Tag: frustration

So You Want to Write a Script?

By Ife J. Ibitayo

The zeroth step of creating a comic book is writing its script. This document is where dozens of striking art panels and hundreds of clever speech bubbles are born. As an experienced science fiction prose writer, I reasoned that I would be well equipped to write a humorous historical script. But after a week of research into the subject, I was baffled by the amount of “unnecessary” structure that goes into screenwriting.

In the novelized form of Romeo & Juliet, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet’s family orchard. Placing his very heart in his hands, he lifts his head and cries to Juliet’s window, “But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?”

But in the script version, you have to first explain that the scene is “Capulet’s Orchard”. Then you have to describe the orchard itself. Then you have to denote that Romeo is speaking. Then you have to…can you imagine how such tedium can dam up even the most powerful flow?

Romeo and Juliet Script Excerpt
An example of the formatting that goes into the screenplay for Romeo and Juliet.
Source: Chandler Unified School District; Credit; Shakespeare

In prose, the inner thought life of your characters is visible, all extraneous details are implied, and the formatting is loose and simple. But in a script, all these rules are reversed. As soon as I opened a fresh Word document, writer’s block smothered me like a heavy blanket.

“Do I indent this line once or twice? Is this one bold or italicized?” I muttered my way through my first frustrating hour. And by the end of my maddening day, I was already ready to throw in the towel. I knew there was no way I would finish anything worthwhile at this rate.

But You Can’t Write It on Your Own

The creative side of my brain had already gone to bed for the night, but the problem-solving side was still wide awake. So I turned to Google convinced that there must be some software out there to hold my hand through this painful process. And to my relief, there was!

From scene setting to dialogue, parentheticals, and every other jargony screenwriting term I’d encountered, StudioBinder had me covered. And the very best news, it was free for my first script!

Let My People Ball Script Excerpt
Let My People Ball Script excerpt using StudioBinder software.
Source: Ife J. Ibitayo; Credit: Ife J. Ibitayo.

Conclusion

With renewed vigor, I spent the next three months writing Let My People Ball. On countless afternoons, I’d lay claim to my small cubicle at the library and tap away at my computer as I honed my story. I’d open my Bible to confirm important story beats, and I’d surf the web for credible historical information about Egypt’s New Kingdom—which was in power during the time of Moses.

When December of last year rolled around, just in time for Christmas, I gave myself the only present I really wanted—a finished draft! I excitedly sent it to a screenwriting friend of mine to ensure I hadn’t wasted a quarter of my year in vain. And with 2023 fast approaching, I began to search for the perfect illustrator to bring my project to life.

Wrestling with Laban (The Jacob Within Pt. 2)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For part 1, “Wrestling with Esau”, click here.

Jacob is by far the most treacherous, backstabbing person I encountered in the book of Genesis, until I read about his uncle Laban. Laban took the tools of the trade to a whole new level.

First, he agreed for Jacob to marry his younger daughter Rachel after serving him for seven years. But he swapped out Rachel for her older sister Leah on her wedding night. Then he forces Jacob to serve him for another seven years to marry Rachel (Genesis 29:15-30). After that, Laban agreed that Jacob would serve him for seven more years for the mottled members of his flocks. But the very day they make this deal, Laban set all the mottled members of his flock with his own sons and left the whole-colored ones with Jacob (Genesis 30:31-36). Seven years later, after Laban has changed the terms of their agreement ten times, Jacob finally confronts Laban about how he’s treated him for the past two decades.

 Like Jacob, many of us may be facing unfair circumstances at the moment: a cruel boss, ungrateful children, or an irritable spouse. The way Jacob responded to Laban’s mistreatment taught me a number of valuable lessons about handling similar adversity.

Integrity

To begin his hot-blooded litany of indignation, Jacob said, “‘For twenty years I have been with you, caring for your flocks. In all that time your sheep and goats never miscarried. In all those years I never used a single ram of yours for food. If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, I never showed you the carcass and asked you to reduce the count of your flock. No, I took the loss myself'” (Genesis 31:38-39a NLT)!

Bitter circumstances can strongly tempt us to cut corners. It can be easy to claim a handful of hours we didn’t work or embellish the effort we put into a project, but Jacob didn’t allow his frustration to pervert his integrity. He was honest about the mistakes he made and fulfilled the work he was called to do.

Dedication

Jacob continued, “‘I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights'” (Genesis 31:40 NLT). Jacob worked so hard that he spent many sleepless nights vigilantly watching Laban’s flock. Going the extra mile for a good person is always good. But the measure of every man and woman is not how they serve those who treat them well, but those who treat them like yesterday’s garbage (Matthew 5:44-46).

Grace

Jacob wrapped up his harangue by saying, “‘If the God of my father had not been on my side…you would have sent me away empty-handed'” (Genesis 31:42a NLT). Jacob knew the reason for his success was not his hard work itself but the God who blessed his hard work. He understood that God was the ultimate leveler. Only He can consistently bring joy out of our pain and transform injustice into good fortune.

Conclusion

After this speech, Jacob and Laban made a peace treaty (Genesis 31:51-52). It’s astounding that Laban let’s Jacob go after his frustrated diatribe. But what I find even more amazing is that once he becomes rich and powerful, Jacob never returned to exact revenge on Laban. Years later, Jacob said that God was the one who answered his prayers when he was distressed and had been with him wherever he went (Genesis 35:3). He learned over time to let God be God, guiding him, providing for him, and vindicating him in His own time.

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.”

(1 Peter 2:18-19 ESV)