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| | role=Writer / Story Editor | | [[Image:Anonymous.png|thumb|Carla Robinson]] |
| | series=RDM | | == Overview == |
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| '''Carla Robinson''' is a TV writer whose professional credits so far are limited to only writing for the [[re-imagined]] ''Battlestar Galactica''. | | '''Full Name''': Carla Robinson |
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| Robinson joined the Re-imagined series as a staff writer in the first season and contributed the teleplays for two episodes ("[[You Can't Go Home Again]]" and "[[Colonial Day]]"). She became the series's [[story editor]] in the second season after first season story editors [[Bradley Thompson]] and [[David Weddle]] became producers. Robinson wrote a further episode for the second season, "[[The Farm]]."
| | '''D.O.B''': |
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| Apart from writing for ''Battlestar Galactica'', Robinson has had considerable success getting her spec scripts noticed in writing competitions. She won 1st Place in the Action-Drama category at the 4th Spec Scriptacular Competition in December 2003 <ref group="external" name="tvwriter_spec_competition_robinson">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvwriter.com/contests/spec/sswinners.htm|title=Spec Scriptacular Competition Winners|publisher=TVWriter.com|accessdate=}}</ref> with her spec script for ''Law & Order'' entitled "The Good Wife," according to the competition's webpage at TVWriter.com. In the same competition, Robinson's ''The West Wing'' spec script, "Bravado," was also a finalist. (According to IMDB, <ref group="external" name="imdb_law_order">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/|title="Law & Order" at IMDB|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=}}</ref> <ref group="external" name="imdb_west_wing">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/|title="The West Wing" at IMDB|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=}}</ref> it does not appear that either script was ever produced.) The competition is run under the auspices of the Cloud Creek Institute for the Arts, a creative community in St. Joe, Arkansas, started by veteran television writer Larry Brody in 2002. <ref group="external" name="wikipedia_larry_brody">{{cite web|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Brody|title=Larry Brody at Wikipedia|publisher=Wikipedia|accessdate=}}</ref>
| | '''Position''': Writer |
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| The following year, Robinson placed as a finalist - twice - in the Scriptwriters Network's Carl Sautter Memorial Scriptwriting Competition in the category for one-hour TV shows with a spec script for ''The West Wing'' entitled "Undercurrents" and another script for ''Six Feet Under'' called "For the Living." <ref group="external" name="scriptwriters_network_sautter_competition">{{cite web|url=http://scriptwritersnetwork.com/tvWinners.asp|title=Carl Sautter Memorial Scriptwriting Competition Winners|publisher=Scriptwriters Network|accessdate=}}</ref>
| | == Biographical Notes == |
| | | Carla Robinson won 1st Place in the Action-Drama category at the 4th Spec Scriptacular Competition in December 2003 with her spec script for ''Law & Order'' entitled “The Good Wife,” according to the competition's webpage at TVWriter.com. In the same competition, Robinson’s ''The West Wing'' spec script, “Bravado,” was also a finalist. (According to IMDB, it does not appear that either script was ever produced.) The competition is run under the auspices of the Cloud Creek Institute for the Arts, a creative community in St. Joe, Arkansas, started by veteran television writer Larry Brody in 2002. <ref>[http://www.tvwriter.com/contests/spec/sswinners.htm TVWriters.com]</ref> |
| Robinson left the series by the end of Season 2. She was replaced as story editor by [[Anne Cofell Saunders]]. | |
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| == Role in the Creative Team ==
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| === Writing Staff Position ===
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| As documented in ''[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]'', Robinson was part of the core writing team from the series' inception. She served as staff writer alongside co-executive producer [[Toni Graphia]], executive story editors [[Bradley Thompson]] and [[David Weddle]], working under executive producers [[Ronald D. Moore]] and [[David Eick]].<ref group="companion" name="bassom_writing_staff_structure">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=39}}</ref> The writing staff was based at the Rock Hudson Building at Universal's Hollywood lot.<ref group="companion" name="bassom_writing_staff_location">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=41}}</ref>
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| === Selection for "Colonial Day" ===
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| Robinson's background in writing spec scripts for political dramas made her an ideal choice for the series' first politics-driven episode. Moore chose her specifically for "[[Colonial Day]]" based on her demonstrated skills: "Ron had read my spec script for ''[[w:The_West_Wing|The West Wing]]'' and knew that I enjoyed writing a certain amount of political banter," Robinson explained. "'Colonial Day' began as a 'light' episode, but as it progressed from one draft to the next, it took on a life of its own."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_colonial_day_selection">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=84}}</ref>
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| == Episodes and Character Development ==
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| === "You Can't Go Home Again" ===
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| Robinson's first scripting assignment marked a significant milestone for both her career and the character of [[Kara Thrace]]. <blockquote>"The episode completes Starbuck's emotional journey and forces her to face the demons of her past. The physical scars she incurs on this ordeal further remind her of the choices she has made."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_starbuck_emotional_journey">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=60}}</ref></blockquote>The episode's title reflected Robinson's literary approach to the material: "I chose the title '[[You Can't Go Home Again]]' as a homage to [[w:Thomas_Wolfe|Thomas Wolfe]] because I saw the Starbuck storyline as being reminiscent of the character story in [[w:You_Can't_Go_Home_Again|Wolfe's novel [of the same name]]]. Starbuck has 'come home' by the end of the episode, but things will never be quite the same for her."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_wolfe_title_homage">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=61}}</ref>
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| ==== Collaborative Writing Process ====
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| The episode required extensive collaboration with the writing staff, particularly regarding the technical aspects of Kara operating a Cylon Raider. [[Bradley Thompson]] recalled: <blockquote>"We all worked very closely with Carla on that. We asked ourselves what happens if you want to fly [[Starbuck's Raider|a Cylon craft]]? What do you have to deal with? What are the systems like? After a lot of discussion, we guessed that Kara was able to get pitch, roll, yaw and power out of that fusion of machine and biology."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_thompson_cylon_raider_collaboration">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=61}}</ref></blockquote>Robinson's original draft included even more ambitious ideas about Kara's interaction with Cylon technology. Thompson revealed: <blockquote>"In Robinson's first draft of the episode's script, Kara actually communicated with the [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]] while she attempted to repair it. We were going to have them talking, and then we realized that it might have looked pretty wacky! It was an intriguing idea, but in the end that didn't give us as much as we'd have liked to play with."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_kara_raider_communication">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=61}}</ref></blockquote>
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| ==== Clarification on Original Series References ====
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| Despite similarities to a ''[[Galactica 1980]]'' episode, Robinson clarified that no homage was intended: "Although Dirk Benedict's Starbuck was also stranded with a Cylon in the ''Galactica: 1980'' episode '[[The Return of Starbuck]]', 'You Can't Go Home Again' was never meant to be any kind of homage to that show. I was neither aware of the episode nor that series."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_galactica_1980_clarification">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=60}}</ref>
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| === "Colonial Day" ===
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| Robinson's second major episode represented a significant expansion of the series' political storytelling. [[Ronald D. Moore]] described it as their "''West Wing'' episode," designed to "do more on the political nature of the show" and "see how Laura functions as the President."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_moore_colonial_day_west_wing">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=84}}</ref>
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| ==== Evolution of the Script ====
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| The episode underwent significant development during the writing process. <blockquote>"The initial draft focused more on the political maneuvring [sic] between [[Laura Roslin|Laura]] and [[Tom Zarek]]. But the producers felt that the tension needed to be revved up and they introduced the idea of a political assassin's intent to silence Laura Roslin. A mystery forms around who was really behind the [[Valance|gunman]], and that question is never fully answered."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_colonial_day_script_evolution">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=85}}</ref></blockquote>
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| ==== Mary McDonnell's Response ====
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| The episode was particularly welcomed by [[Mary McDonnell]], who had been eager to explore her character's political role. <blockquote>"I thought that episode was a long time coming. It was rather frustrating for me to have to go that many episodes before the politics of Laura's world could begin to materialize. I understood why in the world of ''Battlestar Galactica'' that was going to take a bit of time, but it was very hard for me to not have a '''[[w:The_West_Wing|West Wing]]'' in space' episode, because that's Laura's job, after all!"<ref group="companion" name="bassom_mcdonnell_colonial_day_politics">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=85}}</ref></blockquote>
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| ==== Character Collaboration ====
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| Robinson also contributed to character development beyond her credited episodes. Working with [[Toni Graphia]], she was responsible for naming the character of [[Tom Zarek]]. <blockquote>"We knew we probably wanted something starting with a 'Z' for his surname, because a 'Z' sounds strong and futuristic. And we wanted him to have a religious-sounding name for his first name, so we looked at a number of Saints' names. His original name was Peter Zarek, but that didn't clear with our legal department. So we changed it to Tom."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_graphia_robinson_zarek_naming">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=52}}</ref></blockquote>
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| === Production Design Influence ===
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| Robinson's scripts also influenced the show's visual design. For "Colonial Day," she made a key creative decision about the episode's setting that affected its tone:<blockquote>"In a bid to give the episode a lighter visual style, Robinson largely set 'Colonial Day' on a spaceship with an artificial idyllic environment, the [[Cloud Nine]] (which the show's crew nicknamed 'The Happy Ship')."<ref group="companion" name="bassom_robinson_cloud_nine_setting">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=86}}</ref></blockquote>
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| == Writer credits for "Battlestar Galactica" == | | == Writer credits for "Battlestar Galactica" == |
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| ''See also: [[:Category:Episodes written by Carla Robinson|Episodes written by Carla Robinson]]'' | | ''See also: [[:Category:Episodes written by Carla Robinson|Episodes written by Carla Robinson]]'' |
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| == Notes == | | == External Links == |
| *Robinson's work on "You Can't Go Home Again" established important series continuity by giving [[Kara Thrace]] the knee injury that would affect her throughout the remainder of the first season.
| | {{imdb name|id=1625189|name=Carla Robinson}} |
| *Her approach to "[[CapTV|Colonial Day]]" helped establish the template for the series' political episodes, balancing character drama with procedural elements.
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| *The collaboration between Robinson and [[Toni Graphia]] on character naming demonstrates the collective creative process that shaped the series' development.
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| *Robinson's spec script background made her uniquely qualified to write the series' first major political episode, drawing on her experience with ''West Wing'' material.
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| *Her literary approach to episode titles and thematic content showed a sophisticated understanding of the series' deeper narrative ambitions.
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| == References == | | == References == |
| | <references/> |
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| === Companion Book Sources ===
| | [[Category:A to Z|Robinson, Carla]] |
| {{reflist|group="companion"}}
| | [[Category:Behind the Scenes|Robinson, Carla]] |
| | | [[Category:Crew|Robinson, Carla]] |
| === External Sources ===
| | [[Category:Writers|Robinson, Carla]] |
| {{reflist|group="external"}}
| | [[Category:RDM|Robinson, Carla]] |
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| [[Category:A to Z]] | |
| [[Category:Behind the Scenes]] | |
| [[Category:Crew]] | |
| [[Category:Crew (RDM)]]
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| [[Category:Writers]] | |
| [[Category:Writers (RDM)]]
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| [[Category:RDM]] | |
