Ratler

Abstract

This paper is a report on the process of writing a TV series pilot screenplay. Over a year, I created and developed Ratler, my first TV series, a dystopian, stop-motion animation series. A 20 to 25 minutes, four episode TV series set in 2048. The series follows the life of a lab rat, Ratler, who lives in a high-tech Singapore research facility focusing on sustaining human life in extreme environments. But after a deadly tsunami wipes out humans, Ratler is left to navigate the decaying world to save his dying companions and find out who he is. The story explores themes of captivity, survival after an environmental collapse and ethical dilemmas through the eyes of a mutated rat. As he navigates his existence, his journey also mirrors humanity’s actions that are contributing to the collapse of our world. This paper will discuss and reflect on the reasons for taking up this project, the process of ideating to development and writing, the challenges encountered, and the key takeaways from my experience writing a pilot episode for my first TV series screenplay.