Comic Book Writer To Aspiring Storytellers: “Read the Classics”
Felicia D. Henderson, a co-producer of “Gossip Girl,” is a professor of screenwriting at UCLA and a former writer for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Sister, Sister” and “Moesha.”
(“Moesha,” incidentally, which aired from 1996 to 2001, starred Brandy, pictured above, who older Mighty Writers will recall was Kobe Bryant’s Lower Merion High prom date in 1996.)
Now, though, the multi-faceted Henderson is about to plunge into comic book writing as the new writer of “Teen Titans,” a DC comics title.
Henderson: created her own alt-universe.
“I am a long time comic book fan,” Henderson tells CBR, an online comic book website. “I was a sickly child, which meant lots of time on the Asthma inhaler and lots of time in the house while my brothers and sisters played outside. So I created my own alternate universe and comic books helped me do that.”
Henderson says the opportunity to write “Teen Titans” is cool because it combines her strengths: writing for teens, her love of comics and her sci-fi sensibilities.
Teen Titans: chuck full of drama and superheroes.
“I’ve always loved the idea of creating stories about where this realm meets the spiritual-mystical one,” she says. “In other words, I’m in heaven.”
Henderson’s advice to young film and TV writers is simple: read more.
“If you want to write romantic comedies, read every romantic comedy script you can get your hands on… It’s also important to read the classics.”
Henderson says many televisions series and films are simply retelling classic Shakespearean tales.
“But,” she says, “you have to read Shakespeare to know that.”
