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Backstage - Unused - "Field Trip"
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Note: This
script is reprinted exclusively on The World's Finest. The
writer has given permission to use it on this site; please do
not copy this script without complete consent from The World's
Finest and the writer.
PAGE ONE – FOUR PANELS
Panel One: Exterior shot of the GCPD. On the steps, a teacher
corrals her (eight) students into a single file line. The
children are in third grade, so they are probably around the age
of nine or ten years old. Uniformed police should be seen
walking in and out of the building.
TEACHER (1): Now, children, I want you all on your best
behavior. Stay in a single file and do not touch anything!
TITLE: Field Trip
CREDITS: Vito Delsante – Writer
Art Team (?)
Panel Two: At the back of the line, four students stick close to
each other (Brandon, Zachary, Britney and Ashley). They are
standing in a loose line…in other words; they aren’t really
sticking to the rules (a trend which we will see again later).
All the children are wearing nametags with their first names on
them.
BRANDON (2): Do you think we’ll get to see it?
ZACHARY (3): See what?
BRANDON (4): You know…the Bat-Signal!
Panel Three: The line of children moves closer to the door, but
we are still focused on these four kids at the back of the line
in particular.
ZACHARY (5): Probably not.
BRITNEY (6): My daddy says Batman isn’t even real. Why would
they have a Bat-Signal?
Panel Four: Walking through the door. Brandon points to the roof
as he enters.
BRANDON (7): It is real! I’ve seen it!
ASHLEY (8): Sure it is, Brandon.
PAGE TWO – FIVE PANELS
Panel One: The kids gather around in a semi-circle in the main
lobby. In the middle stands their teacher and today’s tour
guide, COMMISSIONER JIM GORDON.
TEACHER (1): Children, this is Commissioner Gordon.
GORDON (2): Hello, children. Today I’m going to show you what
the GCPD does every day.
Panel Two: From Gordon’s POV, we can see just a hand raised. The
hand belongs to our little mischief-maker, Brandon.
GORDON (3): Uh…there’s a question in the back?
BRANDON (4): Are we going to see the Bat-Signal?
Panel Three: Commissioner Gordon and the teacher look at each
other, taken aback by Brandon’s request.
Panel Four: Gordon smiles at the request, but for the most part,
he ignores it. He begins to lead them away and the kids start to
form a line again.
GORDON (5): Now…if you’ll…all follow me…this way.
Panel Five: Again, at the back of the line, two boys look back
at Brandon and have some words of advice for him.
ZACHARY (6): You’re gonna get in trouble!
BLAKE (7): Maybe even arrested!
PAGE THREE – FIVE PANELS
NOTE TO ARTIST: Panels One to Three should be three equally
sized “wide screen” panels that stretch along the page.
Panel One: The group stands by the dispatch station. The
dispatcher, a woman, is sitting in front of a switchboard and is
waving politely to the children. Brandon, however, won’t let the
idea of seeing the Bat-Signal alone.
GORDON (1): This is the dispatcher. She tells the police
officers where they have to go.
BRANDON (2): Are we gonna see it?
Panel Two: The Property Room. Gordon opens the door just enough
for the class to look in. Behind the door are a Property Manager
(in a GCPD Uniform, without the hat) and the property behind
cages. Let’s not make it too serious (i.e., no big bags of
cocaine). Instead, let’s see some cool props, like an oversized
purple mallet that could have been used by the Joker. The
teacher is starting to get a little embarrassed by her student.
GORDON (3): This is the Property Room. It’s basically a big Lost
and Found.
BRANDON (4): Are we gonna see it?
TEACHER (5): Brandon!
Panel Three: Interior of Jim Gordon’s office. Picture of Barbara
on the desk. Some awards for bravery on his filing cabinets. But
nothing to suggest a relationship with Batman.
GORDON (6): This is my office. This is where I…well, I don’t
really spend much time in here.
BRANDON (7): Are we gonna see it?
TEACHER (8): Brandon, enough!
Panel Four: Our poor teacher has had enough. She pulls Brandon
aside and talks to him sternly.
TEACHER (9): I don’t know what you want to see so badly, but if
you don’t behave right now, I will call your mother to pick you
up, ok?
BRANDON (10): I’m sorry.
Panel Five: Gordon and the class start to walk away, but once
outside the office, Brandon has ulterior motives as he looks off
panel to the left of the camera/reader’s left.
GORDON (11): Now, if you follow me this way, I’ll show you the
interrogation rooms.
PAGE FOUR – EIGHT PANELS
Panel One: Brandon finds a stairway that leads to the roof.
Panel Two: Exterior shot from the roof. Brandon opens an access
door to the roof and immediately sees the Bat-Signal (in the
foreground right)
Panel Three: Small inset panel of the plaque on the back of the
Bat-Signal.
BRANDON (1): Cool!
Panel Four: Brandon flicks the switch to “On.”
Panel Five: Brandon flicks it to “Off.”
Panel Six: Brandon goes back downstairs (presumably to rejoin
his group). He shuts the Roof Access Door behind him.
Panel Seven: Brandon is at home now, in the dark with a
flashlight, playing with toys.
Panel Eight: The famous silhouette of Batman is now present in
the window. Brandon gasps!
BRANDON (2): GASP!
PAGE FIVE – NINE PANELS
Panel One: Brandon is in a state of shock. Batman stands tall
and dark in the window.
BATMAN (1): Brandon, what you did today was wrong.
Panel Two: Close-up on Batman’s face. No features are
present…just the whites of his eyes.
BATMAN (2): People could have been hurt, or worse. The
Bat-Signal is not a toy.
BRANDON (3): I - I - I’m sorry.
BRANDON (4): I was just trying to prove that you exist. No one
would believe me.
Panel Three: Brandon begins to sob.
Panel Four: Brandon’s mother comes into the room. Batman is no
longer in the window. Brandon is crying.
MOM (5): Brandon, honey, what’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?
BRANDON (6): Mom, I did a bad thing today. I was playing with
the Bat-Signal and Batman came here and told me it was wrong.
BRANDON (7): I’m sorry, Mommy.
Panel Five: Brandon’s mom holds him. She doesn’t really believe
that Batman was there…she just assumes it was a nightmare.
MOM (8): It’s ok, Brandon. As long as you know that what you did
was wrong.
Panel Six: Brandon’s dad now comes in. He stands in the doorway
looking in on mother holding child.
DAD (9): Everything ok in here?
MOM (10): It’s ok, now. He had a nightmare…He said he saw Batman
in the window.
DAD (11): Really?
Panel Seven: Dad walks over to Brandon’s window and opens it.
DAD (12): Hmm?
MOM (13): What is it, Danny?
Panel Eight: Dad walks over to the bed to sit next to his
family. He holds something in his hand that we can’t quite see
yet.
DAD (14): I’d say that Brandon…
Panel Nine: Close up of Dad’s hand. He is holding a small
Bat-Tracer. It looks like a button in the shape of a bat.
DAD (15) (OP): …has a new friend.
-THE END- |
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