PORTFOLIO - Scripts
Here is a script sample from among my most recent work.
Mon-Con - A mature, supernatural comedy aimed at teenagers and young adults. Story developed alongside Alexandria Huntington
MON-CON
PAGE 1
Panel 1
Establishing shot over the exterior of the San Muerte Convention Center. In front of the convention center, Security Chief INDIRA CROWLEY addresses her assembled troops. In the front row of security officers is MICHA KITAGAWA.
CAPTION 1
San Muerte, California
CAPTION 2
2 hours to Mon-Con.
INDIRA CROWLEY
Look alive, people!
INDIRA CROWLEY
We’re two hours from the only weekend in this miserable town worth a damn.
Panel 2
Closer in on the scene. We get a closer look at Indira. She’s short, but her personality towers over any man. She’s gruff and direct. But knowing what we do about her background, we know there’s no single time more stressful for this half-demon.
INDIRA CROWLEY
For the next three days, this city and the demon world are merged into one.
INDIRA CROWLEY
Don’t ask me why, because I don’t care.
Panel 3
Over the shoulder shot from Indira’s perspective. She’s looking at her troops, with the focus on Micah.
INDIRA CROWLEY
What I do care about is the 100,000 monsters, demons, and fair-folk that’ll treat our home like a goddam playground!
Panel 4
High angle shot of Indira walking through the ranks of her men.
INDIRA CROWLEY
They aren’t the nightmares lurking under your bed. They are tourists.
INDIRA CROWLEY
And it’s your job to show them their place!
Panel 5
Close up on Indira. She’s practically scowling with her disdain for the supernatural half.
INDIRA CROWLEY
You’ve been trained! Never forget your-
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PAGE 2
Panel 1
Establishing exterior shot of Curariel’s Gothic Castle in the demon world.
CURARIEL (WITHIIN THE CASTLE)
-Pants!
Panel 2
Interior of Curariel’s grand, opulent, and utterly trashed bedroom. Curariel is in their male form and stripped down to his boxers. Their searching through the mess of their room. In one corner are their pants, hidden beneath a ram skull. Also in the room is SEVIJA, a female demon. She is the personal assistant to Curariel’s parent, and much of her job involves babysitting Curariel. She’s sensibly dressed in demonic business attire. Her ember eyes glow behind her glasses lenses. Instead of a clip board or an iPad, she holds a slab of obsidian with molten carvings etched in. She points at the ram skull.
CURARIEL
Where are my pants?
SEVIJA
Underneath the ram skull, Lord Curariel.
CURARIEL
You’re the best, Sevija!
Panel 3
Curariel-M puts on his pants. He’s not even pretending to listen Sevija reading from her docket.
SEVIJA
Duly noted. Now, Their Majesty, wants you to squash the imp riots, attend the Conclave of the-
CURARIEL
And that all sounds super important. But…I can’t. Mon-Con’s this weekend. Haven’t missed one in eighty years.
Panel 4
Curariel-M puts on his shirt. For all her composure and stoicism, Sevija can’t help but take one last look at the incubus’ abs.
CURARIEL
But once I get back, I’m totally on top of it.
CURARIEL
Or below it. Or from behind. Or we’re both turned so we’re facing our-
SEVIJA
Yes, you’ve made your point. Must you always be so…carnal?
Panel 5
Panels 5, 6, and 7 can be a row of small panels on the bottom of the page, they’re all close ups of Curariel. Curariel-M is relaxed and has a sexy, welcoming smile.
CURARIEL
I’m playing to type. I am an Incubus.
Panel 6
Curariel has turned into their female form. The transformation is accompanied by black sparkles. They’re still looking as sexy as can be, but nobody’s more in love with themself than they are.
CURARIEL
And a Succubus.
Panel 7
Curariel stays in their female form. Now they’re just being overly talkative and in love with the sound of their voice.
CURARIEL
But most importantly, I’m a party bus. So for the next three days, I’m gonna do nothing but ride-
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PAGE 3
Panel 1
Close up on Micah right outside the Convention Center. He’s violently startled by Indira’s chainsaw roar of a yell from right behind him.
INDIRA CROWLEY
-MICAH!!
CAPTION
30 minutes to Mon-Con
Panel 2
Indira gets right up and yells in Micah’s face. She’s half a head shorter than him, but she’s totally intimidating him and dominating the conversation. Micah has the terror of someone who knows they’ve done something wrong, but don’t know what.
MICAH KITAGAWA
Captain Crowley! Sir! Um, ma’am?
INDIRA CROWLEY
Micah Kitagawa, the hell do you think you’re doing?!
MICAH KITAGAWA
I’m…I’m manning my post. Ma’am?
Panel 3
Zoom out slightly to show a big sign reading ‘A’ hanging above Micah and Indira’s heads (like what they had in San Diego). Indira angrily points up to it, and Micah looks at it with total humiliation.
INDIRA CROWLEY
Really now? You’re assigned to monitor Drop Zone F. That look like an F to you?!
MICAH KITAGAWA
No ma’am! S-sorry. I must have gotten turned around. It’s my first time working security and-
INDIRA CROWLEY
Look here, rookie. I’m responsible for you. Your mistakes are my mistakes.
Panel 4
Close in on Indira finishing her beratement/speech. She’s got equal parts badass and crazy in her eyes. Micah for his part, just doesn’t know when to shut up.
INDIRA CROWLEY
And son, I don’t make mistakes!
Panel 5
Indira furiously yells at him and dramatically points in the direction she wants him to go. Micah finally gets the message and sprints off panel.
MICAH KITAGAWA
W-well, I already screwed up. S-so technically, you…you did make a mistake. I mean-
INDIRA CROWLEY
Your post! Now!
Panel 6
Indira relaxes a little. Being that angry can be tiring.
INDIRA
Kid’s greener than a leprechaun’s-
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PAGE 4
Panel 1
Back to Curariel-F in their bedroom. Their standing on their bed making a very lewd hand gesture. They have a crazed grin on their face. Sevija looks away, if a demon could blush, she would.
CURARIEL
-Ass!
SEVIJA
That sounds…painful, Lord Curariel.
CURARIEL
A damn good party is what that is!
Panel 2
Curariel-F starts rummaging through an overflowing drawer. Sevija hovers behind him.
SEVIJA
Your parent will not take kindly to you abandoning your duties.
CURARIEL
And I’m remarkably okay with that.
Panel 3
Curariel-F takes a knee on the floor and puts their finger on the ground to draw a pentagram/devil-rune-thingy. Sevija stands over them, observing their work.
SEVIJA
I do hope you’re using bone ash for your transportation circle.
SEVIJA
It’s much easier to clean.
CURAIEL
What am I, a goddamn pleb?
Panel 4
High angle shot. Curariel-F and Sevija look down at the completed pentagram drawn in blood.
CURARIEL
That’s pure griffin blood. Safely donated, not hunted. I’m not a monster.
CURARIEL
Well, I am, but you get what I’m saying.
SEVIJA
That will leave such a mess.
CURARIEL
And I trust that you’ll clean it up.
Panel 5
Curariel-M stands in the middle of the pentagram, which glows and crackles with wicked demonic energies. Sevija adjusts her glasses as they reflect the light of the magic.
CURARIEL
And Sevija? Relax a little. Take some you time.
SEVIJA
…have a good weekend, Lord Curariel.
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PAGE 5
Panel 1
Back to Micah in San Muerte. He’s moved to a grassy lawn beside the convention center. Micah and another guard, SIMMONS patrol outside a roped off square. Inside the square is where the demons will materialize. In this page, San Muerte will transition from existing in the human world, to existing in both. Right now, it’s still a normal sunny day. Besides Micah, SIMMONS looks at his watch.
SIMMONS
Just a few seconds now. Get your head in the game, rookie.
MICAH
Sorry, just a little shaken up. I think Captain Crowley’s mad at me.
SIMMONS
Hah! Trust me Kitagawa, you ain’t seen mad yet.
Panel 2
Micah looks at Simmons with a worried face. Simmons remains glib and looks up at the sky as a solar eclipse blankets the city in shadow.
MICAH
That really doesn’t make me feel any better.
SIMMONS
Wasn’t supposed to.
Panel 3
Zoom way out to show much of the Convention Center and the city area. The city is kneeling before the eclipsed sun hovering in the sky. But now, the sun’s light peeking through the eclipse is a deep purple. The city is bathed in an unnatural light.
SIMMONS
Ooh! Shut up, it’s starting!
Panel 4
Back at the lawn, the city and the Convention Center have transformed into their decorative ‘Mon-Con’ forms. Inside the previously empty square, now stand a crowd of demons, monsters, sprites, fairies, and imps (or other assorted supernatural folk). Most prominent of the monsters is Curariel-M.
Panels 5/6
I’d like to do these panels as 2 diagonal slices of a square. Where there’s a close-up on Micah in the upper-left panel, while a close-up of Curariel-M is in the lower-right panel. I want to create the illusion that Micah is looking down at Curariel, and Curariel is looking up at Micah. Micah is trying to look grim and determined, while Curariel makes no effort to hide their wicked grin.
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PAGE 6
Panel 1
Now we move away from Micah and Curariel and move our attention to Mel. Mel is with her friend, ABBY. Abby is a mousy white girl with big, round glasses and long blonde hair. Abby is wearing pink pants and a black Convention t-shirt two sizes too big. Abby is bright and sunny, the Honey Lemon to Mel’s GoGo Tomago, the Starfire to her Raven. Abby excitedly tugs on Mel’s sleeve. Mel is far less enthusiastic. She shows visible displeasure at the crowds that box her and Abby in.
ABBY
We’re here! Can you believe it, Mel?! We’re finally at Mon-Con!
MEL
There are way too many people here.
MEL
And nobody looks showered. When I get sick, I’m blaming you.
Panel 2
Another close-in shot of Mel and Abby talking.
ABBY
How are you not excited? Technically, we’re in the demon world! How is that not the coolest thing ever?
MEL
‘Cause you’ve been talking about it non-stop for a year! You over-hyped it.
Panel 3
Close-up on Mel. She doesn’t like having to explain why she feels out of her element.
MEL
It’s like that space show you loved so much. Only cool part was the dude with the robot ghost-girlfriend.
Panel 4
Abby is immune to Mel’s cynicism. She has her nose buried in a program guide. Mel stands beside her, insistent on being a wet blanket.
ABBY
Well what do you want to do first? The Witches are holding a magic exhibition.
MEL
And wait in line for ten hours?
ABBY
How ‘bout we do some shopping on the con floor?
MEL
You see these crowds, Abby? You want to wade through that?
Panel 5
Abby leans forward to comically scold Mel. Mel rolls her eyes at her friend’s theatrics.
ABBY
You are being Lady Bummer McNo-Fun, and you need stop it! After all, we’re at…
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PAGE 7
Panel 1
Big panel centering on Abby. She has her eyes clutched tight, both hands high in the air flashing the horns. She screams with all her might, and her voice radiates outward.
ABBY
MON-CON!
Panel 2
Over the shoulder shot. Mel and Abby have their backs to the ‘camera’ and are looking at the crowd in front of them. One human dude-bro pops up from the crowd. He also yells and flashes the devil horns.
DUDE-BRO
Mon-Con! Whooooot!
Panel 3
Same shot angle of the Mel and Abby looking at the crowd. Now, a 10 foot tall colossus made of stone and moss and shaped like a gorilla walks by. He casually holds up the devil horns and growls in a booming voice. Abby is thrilled by the outpouring of excitement she’s witnessing.
GORILLA GOLEM
Mon-Con!!
ABBY
See? That guy gets it!
Panel 4
Abby enthusiastically eggs Mel on. Mel half-heartedly throws up the devil horns and rolls her eyes.
ABBY
Now c’mon, you go!
MEL
Whoo. Mon-Con. Yay.
Panel 5
Abby grabs Mel’s wrist and leads her into the crowd. Mel’s too startled to protest or resist.
ABBY
Stop your moping and try to have fun.
ABBY
Forget the crowds and the lines for one second.
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PAGE 8
Panel 1
Big splash page. We zoom out to see a big section of the convention center interior. As big, and as crazy, and as detailed as we can imagine. In the forefront are Abby and Mel. In the background, human tourists are taking photos of Curariel-F, who mugs for the camera. Elsewhere in the background, Micah is helping direct the flow of traffic.
ABBY
Focus on the big picture.