Monday, February 24, 2014

My bad, my bad, my Bad! Wrong Script

Zach and Phillip, I really appreciate your commentary; I will take note of your suggestions (so don't re-comment on this post). I apologize everyone, the last post has the wrong version of the script. It's a very short notice (again, I apologize), but here is the correct version of the script:

Willie and Mel

Act 1

INT.—Wallington Heights Apartments; 2nd floor; Melanie’s Room—Morning
PAN to right from clock (8:22 a.m.)
Camera follows DREAM-MELANIE into the hallway as she rushes from the apartment, pulling the door closed.

Dream-MELANIE darts down the stairwell (two flights) with a piece of toast clenched in her mouth while pulling on the other sleeve of her jacket.

(5 minutes later)
EXT.—Sidewalk Bus Stop—Morning
CUT to frontal shot of DREAM-MELANIE running toward the bus stop.

REVERSE CUT to CITY BUS pulling away from curb

CUT again to shot of MELANIE desperately waving arms as the BUS drives away

INT.—Melanie’s Room—Early Morning

CLOSE UP of Melanie as her eyes pop open to the sound of her alarm clock
(Frantic breathing) MELANIE steadies her breathing as she calmly gets out of bed to turn off alarm. She picks up the clock and pushes the switch down. MELANIE holds the clock up at angle and squints in the semi-darkness to see that it is 5:30 a.m.

MELANIE walks to and opens the door off the side of her bedhead and crosses the threshold into the bathroom, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Act 2

INT. Wallington Heights Apartments; 2nd floor; Wilhona’s Room—Morning
PUSH IN from MS of Wilhona’s room to a MCU of Wilhona asleep. WILHONA turns over and slides one leg from under the covers, keeping her eyes shut.

INT.—Bathroom
CU of MEL (Melanie) as she finishes washing face. (Hears light knocking on bathroom door) MEL opens the door to WILLIE (Wilhona), who glances toward the toilet.

MEL looks slightly annoyed, clutching a body towel as she leaves the bathroom.
Camera leads into MEL’s room as she enters her room, sets the towel on her bed and heads toward the kitchenette.

CUT to frame of dirty dishes—kitchen sink full of soapy dishwater, a pot handle and partially submerged bowl visible; a pot and a pan, still sporting cooking residue, on two of the stove eyes.

CUT back to MEL who looks exasperated. MEL sighs; lifting her elbows akimbo, and lets them drop to her sides as she walks toward the cabinet. She reaches for a box of cereal.

CUT (TIME LAPSE) to MEL rinsing bowl with gentle stream of water from the tap; MEL sets bowl to the side, away from WILLIE’S kitchenware.

MELANIE returns to her room, flicks the light switch “ON” and sits at her worktable, pulling forward a textbook and a notebook. (MEL notices that WILLIE’s room light is “OFF’)

MEL glances at wall clock; 6:08 a.m.; it is still dark-grey out) MEL hears WILLIE shift restlessly under her covers (OTS and cut-in to WILLIE’S double doors); then an audible sigh issues from WILLIE’s room.

Camera shifts back to MEL (now standing and fetching her flashlight). MEL turns out the main light and clicks on the flashlight; she starts reading the book she pulled up earlier and opens her notebook, mechanical pencil ready. FLASHLIGHT flickers and goes out. MEL wrestles with the FLASHLIGHT for about 12 seconds (CUT-IN to MEL’s hand as she shakes and taps the FLASHLIGHT several times.)

ZOOM OUT to MCU of MEL from behind and then OTS of MEL working. MEL clicks her pencil (CUT IN to PENCIL tip) and a tiny bit of leftover lead falls out. (Directing FLASHLIGHT beam, MEL locates the little box of replacement leads on her table. (CUT-IN to box) Only one lead is left. (CU of MEL as she situates the FLASHLIGHT between her chin and her chest while she prepares her PENCIL) The FLASHLIGHT slips slightly out of position causing MEL to shift her upper body to steady it.

(MCU of MEL and table, back) MEL drops the lead as she fixes her grip on the FLASHLIGHT, and the lead rolls onto the floor. Frustrated, MEL crouches, placing the FLASHLIGHT in her left hand, and gropes around in the beam of light for the lead. After searching for six seconds or so, she decides to use a pen to take notes instead.

(Retrieves PEN) MEL starts to write, shakily as she cannot anchor her left hand, which grasps the FLASHLIGHT, on the table. A slight line issues from the PEN, and then just scratches on the page. MEL shakes the pen and rubs the tip on the paper; the PEN is out of ink. Exasperated, MEL bends over and starts looking for the lead again. This time she finds it. She rises triumphantly, but before she is upright, she bumps her head under the table, knocking over a small stapling machine, which falls off the edge of the table, hitting and knocking over MEL’s drawing board.

MS of MEL seething for a moment and then quietly waiting to see if WILLIE’s rest was disturbed. MEL decides the coast is clear, picks up her things, and resumes her homework.

INT.—Wilhona’s Room—Morning

ES—WILLIE (Wilhona) asleep, stuff scattered about in her room. PUSH IN to CU of WILLIE’s CELL PHONE, which changes from “7:37 a.m.” to “7:38 a.m.” The alarm goes off; WILLIE reaches groggily for her cell phone, swipes it off the nightstand deactivates the alarm and lets the CELL PHONE drop onto the floor.

Act 3

INT.—Melanie’s Room—2 minutes after WILLIE’s alarm goes off

MS of WILLIE’s double doors as MEL enters frame from lower left and approaches WILLIE’s room. MEL eases the right door open and peeks into the room. WILLIE is asleep, lying face-up; her right hand hangs over the side of the bed.

MCU of MEL from the profile; camera follows MEL as she inches into WILLIE’s room, taking care to avoid stepping on the laptop, large paper, shoes and writing and drawing utensils scattered on the floor.

CU from angle of middle-left frame; only MEL’s arms are visible as the camera sees WILLIE from MEL’s point of view. MEL gently shakes WILLIE. WILLIE (face nestled in pillow) responds with a mumble and swipes violently at MEL like an angry cat. MEL recoils (camera jerks out to MS of MEL stepping backward). MEL trips on the computer’s charger cord but she avoids falling, regaining balance after stumbling on a wayward shoe.

Camera FOLLOWS MEL and TRACKS to the table in the kitchenette, from whence MEL grabs an orange. MEL returns to the threshold of WILLIE’s doorway, aims her right arm like a bowler and tosses the ORANGE into WILLIE’s stomach.

(MCU to CU) WILLIE jerks awake, clutching at her stomach where she finds the offending object. MEL hastily grabs her supplies and scurries to the door.

WILLIE angrily gets out of bed, stepping slightly on her CELL PHONE; she opens it: “7:45 a.m.” FADE OUT on WILLIE hopping toward the bathroom (camera following from MCU, back) and shutting the door.

END





8 comments:

  1. I still feel like the story can be simplified and I think we need to see the visual development on toonboom or another computer program.I think you are thinking too large for the time limit and there are still many unnecessary elements and information. The premise needs to be more direct. If this just about the struggle of a protagonist throughout the day then just show struggles. If I was to read this aloud it will probably be longer then 3 minutes.I get confused while reading it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with Sean that the story seems to have too many elements and/or details and that I would love to see some drawings of characters and environments. I feel Mel's pain as she goes through her struggles, but the setbacks and the climax seem disjointed and I do not see a clear climax. The detailed expressions of the characters is good but may over complicate things slightly. I love that this story is so much of something everyone can relate to.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The script itself is well-depicted and I can picture almost everything that's described. The character designs are nicely done and I can get a sense of how the animation's going to look with your color scheme. The environments can use some work though, even just recreating a simple version of them in photoshop would work wonders. However, I'm not picking up much of a strong plot. Maybe if you trimmed down the details like the others have suggested, it would become clearer?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm having a tough time visualizing this script, it's just too complicated in my opinion. This will be tough to animate with our given time constraints. I would say, go through an make sure that everything in your script is one hundred percent necessary. If you can get your story told as neatly as possible, that would be better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I see the story is basically following the day of a main character and her routine from start to finish. The only thing that semi-confuses me is the overall plot and its progression following the 3 act structure guideline. I see a small problem the character has to face but it seems like it doesn't feel like it completely follows along with what happens in every individual act. I think each act feels separated; though it does follow a day in the life type of story, it still feels somewhat disconnected. I agree with David and Amanda in saying that maybe only include what is necessary and it would help to trim in down and make the plot clearer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I believe this story would of had more potential if it was presented more professionally. I feel as if you would of used Toon Boom story board like instructed, your story would of been easier to interpret. I believe the plot got blurry because of the complications you had using photoshop to pitch your piece. A steady flow is what your pitch needed. I did not get to see any digital work, character designs, or environment. The story is very believable because their is no fantastical fiction inside. I also believe that it was hard to retrieve a premise from your piece, all I get is the complication between the two main characters and it was hardly resolved. I believe your drafting skills were great, I just wish you would of used those sketches to digitally ink over to make cleaner designs.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The only thing I know is that every time I looked up at the screen, your characters seemed to be doing something different. Long story shot, your story just has way too much "stuff" going on, without any real sense of plot. I get that it's two roommates starting their day, but is that it? where's the plot? it seems to me that it's just one character encountering challenges as she gets ready to go to school, and then she goes to school. It wasn't very interesting, and the fact that you didn't have your stuff ready on time definitely didn't help you either.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree on all the points of professionalism. It was strange that this was all being presented in Photoshop, and the opening and closing of layers was extremely distracting. I couldn't follow the story much at all, which is a shame because your drawing were so crisp and detailed. There were moments of long silence that felt unplanned and the script just got lost in the technical difficulties. I think you probably had something interesting, it was just presented in a way that was difficult to follow.

    ReplyDelete