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Star Fleet Genesis - Demo Screenplay
The scenario I've come up with for the demo is very combat heavy - there may not be any characterisation, because characters are harder to animate. Nigel is keen to stick to the original series, so I've slotted this piece of action into the middle of the series. The basic premise is that following the destruction of the Imperial base on Jupiter, Star Fleet Headquarters decides to set up an early warning station on Mars to prevent the Alliance getting the drop on them again. X-Bomber is ordered to escort a pair of freighters carrying the necessary equipment to Mars.What follows is the outline screenplay I sent to Nigel late June 2001:
Star Fleet - The Return
Screenplay for short CGI based re-introduction to the series.
Models Required:
X-Bomber, with Dai-X components on board.
EDF Freighters - based on originals or new.
Alliance carrier craft, fully loaded and empty.
Alliance fighters.
Asteroids various.
Mars.
Dai-X fighers.
Combined Dai-X (possibly).
Star Fleet logo (possibly - need not be 3D).
Basic premise: X-Bomber is escorting 2 EDF Freighters to Mars with a view to establishing an early warning system after the Jupiter incident. This fleet is ambushed by 3 straggler Alliance carrier craft which the XB then proceeds to deal with.
Sequence 0
Intro - straightforward, possibly just original Star Fleet ident.
Sequence 1
Starfield. 2 EDF Freighters come on screen moving left to right, on approach to Mars. Running parallel to one another, distant ship a little lower. Move steadily off screen.
Sequence 2
Starfield. X-Bomber comes on screen moving left to right . Establishing shot along length of ship, camera picks up on the centre of the ship halfway through sequence and tracks from a fixed position.
Sequence 3
Camera now looking at rear of X-Bomber, in the centre of a formation with the 2 freighters as Mars comes up slowly from the bottom of the screen to fill around 15% - enough for it to be clear. Polar caps visible?
Sequence 4
Cut to front on shot of Freighter on X-Bomber's right. Laser torpedo comes from the Left Top corner of the screen, hitting the Freighter's engines and destroying it. Debris spirals out.
Sequence 5
Camera pans and zooms up and left following the trail of the torpedo to bring 3 Imperial Carriercraft on screen from the left. Nearest one Bottom Right, mid range Middle Far Left and most distant Middle Top. Basically triangular formation. Nearest ship opens fire again into camera.
Sequence 6
X-Bomber accelerates to run parallel with the 2nd freighter and starts to turn to its right, taking the shot intended to destroy the second freighter. Camera angle - fixed positon midpoint between fleets tracking the torpedo shot to impact on the X-Bomber? Would give sense of depth and show movement of XB to block the shot if done right. Add impact damage to XB right side.
Sequence 7
Rear shot of X-Bomber as it turns to engage the Imperial fleet, keeping itself in between them and the freighter. Camera several hundred metres off the XB - Imperials visible top left at distance, surviving freighter moving bottom right towards camera as it bugs out for Mars. X-Bomber top guns start opening up on Cruisers.
Sequence 8
Head on shot of X-Bomber ploughing through the middle of the 3 carriers, breaking up their formation. Carriers gone evasive to three points of an inverted triangle. XB bears down on the bottom carrier and opens up with wing torpedoes, crippling/destroying it before plunging into the camera. Mars and dwindling point of Freighter in the background.
Sequence 9
In order to draw the cruisers away from Mars, XB goes into hyperspeed for the Mars/Jupiter asteroid belt. Could borrow from Trek for warp effect, or just show extra burst from engines and rapid acceleration. In either case, XB takes off with a fixed camera position and 2 remaining cruisers then shown in pursuit.
Sequence 10
Having arrived at asteroid belt, XB is seen diving in. Cruisers hang back, but multiple points of light resolve into Imperial fighters that follow XB's course into the asteroids. Front on shot of XB disappearing "below" screen, with Cruisers in background and fighters then coming into camera in wings.
Sequence 11
XB taking rear gun pot shots at fighters as it heads (rear shot) deeper into the field. Fighters sweep into view in pursuit, one or two get clobbered a la Empire Strikes Back by getting an asteroid in the face.
Sequence 12
Close ups of a pair of Imperial fighers opening up on the XB.
Sequence 13
Detonation on rear of XB near one main engine - close up.
Sequence 14
XB slows, and manoeuvres awkwardly behind a large asteroid (front shot), descending into shadows as it goes.
Sequence 15
From other side of asteroid, Imperial fighters (rear shot) regroup and prepare for the kill. As they begin to move forward the Dai-X fighers appear at Top Middle, Bottom Left and Bottom Right - Braincom at the top point of the triangle, rounding the large asteroid.
Sequence 16
Quickfire motion blur scenes of BrainCom, Jumbody, Legtrax firing.
Sequence 17
The three Dai-X fighters heading back to the other side of the asteroid leaving nothing but parts of Imperial fighters behind them, drifting slowly past camera.
(Sequence 18)
Combined Dai-X charges out of asteroid belt and finishes off the two empty carriers, possibly from cover of an asteroid or even by hurling an asteroid at them. Various possibilities but could be quite difficult to animate?
Some of you may get this, others may be thinking "You WHAT?!" On the next page, you'll discover why I dreaded art lessons at school. However, if you read the above in conjunction with what follows it might make sense. No promises though!
Last updated 14 December 2013
