WIP 146 - Scripting "The courtesan chronicles" (Patreon)

For today's WIP, I wanted to show you some of the script of the "Courtesan Chronicles". Unlike the comic, which runs on a wiki, in this case it's a simple matter of making a word document and sharing it (as pdf) with Valeria.

I don't get to write scripts like that often and am still learning, but I do have a template set up by now.

Here is the script of the first three pages. Just like in the comic, sometimes during lettering I find that something isn't working as I'd like (be it because of the text wrap or because a panel looks too cluttered or empty) and I'll change it on the fly. One of the big perks when lettering for yourself!

Enjoy!

Must be Monday

Page 1:

Panel 1 (top left):

We can see the face of Allegra. She is a small, cute and usually bubbly courtesan (see “Characters”). Currently she is talking to herself. In this panel she is looking resolute.

Allegra: “Respect your client’s wishes.”

Allegra: “These were the padrona’s words.”

Panel 2 (top middle):

Still Allegra’s face in view. Now she has a quizzical look on her face.

Allegra: “So who am I to question him?”

Allegra: “As he suggests his place.”

Panel 3 (top right):

Another panel of Allegra’s face. This time she mimicks a man talking, looking confident.

Allegra: “No worries, piccola.”

Allegra: “My wife is out all day!”

Panel 4 (big, bottom):

We get a zoom back and can see that Allegra is standing on an ornate wall ridge next to a balcony that she is inching away from, approaching a corner in the building which seems to be an old mansion. She is naked, holding her dress in one hand, pressing it in the middle of her body between her breasts, not to cover herself, but to not lose the dress, as it seems to be windy where she is. The other hand is pressed against the wall. On the left side we can see a balcony with a little stone fence around it. The door to the balcony is open.

Font on the panel: “Courtesan chronicles: Must be Monday.”

From inside: “Why are you naked?!?”

From inside: “I … was waiting for you, darling!”

From inside: “Alright, where is she?”

From inside: “Who?”

Allegra: “Aaall day.”

Page 2:

Panel 1 (top left):

On the left side we can see the balcony and a lady standing on it, looking down to look for the woman she is expecting to be –somewhere-. In the doorframe, her naked husband is peeking out. Allegra is around the corner already now, still inching along the wall ridge. The camera angle should be so that the corner of the wall is in the middle of the panel.

Husband: “I told you! There is no one!”

Lady: “Hmpf.”

Allegra: “He has plausible deniability.”

Allegra: “As long as she doesn’t find me.”

Panel 2 (top right):

Allegra in closer up – she is looking ahead and sees that there is a tree a bit further down, though she has to pass two more windows until she can get there. The tree is in bloom, with lots of leafs on it.

Allegra: “Juuust gotta make it to that tree.”

Panel 3 (middle, left, small):

Our courtesan is approaching the first window now, carefully. The hand not holding the dress is already grabbing for the window frame.

Allegra: “Or maybe I can sneak in …”

Panel 4 (bottom, right, big):

The view is from inside the very nice room. We can see a spacious bed and a couple having sex, the woman (dark hair, more voluptuous than Allegra) on the edge of the bed with the man (a noble, dark, short hair and a neat, thin beard) holding on to her hips, standing in front of it. She is gripping the sheets and he is looking down at her. From here we can also see the window and Allegra looking into the room as she is directly in front of the window now.

Allegra: “I guess not.”

Page 3:

Panel 1 (top left):

Allegra is again inching along farther on the building, approaching the next window.

Allegra: “Maybe this one?”

Panel 2 (top right):

As Allegra approaches the window, it suddenly opens, smacking against her. A woman servant has opened the window rather forcefully, a blanket in her hand.

Sound: “Smack!”

Panel 3 (bottom left):

Allegra is flailing with her arms trying not to fall down. Her dress is sailing down as she has lost grip of it. The servant is holding the blanket out the window, shaking it out.

Servant (singing): “S’affaccia alla finestra, | ‘na bella signorina.”

Panel 4 (bottom right):

 Allegra is finally catching herself, a hand on her heart as she is breathing heavily in shock. The window is just closing as the servant is done.

Servant (singing): “con voce graziosina | chiama lo spazzacamin.”