來自美國西岸舊金山 BABSCon 的編劇訪談情報終於出現啦！
2014.4.18 ~ 20 於美國舊金山所舉辦的 BABSCon （Bay Area Brony Spectacular）馬聚活動，邀請到許多重量級的特別來賓出席與西岸馬迷們共襄盛舉，除了主角群配音員幾乎全數到齊之外，編劇團隊與會的成員也相當眾多，雖然對於是否會有第五季或最新電影版相關情報等眾所矚目的話題可說是隻字未提，但能有機會與編劇團隊直接互動仍是相當難得，現在就讓我們一起來看看國外馬迷們在這場座談會中對編劇提出了什麼樣的問題吧！
本次出席的編劇有：
Josh Haber
M.A. Larson
Natasha Levinger
Amy Keating Rogers
Meghan McCarthy
Does Hasbro have any plans on G4 Movies other than Equestria Girls?
孩之寶是否有計劃要推出除了 EQG 以外的 G4 小馬電影作品？
Meghan: Anything is a possibility, Meghan wants to do a pony movie but it's up to Hasbro.
梅根：任何事都有可能發生，梅根本人雖然想做以小馬為主題的電影，但最終還是要看孩之寶的意願。
(That is probably the biggest one. Make it happen Hasbro!)
這才是大家所想要的啊！孩之寶快實現它吧！
More Derpy?
是否會有更多的小呆？
Meghan: A definitive yeah
梅根：絕對會！
Will there ever be a Celestia focused episode?
將來會有以宇宙公主為主題的集數嗎？
Meghan: Perhaps, there are potentially some things that will happen in the near future
或許，在不遠的未來有些潛在的事情會發生
Amy Keating Rogers: If you want to learn more about Celestia and Luna's past, grab the Journal of the Two Sisters book releasing soon.
如果你想知道更多有關宇宙公主與露娜的過去，就趕快去訂一本即將上市的「皇家姊妹日記本」（她趁機推銷自己寫的新書！商品連結請點此）
Will we see any Spike and Cutie Mark Crusader combo stuff?
有機會看到穗龍跟可愛標誌童子軍一起登場的集數嗎？
Spike has a few fun things coming up by the end of the season. Not so much Cutie Mark Crusaders, but Rarity may be involved.
穗龍在最第四季末尾會有許多有趣的演出，雖然沒有太多可愛標誌童子軍的戲份，但是應該會有珍奇。（跟珍奇有關的集數應該是指 S4E23 Inspiration Manifestation）
Will Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ever be reformed/Show some decency？
銀湯匙和珠玉冠冠會有改邪歸正的時候嗎？
Meghan: Maybe, though we can't say right now. Meghan likes how villainous they are and wants to explore why they are that way.
或許，雖然現在我們還說不準（或不能透露）。梅根喜歡她們倆在劇中使壞的行徑，也想要探索她們為什麼會變成這樣。
Will we see more of the mane six's family in future episodes?
在未來的集數當中還有機會見到更多 Mane 6 的家人嗎？
None in season 4 as far as they can remember.
至是第四季是不會有了
Any Plans on Revisiting the Diamond Dogs?
有計劃讓鑽石狗再登場嗎？
In human form yes.
有！是以人類的樣貌登場。（相信大家都已經看過 EQG 2 的預告片）
（幫珍奇推鋼琴入場的就是鑽石狗的人類型態）
________________________________________
What's in the box?
盒子裡有什麼？
M.A. Larson: Gwyneth Paltrow's head
M.A. Larson 表示盒子裡裝的是「葛妮斯派特洛的頭」（知名美國女演員）
（呃，我覺得裡面裝的是彩虹之力）
Who does the tiny things in the background?
誰負責背景的各種小細節？
Background characters are generally handled by the animators/storyboarders, not the writers. The scripts would be too large if they detailed every little thing.
背景角色一般由動畫師與分鏡師負責，而不是編劇。如果太過深究每樣背景細節則腳本會變得過於龐大。
Something you loved but had to get rid of in an episode.
有沒有你喜歡但是必須割愛無法放入劇中的事？
It happens a lot between drafts, but you need to axe things a lot to make it fit into 22 minutes.
這在撰寫草稿時經常發生，需要砍掉不少事物才能讓劇本保持在 22 分鐘的長度。
M.A. Larson: Luna Eclipsed had a very different Luna for the first draft from the second draft, becoming a much better character.
M.A. Larson 表示，Luna Eclipsed 第一份與第二份草稿中的露娜是非常不一樣的，在二份草稿中她變成了一個很棒的角色。
Pinkie was supposed to do a konga in The Best Night Ever, but it got cut, then was cut again in Pinkie Pride.
本來碧琪在 The Best Night Ever 有打康加鼓的橋段，不過被剪掉了，然後這段在 Pinkie Pride 當中又被剪掉了。
Will we ever see Pinkamena again?
還有機會再看到碧琪以「直髮」狀態登場嗎？
It's certainly a place they know they can take her. Perhaps if something inspires them.
編劇知道這有發揮的空間，或許等到他們有靈感的時候。
________________________________________
Personal Questions, Writing Careers, ect
接下來是針對編劇本人的提問
Favorite episode to write was?
最喜歡撰寫的集數是？
Josh Haber: Leap of Faith
M.A. Larson: Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
Natasha Levinger: Pinkie Pride
Amy Keating Rogers: Testing, Testing
Meghan's: Season 4 finale and Party of One
How do the writers get along when writing new episodes? Do you work in teams or by yourselves?
編劇們在撰寫劇本是如何分工的呢？是團隊作業還是各別寫作？
Everyone joins together a few times each season to discuss ideas, browse the internet, and eat lunch. Only Meghan is around all the time as head writer, with each other writer splitting off independently.
每一季所有人都會集合起來開會一同構思點子、上網、吃午餐。 只有身為總編的梅根會隨時都在，其他編劇們則是分散各別寫作。
How do you deal with negative feedback?
你們都怎麼應對負面評價？
The worst thing to do is read the comment section on a post online. It's weird on this show because everything is delayed by a year.
最糟的事就是去閱讀網路上的討論串。這個節目比較特別，因為所有事都延遲了一年。
（這段我有點不懂為什麼會這樣說，不知道是否因為第一季剛開始時 G4 小馬並不紅，一年後很多人陸續入坑才開始回頭看的緣故）
Amy says it's a total bummer to see the negative stuff. At first everything is positive, but people analyzing the episode too deeply usually ruins it as more people jump on the bandwagon with the few tiny issues.
Amy 認為看到負面評價感覺很差。起初幾乎都是正面評價，但通常毀於人們開始過度深入分析每一個集數，許多人就因為一些小問題開始隨波逐流的批評。
They understand that people are very attached to the characters, but so many people are involved in each episode it sometimes changes a lot. They do their best to not let the feedback influence their writing. They are fine with people being critical, but non-constructive feedback isn't helpful.
編劇們可以理解馬迷們對於劇中角色非常投入，但當許多人過度投入某集時情況往往就變了。編劇們盡可能避免讓負面評語影響寫作，他們樂見人們對於劇情有自己的想法與評論，但是毫無建樹的批判是沒有幫助的。
Is writing professionally as fun as it is writing fanfiction? Or is it just for the money at this point?
以編劇為業是否跟寫同人小說一樣有趣？還是只是為了賺錢？
None of them would be here if it wasn't fun, but there are times where it is stressful with the deadlines and general writers block.
如果編劇不有趣的話他們就不會坐在這裡了，但是遇上截稿期限將至或掉入寫作瓶頸時總會讓人倍感壓力。
Do you ever get stuck on an episode script?
在編寫劇情腳本時有「卡住」的經驗嗎？
Meghan: If you are stuck it means something was wrong. Things flow much easier when everything is the way it should be.
梅根：如果寫到卡住代表有些地方不對勁。當所有細節都各自到位時就會變的順暢。
How do you get out of writers block?
如何跳脫寫作瓶頸？
M.A. Larson: Banging your head against the computer until it's done
M.A. Larson：用頭去撞電腦直到有靈感為止
Josh: Writers block comes when you want everything to be perfect, but sometimes you just have to put something down to keep it going, and change it later when inspiration comes.
Josh：會遇上瓶頸通常都是因為你想要所有事物都臻至完美，有時總是需要一些妥協事情才能繼續下去，可以等到有靈感時再回頭做修改。
Who would you be best friends with from the show?
會跟劇中的哪個角色成為最好的朋友？
M.A. Larson: Applejack （蘋果嘉兒）
Natasha: Fluttershy （柔柔）
Josh: Rarity （珍奇）
Meghan: Rainbow Dash or Twilight （雲寶或紫悅）
Amy: Applejack （蘋果嘉兒）
Of all the characters, who is your favorite character to write for?
最喜歡幫哪個角色撰寫劇情？
M.A. Larson: Rarity （珍奇）
Natasha: Pinkie Pie （碧琪）
Josh: Rarity, and Fluttershy because she feels like she could explode at any moment
珍奇與柔柔，因為 Josh 認為柔柔隨時會崩壞所有很有哏。
Meghan: Discord （無序）
Amy: Pinkie Pie, though she likes to write them all starting with season 4.
起初最喜歡幫碧琪寫劇本，但從第四季開始就愛上了所有角色。
To Josh - In Simple Ways we saw Applejack and Rarity switch, would you ever swap any of the other ponies?
針對 Josh 提問：在 Simple Ways 這集當中我們看到蘋果嘉兒和珍奇的角色互換，往後你還會調換其他小馬嗎？
Josh: Pinkie and Twilight
碧琪和紫悅
How do you manage the 22 minute time limits?
你們都怎麼把劇情控制在 22 分鐘內？
When you start a story you plan for three acts, then build it and cut it from there.
在撰寫故事的時候將架構分為三段，以此為基礎做增減。
M.A. Larson acts it out with costumes and a timer. Now we know where the princess twilight thing came from
M.A. Larson 則會穿上道具服自導自演並計時。現在我們都知道公主紫悅是哪來的了
（感覺每一條 M.A. Larson 的回答都廚力滿點阿，不過也挺符合他的個性就是）
以上便是此次 BABSCon 編劇座談會的問題整理與翻譯，雖然幾乎沒有關於新一季的情報，但能一窺編劇們的喜好還是令人感到很滿足，隨著季節慢慢接近夏天，全美的馬聚活動也將日漸活躍，讓我們一起期待之後的活動能看到更多關於未來發展的新資訊吧！感謝耐心閱讀此篇文章的各位，翻譯內容如有任何謬誤請不吝指正喔！謝謝大家！
