jerry
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Post by jerry on Aug 13, 2015 17:14:29 GMT
Hi group, Thanks for choosing Piñata Support Group for one of our next videos. I have attached the script below. Please feel free to post any notes or ideas you may have over the next week or so. Also, are people seriously interested in doing an arts and crafts evening to make paper mache costumes? (or pieces of costumes)? I already have a new line to work in. I think it should be Shrek to Dora: "Dora, your so sweet inside," as he looks at her as if he could see her candy innards. PINATA SUPPORT GROUP.pdf (29.03 KB) |
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Post by Kat Kirkpatrick (Admin) on Aug 14, 2015 22:56:26 GMT
Okay, I love this as-is. Do you want to make it fit the format of a 12-step meeting? I have ideas for that, if that's what you want to do.
There are a lot of different types of meetings in "the program," and one of the more common types is the "daily reflections" meeting. Your sketch might work well in that format.
In The Mexican's first beat, he'd need to say something like, "I'm the Mexican, and I'm a piñata." Everyone else at the meeting would then say "hi, Mexican" or "hi, The Mexican." Next, he'd ask if anyone was a first timer and Tinkerbell would raise her hand. He'd call on her to speak, she'd introduce herself as "I'm Tinkerbell and I'm a piñata," and everyone else would say "hi Tinkerbell in unison." Then she'd do her lines, just as they are written. After that, what you've written pretty much already feels like a daily reflections meeting. They try to be grateful and talk about what's going right (and there are always a few party poop-ers who talk about what's not right).
Then, as can happen in real life, the meeting goes off the rails and they beat the candy stuffing out of someone.
I'll keep looking for other things that could be tweaked, but if you want to make this look like AA, Al-anon, NA, etc., there's my two cents!
Kat
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jerry
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Post by jerry on Aug 15, 2015 3:46:05 GMT
Thanks Kat! I thought about that when I wrote it. "My name is Shrek, and I'm a pinata." But I was concerned that it might slow things down a bit, and joining the room "in progress" (with Tinkerball running late) might get us to the heart of the matter quicker.
Do you have any other thoughts about things that "always" happen at these type of meetings? The only one I an think of is one of the characters completely breaking down and loosing it as the other's try their best to feign complete understanding. (Or does that only happen in the movies.) Matt emailed me directly and we are concocting a bad-assed Spider-Man with a chip on his shoulder.
Also, I ran into Sean on Thursday night and I think I can approach him about using the WCT meeting space in the 1424 4th street building.
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Post by zippykaufman on Aug 18, 2015 19:08:13 GMT
One thing that came to mind is that the pinatas don't really embody the characters they're playing- which I think works- but I think there's some good comedy in the Dora pinata giving her monologue and injecting a bit of "Doraness" to it- some Spanglish, asking questions & staring blankly into the camera, songs, etc.). I wonder if there are places here and there where all of the pinatas can do little things that are true to the characters they're supposed to be.
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jerry
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Post by jerry on Aug 27, 2015 7:29:26 GMT
I will be uploading an updated script soon. One of the changes I am considering is "flipping" the Dora character and Tinkerball character. This would make it easier to inject some of the Doraness into the skit as Zippy suggests above. For example The Mexican could say, "as you see on the clock, Dora, you are five minutes late." We could frame up Dora with the clock in frame as she says, "Clock. Do you see the clock?" And then there could be an uncomfortable pause as Dora stares at the camera. The rest of the pinatas look at each other, confused. Finally a blue pointer highlights the clock, and Dora says, "sí hay es ta. There it is. The clock." (If you don't know Dora, go to www.nickjr.com/dora-the-explorer/videos/bark-bark-to-play-park-s5-ep502-full-episode/ and watch from 3:45 to 4:30 to see a couple examples.) Another reason I am thinking about flipping the two roles is that previously Dora had a sexually-charged moment. And even though we are talking about a piñata version of a fictional character, it is still a child character, and, well, I think a piñata version of a mythical fairy that appears to be above the age of consent seems like a better choice. Also, Matt have you confirmed your schedule yet? Do you still want to be Spider-man? Unlike Dora, I think Spider-man should be the most jaded and burned out of all the characters. Also, as written, he doesn't even sound like Peter Parker. Does anyone have any of their costumes or can they lend us some. Right now I figure we should cast: Lisa as Dora Julie as Tinkerbell August as Shrek Me as the Mexican Matt as Spider-man (if he is available) Also I have got access for us to shoot in the WCT meeting room from 12:30 to 6:30 on Sept 12. We should be able to shoot this, Bulimax, and a few "Please Subscribe" videos. I'm looking forward to shooting this. Thanks! PS: EDIT - I uploaded an updated version -- PINATA SUPPORT GROUP-v2.pdf (30.46 KB) |
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Post by Kat Kirkpatrick (Admin) on Sept 8, 2015 1:52:02 GMT
Hi Jerry! This is a really fun sketch!!! Here are my notes. If you want this to be like a 12-step meeting the key is to have everyone introduce themselves (just the first time they speak) as "hi I'm (name), and I'm a piñata." That's probably the most recognizable trope from AA, NA, etc. There are other things you can do, too, but almost everyone will understand what you're doing if you use that convention. To me, the game is escalating the fact that everyone is both in love with and desperately afraid of the what it means to be a piñata. They all want to be chosen so that they can feel loved but it gets out of hand and they hit "rock bottom," or when it comes time to bat them down. Is this how you see it? If so, I'd drive all of the dialogue toward that. In AA everyone has a visceral love/hate relationship with alcohol, so I'd suggest stepping up the love/hate nature of what happens when you are piñata. The bit about the Mexican at the end seems like a detour to me, now that I've sat with it a bit. I don't think it serves the game of the sketch. I'd suggest losing it. That character could be a traditional cartoon character (Speedy Gonzalez?). Or he could stay The Mexican. I don't think it's a huge deal either way. I'd make the button something that calls out the hypocrisy of beating the stuffing out of Dora (I can't think of a direct correlation between that and an AA meeting, but if being beaten by children is a "rock bottom" then the characters are all aiding and abetting Dora in hitting hers). One more thing... wherever possible I'd shorten the dialogue. Easier to memorize that way.  Looking forward to shooting it!!! Kat |
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jerry
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Posts: 21
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Post by jerry on Sept 8, 2015 5:38:11 GMT
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lisaw
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Post by lisaw on Sept 9, 2015 22:48:56 GMT
NICE - I like both versions! The original is nice for its brevity, the alternate for its detail. Could you punch up the original with a bit of the lingo from the alt version? Then the "support group" feel is more apparent but we don't stray too far from the main idea.
I realize eating Dora at the end obviously demonstrates the idea of "how to be a pinata" but I feel the dialogue could help support more.
It seems like there's a buildup to what the mexican's answer to the question would be - but it gets avoided by addressing his costume. To me at least, it'd be more fulfilling at the end if there were a line that sums up the sketch's purpose, especially since the concept itself is so bizarre and something people haven't seen before. There's a good opportunity for the Mexican to do this right after the racist remarks or have them be intertwined somehow - maybe his idea of what it means to be a pinanta ties into the fact of why he's not a licensed character like the rest of them. Dora still doesn't relate, then the eating of her is obviously more justified rather than it just being punishment for no snacks.
Or tinkerbell's ending line could hit the idea harder of what it means to be a pinata...something along those lines is what I'd look for.
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Post by veronica on Sept 9, 2015 23:35:08 GMT
I agree with Lisa on the ending. There needs to be more of a punch at the end, like they are shitty pinatas for eating her cause they just talked about how no one truly cares about them and destroys them and they turn around and do the same thing to Dora. How about they are like apologizing as they do it but also like "I'm so sorry you seemed like a great pinata, holy crap she is delicious" orrrrr is it crazy that they go to smash Dora but tinkerbell like volunteers or jumps in the way and it's just like pure bliss for her.. just a thought.. I will keep ruminating about the end.
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