Editing J. Michael Straczynski (section)

==== Work in animation ====
Straczynski was a fan of the cartoon ''[[He-Man and the Masters of the Universe]]''.  He wrote a [[spec script]] in 1984 and sent it directly to [[Filmation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035904p1.html |title=Interview with J. Michael Straczynski |date=2000-09-05 |publisher=ign.com |access-date=2011-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820034004/http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035904p1.html |archive-date=2008-08-20 }}</ref> Filmation purchased his script and several others, and hired him on staff. During this time he became friends with [[Larry DiTillio]], and when Filmation produced the ''He-Man'' spinoff ''[[She-Ra: Princess of Power]]'', they worked as story editors on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12077|title=Masters of the Universe|author=J. Michael Straczynski|access-date=2011-01-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://old.he-man.org/cartoon/pop/behindthescenes/shera-breakdowns.shtml|title=She-Ra Breakdowns|author=Filmation/J. Michael Straczynski|access-date=2011-01-04|archive-date=2021-02-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224083659/https://old.he-man.org/cartoon/pop/behindthescenes/shera-breakdowns.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Straczynski and DiTillio worked to create an animated version of ''[[Elfquest]]'', but that project fell through when CBS attempted to retool the show to appeal to younger audiences.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elfquest.com/edits/SeqTart1.html|title=Interview with Wendy and Richard Pini|access-date=2011-01-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720160448/http://www.elfquest.com/edits/SeqTart1.html|archive-date=2011-07-20}}</ref>

While working on ''Jayce'', Straczynski was hired to come aboard the [[Len Janson]] and [[Chuck Menville]] project to adapt the movie ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' to an animated version called ''[[The Real Ghostbusters]]''.  When Janson and Menville learned that there was not only a 13-episode order but a 65-episode syndication order as well, they decided that the workload was too much and that they would only work on their own scripts.<ref name="GBDVD">The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection DVD interview with J. Michael Straczynski.</ref> DIC head [[Jean Chalopin]] asked Straczynski to take on the task of story editing the entire 78-episode block as well as writing his own scripts.<ref name="GBDVD" /> After the show's successful first season, consultants were brought in to make suggestions for the show, including changing Janine to a more maternal character, giving every character a particular "job" (Peter is the funny one, Egon is the smart one, and Winston, the only black character, was to be the driver), and to add kids into the show.<ref name="GBDVD" />  Straczynski left at this point, Janson and Menville resuming the story editing job for the second network season.  Straczynski then began development on a show called ''[[Spiral Zone]]'' but left after only one script, taking his name off the series, because management drastically altered his conception of show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated/msg/2c7ed07ec5ce509d|title=new jms tv series|author=Straczynski, J. Michael|access-date=2011-12-11}}</ref>