Rock The Vouhhhnn!, Chapter 6: Part 2.2
Page 137 (Chapter 6, Page 9)
Panel 1: We move to a ceiling level shot of a studio soundstage that is made to look like the living room of a nice home somewhere. There’s an empty area next to the couch and directly in front of the camera a few feet away.
Caption (Madison) “Looks like an old sitcom set.”
Panel 2: Cut to Zoe and Madison at ground level right next to the camera, which is partially visible to the left of the panel view. Zoe has the script pressed up against her chest, flashing a confident half smile connected to the idea.
ZOE (to Madison) I was gunning for something more business-y. But this was the best we could scrimp together with our cash on hand- works pretty well, I think.
MADISON
(trying to understand, to Zoe) I noticed there are blank spots in between Henry’s lines. What’s that about?
ZOE (Bubble 2) They’re sound cues for the most part- heighteners for the main message. You’ll see once we get going.
Panel 3: We move to a shot from the camera view of the ad as it starts filming. You can see Henry placed in the center of the shot speaking directly to it.
HENRY
(from the speaker)
Hello, Indiana. My name is Henry Skelton. There has been a lot of stuff that has been mentioned about me throughout this campaign, both in the press and by my opponent Rep. Jenkins. They say that I’m a...
Panel 4: Same setting/layout as the previous panel, taken continuously from that aforementioned panel. There’s the sound of electronic static (manufactured compared to last time) next to the dialogue.
HENRY (like the robot from “Lost in Space”)
Danger! Danger!...
(Bubble 2, normal)
...to the district. That my ideas for the future of the 6th Congressional District are too…
Panel 5: Same setting/layout as the previous panel, taken continuously timewise from Pane 4 as before. The static also comes in, though connected with the sounds of the Russian national anthem coming from the speaker.
HENRY (from the speaker, in Russian)
Scary and pie in the sky!...
(Bubble 2, normal) It’s the same kind of rhetoric that’s been a hindrance toward the type of progress our country could be capable of for so long. There have even been some sociologists and political scientists who labeled this stubborn belief structure as the world’s first...
Panel 6: Same setting/layout as the previous panel, taken continuously timewise as the other couple of panels. Instead of the static from those aforementioned panels, however, you can hear the sound of Romero-style zombie groaning emanating from Henry’s speaker to hammer home the point.
Page 138 (Chapter 6, Page 10)
Panel 1: Same setting/layout as the last panel of the previous page. The tone of the ad starts to shift ever so slightly, along with the movement of the zombie politico.
HENRY
(from the speaker) But humanity is at a level of hope and optimism toward what the future can bring that we haven’t seen in well over a century. Though we’re lagging behind as a nation, we are making the levels to catch up to our European and Asian and Canadian comrades. All we need is to have...
Panel 2: A split second later, we hear the sounds of “High Hopes” by Panic at the Disco playing in the background of the shot; Henry tilts his head up toward the top left side and sways from side-to-side.
HENRY
(normal, from the speaker)
...the political courage to engage in. Which I promise--
MADISON (Off-Panel, interjecting) No. No no no no no no no….
Panel 3: Cut to Madison and Zoe watching the scene from behind the camera. Zoe is examining the scene from a tiny screen on the camera, while Ms. Mitchell looks on in the beginning throes of a panic jolt.
ZOE
(curious, to Madison) What is it?
MADISON (Cont., to Zoe) That is a bad jue jue song! We--We can’t have that anywhere near this ad!
ZOE (Bubble 2) Bad, how?
MADISON (Bubble 2) This was Pete Buttigeg’s campaign theme song decades ago. Kinda flamed out after doing well in Iowa and New Hampshire.
ZOE (Bubble 3)
Oh right, I remember him. Didn’t he end up being Secretary of State or Defense or something?
MADISON (Bubble 3) Still. Rather not risk it, especially with what we’ve dealt with--
Panel 4: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. Everything stops immediately when there’s a loud bang emanating from some place off-panel. Zoe looks up and to the left upon hearing the “CRASSHH!” as well as Madison who looks over in the same direction.
ZOE What the hell…? Panel 5: Cut to a close-up of what caused the “CRASSHH!”- a large ceiling tile descending onto the floor below.
Panel 6: Back to the two of them in the same setting/layout as Panel 4. Ms. Olson turns her gaze back to the camera, immediately understanding what her friend had meant in her previous point.
ZOE
Okay, see your point. I’ve got some other song choices we could use. Might take some tweaking on your part.
MADISON
(Off-Panel)
Couldn’t care less, Zoe...