Metromix recently talked with Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir—writers of our weekly manga, “The ninja diaries”—about their background in comics, how they write as a team, and their favorite spots in Los Angeles.
What are your backgrounds as writers? You've written in several different genres: TV, film, comics, etc. Is there one genre you're most drawn to or identify with?
Christina Weir: We both studied screenwriting in graduate school and started out pursuing film and television. We worked on the HBO show "Arliss" for two seasons and have written a couple of screenplays, one of which has been optioned recently.
Nunzio DeFilippis: We went to comics and manga as a way to get our stories told without waiting for Hollywood execs to approve of, and then tear apart, our ideas. I had done one issue of "Detective Comics" (Batman) by myself, but we had a film idea called "Skinwalker," which we decided to try as a comic. Since then we've written four miniseries, four graphic novels, two manga series (eight volumes between them) and dozens of individual issues, including a three-year run with the X-Men. I'd say we see ourselves as comic and manga writers first, but we keep our hands in the TV and film industry. We have a TV movie we're writing for a cable network, and we had a film script optioned. We're also about to try to write a novel, so that means we're hitting all the bases (unless we decide to try poetry next).
How do you work as a writing team? What's the scene like when you are writing together?
CW: We do most of our writing at home in our office. But that's the great thing about laptops, you can go anywhere. But it's a drawback as well—you can't leave work behind. We were recently on the Oregon coast with friends for the Fourth of July, and there we were in the house we'd rented with a beautiful view of the ocean—getting e-mails about changes that needed to be made to the first four pages of "The Ninja Diaries." We try to do most of our writing together, which results in me sitting at the computer and Nunzio pacing around the apartment throwing out suggestions for lines of dialogue or story movement.
Tell us a little about "The Ninja Diaries." What kind of story is it—action, adventure, romance, satire?
ND: Yes, yes, yes and yes. It's a little of all of those. The best way to describe it is, it's a ninja romantic comedy set in Los Angeles. The main thrust of the story is the meeting of these two very different characters who may have a much deeper connection. But since one is a ninja and the other may hold the secret to a lost ninja technique, that means there will also be plenty of action. And because we have Anna as the fish out of water in such a vivid setting, we get to both express our love for Los Angeles and give it a satirical tweak as well.
Where do you see the story of "The Ninja Diaries going"? Can you give us any sneak peeks?
ND: Romance, betrayal, Hollywood meetings, nights on the town, tomatoes and assassins. Not necessarily in that order.
How do L.A. and Hollywood factor into the series? Could the series be set in a different city?
CW: It could be set in another city, but then it would be a very different story. As Nunzio said, we're aiming for a classic fish-out-of-wate" story, so any foreign environment would work for that. However, the jokes would vary depending on the city, and some of the story choices might vary as well. Los Angeles serves us well because there's such character to this city and the people who live here. Plus, we like it here but know exactly why some people (like Anna) don't have that reaction at first.
How long have you lived in L.A., and how deeply connected to the city are you? Any favorite bars, restaurants, shops, neighborhoods?
CW: I've lived in Los Angeles for 14 years, which is just bizarre to me. I grew up an East Coast girl; I'm originally from Boston. And it's such a different environment there, I never could have imagined L.A. being home. But it is now. And I've discovered the secret to liking L.A. is finding those hidden neighborhoods or restaurants that you like. We love hiking in Runyon Canyon and walking along the Santa Monica promenade.
ND: We go to Canter's all the time. Not a hidden treasure by any means, but it's within walking distance of our apartment, and that is dangerous. We like this Mexican place called El Compadre on Sunset Boulevard, which is a block away from our favorite comic store, Meltdown. Nice combination for us on Wednesdays—we go get new comics, then grab some lunch or dinner (depending on when we make it to Meltdown). We used to drive up the coast to Point Dume when we wanted to see the ocean with a lot fewer people around. We don't do that as often as we used to, and we miss it. We also—we're both embarrassed and proud to say—have annual passes to Disneyland.
