All Engines Go Wiki:Exclusives/Craig Carlisle Interview

**Wikia Bureaucrat, FowlerHedgehog01, has been in contact with head writer and story editor, Craig Carlisle via another new exclusive interview, here on the Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go Wikia!**

**1. So let's start before you started to work on Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go. Starting with a simple question: what got you interested in becoming a TV and songwriter?**

I started as an actor in undergrad. I took a playwriting class and loved it. I finished my undergrad in acting but got my MFA in playwriting from NYU. I worked for years in the theater, until about 15 years ago, I did my first episode of Kids TV. I discovered that not only did I love it... I was good at it. It’s been my primary focus since. As for songs, I studied music as a kid and love the structure and discipline that songwriting requires. When I was staffed at Sofia the First, I got into writing kids’ songs. My job as head writer for “Pete the Cat” led to me contributing lyrics to the better part of 100 songs. And with Thomas, that number continues to climb. I love it.

**2. You’ve worked on many children and pre-school shows as a writer from Arthur, Jungle Junction and Sofia The First. In your opinion, what do you think is the best part about writing for these types of shows?**

Well, it’s a puzzle. You have to create stories that follow rigid parameters (especially when writing Pre-K), have some real social value while also trying to be clear and funny for kids (and, when you can, slip in some jokes for the parents, too). To do it well requires a strong sense of story, but also requires a fair amount of abstract thinking, to balance all the different requirements. It’s a great challenge, and it’s fun.

**3. It’s not just TV shows you’ve done, from what my friend TheMilanTooner found out, you have also done various stage productions ranging from shopfront shows to Off-Broadway productions; how different does it feel working on the stage compared to writing for TV?**

Completely different worlds. The theater relies on the live audience, the energy of their response and the fact that anything can happen. It’s a living thing; every performance is different. Writing for TV is far more contained. The story is locked, the action frozen in animation – when we finish writing an episode, it’s usually about 15-18 months before it goes on the air. So, it’s at a remove. Unlike the theater, where it’s immediate and intimate, we don’t get to see kids responding to the episodes. Conversely, with the global audience, each episode reaches millions of viewers. In the theater, even a hit show like “Hamilton” has to play to full Broadway houses for almost two years before a million people see it.

**4. From what I have heard from Daniel, you are extremely passionate about great storytelling and including some very strong messages that can influence the young children of today, so where does the passion come from? Did your upbringing help impact your passion for the stories you tell?**

I feel, especially now, we need to foster kindness, empathy and understanding.  The more positive examples of these that kids can see (and enjoy), hopefully the more kind, understanding and empathetic society will become. As for my upbringing, my mom and both my grandmothers were elementary school teachers in public schools. So, I grew up with a big emphasis on reading and that led to a love of story. And from a practical, tv-writing point of view, kids have zero patience for a lame story. We want to deliver strong stories – and not talk down to them.

**5. Out of all of the projects you have done before working on Thomas, what would you say would be your most personal favorite and why?**

Probably “Pete the Cat.” I was working with Swampy Marsh (co-creator of “Phineas & Ferb”) and he put together a great crew. We were a small group – about 16 writers, producers and animators in a converted duplex in Venice Beach. We created that show as a team. It was a lot of fun to make, and I got to work with some amazing voice talent. I was head writer on it for the full series – about 80 episodes and specials. It was quirky and a unique experience both artistically and from a production standpoint. And it was the perfect example of the cliché “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That’s true of all my animation work, but especially of this show.

**Just like with the interview I had with Daniel, the next 10 questions are related to Thomas with some asked by the community here on the wikia.**

**6. During production of Season 1, we learned that Rick had left to focus on his show and you were recommended by him to be his replacement. How did you feel when you became the head writer of the show?**

I was challenged by it. It’s a huge show – a global intellectual property with a 75-year legacy. Rick Suvalle had done all the heavy lifting of building the new version of Thomas, and roughly 25 episodes were either finished or in the works when I came on. But I still had about 75 11-minute episodes to help create (not counting the fact we have since had two more seasons added). Plus, I was working with a big roster of freelance writers so it was also an administrative challenge.

**7. As the head writer of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, how much of an influence do you have on the writing and direction of the show?**

Like most head writers, I have great influence on the writing – and therefore the direction – of the show. Of course, I answer to our Creative Producer Joe Sichta and our executive Monica Dennis. And they are both amazing leaders – creative and easy to work for. But I help break every story, give notes to every writer and do the final pass of every script (a common practice to keep the tone of the show consistent). Sometimes that final pass is tweaks, sometimes it’s a page-one rewrite. So I am very involved in the direction of the show.

**8. This question comes from Thomasfanforever2002, he asks when All Engines Go was first announced, it originally said that Thomas was going to be the hero of every episode but over time, we saw other characters getting main roles with Thomas being in a supporting role. Since this seems to be continuing on with Season 2 right now, what prompted this change in the show's formula? Additionally, asked by Milan, were there any changes that the crew wanted to push forward?**

I can’t talk about anything specific that’s upcoming. Thomas does still play an important role in every episode. But pragmatically (with well over 100 stories so far), we had to shift the center of the story around to keep the stories fresh and varied. And it lets us show different points of view, different experiences that kids can relate to.

**9. Here’s a question from KukaakCZ, What is the process of developing new/reintroducing characters and updating characters from the original series to fit into this modern take of Thomas?**

We try to honor the legacy characters wherever possible, but this take on Thomas is younger, faster and brighter than past versions. While the characters always get a nod to their origins, we try to make them match the new, lighter tone.

**10. In Canada, The Mystery of Lookout Mountain aired over Canadian Thanksgiving weekend (I managed to see it, thanks to a Canadian friend. I enjoyed the special you and Daniel wrote), what was it like coming up with the ideas for this year’s special and writing out an hour long special with Daniel?**

It was a lot of fun. Daniel is a great writer (and a great guy) so collaborating with him was a breeze. The breaking of the story took place over some months – when you’re doing an hour-long special, it requires the balancing of story lines, the creation of multiple songs, collaboration with the art department to make sure we have the assets available – it’s a big undertaking. But when you’re part of a great team, it’s always gonna be easier (and more fun; Daniel is a hilarious guy).

**11. Question from JacobHayes1, he’s wondering what’s with the heavy focus of the cows in All Engines Go. During Season 1, there was a lot of focus on them from cow puns to them being part of problem-solving in episodes like Counting Cows, Backwards Day and More Cowbell. Is this some type of inside joke within the team or do you all just like cows a lot?**

I think we just like cows. I mean.... cows are funny (and for the record – I actually wrote “Backwards Day”). But I can say we’re also tossing sheep, ducks and a few skunks into the mix.

**12. With many other shows, there are hard rules that you and the team have to follow. One of the rules of course is that Sir Topham Hatt is the only human that can speak and interact with the engines but what other hard rules that you can mention, that you all have to follow when developing All Engines Go?**

That’s a great question and a tough one! Well, obviously they have to stay on the rails MOST of the time. Oh, and the engines don’t eat. And they don’t have hands to “pick things up” so we have to be creative about those moments.

**13. The big elephant in the room that many want to know is about Edward and Henry, two characters that were main characters of Thomas until 2018. Are you and the team aware how much people really want to see them speak and have a bigger role in the show and have there been any consideration of them being put in the spotlight?**

I have heard there is interest in those characters, but as I said, I can’t talk about anything in the works.

**14. Here’s a question from a few users like Jojoinsully, TheThomasLover and PinkLadyy05. I asked this question before to Daniel and Chuck and the question is: What is your favourite character, episode and song from All Engines Go?**

Since I’ve been involved with about 100 episodes so far, that’s a tough one. So, I will stick to the episodes I actually wrote. I really like “Backwards Day” because it was a fun, out-of-the-box kind of story. As for song, again, I’ll stick to one I wrote 100% of the lyrics for – “On My Own” from “Thomas’ Day Off” (also my script). It’s a super simple song, it’s funny and it was performed beautifully. And I love all the engines, but I have a soft spot for Sandy. She’s scrappy, funny – small in stature but giant in heart. And she’s fun to write.

**15. With Season 3 now in production and Season 4 currently greenlit, what can we expect for the future of All Engines Go and what are you and the team currently hoping to achieve with the show before production officially ends?**

We just want to make an entertaining show. We do, of course, want to focus on themes and a positive message, but that message won’t be heard if the show isn’t funny and relatable for kids. So that’s the hope: an entertaining show that slips in some lessons about being a good person.

**Finally, a bonus question: Could you give out any writing advice for our community of Thomas fans?**

I’ve been asked this before and my answer is the same for any writer in any field. Work hard, don’t cut corners, learn the rules of writing before you try to “reinvent” them. Remember that for every “yes” in this business, you’re probably going to get 100 “nos.”   Don’t let that sit on you. Get knocked down? Get back up. Don’t be afraid of criticism, but don’t worry too much about it either. You’ll be able to tell when someone is being constructive and when someone is just being snarky. And to that point – don’t be snarky. Someone else’s success is not your failure. Be nice. Most of the good jobs I’ve had have come from people I worked with in the past who liked working with me so they hired me again. The short version: work hard and be nice.

**Note from FowlerHedgehog01: First of all, thank you very much for Craig Carlisle for taking his time and answering the questions that he was given. This was the most exciting interview that I have done because it's with the head writer of All Engines Go and that is really cool. And big major thanks goes to Daniel Share-Strom for encourging me to do this interview and to our members of the wikia for sending in their questions. I'm sorry I couldn't do all of your questions, I wanted to go for ones that I felt like they were interesting to send through.**

**I also apologise for how long this interview took to be done. Please understand that during the last few weeks, he had been travelling coast to coast, got ill and then got better and has been very busy with working on the show. Like always, I try to give those who I'm interviewing some time to write down their answers whenever they can. Nonetheless I hope you all enjoy reading this long-awaited interview and special thanks again goes to Craig Carlisle for doing this interview with us!**

*Note: All opinions expressed in interviews belong solely to the crew or cast member interviewed, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of All Engines Go or Mattel Television.*