LAUAN503 - Telling Tales - Script (weekly blog 1)

Telling Tales - Script

As a group we decided to cut the animation plot in half so save timing and production value and put extra work into the remaining scenes.

This is the full script with (cut) scenes, shots and character appearances.

FADE IN:

INT. CAVE - DUSK

The cave is dark only for a small glow of moonlight that lights up the floor of the cave. RAT scuttles along into frame, sniffing and searching for food. He stops and turns to see GOBBS’ feet marching past.

GOBBS is crooked and hunched over, he wears dirty ragged robes and a bent pointed hat or a hooded cloak. His face is dirty and painted like a skull and bones and different artifacts of witchcraft hang from belts and pouches around his robes. 

As GOBBS walks through the cave RAT begins to follow. GOBBS passes unlit torches that hang from sconces on the walls of the cave. They light up on their own as he passes, and continue to light his way up along the walls of the cave as the tunnel ahead becomes more carved and sculpted.

RAT watches as GOBBS follows the torches down the cave to some stone steps at the end. They lead down into another room, but we can see the green glow of something coming from the bottom of the steps. 

CUT TO:

INT. SORCERY ROOM

WIDE SHOT of a large stone brick room with a cauldron and old table in the center. The floor is littered with yellowed scrolls and dirty books, and the walls are lined with shelves that hold old books. Other jars, vials, and alchemical equipment is scattered about the room.

GOBBS enters and takes a large book down from one of the shelves. RAT arrives at the bottom of the stairs and peers round the entrance of the cave, watching GOBBS place the book down on the center table. He waves his hand over the cauldron and the logs underneath take light and flames rise up the sides. 

GOBBS removes his wand from his sleeve and places it on the page. Strange runes glow and lift up off the page, he floats them in the air for a second and then waves them at the portal wall runes.

Portal appears on wall, Gobbs shows surprise, then waves his wand again at a pile of bones. Bones float into portal, gobbs pauses and waits for something to happen, (audio describes suspense with sound effects).

Gobbs approaches the portal, skeleton suddenly walks out. Moment of interest (setting up tension and humorous anti-climax) Gobbs hands skeleton a sweeping brush (comedic relief).

(CUT).  RAT watches as GOBBS grabs various bones out of a box and carries them over to the portal, dropping them in and moving over to the shelves. RAT gets closes, curious. GOBBS takes a jar of brains and empties it into the cauldron.

(CUT). The cauldron bubbles and fizzes and shapes appear in the smoke, rising up the the portal. GOBBS stands back and a full skeleton falls out onto the floor before standing up before GOBBS. GOBBS hands the skeleton a broom and points to floor, the skeleton nods and starts sweeping. 

(CUT). RAT scuttles out from behind the cauldron and climbs into a pile of bones, sniffing around curious. GOBBS then sweeps up the bones and drops into the cauldron to make another skeleton. He adds in a brain and the portal begins to change colours and spark. The cauldron starts violently bubbling and shaking.

(CUT). Out of the portal spits a mutated RAT with glowing eyes. It has bones sticking out of it and its fur is patchy and scruffy. It begins to screech and runs around the cave, knocking over shelves and making a mess of the place. 

(CTU). GOBBS, in a panic, flicks his wand at the portal over and over again trying to reverse the spell. The portal whirrs and the giant rat gets sucked in. GOBBS breathes a sigh of relief and looks at the skeleton. 

(CUT). The portal starts flickering lightning and smoke starts pouring out of it, the skeleton starts getting sucked in bone by bone, and GOBBS, worried, gets sucked in too. 

- CUT TO BLACK

(THIS PART IS OPTIONAL I THINK IT’D BE REALLY FUNNY)

Starting out with the original ideas for story and character drawings from Suzy

Storyboarding:

(add Suzy's original storyboard sketches)

Using the Monomyth story template, these are the plot points in relation to our animation story plot.

1. 'Ordinary world' Rat enters scene in cave scratching and scuttling about.

2. 'Call to adventure' Gobbs the Goblin enters the scene, Rat jumps away, 'action' and adventure' in urgency.

3. 'Refusal of the call' The Portal pauses (next scene)

4. 'Meeting the Mentor' Gobbs close up shots, showing the audience the main antagonist character.

5. 'Crossing the First Threshold' Casting the spell, audio initiates slight suspense.

6. 'Allies, Enemies and tests' Casting the spell and floating the bones into the portal successfully.

7. 'Approaching the inmost Cave' Plot thickens, skeleton appears from the portal.

8. 'Ordeal' Skeleton awaiting command, audience anticipation for the Gobbs the Goblins decision

9. 'Rewards' Comedic Relief as a humorous anti-climax when Gobbs hands the skeleton a brush to sweep up instead.

END