My friend Spencer won the John August Script Challenge!
The Devilish Rogue
Congratulations to you sir, despite what others think - your script was brilliant.
The Devilish RogueFriday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Launchman and the Mercury Staff
One of my all-time favorite writers John August is hosting a writing contest on his blog. The deal is to write a blockbuster action scene/sequence that involves superheroes.
All that is told us is that it involves the villain BRICKHOUSE who has stolen a staff from the Museum of Ubiquities. He leaves it to us to come up with the rest.
The following is the sequence that I wrote for the contest and it should be on his site soon:
[scrippet]
EXT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - DAY
The Museum of Ubiquities, unusually vacant for a Saturday afternoon. The artful 'OPEN' sign gives no clues to why.
Below the Museum’s massive stone steps gathers a large CROWD nervously watching behind the panicked BLOCKADE of squad cars and caution tape. Several OFFICERS train their pistols toward the entrance of the Museum. It is eerily silent.
From behind a parked squad unit, a dark FIGURE walks calmly to the front of the panic-fest, putting on leather GLOVES.
A yellow 'L' symbol on his chest suggests this is the world-famous LAUNCHMAN, backwoods hansom that has hardened from living in the big city for many years. He adjusts his perfectly formed hair as he approaches the frontline.
A particularly beautiful Museum Docent with JENNIFER on her name tag approaches the costumed hero.
JENNY
You okay?
LAUNCHMAN
(lying)
Fine.
Launchman takes Jenny’s arm and gently pulls her aside.
LAUNCHMAN (CONT’D)
Were you hurt?
JENNY
I’m fine Linus.
LAUNCHMAN
Was it Greaser? Maybe Fulkenhagen again?
JENNY
This time it was an unknown. He called himself 'BRICKHOUSE.'
LAUNCHMAN
Usual DR. DISORDER cretin again?
JENNY
But big. Really big. He took the doors off the Hall of Transient Properties with one hand.
Launchman’s eyes go wide at this information. He looks up to the Museum’s entrance, heading towards an uncertain doom.
JENNY (CONT’D)
You going to be okay in there?
LAUNCHMAN
Guess we’ll find out...
INT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - LOBBY - MOMENTS LATER
Launchman enters the Museum lobby and quietly closes the door. He looks around at the destruction.
Papers and other DEBRIS litter the once spotless granite floors. Several velvet ropes and their stands have been toppled over. Launchman waves his arm, clearing a path.
With a soft-shoe, Launchman makes his way towards the Hall of Transient Properties. He prepares himself for the worst.
INT. HALL OF TRANSIENT PROPERTIES - CONTINUOUS
Raiding a large and most likely expensive DISPLAY CASE is the largest dude you’ve ever seen; wearing GIGANTIC army boots, black shorts and a once white wife-beater tank top.
This is the previously announced BRICKHOUSE. He looks as if he’s been on steroids since he was three years-old.
In his left hand, Brickhouse holds the MERCURY STAFF. Launchman notices it - again with that old relic?!
AT THE DOOR
Launchman waggles his fingers, preparing for a desperate move. He raises his arm and extends his fingers outward.
THE STAFF WIGGLES
Brickhouse doesn’t seem to notice.
Launchman readjusts his stance. He reaches out once more.
THE STAFF FLIES OUT OF BRICKHOUSE’S HAND --
And into Launchman’s open palm.
Brickhouse turns around - not sure what happened.
BRICKHOUSE
(thick Australian accent)
‘Ere, is moine!
Brickhouse reaches for the nearest object, which happens to be a thick GARBAGE CAN LID. He FRISBY-TOSSES it towards the unprepared Launchman, who takes it right in the gut.
The staff flies from his hand and to the ground.
Brickhouse BLITZES for the staff, swooping it up. He reaches for Launchman - still dazed from the blow to the gut.
Brickhouse picks him up by the arm and CHUCKS him across the room. Launchman lands with a THUD, sliding into a wall.
Launchman slowly rises, his body stinging with pain.
LAUNCHMAN
That’s...just not nice.
Brickhouse picks up a velvet-rope stand and HAMMER THROWS it towards Launchman who reacts quickly and sticks out his hand.
THE STAND CHANGES COURSE --
It swings around and FLIES back towards Brickhouse.
Brickhouse gets SMACKED upside the face. He tumbles back.
BRICKHOUSE
‘Ay naow.
Brickhouse bends down and picks up one of the FELLED DOORS.
Launchman prepares himself for the door to come flying his way. Instead Brickhouse holds the door as a shield as he turns tail and RUNS AWAY.
Launchman lifts his arms in disappointment.
LAUNCHMAN
What the...?
Launchman chases after him.
EXT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - MOMENTS LATER
Through raining BULLETS, Brickhouse exits the Museum. The door is held up as a shield from the ever-increasing blasts.
Some of the bullets pierce his skin, most just get deflected off the door-shield.
Launchman exits the Museum. The firing slows to a stop.
Seeing Launchman at his heels, Brickhouse TURNS to run down the street. He FLINGS the dented door towards the squad cars.
Several policemen DUCK and COVER from the uncontrollable door. The unaware Jenny looks up at the approaching steel-plated doom. She BRACES herself for the worst.
Nothing.
The door never hits the ground.
She looks up. The door HANGS IN THE AIR inches from her head.
The door is FLUNG backward and CLASHES to the ground.
Observing from the Museum stairs, Launchman lowers his hands and turns to the street. In the distance Launchman can see --
Brickhouse has made it a great distance away - he trips on a FIRE HYDRANT. The hydrant EXPLODES H2O all over the street. He goes TUMBLING to the ground and drops the staff.
Brickhouse picks back up the staff and continues fleeing.
Jenny joins Launchman on the steps.
JENNY
It’s okay, we’ll get it back.
LAUNCHMAN
That’s not what concerns me. What concerns me is Dr. Disaster continues to try and steal the damn thing.
Launchman turns to Jenny.
LAUNCHMAN (CONT’D)
I need to know absolutely everything there is to know about that staff.
Jenny nods enthusiastically.
[/scrippet]
All that is told us is that it involves the villain BRICKHOUSE who has stolen a staff from the Museum of Ubiquities. He leaves it to us to come up with the rest.
The following is the sequence that I wrote for the contest and it should be on his site soon:
[scrippet]
EXT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - DAY
The Museum of Ubiquities, unusually vacant for a Saturday afternoon. The artful 'OPEN' sign gives no clues to why.
Below the Museum’s massive stone steps gathers a large CROWD nervously watching behind the panicked BLOCKADE of squad cars and caution tape. Several OFFICERS train their pistols toward the entrance of the Museum. It is eerily silent.
From behind a parked squad unit, a dark FIGURE walks calmly to the front of the panic-fest, putting on leather GLOVES.
A yellow 'L' symbol on his chest suggests this is the world-famous LAUNCHMAN, backwoods hansom that has hardened from living in the big city for many years. He adjusts his perfectly formed hair as he approaches the frontline.
A particularly beautiful Museum Docent with JENNIFER on her name tag approaches the costumed hero.
JENNY
You okay?
LAUNCHMAN
(lying)
Fine.
Launchman takes Jenny’s arm and gently pulls her aside.
LAUNCHMAN (CONT’D)
Were you hurt?
JENNY
I’m fine Linus.
LAUNCHMAN
Was it Greaser? Maybe Fulkenhagen again?
JENNY
This time it was an unknown. He called himself 'BRICKHOUSE.'
LAUNCHMAN
Usual DR. DISORDER cretin again?
JENNY
But big. Really big. He took the doors off the Hall of Transient Properties with one hand.
Launchman’s eyes go wide at this information. He looks up to the Museum’s entrance, heading towards an uncertain doom.
JENNY (CONT’D)
You going to be okay in there?
LAUNCHMAN
Guess we’ll find out...
INT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - LOBBY - MOMENTS LATER
Launchman enters the Museum lobby and quietly closes the door. He looks around at the destruction.
Papers and other DEBRIS litter the once spotless granite floors. Several velvet ropes and their stands have been toppled over. Launchman waves his arm, clearing a path.
With a soft-shoe, Launchman makes his way towards the Hall of Transient Properties. He prepares himself for the worst.
INT. HALL OF TRANSIENT PROPERTIES - CONTINUOUS
Raiding a large and most likely expensive DISPLAY CASE is the largest dude you’ve ever seen; wearing GIGANTIC army boots, black shorts and a once white wife-beater tank top.
This is the previously announced BRICKHOUSE. He looks as if he’s been on steroids since he was three years-old.
In his left hand, Brickhouse holds the MERCURY STAFF. Launchman notices it - again with that old relic?!
AT THE DOOR
Launchman waggles his fingers, preparing for a desperate move. He raises his arm and extends his fingers outward.
THE STAFF WIGGLES
Brickhouse doesn’t seem to notice.
Launchman readjusts his stance. He reaches out once more.
THE STAFF FLIES OUT OF BRICKHOUSE’S HAND --
And into Launchman’s open palm.
Brickhouse turns around - not sure what happened.
BRICKHOUSE
(thick Australian accent)
‘Ere, is moine!
Brickhouse reaches for the nearest object, which happens to be a thick GARBAGE CAN LID. He FRISBY-TOSSES it towards the unprepared Launchman, who takes it right in the gut.
The staff flies from his hand and to the ground.
Brickhouse BLITZES for the staff, swooping it up. He reaches for Launchman - still dazed from the blow to the gut.
Brickhouse picks him up by the arm and CHUCKS him across the room. Launchman lands with a THUD, sliding into a wall.
Launchman slowly rises, his body stinging with pain.
LAUNCHMAN
That’s...just not nice.
Brickhouse picks up a velvet-rope stand and HAMMER THROWS it towards Launchman who reacts quickly and sticks out his hand.
THE STAND CHANGES COURSE --
It swings around and FLIES back towards Brickhouse.
Brickhouse gets SMACKED upside the face. He tumbles back.
BRICKHOUSE
‘Ay naow.
Brickhouse bends down and picks up one of the FELLED DOORS.
Launchman prepares himself for the door to come flying his way. Instead Brickhouse holds the door as a shield as he turns tail and RUNS AWAY.
Launchman lifts his arms in disappointment.
LAUNCHMAN
What the...?
Launchman chases after him.
EXT. UBIQUITIES MUSEUM - MOMENTS LATER
Through raining BULLETS, Brickhouse exits the Museum. The door is held up as a shield from the ever-increasing blasts.
Some of the bullets pierce his skin, most just get deflected off the door-shield.
Launchman exits the Museum. The firing slows to a stop.
Seeing Launchman at his heels, Brickhouse TURNS to run down the street. He FLINGS the dented door towards the squad cars.
Several policemen DUCK and COVER from the uncontrollable door. The unaware Jenny looks up at the approaching steel-plated doom. She BRACES herself for the worst.
Nothing.
The door never hits the ground.
She looks up. The door HANGS IN THE AIR inches from her head.
The door is FLUNG backward and CLASHES to the ground.
Observing from the Museum stairs, Launchman lowers his hands and turns to the street. In the distance Launchman can see --
Brickhouse has made it a great distance away - he trips on a FIRE HYDRANT. The hydrant EXPLODES H2O all over the street. He goes TUMBLING to the ground and drops the staff.
Brickhouse picks back up the staff and continues fleeing.
Jenny joins Launchman on the steps.
JENNY
It’s okay, we’ll get it back.
LAUNCHMAN
That’s not what concerns me. What concerns me is Dr. Disaster continues to try and steal the damn thing.
Launchman turns to Jenny.
LAUNCHMAN (CONT’D)
I need to know absolutely everything there is to know about that staff.
Jenny nods enthusiastically.
[/scrippet]
Sunday, July 19, 2009
GunDAMN!
A friend of mine is in Japan right now and she happened to visit the Tokyo bay. She mentions on her blog that on the small island of Odaiba lies a GIGANTIC Mobile Suit Gundam.
This intrigued me enough to do some digging to find out information about it. Here's what I found (in case you're interested):
The Gundam was built for two reasons - It is an attempt to promote the bid for the 2016 Olympics in Tokyo, it also promotes the 30th Anniversary since the creation of the Gundam franchise.
- It is a replica of the RX-78-2 Gundam which is an older model, but still cool-looking.
- The statue has lights, shoots out mist and moves its head.
- It is approximately 59' tall (18m) and weighs a whopping 25 tons.
- It is built of fiberglass-reinforced plastic over a steel frame.
- It is an exact 1:1 size replica of the size a mobile suit Gundam should be.
- They only plan to keep it up for two months before it is disassembled.
- The city of Kobe is working on a giant statue of "Gigantor" which will be much bigger and heavier. This is a video of the construction.
This intrigued me enough to do some digging to find out information about it. Here's what I found (in case you're interested):
The Gundam was built for two reasons - It is an attempt to promote the bid for the 2016 Olympics in Tokyo, it also promotes the 30th Anniversary since the creation of the Gundam franchise.
- It is a replica of the RX-78-2 Gundam which is an older model, but still cool-looking.
- The statue has lights, shoots out mist and moves its head.
- It is approximately 59' tall (18m) and weighs a whopping 25 tons.
- It is built of fiberglass-reinforced plastic over a steel frame.
- It is an exact 1:1 size replica of the size a mobile suit Gundam should be.
- They only plan to keep it up for two months before it is disassembled.
- The city of Kobe is working on a giant statue of "Gigantor" which will be much bigger and heavier. This is a video of the construction.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Fantastic Mr. Fox
One of my all time favorite books:
Is being made into a film by one of my all time favorite directors:
Starring one of my all time favorite actors:
And it looks absolutely amazing:
Is being made into a film by one of my all time favorite directors:
Starring one of my all time favorite actors:
And it looks absolutely amazing:
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Go See
MOON
I was really excited to go see this movie. I wasn't disappointed.The director Duncan Jones did a great job. His ability to use a low budget to make a very convincing world makes me envious. He creates a mood and an atmosphere for the character that is completely real and believable. Also, Kevin Spacey is always awesome.
THE HURT LOCKER
This film was so intensely suspenseful at times that I was uncomfortable in my seat. But it was an unconventional suspense. By that I mean that there were many times when you would expect an explosion or something else terrible to happen and it would just pitter out. Nothing would happen. That guy with the camera and those guys on the ridge didn't do anything when you fully expected them to. And then there were times when you would expect things to be quiet and satisfying, and something truly shocking would happen. I was shocked out of my seat four individual times.Although I was amazed by this film, it did have some issues, specifically with the personal relationships. But overall I thought the film was quite accurate and poignant. Jeremy Renner is brilliant, as well as the two supporting characters played by Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty. Also, pay attention to the cameos, I was pleasantly surprised!
A very well job done for director Kathryn Bigelow.
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