2 weeks until the Frenzy – and my new Beat Sheet!

So, the next step on the plan for Script Frenzy was to have my Beat Sheet ready. I’m not entirely convinced about this, but it should give me a place to start:

Opening image – the main character’s little junker starship, working amidst an alien space garbage dump. Bryan is outside in a space-suit, while Walter keeps an eye on things in the cabin.

Theme stated – this space intentionally left blank.

Setup – They jump into hyperspace, noticing that something is wrong only too late, try to figure out where they are with no luck, approach the nearest yellow star and have a conversation with some of the natives. Bryan lands, and they have a brief court appearance clarifying their status as ‘hyperspace refugees’ and rights relating to it.

Catalyst – In a spaceport bar, Bryan hears about the Space Mafia and learns a bit about the extensive galactic charts that they have access to, dwarfing any maps made by local planetary government.

Debate – Walter doesn’t want to have anything to do with criminals, he thinks that they’d be better off just trying to find work somewhere nearby and giving up any chance of getting back to Earth, rather than approaching any Mafia. They argue, and Bryan plays on Walter’s ties to his family and homesickness.

Break into two – Bryan relays a message through the new friends, and gets an invitation to visit the floating mansion of Colann Vreyer. Colann turns out to be a charming business-woman, and she finds a few of Earth’s neighbors in her galactic map, but refuses to give over any useful navigational info until Bryan and Walter do her a big favor.

B story – While at the mansion, Bryan meets Esani, Colann’s daughter, and flirts with her. Walter notices and tells Bryan off once they leave, saying that he needs to be focused on business if they’re even going to consider working with Colann.

Fun and Games – Colann could invite them to a luxury casino or something like that, and we need to work in a kind of chase scene (through a cometary zone?) I’m also wondering if some of my fun and games should be going before the break into two, with the heroes trying other avenues for finding their way home before Bryan sends the message to Colann.

Midpoint – Colann suggests that they rob a small asteroid station for fusion fuel, and Bryan assumes that this is the favor that they needed to do for Colann. But when he asks her about that, she turns it around, saying that the fuel was for their ship, to help them get home, and that they’re already in her debt now. Meanwhile, the local police are looking for them.

Bad guys close in – Colann’s real plans unfold – she wants to use Bryan and Walter’s status as refugees to get access to a rival’s underground base, because they can ask them for help getting home, the same way as they asked Colann. Once inside, they’re supposed to plant a dozen micro-snoopers.

All is lost – The night before the plan starts, Bryan goes to Esani and talks to her about this, and Esani is able to figure out a few things that Bryan didn’t know. The ‘rival’ isn’t just another criminal, he’s an underground cop who’s been putting together evidence against Colann, and the bugs are quite possibly explosives.

Dark night of the soul – possibly something with Bryan going out in his spacesuit and no tether line? (Too overdone?)

Break into three – Walter talks Bryan back inside, Esani meets them on the ship, and they figure out a plan to sneak the underground cop information from Colann’s files instead of planting the bombs.

Finale – The plans play out at the underground base, (there has to be some attempt by Colann to keep tabs on what they’re doing, but it has to be limited because she can’t get her own people inside. Maybe she’s bugged them and threatens to give them away if they aren’t following her plan?) They make the switch and leave, and then they need to get to the mansion, pick up Esani, and get away again, even though Colann won’t want to really let them leave alive now that she’s got what she wanted. NO – she’s going to want them to take the fall with the cops…

Closing image – Our three heroes head off into hyperspace together, following Colann’s map, but knowing that they’ve got a long way to go yet.

In other Script Frenzy news – I have a board now! I haven’t actually put it up yet, but it’s sitting propped on its end in my bedroom – a big cork bulletin board, and I have index cards and pushpins to use with it. Next step – well, hanging the board on my wall is next. Then – working on my forty-beat board layout!