'Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy' writer Nicole Belisle on balancing 'entertainment and education' on show
'Spirit Riding Academy: Spirit Riding Free' released the second part of the spinoff series in September 2020, continuing the adventures of the PALs as they moved to the prestigious Palamino Bluffs Riding Academy. We talked to one of the show's writers, Nicole Belisle, about the series and she got candid about the writing process and how the team worked to create a show that both entertains and informs.
How did you come to work on 'Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy'?
I had just wrapped up writing on another DreamWorks show, 'Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny' when I learned about the opportunity. I was excited to write female-driven stories set in the great outdoors and really loved the PALs' adventurous spirit. And Spirit, himself, of course!
What can we expect from Part 2 of the show?
Oh boy. Where to begin? Well, for starters, at the end of Part 1 Maricela stays at Palomino Bluffs – so you can expect more of her sassy presence on campus. Lucky tries out for the racing team. Friendships are forged, rescues are made and new villains and natural disasters are aplenty. So, saddle up!
'Palentine's Day' is one of the most chaotic, fun episodes of the season, with coastal raiders, romance and ghost stories all packed into one episode. Can you tell us a little bit about how you developed the story?
We broke all our stories together in the writers’ room. For this episode, we knew we wanted to feature a dance, but keep things exciting… so we added coastal raiders and ghost lore! It definitely would've made my school dances more memorable.
Tackling the subject of the environmental impact of oil drilling is not something typically seen in a children's show. Can you tell us about finding the balance between being informative, entertaining and moral without being preachy on 'There Will Be Mud'?
Our goal first and foremost was to entertain, but since drilling is a controversial issue, we saw an opportunity. We could present different arguments through the viewpoints of our characters. In order to find the right balance, I always ask myself what I would want to see as a viewer. And of course, there are multiple drafts to try to get it right.
Part 2 introduces some new characters. Can you tell us more about them?
The new characters who come to mind are Coach Bradley and Eleanor Kimble. Coach Bradley heads the racing team and is voiced by the hilarious Jane Lynch. She reminds me a bit of my track coach from high school: tough, but fair. Eleanor Kimble is a nationally ranked racer and rival for Lucky. She is voiced by Cassidy Huff who did a great job bringing Eleanor’s competitiveness to life.
The series features a character with a disability, Eleanor. can you tell us a little about what inspired the character, and what went into bringing her to life?
Our writing team always strived to tell inclusive stories. We loved the idea of Eleanor being Lucky’s rival and not letting her disability define her. This wasn’t my episode, but I’m sure the writer could speak more on this. I do recall researching, for a design reference point, 19 th century saddles for people with disabilities. We did a lot of research on this show!
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers or even current writers on the lessons you've learned writing for 'Spirit Riding Free'?
My advice for aspiring writers is to write – a lot! And have samples ready for when an opportunity may arise. I highly recommend getting a job at a studio or production company that employs or works with writers. I interned, assisted and script coordinated for years before getting my first paid writing opportunity on 'All Hail King Julien.'
For current writers, something I learned on this particular show was to not feel intimidated or limited by what a show has already achieved. 'Spirit: Riding Free' had 52 episodes on Netflix when I joined the writing team. So many storylines and natural disasters had already been covered, yet we were able to come up with so many more!
Are there any scenes or moments in the Part 2 of 'Riding Academy' that you're particularly proud of?
Without spoiling anything, I really love the emotional depth in “Grandpa’s Treasures.” I think shows often stray away from stories like this because they feel too heavy, but sometimes life is heavy. I think it’s important for kids to understand that and know they aren’t alone if they go through something similar. I also love the ending of this episode drop as I’m a huge animal advocate. But again, no spoilers!
How has the pandemic affected production on the show?
As far as I know, production was wrapped before the pandemic happened (writers usually roll off first). I do know that the animation industry as a whole is lucky in that most productions have been able to forge ahead via remote work.
Are there any other projects you're working on right now that you'd like to talk about?
I’m currently working on unannounced shows at DreamWorks and Disney, but unfortunately can’t talk about them yet. I can talk about two live action scripts I recently completed. One is a feature based on my own experience filming a movie my senior year of high school. And the other is a TV pilot about a young woman who fails the bar exam and becomes a consigliere in the mafia. Needless to say, I like writing all kinds of stories!
All episodes of 'Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy' are now available to stream on Netflix.