Monday, October 11, 2010

In Class: On the Spot Writing

As much as I got done during that time. Scans of the rest of my writings later on.



Dying rose vases line the window sill, which itself doesn’t appear to have been maintained for a long time. The concrete walkway has mostly transformed back into its earthly image and the door that used to shout “welcome, guest, to our humble home” now whispers, “please, leave this place be. Its only being held up by a memory”. I walked in, gently pushing the door aside. Suddenly, a poignant stench struck my nose, and almost set my insides on fire. I walked further in, determined to beat this force. What was this? Where was it coming from, is this just the result of a forgotten home or--? Thumpabump A noise from below. By now I became used to the smell and tried to remember where exactly the door leading to the basement was. Every step I took creaked. You feel amazing when you think one of your steps can bring down a house, but at the same time, distraught when that house is so closely tied to your past. Thump There it was again. Standing in front of the velvet basement door, I opened it and proceeded down the dark passage. “Why do creatures always choose places like this to rest?” I muttered. I kept going down till eventually- down, down, and crash on the floor. It seems something, termites maybe, ate the last several steps away. The light switch is here, right? I felt around for it, wrong, not it- wait, this one! I flicked it on but nothing happened, at least not right at the moment. One light flickered, too quickly, I only glimpsed the shapes of objects cluttered on top of eachother. Obviously, no one cleaned this place out yet. Another one flickers, letting me catch a table which I slowly made my way towards. Pure darkness and the sound of the lights trying to gather the energy to stay on. Something weird though, something I did not expect occurred. I heard a sound. A low growl at first which eventually broke into a choppy cough of sorts. “Emily?” I asked the darkness. Another light flickers on and off behind me, showing the broken down staircase- wait, broken staircase not rotted or eaten away? The growl occurs again, this time a little bit fiercer. “…Emily?” I stupidly asked the darkness once more. Felt my pockets, no gun, sword, anything. I have my belt, I thought, surely I can make use of that if need be. I was hugging the table, trying to figure out what is in this room with me. Flashbacks course across my mind, now of all time, of an argument Emily and me had last fall. She was going on and on about how we should get the doctors to help us have a kid. Like I wanted to let some damn doctor do what I can do well enough myself. I probably shouldn’t have said that to her though. Especially should not have yelled it. “Emily? Come on, tell me that’s you..”

Assignment 4- Slice of Life

Slightly unfinished.


Page 1

Panel 1 – Suited people sitting around a table, talking and smoking.

Man 1 – How have the orange groves been growing lately? They doing well?-

Man 2 – You always ask that and I always tell you, they’re doing just fine. You can trust me with your business, partn-

Panel 2 -

Man 1 – Yea yea, I can trust you, but you can’t blame me for worrying. One screw up and we’ll lose more than just a yearly quota.

Panel 3 -

Man 3 – It’s your deal, dammit, did you guys come here just to talk ‘bout work or did we come to play cards?

Man 2 – Someone’s eager to move on, think I’m gonna fold.

Panel 4 -

Man 1 – Same here, oh and make sure you don’t fold on our trade with the McKenzie’s.

Man 3 – Bloody pussies.

Man 2 – I’m not a fan of losing money, but I’ll trust you this once when you say that it’ll benefit me in the long run.

Panel 5 -

Man 1 – Don’t worry, I did the numbers on this man.

Man 3 – Time you started counting your own numbers, can’t count on you to run a business if you can’t count.

Man 2 – Shut uuup.

Page 2 –

Panel 1 – Dealing the cards again

Man 1 – How’s the wife and kids?

Man 2- Good hand, good hand.

Panel 2 -

Man 3 – What are you really trying to ask me?

Panel 2 -

Man 1 – Nothing really, you just seem like you had a problem with somethin’ all day. Finals was around this week wasn’t it-

Man 2 – Hated that shit.

Pane 3 -

Man 1- How’d your daughter do?

Man 3 – Dumb pig, either she sits on her ass ‘home or she’s out somewhere with some boy. Don’t know what she expects to be in the future.

Panel 4 -

Man 1 – Night Consoler?

Man 2 – Maybe an artist?

Man 1 – Oh, an artist’s something right?

Man 3 – Both’s worth fuck all.



Obviously, I took some liberties as to "whose" common life I was slicing from and did a typical shady conversation.


Assignment 3- Dreams and Archetypal Characters

Keep a dream diary for a weekend and create a scenario based off of that.
At the time, I did not realize that we had to write the story..

I listed out what I could remember from my short dreams though

-Food Machine Maker
-Giant Snail
-School
-Contest of sorts revolving around eating a Buffalo
-Academy
-Laboratory
-Thief Guild

Thinking on the spot, if I had to make a story using some or all of these elements, the concept would probably be something like..

"Power sources in this world are growing scarce, but lead scientist Sigmund Abirov developed a means to utilize the high number of buffalos found in the region to our own advantage. Mechanical energy, used throughout the world in rollercoasters, machines and household appliances, was really put to the test in Mollusk Academy of Physics and Motion when Sigmund Abirov claimed that with our recent advances in nanotechnology, it is possible to use the high levels of energy and physical exertion that buffalos create while stampeding and literally use them as individual batters. They are saying that this is the closest thing to "perpetual energy" that mankind has ever developed. At 6 in the morning and once more at 6 in the evening, if you make your way to Middle Streets at the center of our city you'll see the thousand buffalo march and I swear you can see the already lit lights of our streets glow ever more incandescent!"

The story may visit themes like animal cruelty, the effects of job loss in the electrical industry, an intense sense of "Utopia" and the reality behind their city.

Assignment 2- Working with Traditional Story Structures

Fable: The Master Thief


Page 1

Panel A – Splash 3/4

Four people walking down a desert road, 3 children and one adult.

Panel B – Mid Shot, Father

Father

I…I think this is it, my sons.

Panel C – Mid Shot,

Three sons looking forward to what their father is looking at.

Page 2

Panel A – Wide Shot

A Crossroad that spans out into three separate roads.

Panel B – Mid shot

Father still staring forward, exhausted.

Father

I’m sorry, my sons…I no longer have anything to give to any of you.

Panel C – Mid Shot

Focus on the kids, while the father is still talking.

Father

You must each find your own way, and future. Follow these roads, and live long...

Panel D- Wide Shot

Father hugs all three of the children. Roads can be seen behind them

Child 1

But papa, we don’t want to leave!

Child 2

Don’t want!

Father

…There’s no other way! Now go! And don’t turn back!

Page 3

Panel A – Close up

Focus on the youngest son. Point of view shift to him now.

Panel B – Wide shot

Shows the youngest sun running toward camera, and the other two sons in the distance, running down their own road. Son panting.

Panel C – Mid shot, raining,

Boy walking, obviously cold, in the rain. A house can be seen further down the road.

Panel D – Thin

Boy knocking the door, trying to take cover from the rain. Everything’s silent.

Panel E –

Man opened door

Man 1

What do you want, boy?

Boy

Please, I don’t have anyplace to go. Take me up as your servant, if you may, sir-

Man 1

What dis look like? An orphanage? This ain’t no place for children! Get-outta-here!

Panel F – Close up

Close up on boy’s eyes

Boy

I can prove that I’m not just a kid, just give me a chance!

Panel G - Small

Page 4

Panel A – Wide Shot

A few thieves and the boy in the bushes, watching a man coming up the road.

Thief 2

That guy there… We want you to steal his ox.

Panel B – Mid Shot

Focus on the boy

Boy

Just watch me work..

Panel C – Wide

The boy placing a shoe in the road and hiding again

Panel D- Close up on man’s face

Man

Oh! What fortune!

Panel E – Wide

Man

But only one pair? What shame…

Page 5

Panel A –Mid shot

The boy picking up the boot

Panel B – Mid

The boy running through the bushes trying to get ahead of the man

Panel C –

He rolls and drops the same shoe in the road again, promptly hiding himself once more.

Panel D –

Man walks up and notices the shoe again thinking its another pair.

Man

Fortune! It looks like the same as that one I passed. It isn’t too far off.. maybe..

Panel E –

Man pats his ox telling it to wait as he makes his way back up the road.

Page 6

Panel A –

Victoriously, the boy walks towards the ox and pulls it by the reins into the bushes to the waiting thieves.

Assignment 1- Adapting a Short Story

The story that I've chosen was Kate Chopin's, "Story of an Hour"

Page 1 (5 Panels)

Panel A- Wide Shot

I. Group of people surrounding someone, with worried looks across all their faces. Looking towards the viewer.

Panel B- Close up, enough for two figures

I. Josephine’s hand is gently placed on Mallard’s shoulder. Forlorn look on her face.

Josephine

“There was a train accident…a lot of people didn’t make it—I’m sorry dear, your husband…”

Panel C- Close up

I. Shocked expression in her face, tears running down one of the eyes already. Gasping.

Panel D- Pulled out

I. Josephine immediately holding her while she cries. Looks as if Josephine is holding up all her weight.

Mrs. Mallard

“I…need to be alone. Please.”

Panel E.

I. Door closed behind her with her back to it, crying.

Page 2 (4 Panels)

Panel A

I. Focus on arm chair, dark lighting except for light on the handle. Can see her in the background. (Chair in foreground)

Panel B

I. Falls back into the couch. Show her in a pose that shows her abandoning all of her “weight”.

Panel C (Close Up)

I. Show her face, eyes barely looking forward. Light hitting face

Panel D

I. Clouds and outside scenery through the window. Show her sitting in front of this, with sobbing noises.

Page 3 (4 Panels)

Panel A (Small)

I. Fingers gripping the chair arm.

Panel B

I. An increase in shadow appears to be surrounding her. Face colored red. A sense of struggle in her body pose.

Panel C (Small Close Up)

Mrs. Mallard

“Free free free!”

Panel D (Pulled Out)

I. A sense of joy, almost sensual, is apparent on her as she laughs slightly.

Page 4 (4 Panels)

Panel A (Bleeds down)

I. Hands reaching up, towards the clouds seen past the window or to the ceiling.

Mrs. Mallard

“My future…MY future! Finally, it belongs to me!”

Panel B (Flashbacks)

I. Her husband’s face looking at her, smiling.

Mrs. Mallard

“Darling, I did love you…”

Panel C (Flashbacks)

I. Scene of her in foreground. Husband arguing in background, inside kitchen.

Mrs. Mallard

“except for sometimes…”

Panel D (Larger)

I. Shot of her face, slight smile on it.

Mrs. Mallard

“Free! Body and soul free!!”

Page 5 (5 Panels)

Panel A

I. Josephine outside the door, kneeling. Worried look still on her face.

Josephine

“Louise, open the door! I beg you! Open the door..

Panel B (Larger)

I. Inside the room, Josephine’s words can be heard through the door.

Josephine

“You will make yourself ill! What are you doing Louise? For heaven’s sake, open the door.”

Mrs. Mallard

“Go away. I am not making myself ill.”

Panel C (Small)

I. Close up on her eyes/zooming into them.

Panel D (Visions of her future)

I. Her happy in a summer dress. Wind blowing.

Panel E (Visions of her future)

Page 6 (4 Panels)

Panel A

I. Mrs. Mallard slid down to her knees from the chair.

Mrs. Mallard

“Please Lord, please..”

Panel B (Larger)

I. Hands clasped, finishing her prayer. Smiling.

Mrs. Mallard

“Let my life be long!”

Panel C

I. Mrs. Mallard rises to her feet and straightens her dress.

Panel D

I. She opens the door, hands clasping the doorknob.

Page 7

Panel A

I. She grabs her sister, hugging her around the waist.

Panel B

I. Shows her face, eyes look victorious and happy, slight smile on her face.

Panel C

I. Both walking down the stairs together, still holding on to each other. Richard can be seen at the bottom (Both girls in foreground)

Panel D

I. Can see front door handle opening and wobbling.

Page 8

Panel A

I. Brently Mallard enters the house, looks dirty, with his umbrella and bag on his side, obviously exhausted.

Panel B

I. Mrs. Mallard’s eye fixates on Brently’s form.

Panel C

I. Josephine is screaming while Richard moves, almost obstructing Brently’s view.

Page 9

Panel A (Splash)

I. Mrs. Mallard laying on the ground, dead from a heart attack. Everyone is visible on this page, some people in them idle of rushing over, others shocked or turning away.