Frank Beans is.
When does a spinoff cease to be a spinoff? That is, when and how do networks, producers, audiences see the series as an original show in itself?
Classic examples like LAVERNE & SHIRLEY and FRASIER come to mind, just to name some of the most popular ones. How do they establish an identity outside of the show where their characters were created?
You establish your identity by not relying on guest star appearances from the original series. You create new interesting characters and a venue that can stand on its own. You also spin-off a character (or characters) that can carry a series. Lots of supporting characters can’t make that jump.
Oh, and you hire really good writers.
Bryan Thomas asks:
How do you keep coming up with fresh ideas for your blog? I tried twice a week and burned out but here you are 13 years, 5600 posts. Curious how far ahead you plan posts, if you do, and how you generate ideas.
I’ll be very honest. It’s hard and getting harder. I’ve cut back from seven new posts a week to five, and that has helped. Also having features like Friday Questions has been a big plus. But there are days when I wonder what the hell I can write about?
I do try to stay somewhat ahead with posts that aren’t time sensitive, but it depends. Usually, a flurry of ideas will come so I try to write a few posts at one time and bank them. Other times I’ll react to something current, write it, and post it the next day. But like I said, it’s getting more difficult.
I’m also devoting more time to my podcast.
Mike Bloodworth asks:
Have you ever considered turning one of your existing plays into a musical? Have you ever considered writing a musical in general?
I co-wrote a musical in 2006 that got produced at the Goodspeed Theatre in Connecticut. It was a very different experience. Honestly, I didn’t love it.
It is so hard to make any little change without effecting the choreography, score, lighting, etc. There's a domino effect that is maddening.
There are also Equity rules that at times handcuff the process. You can’t really get in there and make the kind of necessary changes you would like to make.
Musicals also take YEARS to get on the stage. I truly love musicals and the good ones are thrilling, and if the right composer came to me with the right idea I might consider collaborating on another one, but for now, I’ll leave it to the Broadway pros.
And finally, from slgc:
When you were making Volunteers, did you have any idea of what kind of star potential Tom Hanks had? Was there anything during his time on set that gave you an inkling that he was a truly talented actor?
We wanted Tom Hanks when we first wrote it in 1980 and he was on BOSOM BUDDIES. At the time, no one would greenlight a movie starring Tom Hanks.
But flash forward to 1984: VOLUNTEERS might not have been made at all if Tom Hanks didn’t agree to do it. Remember, by then he had his breakthrough movie with SPLASH. So he was already the flavor-of-the-month. But what we didn’t know at the time was just how exceptionally good he was.
We and world would soon learn.
What's your Friday Question? Leave it in the comments section. Thanks and have a great summer weekend.
from By Ken Levine
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