“Sporting Hill Saga” Script

Here’s the entire script for the epic four part Sporting Hill Saga complete with all the typos. I wrote this and must have rewritten/revised it four more times. I just wanted to make sure everything was really clear and that the episode breaks were happening in the correct places:

Part 1: “Goodbye Elm Tree”

We were told about some “exciting” news.
-teacher in front of class (all excited)

This was going to be our last year we will be attending our school Elm Tree.
-all puzzled

See, our school district was very expansive and split into a lot of small country grade schools.
-map
-little schools pop up (with names)

They were all filled with kids from kindergarten through 6th grades.
-zoom in
-K-6

All the classes had about 30 kids in each,
-grades multiply out all with 30 kids each

but our class didn’t,
-zoom into our class

it only had fifteen,
-15 kids disappear

and so did another school.
-zoom over to Sporting Hill
-15 kids there

Thus we were going to be combined with them.
-our class os

I didn’t think this was exciting news.
-on me thinking (slow truck in)

I had to endure the longer bus ride,

the new teachers

and mostly the stress of making new friends.

Elm Tree was filled with great memories,
-look up, cam off

great places,
-trees

great stories.
-shooting pencil

Even my parents were heavily involved in the parent teacher association.
-parents at fair

But all of that was over because I was forced to leave my school
-out of door past sign

my Elm Tree
-crane up

and spend my summer worrying about an uncertain future.
-fade out

to be continued next week…

Part 2: “The Right Bus”

It was the first day at my new school and I had my instructions:
-me looking at note walking away from house with Mom in doorway

ride my normal bus to my old school Elm Tree
-(drawings on note) bus to elm tee e

get off
-get out

catch a different bus to my new school Sporting Hill.
-get on other bus

But my friend from down the street had different instructions
-on bus with Kim

her Mom told her to stay on the bus and it will take you to Sporting Hill
-both looking at her note

When it was time to get off at Elm Tree
-bus wheel stops

she begged me to stay
-up ready to leave, she’s holding onto my arm

she didn’t want to be alone
-pov looking down at her
-on me, thinking
-sit

It was a long bus ride
-wide on bus

-pass Sporting Hill

We definitely did something wrong
-bus pulls up in front of Jr. High

We went to strange new places
-bus pulls up in front of Sr. High

Maybe if we just laid low, no one would ever notice
-sink into our seats
-everybody gets off
-bus driver eyes
-us
-bus driver
-us
-bus driver
-long pause

He just asked if we were supposed to be at Sporting Hill
-bus driver

Then he explained that we were supposed to get off at Elm Tree.
-us

I was upset and felt an idiot
-on me
-look over

but I can only imagine how she felt
-look at her

as we rode
-wide on bus

I didn’t regret it,
-on me

I knew I did the right thing, she was my friend
-looking at her

on our first day at our new school,
-bus in front of Sporting Hill

we were over an hour late
-in doorway

and the entire class would never let us forget it
-class in awe
-all start to giggle and whisper

to be continued next week…

Part 3: “We Eat Elm Tree Meat”

The first day at my new school was turning out to be the worst day of my life
-standing in doorway with Kim

I got to school an hour late with my friend,
-pissed sitting in new desk

I missed actually meeting my new classmates,
-looking around

the introductions,
-weird kids

and now I’m basically married
-look over at Kim
-pissed

As we got closer to recess a strange energy started rising in the class
-x-dissolve to later looking around, puzzled

a strange tension
-pan past kids

something was going to happen at recess
-clock

a rumble
-kids exchange glances

a showdown
-kids exchange glances

a kickball game
-passed a note

Sporting Hill vs. Elm Tree
-look up

now kickball was OUR game
-get determined

the game we played at OUR recesses
-look over at Avery
-nod
-he nods

not there’s
-both look over at Tommy
-grant pissed

it was our chance to prove ourselves
-on me

show our Elm Tree pride
-ready
-bell
-doors open

they just wouldn’t stop chanting “We Eat Elm Tree meat! We eat Elm Tree meat!”
-fists in the air

the stage was set
-wide, both teams lined up (music builds to Bob reveal)

-pan across their team

-pan across our team
and we had this

-all standing there
-Bob rises above everyone
-reaction

to be concluded next week…

Part 4: “Verses”

It was first day at the new school
-bus in front of school

at the first recess
-door opens
-kids run out

and it was a showdown:
-wide lined up
Elm Tree vs. Sporting Hill

us, the new kids
-pan across us

verses
-cam spin

them, the original
-pan across them

and they just brought out the big guns
-bob pans out

he was tall
-up shot

sure of himself
-smile with glint

their secret weapon
-all smile

-we look neutral
-we smile
-Derek rises up

we had our secret weapon too
-pan across eyes (letter boxed)
-pan across atari jacket (letter boxed)

-they look worried

the game
-ball rolled

was on
-kick

and we were losing
-catch

they were good
-all smile

(moving stills)

so were we
-derek kicks home run

we started to get some runs
-running around bases

came back
-high five

but the more we all played
-kicking/catching

the longer the game went
-running

the more it wasn’t about the game
-sliding

we started to realiize that it wasn’t even important who won
-helping up someone

we were all playing together
-laughing together

I couldn’t tell you who won that day
-running

I couldn’t tell you the score
-kicking

I could just tell you that by the end
-all happy

we were all one team…
-all walking in together
-bob and derek shake hands

one class at Sporting Hill…
-super wide

The End

Part 1:

youtube link

Part 2:

youtube link

Part 3:

youtube link

Part 4:

youtube link

“The Right Bus” Script

Here’s the script for what seems to be one of the longest episodes of Life in The Analog Age “The Right Bus”. This is s standalone story, but also part of the larger four part “Sporting Hill Saga”. I really enjoyed doing these four part-ers. It was really challenging balancing how much plot moves forward, with recapping, and setting up the next installment…

Part 2: “The Right Bus”

It was the first day at my new school and I had my instructions:
-me looking at note walking away from house with Mom in doorway

ride my normal bus to my old school Elm Tree
-(drawings on note) bus to elm tee e

get off
-get out

catch a different bus to my new school Sporting Hill.
-get on other bus

But my friend from down the street had different instructions
-on bus with Kim

her Mom told her to stay on the bus and it will take you to Sporting Hill
-both looking at her note

When it was time to get off at Elm Tree
-bus wheel stops

she begged me to stay
-up ready to leave, she’s holding onto my arm

she didn’t want to be alone
-pov looking down at her
-on me, thinking
-sit

It was a long bus ride
-wide on bus

-pass Sporting Hill

We definitely did something wrong
-bus pulls up in front of Jr. High

We went to strange new places
-bus pulls up in front of Sr. High

Maybe if we just laid low, no one would ever notice
-sink into our seats
-everybody gets off
-bus driver eyes
-us
-bus driver
-us
-bus driver
-long pause

He just asked if we were supposed to be at Sporting Hill
-bus driver

Then he explained that we were supposed to get off at Elm Tree.
-us

I was upset and felt an idiot
-on me
-look over

but I can only imagine how she felt
-look at her

as we rode
-wide on bus

I didn’t regret it,
-on me

I knew I did the right thing, she was my friend
-looking at her

on our first day at our new school,
-bus in front of Sporting Hill

we were over an hour late
-in doorway

and the entire class would never let us forget it
-class in awe
-all start to giggle and whisper

to be continued next week…

The final episode:

youtube link

“The Grate” script

Here’s the script for episode 60 “The Grate”:

As you can see, I don’t format my script like normal scripts. These, I write as conversational dialogue and then go back and then put in the visuals and pull out some dialogue. I wish I could show and animate everything, but I just don’t have the time to make them that complicated!

The Grate

If you would push someone
-pushing a little kid

not do as your told
-teacher yelling

or just ignore the rules
-stick tongue out at kid

there was a place for you
-getting grabbed by the arm

the grate
-on grate

see, if you misbehaved at our school, you had to spend time on “the grate”
-est

it was a simple metal grate
-looking at feet

a place for you to take a time out
-sitting down

(slow truck in)
a place for you to think about what you’ve done
a place for the teachers to keep an eye on you

and a place for public ridicule
-reveal everyone looking

I remember all the kids staring
-see group staring

pointing
-pointing

laughing
-laughing

whispering
-cu of lips

the time spent there was an eternity
-x-diss to different moments in different places

but it would come to an end and you were free to play
-teacher nods
-step off grate

it was a good lesson a good punishment
-apologizing to kid

because you didn’t want to be sent to the grate again
-looking at grate

Here’s the final short:

youtube link

“Space” Script

This is an idea that I’ve been wanted to do for a while. I just couldn’t figure out why I was fascinated with space stuff to begin with. I stumped for months. Then when I went back to revisit it, I realized that was the exact angle I needed, I didn’t even remember why, it just was, and the day-dreaming followed…

youtube link

Here’s the script in it’s entirety:

I don’t know where it came from
-space shuttle toy

or why me
-lego space set

I knew I knew I loved all things space related.
-checking out space book

-laying there looking up next to book

I would just wanted to go
-x-diss to spacesuit

to see new places
-x-diss off BG to space

new worlds
-on weird planet

new galaxies
-look up

I still remember the moment I realized how large the universe was
-out wider

and how small we were
-wider

so unimportant
-wider

We should never forget that.
-wider

“Deer Bologna” script

This is what my “scripts” look like. They aren’t really formatted as scripts, they are more like dialogue with what you see underneath. I’ll go through and just write it, then take another pass on the visuals, make adjustments, then save it. Weeks later, I’ll pull it out and rework it if it needs it.

I still have yet to write a proper “script”, but this system seems to work just fine for me…

Deer Bologna
My Biological Dad was a deer hunter. He hunted with a bow and arrow
-Daddy with his bow and arrow

and one hunting season he got a deer
-shoots arrow os
-happy

In Pennsylvania , they are very strict about tracking all the deer killed,
-tying the deer down

and make sure that you use all the parts of the deer.
-reveal of deer on roof

You could get a taxidermy trophy
-deer on wall

a gun rack
-antler gun rack

or even deer bologna.
-Daddy giving me a bag

It was delicious.
-eating it
It had a very unique taste, and texture.

and I wanted to share it.
-on bag
-cut wide to in front of class with the bag

I don’t think the rest of the kids liked it as much as me…
-pan as kids disgusted

Final short:

youtube link