So, with a bit of help from Cowboy Wally, the Ellard/virus storyline was actually a reasonably easy problem to solve. It’s all laid out there on the page, and there’s no need to re-explain it, but it stands to reason that all DEFCON-type facilities be entirely self-sustaining.
It was the next couple of pages that gave me trouble, characterwise. How does John feel about this? Ellard, obviously, is going to be super pissed — or is he?
Jennifer de Guzman really helped me walk through some of the potential ups and downs of this script, and you’ll see the result of some interesting e-mails over the next couple of pages.
↓ Transcript
PAGE TWENTY
PANEL ONE
Ellard looks over at the door as a heavy THUNK is heard
SF/X
THUNK
ELLARD
Sorry about -- what was that?
JOHN (phone)
Two inches of plate steel.
PANEL TWO
Ellard drops the phone as he starts running for the door.
ELLARD
Hey! HEY!
JOHN (phone)
Then antibiotic foam. Then more steel, then concrete.
PANEL THREE
The phone lies on the floor, with John's voice coming out of it. (Roy: does this work? Visually, can the phone “talk” as it falls, and then be lying on the floor with no insert of the phone actually hitting the floor? If this doesn't work, let me know and we can work around it)
JOHN (phone)
You're in a defcon bunker, Ellard. Isolated. Off the grid. Built to withstand disasters: nuclear, chemical... and biological.
PANEL FOUR
Ellard is pounding on the door.
ELLARD
Open this door! OPEN THE DOOR!
PANEL FIVE
JOHN is on the phone as people work behind him.
JOHN
You chose it because it was a great place to hide Fulci. You've got independent food, water, power.
PANEL SIX
Ellard snatches the phone up off the ground.
ELLARD
What?
JOHN (phone)
And your own air supply.
PANEL ONE
Ellard looks over at the door as a heavy THUNK is heard
SF/X
THUNK
ELLARD
Sorry about -- what was that?
JOHN (phone)
Two inches of plate steel.
PANEL TWO
Ellard drops the phone as he starts running for the door.
ELLARD
Hey! HEY!
JOHN (phone)
Then antibiotic foam. Then more steel, then concrete.
PANEL THREE
The phone lies on the floor, with John's voice coming out of it. (Roy: does this work? Visually, can the phone “talk” as it falls, and then be lying on the floor with no insert of the phone actually hitting the floor? If this doesn't work, let me know and we can work around it)
JOHN (phone)
You're in a defcon bunker, Ellard. Isolated. Off the grid. Built to withstand disasters: nuclear, chemical... and biological.
PANEL FOUR
Ellard is pounding on the door.
ELLARD
Open this door! OPEN THE DOOR!
PANEL FIVE
JOHN is on the phone as people work behind him.
JOHN
You chose it because it was a great place to hide Fulci. You've got independent food, water, power.
PANEL SIX
Ellard snatches the phone up off the ground.
ELLARD
What?
JOHN (phone)
And your own air supply.
What does antibiotic foam have to do with viruses?
You’ve got a family psychologist, a politician, and a cop working on this problem, none of whom thought to contact the CDC or anything for advice. Give them points for moxy, but maybe a bit fewer for biological expertise.
(or, out of story, d’oh!)