. Mom comes in and hasta wake them up, no more little kid bed covers. Wallpaper now covered with sports stuff. Kids toys gone. Kid gets up but lethargically.

Next jump the kid is now a teen. Alarm goes off, kid's bed is a mess. Papers and books strewn all over the room. Posters now cover the wall of hot chicks/guys/music groups, whatever. Mom comes in to wake the kid and he doesn't acknowledge or complains and mom has to get angry to get him up.

That's just a very simple if not cliche'd way to do. But you get to decide what will signify a passage of time. Maybe start one intro to that "time" as a car driving up to drop the kid at school. It's new. Next jump, kids old enough to ride a bike to school. Next jump same car as before but it's older/dinged/beat up, next jump, it's a different car. Maybe a mini van. Next jump the kid's driving so it's his own older beat up car.

Besides the character's changing, their environments age and or change as well. Maybe dad has a full head of hair and is clean shaven, next jump in time dad is thinning and grown a mustache, next jump he has a full beard, bald spot and beer belly, next jump, clean shaven again, next jump shaved head and goatee.

The big question is how do YOU want to break up the 18 years (by year or groups of years) and how do YOU want to show the passage of time between those gaps.

More ideas: Start each clause of "years" with the kid sitting in the barber's chair getting a haircut. Each jump in time shows them changing their looks and a different hairstyle.

If you stay in the same house start with a tree they just planted, then as you jump forward a couple of years, start with that tree being bigger.

If it contains a school setting as a large part of it, start each segment of time from inside the school bus and the doors open revealing the kid when young. Then jump a few years, doors open, kids a little older, jump a few years, etc. you get the picture.

Thanks a lot Chad Stroman for a detailed input. My only concern was is it fine to show 18 years in one season as a mini series... Like series always have their seasons and then passage of time gets convincing. Here my story is about two characters in their 20s meet for the first time but they actually get together as a couple after 18 years. So yeah, I will apply your inputs here and i choose to show a jump of few years and proceed the narration.

Anu Deshpande Yes. I think it's fine so long as it works. The movie "Boyhood" shows 12 years of a boy growing up in one 3 hr movie.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1065073/

Move to Los Angeles, get a job on a tv series, learn from working tv people.

Your idea right now, from a logistic & production, is unshootable. Nobody is gonna build a new set, costume, design for every episode.

yes Chad Stroman in a movie coming of age narrative is quite convincing. But a series becomes much more challenging as the viewer follows it on daily basis.

I agree with you Laura Scheiner .. Thanks for your reply.

Thanks Dan MaxXx .. The story does not demand a different set up or design for each episode.

I'll third that notion and agree with Laura and Jane, this does sound more suitable as a novel. Perhaps consider a different medium. Good luck! ;)

Start in year 17, run through to 18 over the season filling in key parts of the backstory along the way.

A book is a good idea but If you prefer to write it for tv then do so. I would suggest focusing on key moments and obstacles of protagonists life as a vehicle as opposed to focusing on the time period. Maybe think about how you want it to end and then show your character's development, and naturally, a transition of time will be portrayed. I would avoid putting up barriers such as year one she did this, year two they did that, year three this happened etc, but stick to specific moments that determines their journey. You can easily do it in 10 episodes or less. Each episode could have a theme, a moment, I.E. first job, first love, first breakup, second love, second break up, first child, a parent dying and so forth.

Hope this helps

Thank you Laura Scheiner Beth Fox Heisinger Jane Timberlake Vic Burns Donovan Swart for the advice. Yeah I have considered this concept for a novel, but writing a novel seems so difficult, scripts are comparatively easier you don't have to elaborate each feeling. I thought I wont be able to write a novel, thought I would screw it.

I agree with Laura here. Novels are much more easier than screenplays. :)

I tried writing a novel once and I sucked at it or I would be doing that instead of this.

Anyway maybe that's just me. If I could write a novel I would rather do that because you don't have to deal with people in the film industry. I may be wrong but I thought you only need a pilot or a treatment to pitch a television series.

Hi Dan Dan Guardino .. Yes i need to first write a pilot but also I need to keep the idea clear in my mind and the idea should suit a drama series. That where i developed doubts. Thanks for the reply!

Why don't you just make it a feature length film, then and consider a sequel if it takes off?

Start with 15. As you write and develop the series will be discover if you need to go to 18.

Hi. I have considered that option Charles K. Frazier ... Thanks

How long are the episodes going to run for?

I am thinking of 25 minutes.

That should be plenty of time! Roughly a year per episode should be good - as long as you know what you’re going to to with those years. I’d say get a nice clear focus of your plot beats and which episodes you’re going to place them in, and then break down the structure of each episode so you can get the pacing even. Also, think about the style. How you present it will have a big impact on episode length!

If your narrative is not linear and goes back in time to the present then you really wouldn't have a problem. Why don't you write a story arc in the form of cards or a story flow. You will have all the answers