TWE enlists the creator of Army Wives, Katherine Fugate

One of the few criticisms I hear about The Write Environment from time to time is, “Where are the interviews with women writers?” It’s not from lack of interest on my part.

Out of the roughly 9,000 members in the WGA, there are approximately 4,000 members employed as film and TV writers in a given year. Women make up about 25% of the membership and approximately 22% of them are working at any given time. I’d love to tell you I knew all of the women writers in the WGA, or at the very least, they know of me, but it just ain’t so. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know any… With that in mind this week I spoke with my friend, Katherine Fugate, one of the most talented and charming writers (man or woman) in the industry.

Katherine Fugate’s career in entertainment began on the production side, where she learned the ropes as a production assistant. Later, she worked at renowned entertainment talent agency ICM in the literary department. She also held studio positions at 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures. She was voted one of Variety's Women of Impact, 2008. Katherine created the hit television drama series “Army Wives” (ABC/Lifetime). Her other television credits include: “Xena: Warrior Princess,” and “Max Steel.” Her feature credits include: “An Ordinary Murder,” “Impermanence,” "Pompeii," “NFL Dad,” “Carolina,” “The Prince & Me,” “The Senator’s Wife,” and “Valentine’s Day.”

Jeffrey Berman: When adapting a book like Army Wives how do you capture the essence and spirit of the original material, the through-line and major sub-plots and cut everything else to fit the scripts limitations?

Katherine Fugate: When the manuscript to the book for Army Wives was first introduced to me, it was titled “Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives” and was written by journalist and Army wife, Tanya Biank, who has now become a good friend. It was a tough, well-written non-fiction account of an unfortunate series of murder-suicides that occurred at Fort Bragg, committed by soldiers who killed their wives shortly after their return from war.

In an attempt to explain the murders and hopefully prevent any more from happening, it also examined the military tradition, culture and lifestyle surrounding them, which became the basis for the fictional series I created. Because we were traveling down an entirely different direction than the non-fiction account, it made it a bit simpler to fashion the fictional setting into a universal tale of love, friendship and camaraderie in order to shine a light on the sacrifices that our military families make for our country.

I am, at present, writing an adaptation of Shakespeare, so that also requires a bit of muscle in that I have to update the master (and I, as a theatre major, take that honor very seriously), while staying true to the politics and heart he employed in a story written in the 1600s, which again can become universal, if adapted successfully. So I suppose the trick is how to relate the material at hand so that all those who see it will be able to identify with it, regardless if they are an Army wife or a Shakespearean character.

JB: Was there ever an issue on Army Wives where the men on staff were writing the women from a stereotypical male perspective or as props? And if so, how did you deal with it?

KF: It is a bit of a cliché to assume that men cannot write women and vice versa, so I try to keep an open mind to all writers, regardless of their gender. What is more important is how they specifically write to the tone and style of the show. Season 1 had a consistent voice which began with the pilot, where we employed a team with similar backgrounds and taste - like Ben Younger, a superb feature writer-director and Marshall Persinger, another fantastic independent film producer with true heart and grace. We were all on the same page when we started and we were able to form a family atmosphere with the cast and crew and that showed. I believe we succeeded in what we all hoped to accomplish in our first year and I am really proud of our success.

JB: Beyond adapting the book, what kind of research went into developing Army Wives and how important is research for any new writer working on a spec for a show like that?

KF: The cast, crew and writers all traveled to Fort Bragg and we all interviewed and met Army wives and families there. I also traveled alone with Tanya Biank to other Army posts and met her family and friends. The military has its own code of conduct, language and of course, all the acronyms to learn. It’s akin to writing about the film business, about politics, law, any setting where shorthand is used and you have your own infrastructure. There was a real learning curve in the military and I threw myself into it.

I am a rather focused, obsessive person by nature and I adore research because it‘s important for me to get it right and not to fake it. When I wrote The Senator’s Wife I had the honor of meeting politicians from Florida and briefly joining John Kerry’s run for the presidency in that state, which helped pepper the script with the insider dialogue and smaller moments I needed to give it authenticity. In writing NFL Dad for Warner Bros and director Chris Columbus, I spent a year with the owners of the New Orleans Saints, from being inside the draft room through one entire NFL season. I even flew to Pompeii, when I wrote that big epic for Paramount and director Jon Amiel. With Valentine’s Day, which starts shooting in July with Garry Marshall directing, I spent the day with Rita of Rita Flora, the flower shop/coffee bar where the script opens.

I personally am not comfortable winging it and feel there is nothing like being there to soak in a culture or see a new side of that life that would never be shown in a book or video of the subject. You never know what you will take home with you and it comes out in surprising ways in the writing, so I am just not comfortable doing it any other way.

As far as writing a spec for the show, I would think your best bet is to know the show itself. It’s amazing how many people don’t actually watch enough episodes to grasp the basic arcs of the characters. I wouldn’t think you’d need to do that much ancillary research, but devising an A storyline that deals with a military issue that can be resolved in that episode (as opposed to setting up a serialized dilemma), would be a smart move. That would show some insight and forethought in creating a great dramatic construct to explore and was one of the harder elements to come up with each week.

JB: Is it more challenging to write for a show with a relatively realistic portrayal of women like in Army Wives versus the strong comic book heroines found in Xena Princes Warrior? And is the process any different?

KF: Every show has its own challenges. I was blessed with Xena, because when I joined the team in the 6^th season, the show was so established that I was able to be a bit left-of-center and stretch the boundaries a bit. Army Wives was about creating a brand new show that would move audiences to follow the stories of our characters, so they were entirely different set-ups. I do think with Xena you are given far more latitude - in that I wrote an alternate/parallel life episode with the sci-fi premise of “What if?” and you don’t get to stretch yourself that far on a realistic drama. But at the core, every show succeeds when you care about the characters and their emotional through-line. It’s a basic premise but at times gets forgotten in all the hoopla.

JB: As a writer is it necessary for you to relate in some way to each of the characters you write about?

KF: Absolutely - I leave a little bit of me behind in all my characters. We all are such complex, multifaceted people capable of so much more than we allow ourselves to experience. I truly believe, on a spiritual level, we are able to understand all experiences to some degree, even if we don’t actually live them. We all mess on each other’s lawns, we all share similar fears. We are all connected and we all long for connection. We all love and want to be loved. We all want meaning.

At the core, that’s the human condition, whether you’re an Elizabethan queen or a night janitor in a hospital, so we can all relate to that. Perhaps that is why storytelling is as old as time and we never get bored of watching a story unfold or examining a life well-lived - if only to have more tools to help us understand who we are, why we are here and what this crazy journey is really all about.

The Secret of Writing Great Dialogue

“It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.”

-William Faulkner

I’m a Facebook junkie, which is hard for me to admit because I don’t have an addictive bone in my body. I’m not a drug addict or an alcoholic. I don’t smoke cigarettes and I don’t like coffee. I don’t play video games and I rarely gamble. (Poker’s not gambling, right?) But when it comes to Facebook, I’m hooked. I’m embarrassed to admit it but I check it several times a day; almost as often as I check my e-mail. Not for long periods of time, but just long enough to empty my inbox, update my status and maybe play a quick game of Bejeweled.

Facebook has become this generation’s watering hole. It has lifted us out of the virtual darkness and allowed us to network with millions of people we would never have had the opportunity to connect with if it didn’t exist. Like Glenn Benest, for example. For the last several months I’ve been receiving messages from Glenn on a weekly basis. Mind you, we’ve never met in person and I probably wouldn’t know him if he walked up to me on the street and asked if I could change a dollar. But Glenn has become an asset to me as a writer since we were first introduced on Facebook. Each week I receive an update from his Secrets of Screenwriting Group, one of the best groups I belong to on Facebook. The most recent communication is part 21 in a series called, Writing Great Dialogue. It’s been a fantastic tool and since I’ve enjoyed it so much I figured I’d give Glenn an chance to share some of his tips with my readers. If you want to learn more, you can always find him on Facebook. I did, so how hard could it be?

Glenn is an award winning screenwriter/producer with three feature films and four television movies to his credit. He also teaches professional level screenwriting workshops in the Los Angeles area. Five feature films have been launched from his workshops - the latest is 'Niloofar," which just screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and Cannes. For more information about his classes, please go to his website at: www.glennbenest.com or contact him directly at (323) 912-9195 or gbenest@pacbell.net

Jeffrey Berman: How do you define good dialogue?

Glenn Benest: Each character has a different voice, the repartee is clever and sharp with good pacing - good dialogue has a music that is pleasing to the ear.

JB: Can writing good dialogue be taught or is it a talent a select few are born with?

GB: Good dialogue can definitely be taught. There are many dialogue techniques that I use in my workshops to make dialogue "sing." It's also important to point out "on-the-nose" dialogue - that is dialogue that is too obvious, where characters are saying exactly what they're feeling. Bad dialogue like this doesn't allow the reader or viewer to participate in the scene because the characters are simply spilling their guts. We want to figure out what someone is actually feeling. There are a number of techniques to overcome this kind of dialogue.

JB: Are there any secrets to making your characters sound real, natural and spontaneous?

GB: The real secret is to remember that people will do everything they can to protect themselves from hurt or betrayal or embarrassment. So no one wants to let anyone but their closest friends know what they're really feeling. Therefore we use humor, cynicism, and other defense mechanisms to protect our feelings. Truly put yourself into the beingness of your characters and write from their point-of-view, rather than have them spout things you want them to say. Characters will then surprise you - say things you didn't expect or do things you didn't expect them to do. This is when characters really come alive.

JB: Why is it so important to write dialogue that is not on-the-nose and are there ever any times when it’s okay to break that rule?

GB: We try to avoid on-the-nose dialogue at all times. But there are obligatory scenes in a movie, when characters break though their self imposed limitations and speak directly from the heart. These moments are rare but turning points in a character's development. At these times, it's quite alright for a character to say exactly how he or she is feeling. Almost all romantic comedies have scenes like this at their climactic moments.

JB: How important is subtext when writing dialogue and why?

GB: Subtext is what good dialogue is all about. Subtext is what's happening under the words the characters are saying. This is dialogue that is not on-the-nose. Characters are saying one thing but we sense something else is happening emotionally that isn't being said. A man and a woman are taking shots at each other but we sense they're actually very attracted to one another but for some reason cannot express these feelings. This is great stuff in a movie because we get to participate in the scene - it's up to us to figure out what are the real emotions being expressed.

JB: What advice would you offer writers to help them become better at writing engaging dialogue?

GB: Buy great film scripts - Study the dialogue. Try to pinpoint exactly what makes the dialogue work. Where do you see examples of dialogue that is not on-the-nose. Study the pacing of the dialogue. What do we mean by the music of the repartee? Notice how most dialogue is spare. No matter how serious a subject is, pay attention to the use of humor in all good dialogue.

I would also suggest joining a writing workshop; get your dialogue to be spoken out loud by the other members of the workshop so you can actually hear it out loud. There is no better way to actually experience if you're dialogue is working or not. Listening to it in your head is not nearly as effective as hearing it out loud.

Win a free copy of The Write Environment: Featuring an Interview with Tim Kring

Win a free copy of The Write Environment: Featuring an Interview with Tim Kring, creator of Heroes, by completing the May Extra Credit writing assignment at Write On! Online.

In order to be eligible to win all you have to do is go out People-Watching and then write up to 200 words what you think their life is really like. It's that simple. You can either eavesdrop on a conversation, draw your own conclusions, and write it up OR observe a stranger or someone you see every day—mail carrier, bank teller or even a person at the grocery. Then post the assignment on the Write On! Yahoo or Facebook group Message Board by May 8. One entry will be selected to receive a copy of the Tim Kring Interview DVD.

The Write Environment is pleased to be a new sponsor of Write On! Online, a Writers Support Group, focusing on goal-setting, troubleshooting, and networking with light critique.

Write On! is led by Debra Eckerling, who has been a professional writer for more than 10 years. She has an expertise in corporate communications, as well as feature articles. Debra’s experience writing and editing copy for small and large companies include her specialties: newsletters, corporate profiles, and web content. She has also freelanced for local, national, and trade publications, as well as online, with a focus in the areas of entertainment, lifestyle, and business. Venues include Script magazine, StoryLink, iMedia Connection, and The Jewish Journal.

To learn more about the May Extra Credit Assignment check out Write On! Online write now.

Good luck.

Writing the Write Blog

A lot of exciting events and projects will be developeding over the next few months here at RDRR Productions, including plans for new episodes of The Write Environment and the development of a web series called, Naught for Hire, based a novel by Sci-Fi writer, John E. Stith. I'll be discussing Naught more as the series develops. Also, starting next week, I'll begin blogging on a regular basis with a series of Q&A's with current and past writers in the film and television industry. So whether you're a fan looking for insight or a writer looking for tips, you've found the write place.

If you don't already know it, I'm Jeffrey Berman and this is, The Write Blog.

Robert Hewitt Wolfe live at The Writers Store Feb. 7th

Los Angeles, CA – The Write Environment, in conjunction with The Writer Store, is pleased to announce a live interview with Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Writer/Executive producer of several successful TV series, including, Star Trek; Deep Space Nine, Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, The 4400 and The Dresden Files.

Hosted by Jeffrey Berman, the live interview will be conducted at 11am on February 7 at The Writers Store in Westwood California. For more information on the event please contact the Writers Store at 866.229.7483.

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