Written by Angus Woodiwiss, Writer / Development Manager.
Vegesaurs is one of my favorite shows to write for. It’s not every day you get to craft stories about vegetable dinosaurs in a world where playful chaos reigns. From the spoofed David Attenborough-style narrator to the nonverbal antics of our Pea-Rexes… every aspect of the show invites creativity, ingenuity, and a whole lot of fun.
One of the best parts of writing for Vegesaurs is the variety of episodes we get to craft. Some episodes introduce new Vegesaurs, like the Dragonfruitflyus or the Tomatodons. Others focus on interpersonal stories between Ginger and the Pea-Rexes, showcasing the lovable (and often chaotic) dynamics of their little found family. And then there are the symbiosis stories, which highlight quirky relationships between different Vegesaurs, blending a touch of natural history with vegetable-inspired humor. Every episode offers a new way to bring this vibrant world to life.
Where Do the Ideas Come From?
Ideas for Vegesaurs episodes can come from anywhere. Sometimes it’s as simple as a kid-relatable scenario: sharing, competing, or solving a problem together. Other times, we draw inspiration from natural history phenomena, like migration patterns, symbiosis, or even animal behaviors. And of course, there’s the vegetable element—the Cornasauralophus? Obviously we want to see them pop popcorn off their backs. Bananraptors? Now they HAVE to have slippery skins. The mix of these influences keeps the ideas fresh, funny, and full of potential.
The Importance of a Simple Story
In Vegesaurs, simplicity is everything. Each episode is just five minutes long, so there’s really only room for one main story—the A story. That means every moment has to count. I like to think of it as building a clever, compact framework that allows all the characters to have their moment to shine. While there should be a bigger, overarching spectacle or idea to drive the episode, the real magic happens when the story is rooted in character. It's about weaving those small, character-driven moments into a larger, satisfying whole. That’s what makes the stories so compelling—when they feel true to the characters’ personalities and their relationships with each other.
The Scripting Process
The writing process for Vegesaurs follows six key stages:
- The Springboard
Every episode begins with a springboard idea. This could come from a new character (like the Dragonfruitflyus: a copycat type creature that mixes a prehistoric Lyrebird with an exotic Dragonfruit), an interpersonal conflict between Ginger and the Peas, or even a quirky symbiotic behaviour between two existing Vegesaurs. It’s usually just a few sentences; a rough outline of the story that gets pitched to the writing team. If it gets the green light, we move forward. - The Beat Sheet
Once the springboard is approved, I write a beat sheet. This is a 1-2 page document that maps out the story beats, the major events and flow of the episode. For example, in the Copy That episode from Season 3 featuring the new Dragonfruitflyus character, the beat sheet outlined how Ginger and the Peas encounter the mischievous new creature, the annoying problems it causes by copying their every word, and how they used that hindrance to trick the fearsome Bananaraptors are scare them off. The beat sheet is where we lay the foundation for the story structure, not so much the finer details of dialogue and acting. It’s perhaps the hardest part of the process as you need to prove your premise works and flows without showing off any fun dialogue or details. - The First Draft
After the beat sheet, it’s time to dive into the first draft. Vegesaurs scripts are a flat six pages long, which is both a blessing and a challenge. The brevity means the story has to be tight. There’s no room for fluff. Every line of dialogue, every bit of action, and every comedic beat has to pull its weight in several ways. Scripting a Vegesaurs episode is also unique because so much of the humor is physical and nonverbal. You’re writing character reactions, big gestures, and funny little moments that will come to life in animation. - The Second Draft
Once the first draft is complete, we refine it. This second draft sharpens the jokes, smooths the pacing, and ensures the story beats land just right. It’s also a chance to finesse the character voices and make sure the humor feels fresh and in line with the world. - The Director’s Pass
After the script is polished, the directors get involved. The director’s pass is all about alignment—making sure what’s on the page is going to translate well to the screen. This stage focuses on any major blocking (how the characters move and interact) and clarifying intentions behind key moments. It’s a collaborative process between the writer and director to ensure the story’s vision is fully realised. - The Final Polish
The last step is the polish, where we clean up any lingering issues and get the script ready for recording and storyboarding. This is where everything comes together, and the episode is ready to take the next step toward becoming part of the Vegesaurs world.
Why I Love Writing Vegesaurs
Writing for Vegesaurs is a constant challenge, but in the best way. Fitting a big story into a tiny package forces you to be creative, precise, and clever. Whether it’s coming up with a new Vegesaur, crafting a perfect nonverbal gag, or finding the right balance of humor and heart, every episode is an adventure.
And at the end of the day, it’s so rewarding to see these stories come to life on screen, bringing joy to kids (and their parents!) around the world. For me, every script is a chance to let my inner dinosaur-loving kid run wild—because who wouldn’t want to live in a world where veggies roar, stomp, and cause delightfully dino-sized chaos?