An interview with Devin Grayson
A Shameless web exclusive
By Shane Dingman
Continued from page 8
So you can see how most of the thinking and hard work is in this part, and to get from a detailed outline to a script isn’t going to be quite as time-consuming, though it’s still a matter of sitting quietly alone in a room and turning these concepts into a script your artist can follow:
PAGE 9, panel one
Stay with Raton and the captain, still fighting, but now underwater, fully submerged. Raton can lose the shotgun here if you want, or if you like it, Dale, when I say he pulls a smaller pistol out you can just have him stick with the shotgun — up to you.
Attentive readers might notice the bottom and wake of a sleek, black motor boat directly above them.
1 CAPTION: HAVING BATMAN WILLING TO DEFEND YOU IS USELESS IF YOU’RE INTENT ON TAKING YOURSELF DOWN.
Page 9, panel two
Much to his surprise, the Captain finds himself being pulled up by the back of his shirt by a gloved hand (Batman’s). Raton notices this too, squinting through the salt water, putting together what this might mean as — still fully submerged — he pulls a gun out from a hidden holster somewhere (if you had him lose the shotgun — if he’s still got the shotgun, he can just aim that).
2 CAPTION: THE LINE BETWEEN SELF-SACRIFICE AND SELF-DESTRUCTION IS A FINE ONE, EVEN IN AN ORDINARY LINE OF WORK.
Page 9, panel three
Batman, in a sleek, black “Batboat” (though no obvious Bat-symbols on it, I think — just a really sleek, cool, expensive, fast, motor boat with room for about four) pulls the Captain up (Batgirl helping), as Raton comes up in the water to fire a shot at the Captain (um, and yes, guns CAN shoot when wet, I asked Chuck and he confirmed it!).
The Captain, coughing, is pointing to the ever-more rapidly sinking rig. Oh, and I don’t need to mention that the sound of gunfire has Batman’s teeth grit. Raton’s gonna get it now....
3 CAPTAIN: -KAFF KAFF- PEOPLE -KAFF- STILL ON -KAFF- BOARD....
4 SFX: =KA-POW=
5 CAPTION: FOR A VIGILANTE, THE DISTINCTION SPRINGS CHIEFLY FROM MOTIVE.
Page 9, panel four
Batman whirls towards Batgirl, pointing up at the rig. Batgirl has moved to attend to the still recovering Captain, but looks up at Bats now with full attention. Raton is now swimming towards the rig, his gun still in hand.
When you can get them in, the crewmembers on the lifeboat are alarmed by the shooting, ducking and worried for their captain.
6 BATMAN: SWEEP THE SHIP. EVERYBODY OFF.
7 CAPTION: DO YOU RISK YOUR LIFE TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS --
Page 9, panel five
Fluidly, Batman dives off of the Batboat after Raton as Batgirl fires a grappling hook up on to the Suezmax, clearly preparing to board. The Captain watches them go with obvious awe, now alone on the Batboat.
8 CAPTION: -- OR DO YOU LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE TO ALLAY YOUR OWN?
So to answer your question at long last, the time it takes to write a script is dependent on a lot of things, chief among them the thoroughness and clarity of the outline, the complexity of the story goal, and how much time you frickin’ have.
