Fast Friends Plot Outline

After writing the loose breakdown, the next step is to turn it into a more formal outline. So you'll notice right away that this far more structured than the previous piece with both the number of pages listed as well as the general number of panels. In a way, this is closer to the "Marvel Method" that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first developed in the 1960s. I actually could take this and start drawing - I'm just generally not that keen on doing it that way. Why? Well, I'm still fairly new to writing comics and I find it reassuring (for lack of a better word) to take another stab at the story by turning the outline into a full script. It gives me a chance to play a bit more with the structure and pacing.

You'll also notice that I generally have a lot of the dialogue worked out at this point. It's weird, but I find a lot of the dialogue really comes to me at this stage. It sometimes even comes at the breakdown stage, but it's really here that it comes across the strongest. Go figure, but it's always been like that!

Lastly, you'll probably notice a lot of terminology here. Things like "HL" (for Horizon Line) and the like. I think most of it will be obvious, but apologies in advance for any confusion. And with that, here we go!

Fast Friends: a road to god knows adventure!

1. Page One: Title block (“Fast Friends”) and my credits in the first panel. Probably all black with the text in white. Next panel shows an extreme close-up on Marie’s foot. The panel after shows the same foot, but this time a ball (stripey kind) dominates the view as it bounces by. Next panel shows the ball once again out of view. Then it bounces back into view in the next panel as it makes it’s way back up. Then out of sight again to end the page.

2. Page Two: Pull back to reveal an establishing shot of Marie sitting on the front steps that we’ve come to know pretty well from the road to god knows… She’s bouncing the ball aimlessly with her right hand, not paying any attention whatsoever. Her left hand holds her chin and her head is tilted away from the ball. Sure, she’s sitting there, playing, but she’s not the faintest bit interested in what’s going on with the ball. Cut in closer to reveal her complete disdain of the ball. Her eyes are heavy as she looks up to the heavens, groaning inwardly. Next panel is a tricky one. In the FG is Marie’s hand (at the top) and the ball (someway down the panel). We’re looking out on the street, though, and in the MG we see Kelly coming towards Marie, carrying an armful of VHS cassette tapes. Close-up on Kelly’s face, bemused, as she mutters at Marie, “wow, that looks like you’re having a world of fun.” Next panel shows Marie holding the ball in one hand, palm up, narrowing her eyes as she examines the ball closely. “Ball. Bouncy-bouncy. Boring. Not fun.” Kelly, still holding the stack of VHS tapes, looks mournfully down at them. “Yeah, I hear that. My Mom thought it would be swell to rent a whack of these girly flicks. How does (cite example) grab you? I think I might trade you for the ball.”

3. Page Three: Medium shot of Marie crouching in front of Kelly, head tilted as she looks over the titles. “Geez, you weren’t kidding. How old does you’re mom think you are, five?” Kelly has her head tilted a bit, looking up at the sky. “No, but she thought these would be great for my little sister and me to watch together. Weeeeeeee…what fun.” Cut to Marie eyeing the VHS tapes while she holds the ball in her right hand – basically weighing the two options. “I dunno. I think I’d just opt out and go read instead.” Next panel has a smiling Kelly watching her. “Well, why aren’t you? I mean, I’m sure a good bouncy ball is a world of fun, but why are you just sitting there…bouncing?” Marie has plunked herself back down on the steps, both elbows on her hips and her hands cupping her chin. The ball is front of her with a few motion lines around it. “It’s my mom’s idea, not mine. ‘Get outside,’ she says. ‘It’s summer. Go run around. Yer becoming part of the furniture just laying about. Get!’ I argued that books make me smart and, what, does she want to raise an idiot child instead? Reading is brain exercise, blah, blah, blah…but she wasn’t biting.” Close up on Marie, looking all cagey. “So I figured if I had to go out I’d just take my book with me. Well, as I headed for the door she snatched my bookie out of my hands. ‘Go play’ was all she muttered at me. Oy.” Kelly has put the stack of VHS tapes down and is now sitting beside Marie. “Man, she didn’t give you much choice, right?”

4. Page Four: Low HL shot of the two of them with the front porch rising behind them. Marie is scowling. “It gets better. I sat around for a bit and then hammered on the door to come back in. All she did was throw the ball at me!” Kelly starts to laugh despite herself. Pull back to reveal the two of them: Kelly trying to regain her composure while Marie shoots her a foul look. Kelly: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just that I can imagine what your face must have looked like when you saw the door creak open and the ball come bouncing out.” Marie can’t help smiling at that herself and she does, stretching her arms out and leaning back. “Yeah, it probably was pretty funny. Judging by the chuckles I heard behind the door, my mom certainly thought so.” Last panel has Marie standing up straight shaking a fist at the door. Kelly, still sitting, is looking up at her, smiling. Marie: “Oh, there’ll be a reckoning!”

5. Page Five: Marie kneels in front of the tapes while Kelly continues to sit on the front steps. Marie: “So, how many of these did you manage to get through, then?” Kelly makes a face (probably wrinkling her nose). “Well, none actually. My mom left them on a table the other night and we all forgot about ‘em. That’s now giving me a bit of a problem since all three of ‘em are late. I gotta bring ‘em back and pay the fine on top of it.” Marie holds one of the tapes up with distaste. “Ah, that sucks. Nothing like paying twice for stuff you wouldn’t want to watch in the first place.” Kelly, in the background, smiles at that. “Yeah, totally.” Marie looks over at her. “Well, at least I have my Mom fairly well trained. She’d never bring this type of stuff back for me. It would be Star Wars or bust.” Kelly, leaning back on her elbows, “oh, yeah, I see that. You’ve got her under your thumb.” Cut to the ball bouncing off her head. Last panel has Kelly rubbing her head, grinning. Kelly: “Ack! Ok, ok! I deserved that!”

6. Page Six: Both girls are standing as Kelly passes the ball back to Marie. Kelly: “Well, I suppose I should get this over with. Thanks for putting Star Wars into my head. I could go for renting Return of the Jedi right about now.” Marie chuckles as she takes the ball. “Sorry. Why don’t you just beg Todd at the store? I’ve begged a few times in the past and it works every now and then. Besides, you’re the new girl on the block. Just say you’re mom mixed up the return day and he might go for it.” Kelly bites her lips as she chews it over. “I dunno. We’ve rented a few times since we’ve moved in so I doubt he’ll go for it.” Marie’s stance is strong - arms folded over her chest and her legs planted firmly. “Oh, really. Tell you what. If I can convince him to wipe the fine can I come over and watch Jedi?” The two, standing formally, clasp hands and shake on it. Both are smiling broadly.

7. Page Seven: Splash page of the two of them walking down the street. Tilt the page for more drama. Kelly: “I even heard they were supposed to be wookies instead of teddy bears. Can you imagine? Wookies! How cool would that have been?!” (text gradually gets smaller).