I'm not terribly picky on the layout on this one. Just make sure that panels 4 and 5 are set up in a way to maximize the parallelism between them.
1 - Establishing city shot. It can really be any city. The important thing is that the focus of the panel is the Federal Network headquarters building. Never actually seen in the film, I'd imagine it to be a sleek looking skyscraper with "Federal Network" written along the top, along with the Federal Network logo right after it (creative, I know).
PETER (inside building): I don't understand.
LAWRENCE (inside building): Peter...
2 - Interior shot of an office. It's opulent as heck in an effort to denote the importance of the man who works there: Lawrence Rogers, the head of the Federal Network (new character). Across from him sits Peter Jenkins, an investigative journalist for the network (also new character). There are numerous TV screens throughout the background, showing different images from the Federal Network's programming (think of those PSA seen throughout the film). Peter looks a little off-put at Lawrence's accusations.
LAWRENCE (1): We both know that you don't believe the propaganda that they - that we - have served over the years.
Peter: Sir --
LAWRENCE (2) (interrupting): It's okay, Peter. An entire race of sentient aliens attacking Earth without rhyme or reason? It doesn't make sense.
3 - Focus on Lawrence. If you want, we can see Peter's back, looking towards his boss. Lawrence flips a monitor for Peter (and the reader to see). It also shows some of the Federal Network's coverage. The scene is a number of dead Bugs, perhaps with some soldiers celebrating if it isn't too crowded. Written on top of the image is "The only good Bug is a dead Bug".
LAWRENCE (1): There's more to it than that. Something that the Federation doesn't want anyone to know.
LAWRENCE (2): I want you to look into this. Find the bottom of the rabbit hole.
4 - The panel is focused solely on Peter. He is in the middle of the panel, looking directly towards the reader. He looks concerned, but not scared, weighing the matter in his mind.
PETER: Sir, questioning the war is treason.
LAWRENCE (off-panel): I know what I'm asking of you, Peter.
5 - Peter is still the central focus of the panel, but the scene has switched. Jenkins is now in full Mobile Infantry kit. He stands alongside a number of other Mobile Infantry soldiers - his new unit.
CAPTION (LAWRENCE): Are you prepared to make that sacrifice to find the truth?
JENKINS ET AL.: Sir, yes, sir!
I actually touched on a similar idea in my script - great minds. Something about the conspiracy theory angle that somewhat matures the plot of ST, which is displayed well here. Mine could even be a different scene in the same story.
ReplyDeleteThe page shines with your clear love for the movie. I am a huge fan off establishing shot that have dialogue coming from in a building so you instantly won points for that. The build up was cool, and you really made me engage with these two new characters in a short space of time.
ReplyDeleteP.S sorry about my up coming script. I have played it a bit dark.
Thanks for the positive feedback, gents! Those wacky Federal Network shorts were always one of my favourite parts, so I was excited when I came up with an idea to take a closer look at them.
ReplyDelete@J.D. - Based on the title of your piece, I figured we might be touching on similar themes, so I'm interested to see what your focus will be on.
One of the drawbacks of the movie is that it was so focused on being this satire or take on fascism that you never got to see the other areas of the frontline or interact with the populace, etc.
ReplyDeleteThis script scratches some of that itch. Nice work.