Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Corrrespondences with famous people: Profile 1, Savin Yeatman-Eiffel (Interview) 2017

  • J.M. Matthews sent the following messages at 11:33 AM
    Dear Mr. Savin, You are my hero of the industry. I admire your storytelling and writing skills and your nobility. For years now I've hoped to some day be anywhere as good of an animation and anime writer as you, and I hope you don't mind if I ask you about your screenwriting process. There is not a lot of interviews with you out there,or common knowledge about what screenwriting process you use to bring your visions of cartoons and anime to life. Here's some questions for you. I hope it's okay with you if I ask about your process. Can you describe a little bit about the formatic and storytelling difference(s) between the Western and Japanese screenwriting process? I've spoken to your friend and collaborator Thomas Romain before, but what he said about anime screenwriting confused me. Me made reference to something called "Scenarios"? I was helping if you know anything about Japanese Scenario departments, what are they exactly? And how different is a Japanese scenario from a Western screenplay? And in what ways are they different? Any thoughts you could provide on the contet of this email would help my career greatly, I am sure. Best Wishes, JM Matthews
  • Also, I forgot to mention Who are your favorite auteurs, screenwriters and authors in France and Japan?
  • Savin Yeatman-Eiffel sent the following messages at 5:35 PM
    View Savin’s profileSavin Yeatman-Eiffel
    Dear Joseph / James,
  • View Savin’s profileSavin Yeatman-Eiffel
    Thank you for your message. To answer one of your questions, "scenario" is just the French name for screenplay. It is harder to answer your more global request of describing my "screenwriting process". What I can easily say is : I always write for animation as I would for "film". For me there is no real distinction between animation writing and live action writing. The former may be seen as more visual than the later but good filmmaking should always be as visual as possible, wouldn't you agree? Take a look at Kon Satoshi's feature films, especially the first 3 (and this should answer another of your questions). The use of the animation medium is great but before all these are great movies, wonderfully crafted and thought out. There is no differences here for me between Kon's work and that of "live action" masters such as Felini or Kubrick. Hope this helps. Best. Savin
  • J.M. Matthews sent the following message at 9:18 PM
    Of course I agree with you! You're one of the geniuses in history. I view myself as a good writer, but I might not have pursued screenwriting as one of my career if it hadn't been for seeing Oban Star-Racers on Toon Disney Jetix America that fateful day. Paul Pope once said if you get a Japanese genius, you get a GENIUS. I feel that same way about us literary auteurs with French DNA. I hope I don't mind if I ask you about Gustav Eiffel. Are you compelled by your family, are you a social creature, or are you more of a lone wolf, or both? I'm interested in how geniuses and people higher on the hierarchy live. I saw a documentary of John Lasseter, who I also me in 1999, only it was in a rare public appearance at a Disney meet and greet. It was amazing to see him in action, just like Osamu Tezuka, Disney, and Miyazaki. It woke me up because he lives so differently than the artists and writers I grew up interacting with, which begs the point, not all your heroes live the exact same cookie cutter lifestyle or behave the same way, you know?? In terms of anime, I feel that way about Otomo, Ghost in the Shell, and Yoshiyuki Tomino. I mean, who doesn't want to crank out tons of quality material in mass quantities. You do the same things. Also, what are you're thoughts on the challenging balance between being a studiohead, writer, screenwriter, and art designer/creator? How does your process work. I don't think a lot of people know the answer to this question, so I must ask while the iron is hot! :)
  • Savin Yeatman-Eiffel sent the following messages at 4:27 AM
    View Savin’s profileSavin Yeatman-Eiffel
    Thank you again for your email but by any standards I'm no genius (!), just a modest craftsman who tries to do his best, and to go as much agaisnt the flow as he can manage to.
  • View Savin’s profileSavin Yeatman-Eiffel
    On (trying to) be an artist, it all depends on who you are. Personnaly, dreams are my fuel. I need to fall in love with a character or a world and want to brind it to life. On beeing at the same time writer/director and producer, it's a little dangerous and requires a good balance of mind.
  • J.M. Matthews sent the following messages at 11:46 AM
    Thanks
  • Okay, these are incredible answers. I cover animation and anime topics in my journal. Can I have your permission to quote your answers to my questions in my blog? If you give me permission to publish these answers in my blog be sure to let me know...
  • Savin Yeatman-Eiffel sent the following messages at 3:14 AM
    View Savin’s profileSavin Yeatman-Eiffel
    No pb. Permission granted
  • Read Savin Yeatman-Eiffel
  • J.M. Matthews sent the following message at 4:12 PM
    Thanks. lol YEESSSS. I am the fricking man! And so are you!

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