Talent Agent

Three weeks ago I was at my usual Monday night tutoring, on my break (which coincides with the rest of the boarders) and without much to do, I started milling about. It was then I noticed a crowd of boys. Me being the nosy and supremely arrogant person that I am, I saunter over and take a gander.

Two guys there, both showing each other pieces of paper. These pieces of paper had on them MANGA. And really good manga as well :D I asked one of them to bring me some of their work the next week, but they never followed through (and honestly, I can't remember who it was). The other, Chris, HAD A PORTFOLIO OF HIS WORK ... ON HIS PERSON. So he showed me.

There is just some glory in feeling like you've tapped oil - hit a raw pocket of energy. Just brimming with potential and possibilities, unyet tainted by expectations and monotony, unfetted and free. He was just about as good as Gordon, surprisingly, in so far as I just wasn't expecting it.

The next week he brought with me some prototypes he'd done ... for the manga series he'd wanted to write. He had a whole epic series planned, a large mythos spanning throughout history and a general outline for mini-arcs.

This kid is amazing. Not only does he have Gordon's talent, but he has something else too, motivation and drive and persistence. He didn't like his first drafts, so he redid them, and continues to do so.

Tonight he brought some more work with him tonight and brought his writing partner with me and we discussed his plot and stuffs. What excites me most is that his story is so rough right now, it could be anything, and I'm glad to be here, observing it as it unfolds. I think he's really making use of my ... er... wisdom (:P). By that I just mean that I've got experience with a lot of anime/TV series that deal in that genre, am a pretty spiffy writer, read a lot and actively deconstruct texts and from all that I think I can impart some good advice.

It's not like I'm saying "This is how it is and you're going to have to do this," I'm trying very hard to avoid such 'realistic' and 'mature' thinking. That's precisely what they don't need. All I'm doing is trying to tell them how I've noticed things, just helping generate ideas and situations they may not be able to consider, just to give them a more rounded perception of things.

Like for instance, one thing I thought the story could benefit from was a bit more focus in terms of character portrayal and development. It was heavily plot elements they've devised so far, which oftentimes is the hardest part. Creating original and yet does not feel gimmicky, in a world that's had people trying to make new content for many many years is always going to be a difficult task. I think some of there stuff falls slightly short, but for the most part, would make a thrilling and cracking read.

I also mentioned some things I noticed about getting published, or how to distribute the story and get noticed etc. I think they're going to go for the traditional style - release it in a manga compillation magazine, of which there are several free ones out there. But that'd be to get their name and story out there... if they wanted to make money they couldn't operate like that... I asked them to block out the first few episodes, with a general storyline, and maybe I can help work through that.

They've just got so much. They must have upwards of 50 different characters, each with a storyline ... I mean they kept mentioning "this will be in the first 5 seasons or so" and I'm like wow... Most TV series don't even last that long :P

What I'm loving though, is every week I see them and they're at one stage, then they spend the next week and weekend experimenting with drawing styles, techniques, adapting the plot and characters ... It's just really sweet to see them working so hard. Meanwhile, the Liberi ex Janus script sits dusting away in the corner :P

I wouldn't call this so much as a new project so much as I'm really just a mentor or facilitator to their success. And when they do reach it, I will be able to ride upon their back and sail my way into good times ;)