Script and Screen- CingKus: Dentist
9September 23, 2013 by bck1402
This was the first one. The first CingKus script I worked on playing up a simple idea- Cing goes to the dentist, and all the hijinks that could ensue with these characters.
At this point, I was familiar with just three characters, the two main characters, Cing and Kus, and Monkey Sifu. They appeared in the original pilot episode I was shown and then told that Monkey Sifu could pop up anywhere at anytime as almost anyone in particular. There were others in that pilot, like a Bulldog Military Commander type (I did use him later, usually in a position of authority), but I was just testing the waters at the time.
I did know that the producers were aiming for a Nickelodeon crowd, and in my mind, that meant a little more mature and twisted compared to the typical Disney or Cartoon Network show. Tex Avery cartoons came to mind, with a dash of Tom and Jerry or Ren and Stimpy, and I tried to incorporate some of that. Cing’s reaction to the sore tooth was meant to be a reflection of that. But I also tried to be ‘smart’ with the dialogue. If you look through the script, there are lines that were removed (that whole ‘tooth’ bit being an example). Maybe for time, maybe it didn’t fit. Like I said, it’s the first one.
Some of the visual gags were also removed, like Cing being a skeleton during the x-ray process, or the backdrop of the Chinese Medicine Hall (which I did suggest using a photograph of a Chinese temple interior instead of drawing it out) dropping in like an actual backdrop. They had Cing drop through a hole in the floor to another level instead. Even the tooth removal, which I thought might have been something different (Monkey Sifu holds the tooth while Cing crumbles around it), was probably changed for something that would accommodate the animators (He gets deflated after the tooth is pulled).
The thing is, I never really knew about the changes until after the show was aired, and I checked back to the script that I had submitted to see what had changed. I was never asked to do a rewrite, so I really didn’t know. Not to say that this had the biggest discrepancy between script and screen, but you can compare it for yourself. Most of what I did write is there. Click here for the script and you can check out the episode below.
CingKus Blues is copyright to 3rd Rock Creation Sdn Bhd
Berning Along 
I was going to ask you while reading this post as a scrip writer how much input do you have during the process? Until I got to the end, which seems you didn´t get much input. i got several questions for you, I you don´t mind. Why write scripts for cartoons? What´s the major difference , as a writer I mean from making a little human talk later on screen?
I’ve been writing scripts for cartoons simply because the work was there for me to get into. Most of the production companies here doing these shows are aiming for an international market, and English being my first language made it easier for me to get into the job market. I did start by writing scripts (unproduced) for a film director who faced all sorts of challanges trying to get his own films made and seen locally. Being in Malaysia, it’s not so easy breaking into film or television, especially in English.
I don’t quite catch on your second question, but let me share this… It didn’t matter to me that much if I was writing for a cartoon or a live action show where the dialogue is concerned. How the dialogue flowed, maybe, given the type of show I had to write, but otherwise, the characters would play out the scenario in my head and I tried to put it down as quickly as possible first… refine it later.
Does that help?
Sure does,I guess there is no quick certain predictable pathway to get into scriptwriting business. I guess my second question should be, do you find different when writing for cartoons than writing for `real´ people? Would be interesting your take on that.
I think in terms of getting in, I got lucky. It was through a friend who was already in the business and got a little swamped with some offers, so he fielded some my way. I had done some writing, and shared some ideas with him, so he had an idea of my writing. I did have an interest in doing this sort of writing, and that’s about how I fell into it.
The jobs don’t always come around tho and it is hard to get into a show at times.
Why is this a recurring theme with writers?
Why do we go through all this trouble when most of us won´t get anywhere… I guess is the love for the work.
Yep. We struggle and fight with every bit of prose and in the end, its simply that. We love it.
That´s what I love about the on-line writing community. It´s sort of comfy knowing others, a lot of others, are struggling with similar things like you and also knowing they have made it. Not maybe like a John Grisham, but made it in their own little way. If I ever get one of my short stories published, I´ll be screaming it all over the internet.
It’s a long game.
Just have to keep playing it.
Yep, it´s a marathon not a sprint.