Thursday, 27 August 2009

Purely text post. Sorry. Read anyway please! SCREENPLAY

I have been working out a concrete story BEFORE I storyboard it (normally I just make it up as I go along, but this is different...).
There's not much change toward the end half from the pitch, but a few things have changed before.

No more waiting room scenes (dropped them in favor of surgery scene) I used the rabbit in the waiting room as a way of showing time passing, but I've found a more relevant way by using Dog. (we always needed more Dog to concrete their relationship)

Although this may seem like a very long description, you must remember that I'm describing things which takes a lot longer than actual screen time. This will not be any longer than original pitch (if anything, a little shorter)

Here we go. Excuse the screenplay format. For everyone who's never read a screenplay (I really hope you all have) INT means internal shot, EXT means external shot. Screenplay format makes it quite difficult to keep the flow sometimes but we should be ok here.



INT: WOLF'S APARTMENT

We open into a darkened room with shards of light spilling from the blinds onto an old poster on the wall. It depicts an old action animation from the 70's with WOLF as the hero of the piece. The camera pans across to a bedside table with a picture of WOLF lovingly hugging DOG

EXT: BUSY STREET

Close up on shop door as DOG exits with a newspaper in his mouth. Camera pulls out as he exits to reveal the street, bursting with vibrant colour and a myriad of styles, characters all wonderfully animated going to and fro

CUT TO:

INT: WOLF'S APARTMENT

We see over WOLF'S shoulder as he looks out the window. We see him looking at everyone outside . Everyone seems to have someone. Cut to and from WOLFs eyes and the people he sees. Then DOG catches his eye. He notices that his pet and friend is heading straight under a huge anvil ACME sign that is loosening and breaking as we focus on it.

WOLF screams out to DOG

DOG continues, oblivious to danger.

WOLF springs into action, jumping out the window and sprinting toward DOG, pushing him aside just as the anvil crashes into the ground. This is the first time we actually see WOLF'S animation. As this whole thing unfolds, we see crowd reaction shots to WOLF'S movement. They are not positive

WOLF: (voice over) My name is Wolf Generico

Crowd look in disgust as Wolf nervously waves to them

WOLF: (v/o cont.) And I...am badly animated

Crowd hastily exits leaving Wolf alone. Then the colour starts to face outward from and WOLFDOG, leaving WOLF clinging onto DOG in a slump on the ground.

TITLE SEQUENCE. A lightbox disc on a black background with the title BADLY ANIMATED written on the paper, it starts to slowly fall. As it falls, the paper flips to different pages. Each sheet having the title in a different language. It crashes on the ground and shatters.

WOLF: (v/0 cont) well...no more!

EXT: SURGERY

We see a surgery with the friendly face of the owl SURGEON on the front. WOLF is tying up DOG outside. Just then, the door swings outward, knocking WOLF to the ground. Wolf looks up to see SALLY BRITTY looking down on him. She sneers at him and struts off. WOLF doesn't seem too bothered by her rudeness, he is in awe of her animation. He watches her as she walks along, he notices her feet moving. In a stark contrast, we look down to a P.O.V shot of WOLF moving his own foot with merely 2 frames. Zoom in on WOLF'S amazed face

INT: SURGERY ROOM

This scene is played out more like a quick montage...

The SURGEON gestures WOLF into the centre of a huge room with a massive lightbox stood up in the centre. He notices it's like a mirror, reflecting him on the paper. The owl grabs a page and flicks it back to reveal WOLF'S animation before clean-up, and flips it back again to reveal WOLF's construction. Or where it should be. The owl begins to draw in complex shapes, WOLF begins to change on the area the owl is working....

FADE TO

EXT: SURGERY.

Close up on DOG who is waiting excitedly by the door. WOLF exits in his second form, moving well now. He starts to untie dog but notices people glaring at him. He nervously waves to them, they excitedly run toward him, impressed.

EXT: STREET

Wolf struts down the street. His new fans follow him.

EXT: SURGERY

DOG is trying to follow but is still chained up. He is walking on the spot and seems to be unaware he's not getting anywhere

EXT: STREET

Then WOLF notices a billboard of SALLY advertising purfume depicting her with a huge crowd. She seems to wink at him...
WOlf looks around at his comparatively tiny crowd dancing around him. Zoom into WOLF's face..

WOLF: (to himself) ....yeah...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT: SUGERY

Dog is waiting outside.

WOLF exits in his third guise, looking like a million dollars animation-wise. He makes a cool gesture toward DOG who is simply happy to see him. He looks up and see's his crowd, amazed. A few other passers by stop in their tracks to glare.

CUT TO

EXT: STREET

Wolf dances past camera, as the crowd follows suit.

EXT: SURGERY

DOG is still trying to follow but is still chained up.

EXT: STREET

Big crane shot as WOLF nears the same billboard which now has a different SALLY poster, advertising her new album, now depicting an even bigger audience. SALLY seems to sneer at him. It's a simple look, but it's meaning is unmistakable. I'm better than you. Wolf looks up at her...he looks angry, he turns to his crowd. Bigger, but still comparatively tiny. WOLF does not look happy. He growls to himself.

DISSOLVE TO

EXT: SURGERY

A time lapse shot of DOG waiting outside through varying weather. The time lapse rests on DOG sleeping outside. He excitedly wakes up as a figure from inside can be seen approaching the door.
WOLF's crowd always seem to be near. They too notice the figure and stop to watch
WOLF exits the surgery. The crowd gape. WOLF poses and smiles, but it's horrible...it's over the top and over animated. Things are moving when they shouldn't and he just looks ugly. The crowd reacts and runs away.

EXT: STREET

The crowd leads this time, running away.

WOLF follows them, happy at first, but then he realizes what's happening.

WOLF: (pleading) ...no...stop...please...

They are running FROM him. His model shows signs of breaking up. He slumps in front of the billboard which now advertises SALLY's new horror film, which depicts her terror, now seemingly aimed at him.
WOLF is alone on the ground. The colour, once again, dissipates.

CUT TO

EXT: SURGERY

DOG is still struggling with the chain...only now...he breaks free!

EXT: STREET

We see WOLF. DOG approaches him. The colour starts to fade back into the scene

WOLF: (excitedly) Dog!

WOLF's model begins to change....it seems to almost revert to his initial guise...

CUT TO: CREDITS

CUT TO:

DOG urinates on WOLF





So. Thats it for now. Any ideas you may have need to come in now. I know I said I'd board it this week, but clearly I lied. It took a lot longer to do the Maya guy than I anticipated. Boarding next week.

ANy major issues with it? Anyone fancy making some concepts of this universe or Wolf's room?
Sound off as usual folks. Even if you have nothing to say, can you just let me know you've read it please? Thanks.

2 comments: