Last Updated: May 20, 1999
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Using narrative
style
Ex-columnist John Schulian, now charmed by writing
for ‘Xena,’ found success through narrative writing and storytelling in
both newspapers and television
John Schulian calls Hollywood screenwriting “a business built on miracles”
and admits his success with television shows that range from “L.A. Law”
to “Xena: Warrior Princess” has been a winning exercise in “trying to catch
light in a bottle.”
The former big-city newspaper sports reporter and columnist — now a
television screenwriter — was a speaker at the American Press Institute
seminar “Compelling Storytelling: Writing and Editing for Readers,” held
in Pomona, Calif., in December.
He talked about narrative story reporting and writing, comparing and
contrasting newspaper and television techniques.
Schulian shared tips on “thinking in pictures,” which creates richer
and deeper narratives. “It’s all about story,” he said, trumpeting the
theme of the workshop. “TV and newspapers have different structures, but
the universal thing is finding a story that will make them angry, laugh”
or thrilled.
Schulian left a successful newspaper career at the Philadelphia Daily
News a dozen years ago, landing a writing role on “L.A. Law.” Success there
led to writing jobs on some well-known series: “Miami Vice” “WiseGuy,”
“Midnight Caller” and “The Slap Maxwell Story.”
Schulian has reached a pinnacle in the last four years. After becoming
the lead writer of the popular adventure fantasy series “Hercules,” he
created a spinoff series, “Xena: Warrior Princess,” that has become one
of the biggest hits in the history of syndicated television.
“Xena: Warrior Princess” combines mythology with high-action martial
arts, big-screen special effects, humor and the spectacular New Zealand
scenery. Not to mention the wildly popular Lucy Lawless as Xena, who has
become a pinup princess on the Internet and in college dorm rooms.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” says Schulian of his second career. “This
is a feast-or-famine” business. You never know if you’ll be working for
10 weeks or for five years.”
“Xena is one of the happy accidents of television,” Schulian said of
the camp classic, which has a worldwide following. “We just set out to
write an hour of television. No one thought Xena would be as successful
as she is.”
Schulian, 54, reinvented himself 12 years ago after a 20-year career
as a sports writer and columnist for publications such as the Salt Lake
Tribune, Salt Lake City; Chicago Sun-Times and Philadelphia Daily
News.
He wrote a letter to Steven Bochco, the Hollywood icon who created such
TV classics as “Hill Street Blues,” “LA Law,” and “NYPD Blue” inquiring
about writing opportunities and detailing his background. Bochco responded,
sending some “Hill Street Blues” scripts for Schulian to read and critique.
Bochco liked what he saw.
“He told me that ‘Hill Street’ was winding down, but that if he ever
got ‘that little series about L.A. lawyers off the ground,’ he would be
in touch,” Schulian said.
That series, of course, became the critically acclaimed “LA Law.” Schulian
became a writer for the show in its very first season. That led to
other writing opportunities
Schulian said his newspaper strengths — including the ability to learn
quickly and turn around projects expeditiously — enabled him to get projects
that more experienced writers also sought.
“Hollywood is a tough business,” says Schulian. “I don’t know how many
starving writers I hopscotched over.”
That early success had its rewards — more opportunities.
One of those opportunities led to Schulian’s ascension at the Hercules
show. That later begat “Xena: Warrior Princess.”
“Xena was born as the concluding episode of our second season,” he said
of the show’s surprise popularity. “We were looking for an exciting way
to end the season.”
Schulian is adept in developing characters — and Xena is clearly one
of a kind. She’s brave, strong and sexy — a great complement to Hercules.
For inspiration, Schulian reads 1 or 2 books a week and is an avid filmgoer.
“I like to write. It’s what I do. But fear (of deadline) is the greatest
motivator.”
The writer admits however that his reputation as a serious screenplay
writer was altered slightly by the success of “Xena,” which relies heavily
on martial arts action, special effects and “goofy dialogue” for its success.
“In the last year, I’ve been asked to write for “Mortal Kombat” and
a Pamela Sue Anderson series, “ says Schulian. “I’ve turned both down ...
I guess I live with the curse of Xena!”
Schulian’s next project will be to write a TV pilot for the “Son of
Spartacus.” He said it will not be as serious as “Spartacus,” starring
Kirk Douglas, “Nor as loopy and silly as the Hercules and Xena plot lines.”
Schulian admits that, unlike newspapers, much of the best work by Hollywood
screenwriters never gets into production. “Some scripts are watered down.
Some don’t want to take risks.” As an example, he referred to “The Ring,”
a mini-series he has written about a down-and-out boxer that he has been
shopping around for several years. He says he doubts if it will ever be
produced. Schulian speaks proudly of that boxing work. After all, the sport
was his specialty when he wrote in the sports section.
He misses newspapers, too. “Times have changed since I began writing
for newspapers more than 20 years ago. I remember an editor once, greeted
me. ‘Welcome to my lab,’ he said, pulling out a bottle of vermouth and
gin. “I guess there aren’t enough drunken rewrite men now.”
But the former columnist has actually been writing for print again,
landing a six-article deal with Sports Illustrated. He’s halfway through
the deal, having completed articles on the uniqueness of major league baseball
in Milwaukee, and a career minor leaguer, among others.
Does that mean he’s coming back to newspapers or magazines?
“Probably not,” said Schulian, who has become a Californian, even carting
his bicycle over to the beach for long jaunts.
“I hate being on the road. I hate sleeping in hotels. I don’t want to
go over ground I’ve already covered.”
