Friends, I have a question for you: How often do you change the genre of a project while you're writing it?
Let me tell you about my situation.
I decided to write a TV pilot about a dwarf lawyer who takes on the most unconventional and absurd cases. My original idea was to write the series as an absurdist comedy.
But once I started writing, I realized that my protagonist wasn't as absurd as he seemed at first. His story had much more depth than I initially expected.
So I created Giant.
The series follows a brilliant dwarf lawyer who wins the most unpredictable and seemingly impossible cases — many of which could never even happen in real life.
But as I developed the story, I realized that the project was becoming much more than a comedy. I ultimately made it a drama-comedy, because I wanted to show that it doesn't matter what a person looks like or what limitations they may have — they can still become successful, wealthy, happy, and incredibly brilliant.
For me, the genre changed naturally as I got to know my character better.
Does this ever happen to you?
Have you ever started a project intending to write it in one genre, only to discover during the process that the story belongs in a completely different one?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
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Yes. I decided to write a drama to explore new aspects of characterization and stakes.
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It's always fun when this happens haha. Arguably the best example of this happening with me was with The Letter Man; I always wanted it to be a feel-good story even though the logline read like a thriller and I figured okay, let's try something I don't normally do and make it a thriller even though it's only technically one. It ultimately ended up like how I initially wanted it, a slice-of-school life with thriller and mystery elements that were more out-of-genre experience than actual choices (it ended up being a lot more comedic than initially planned lol). It wouldn't surprise me if at least one person wishes it was a pure thriller, though...
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Yes, exactly! That’s what I meant. You start writing with one genre in mind, but as the story develops, you realize that the story doesn’t quite work in that genre. So you make the decision to take it in a completely different genre. Sometimes the story itself shows you what it really wants to be.
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I thought this was just me! I also started writing a comedy-drama about a faded rock star called Riff. He started out as a pretty awful rocker that had been deported from the US and was living in exile in a sweet, little English village. As I started writing, I was thinking, Riff needs to be far more central, he felt quite a rich character (to me anyway). I changed tack and he now stars as a DJ on a budget radio station in a sitcom called, RIFF FM. I never know if I've made the right decision when I realise that the scenes and characters that I loved before are not going to make it. Never mind. Thanks for a great post Aleksandr Rozhnov
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Dear Aleksandr Rozhnov!
This has never, ever happened to me! Just kidding. My vertical micro-drama's genre is simply female-driven-enemies-to-lovers-action-romance-drama-comedy. Just like that. :D
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I think sometimes the genre doesn’t really change you just discover what the story actually was once the characters start taking over.
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Hi, Aleksandr Rozhnov. I can see Giant being a Drama Comedy. And "it doesn't matter what a person looks like or what limitations they may have — they can still become successful, wealthy, happy, and incredibly brilliant" is a great theme! I change the genre(s) early in the outline sometimes.
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Script genre matters a lots a times
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Oh yeah, I love this question!
I've always been drawn to hard sci-fi concepts, but my new script started as sci-fi and gradually evolved into something completely different. I'm so happy to be writing something new, and it feels wonderfully filled with twists and plot twists.
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Hello Aleksandr Rozhnov, fantastic project, and a great reason for creating a film! I definitely experience that, especially when I do horror; it often ends up shifting into dark fantasy/folk instead.
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I find it hard to write within a genre. Everything ends up mixed up, like in real life.
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Aleksandr, having to change genres while I'm writing a script happens to me quite a bit.
I set out to write "Rose Show" as a hardcore comedy...but it read more like a comedy-drama, with the accent on drama.
I'm very happy with it being a comedy-drama...and I'm very happy with "RS" (or any script of mine) as long as it resonates with readers (at the very least).