The Graphic Novel Is the Next Screenplay

By Joe LeFavi

The business of storytelling is changing. Though film is a powerful medium for the 21st century storyteller, depending on that medium as your only creative outlet is shortsighted. The film marketplace is over-saturated with content, and finding a good home for your story is harder than ever -- particularly for those concepts that dare to break a few rules and deliver a unique tale outside the mainstream brand box. And let's face it, studio executives ain't what they used to be.

More each day, film is becoming dependent on branded entertainment -- original intellectual property (IP) developed and proven outside the pearly gates of Hollywood. In recent years, approximately half of the most successful franchises in American cinema were gestated outside of Hollywood's pit of despair affectionately known as Development Hell, and instead were first shared with the world via powerful mediums capable of fostering a fanbase. And then when that fanbase stood up and told Hollywood that they loved that story...Hollywood listened.

So what is the modern screenwriter supposed to do? Are there other building blocks at your disposal capable of gaining access to an audience, generating a fanbase, and forging the foundation for a successful transmedia franchise? My answer...

Graphic novels.

Now let's make something clear -- a graphic novel is NOT a screenplay. And if anyone (let's call him Schmucky McStupidpants) tells you differently, kick him in the shin. There are those who say graphic novels are merely storyboards for a feature film. Don't listen to them. That's like saying a novel is just a transcript of a screenplay.

Similar to film, graphic novels speak a very unique and complex language, and in order to speak this language fluidly enough to say something that resonates with your target audience, you must invest the time and energy to master it and appreciate all its little peccadilloes. So buy some books, visit comic book script archives online, and never stop reading. Ever.

Yet when you begin that journey, you will be surprised how easily you fit into this world. There is much more that unites screenwriters and graphic novelists than divides them. Both are uniquely trained as visual storytellers. Both mediums hinge on the creator's ability to bring their worlds to life and convey a story through visuals. Both employ plot devices such as intercutting, montages, captions, transitions, and jump cuts to not only cross space and time, but also control the pacing, flow, and rhythm of the events.

Even the stories are told in similar fashions. Three-act structure. Pithy dialogue. Voice-over narration. An affinity for picturesque settings, set pieces, and choreographed action sequences. And akin to film, graphic novels cater to a range of audiences seeking both mainstream entertainment and more niche, specialized content.

The similarities run right down to how graphic novelists compose their panels. Again, it's not a storyboard -- but visual thinking is key in sculpting an effective sequential art narrative. Graphic novelists need to think about subtleties such as production and set design. Lighting. Cinematography. Mise-en-scene. How to focus our attention. When to pull back, push in, and how fast. These aren't "technical" skills. These are vital storytelling tools used to emote, convey mood and tone, and communicate complex themes and key moments in the evolution of a story and its characters.

Consider how liberating it would feel to flex all those creative muscles. Be honest -- hasn't screenwriting taught you to hold back? How often has someone told you to stop directing the camera or fawning over the minutia of a scene? How many times have you stopped yourself from envisioning a character, setting, or any other visual element of your world because it wasn't "your place"?

As a graphic novelist, you are the ultimate multi-hyphenate. You're a certified 200-man crew! Choreograph that fight scene. Decorate that room. Generate those special effects. No one can stop you... And in fact, you are encouraged to delve as deep as you see fit for your story.

Best of all, scope is no longer an issue. I dare you to run around Hollywood pitching the next Avatar as an original pitch. Good luck! Budding visionaries have little chance of success in Hollywood these days. Why? Because you're asking a film studio to invest $150M (at a minimum) into your idea. And chances are, only a commercially proven writer can garner the power, influence, and support necessary to get that film produced, let alone optioned.

Yet in graphic novels, it doesn't matter if you're pitching Star Wars or Sleepless in Seattle. The financial investment is the same. It all goes on the same paper. Sure, it still takes a good salesman to nail the gig, but in the end, it doesn't matter that the next Harry Potter comes from the unknown Joe Schmoe. If Joe has the talent to deliver that story, Joe's publisher will print it. So while Hollywood is turning its back on emerging visionaries, graphic novels are opening their arms to the foremost storytellers in the world.

And the poetic irony of it all? When that book proves the commercial value of your story, guess who calls? The same studio exec that passed on your pitch with an apathetic shrug, dubbing it a "hard sell."

I know, I know. Forgive me for uttering those dreaded words, but "hard sell" doesn't really apply in this medium. So before you tell yourself that graphic novels are just for superheroes, check those book racks again. You might find A History of Violence, Road to Perdition, Ghost World, 30 Days of Night, Persepolis, From Hell, Wanted, The Crow, Men in Black, Art School Confidential, Scott Pilgrim, Sin City, 300, V for Vendetta, Weird Science, Constantine, American Splendor, and even Sabrina the Teenage Witch waiting for you. Hell, a friend just wrote a graphic novel asking the question, "What would happen if Zeus had sex with inanimate objects and they all came to life?" Guess what? It got published... and people loved it.

So as the range of graphic novels and its audience exponentially expands, do yourself a favor. Fan through those bookshelves and ask yourself where you might fit. Find some similar titles and genres, look on the spines, and get to know the publishers who'd best respond to your type of story. And then here's the fun part -- go submit to them.

No, you don't need an agent. No, you don't need your best friend's girlfriend's pool boy to slip anyone your script. Just visit their website, read their submissions policy, and then after you've developed your publishing proposal and written your graphic novel script -- just send it to them.

Mind you, if you send them your screenplay, they will immediately trash it. Submitting your screenplay to a publisher and asking, "Would this make a good graphic novel?" is like presenting eggs, flour, and sugar and asking, "Would this make a good cookie?" Technically, it could make a cookie with some work...but who knows if it'll be good? You kinda gotta cook it first. And that's your job, not theirs.

The good news? If you submit a respectful proposal, graphic novel publishers will read it. Unlike book publishers who infamously ignore their slush piles, discovering new, unpublished talent is how indie publishers make a living! In fact, many great titles began as an unsolicited submission or a self-published book/webcomic that a publisher saw and said, "I need to print this."

And if (for whatever reason) every publisher rejects your work, the fight isn't over. Worst case scenario, you publish your graphic novel on your own. You turn it into an e-book or webcomic. Or you find an affordable printer and produce copies to sell at bookstores, conventions, and your own online store. And there in your hands is a real, tangible result of your efforts.

This is the true beauty of publishing.

Unlike writing screenplays in Hollywood, regardless of how long it takes to produce that graphic novel, at some point it will become a real, living, breathing entity. Something that you can see on a shelf, hand to a friend or loved one, and say, "I made this." And nothing and no one can ever take that away from you.

That is why I believe the graphic novel is the next screenplay. No, you won't become a zillionaire. And no, you won't find many red carpets or paparazzi calling your name. But publishing can provide ample opportunities to continue doing what you love to do...and do it well. The most crucial factor in succeeding as a writer is access. Not access to the agencies or studios, but access to your audience. And you don't need Sony or CBS to make that connection.

Let's face it. Hollywood has become such an alienating place for emerging storytellers, screenwriters must do what they've always done -- adapt. You must find other creative outlets that utilize your talents and share your stories with the world. Because regardless what the studios might think, the next Spielberg isn't coming from USC. It's a 16-year-old girl in Michigan with an imagination capable of captivating the world...and not a clue in Hell on how to enter this industry and achieve her potential.

So to you - the next great storyteller out there - I hope that you read this article, hold tight onto your dreams, and start writing a graphic novel. You've already got one fan dying to read it.

Joe LeFavi is the founder of Quixotic Transmedia, a consultancy firm championing transmedia world-building and the creation of content designed to engage audiences via multiple mediums. Quixotic has secured strong relationships in every facet of the industry, from animation houses and marketing agencies to game designers and smart-phone app developers. LeFavi specializes as a publishing packager, helping creators and producers alike to engineer and expand their stories into books, comic books, graphic novels, and manga. Many of these efforts fall under his first-look deal with Archaia, one of the top-10 publishers of comics and graphic novels. He collaborates with Archaia on a variety of projects, spearheading business development for their Black Label division. Among his credits is the publishing partnership with Relativity Media on their epic film "Immortals" and an overall publishing deal with The Jim Henson Company. LeFavi is no stranger to the Henson brand, as he previously served as their Director of Publishing and Development.

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Updated: 05/12/2011