Maika and Me

I wrote a short script about a fantasy I had while listening to College's Teenage Color. It involves myself and Maika Munroe going on a date. The story is strange, in that it exists both in and outside of the world in David Robert Mitchell's film It Follows (2014), as well as the fictional world I created. I guess this could be classified as fan fiction?

Here's a link to the music that inspired the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDDFtoyQD0U&list=PLfuOR8Oz4orlq0kfLyz_2h7o_qPvwv8H6&index=1 

This is the script I copied and pasted from Word. Enjoy! (Or don't, that's cool too)

DISCLAIMER: For the optimum reading experience, enjoy this comic script while listening to College’s Teenage Color ep. [YouTube search “college teenage color”]

Page One

1.1

Close-up of a right black Blundstone boot. It is clearly being worn by someone. This person is also wearing black jeans. The boot is flat against the gray pavement below it. The wall of a tan coloured brick building can be seen in the background.

1.2

Close-up of the person wearing black Blundstone boots. This time the shot has panned upwards to include their legs. The right boot is flatly and firmly placed on the ground; the left is flat against the wall behind him, with his leg arched for support against the wall.

1.3

This panel further pans upwards. View is a close-up of the figure’s arms crossed. He is wearing a black t-shirt with a fluorescent green fly on it (referencing Cronenberg’s The Fly). Figure’s face isn’t present in the shot.

1.4

Wide-shot. Setting is downtown Detroit. It is late afternoon, so the sun is out but is beginning to have that late day glow to it. View is of the front of an old style movie theatre (the type with the marquee letters above the entrance) in the background, with the curb of the opposing street just barely in view at the bottom of the panel (refer to the shots of the theatre in It Follows for a better visual sense). The films The Thing, Only God Forgives, and Pink Flamingoes are visible on the marquee sign. The road in front of the theatre is the main part of the foreground; it’s diagonal in the panel (looks large on the left, and gradually thins as it reaches the back right side). There are several cars parked on the road across from the theatre, as well as some on the same side of the road the theatre is located on in the distance.

Several small groups of people are standing just outside the theatre, chatting. Their dialogue is irrelevant. The lone figure clad in mostly black is leaning with his back against the wall just to the right of the ticket sales booth. This figure is Steve. He has one leg arched with his foot against the wall. His arms are crossed. His head is looking to the left down the road in anticipation.

1.5

Same view and size as panel 1.4. This time, an Oldsmobile Delta 88 pulls up to the adjacent curb at the bottom of the page. It is a flat gray-blue colour. Only a fraction of the right side is visible in the panel, but enough so it is obvious that the car is parking on the side of the road. Steve’s head is upright now. Place a thought bubble with an exclamation mark inside it coming from him.

            Steve: !

Page Two

2.1

Close-up of Maika’s Converse sneaker. Her left foot has just been placed on the pavement as she exits her vehicle. The bottom of the car door and part of the tire next to it are also in view. This panel is similar to 1.1.

2.2

Similar to panel 1.2. Maika is getting out of her car now. The focus of the shot is her standing up, but only her legs and shoes can be seen. Include the interior of the car in the background, as well as the open car door for reference.

2.3

Similar to panel 1.3. The view has continued to pan upward, showing Maika’s torso and arms. She has her hand on the car door, which she is about to close. Her face isn’t present in the shot.

2.4

The view is the inverted version of the previous two panels; the perspective is now from Steve’s. Still keep the diagonal view point here (but of course, flip the perspective to match Steve’s POV). Steve’s head is on the right side of the panel, with the small groups of people chatting nearby. Maika is walking towards Steve in the background; she has just closed the driver’s side door. Maika’s attire is the same as she wears in the various scenes from It Follows when she and her friends are exploring Hugh/Jeff’s house (refer to reference photos).

2.5

View is looking from stage right of the theatre entrance, looking towards the stage left side, with Steve (his right side) and Maika (her left side) in sight. Maika has just walked up to Steve. Steve has a mildly disappointed look on his face. He is still leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and his leg perched. He tilts his head downward, with his glasses exposing his eyes.

            Steve: You’re late.

Page Three

3.1

Close-up of Maika, from the waist up. Her arms are bent outward with her palms facing up (you know that thing we all do when we’re sincerely apologizing and blame something else for our tardiness? Yeah, it’s that gesture). She apologetically responds to Steve. She genuinely looks sorry.

            Maika: Sorry, it’s just that as soon as I left I noticed It following me again, so I had to find someone to give It to.

3.2

Close-up of Steve, from the waist up. Arms still crossed. He’s still slightly frazzled, but he’s forgiving.

            Steve: That excuse again? I guess you’re the only one capable of dealing with It. If only someone else could be responsible for once so you could arrive on time to things…

3.3

Maika and Steve hug. The view is the same as panel 2.5. Maika’s face isn’t in view. Steve’s is; he has a look of relief on his face. He’s not grumpy anymore; he has a small smile on his face. He looks content.

Maika: I know right. But at least I’m still here in one piece.

3.4

View is of the front of the theatre, with the marquee sign barely in view at the top of the panel. Maika and Steve’s backs are turned, as they are walking up to the ticket kiosk. They are holding hands.

            Steve: That’s true. You could have ended up looking like a “Disasterpeace.”

            Maika: Not that lame joke again…

3.5

The ticket kiosk is on the right side of the panel, with Maika and Steve on the left. Steve has his hands in his pockets. Maika has her arms crossed and is leaning slightly.

            Employee: Hi there, welcome to the Civic Theatre. What would you like to see?

            Steve: What should we see? I’ve never seen a John Waters movie. Well, a real John Waters movie I mean.

            Maika: Hmmm. I really like the Gos. He was broodingly attractive in Drive. How about Only God Forgives?

            Steve: You had me at “broodingly attractive.” Two for Only God Forgives please.

Page Four

4.1

Maika and Steve are walking in the darkened theatre. The seating arrangement is similar to that of Showplace in Peterborough, with seats on both sides of the aisles; can also refer to the theatre arrangement in It Follows. The aisle they are walking on is on the left side of the panel, with a clear view of the seats on the right side. Few seats are filled; most are empty, with the sections that are filled consisting of just single people as opposed to groups. A preview for Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler is playing. The frame from the trailer that is onscreen is the one of Jake Gyllenhaal grabbing the mirror, looking rather angry and insane.

Steve is carrying a drink while Maika is carrying popcorn.

4.2

Maika and Steve are seated. The view is still directed towards the screen, so we only see the backs of their heads. Neither of the aisles are in-panel anymore. Steve is on the left, with Maika on the right. Other seats can be seen to the left and right of them; fill the odd one in with a person’s head. On the screen appears the title for the film (Only God Forgives in Thai with English subtitles at the bottom of the screen; refer to photos for reference). Steve’s arm is raised; he is drinking soda. Maika is eating popcorn; arm also raised to her mouth.

4.3

Same view as before. The scene in which Chang is murdering Billy in the warehouse area is on screen. Steve is snuggling up to Maika (the arm rest is up now between the two of them).

4.4

Same view. Onscreen is the frame when Julian (Ryan Gosling) says “Wanna fight?” Maika is snuggling up to Steve.

4.5

Same view. Onscreen is the fight sequence between Julian and Chang. Julian is on the ground, bloody. Both Maika and Steve are sitting up, with their full attention towards the screen.

4.6

Same view. The credits are rolling onscreen. Maika and Steve are still sitting up right, attentively at the screen.

            Steve: Wow. That was…

            Maika: “Broodingly attractive?”

            Steve: Yes, very much so. We should let you pick more often.

4.7

Same view: Steve and Maika are looking at each other. Steve has his arm behind himself, over his head, touching his back – it’s the kind of cutely embarrassed, nervous thing people do sometimes when they’re blushing or feeling flattered. He has a big smile on his face, with his mouth open. Maika has a much more subtle smile on her face, with her mouth closed.

            Maika: Sometimes I think you forget that I’m an actress. I kind of have a knack for knowing whether a           film is going to be good or not.

            Steve: Yeah, you’re great like that.

5.1

Maika and Steve are exiting the front of the theatre now; it’s night time. The kiosk is much busier now. Steve on the right side and Maika on the left. Steve is looking at Maika, his hands in his pockets. Maika has an excited expression on her face, and is grabbing Steve’s right arm.

            Steve: So, what should we do now?

            Maika: I know!

5.2

Maika and Steve are inside Maika’s car now. She is in the driver’s seat and Steve in the front passenger’s seat. View is from the left, looking on an angle towards the windshield from the outside; Maika and Steve can be seen inside. Maika has a broodingly serious face on. Steve is unabashedly smiling and giddy.

            Maika: We drive.

5.3

View is looking straight down the road that the theatre is on. Maika’s car is driving down it. Feature skid marks from where she was parked; she took off quickly. The skid marks reach until just past the theatre. Her car is in the distance, looking rather small since she is far away. Feature sound FX for the skid marks.

5.4

View is of the car interior. View is looking in from the right passenger side; Steve on the left (bigger in proportion to Maika since he’s closer in view), with Maika on the right.

            Steve: Where are we going?

            Maika: To my favourite spot.

            Steve: Which is…?

            Maika: You’ll see.

5.5

View is from inside the car; looking from the backseat forwards. Maika on the left; Steve on the right. Only the backs of their heads can be seen. In the distance through the windshield, a dark country road goes on, with trees and greenery barely visible on the sides due to poor lighting from the car (no streetlights). The moon, looking like a tiny white dot, can be seen in the distance on the left, at the end of the road.

            Steve: You’re so mysterious. Are you trying to be “broo –

            Maika: Don’t say it, you’ll ruin the awesome vibes that I’m creating.

Page Six

6.1

The car pulls up to a beach front. A few trees here and there. The moon is full and providing some ancillary light. There are no streetlights here, only the lights from the car and the moon providing visibility. Add a parking break sound effect. The water is wavy, but not too aggressive. Refer to the beach front featured in It Follows for reference.

            Maika: Here we are.

6.2

Same view as before. Steve and Maika have exited the car. They have closed the doors.

            Steve: Wow, are you a romantic type or something?

            Maika: I don’t know, am I? I just like the solitude of this place, especially at night.

6.3

View is looking straight on towards the beach front. Dark sand can be seen in the foreground, with the wavy water in the background; the water is a bit rougher now. Moon is still present in the shot. Maika is leading Steve to the waves; they are holding hands. Their backs are facing the panel.

            Steve: Do you take all your boyfriends here?

            Maika: No actually, only the ones I really care about.

6.4

View is looking towards them from the water (inverted view of the last panel). Maika’s car can be seen in the background on the left; its lights still shining at them. Steve is on the left side and Maika on the right. They look very happy. Steve has a concerned look on his face (as he isn’t sure whether he understands Maika correctly or not). Maika has a smile on her face; her eyes are looking downward as she leads them to the beach front.

Hide as best you can a figure in the far background; this is It following her. It looks like Paul from It Follows that Maika’s character Jay begins dating by the end of the film; he is naked. Make Paul look almost like an apparition, like he can barely be seen since it’s dark and he’s so far away. I don’t want readers to notice him immediately, and perhaps not even at all. Hide him walking through trees or something.

Steve: Oh, are you saying that..? 

            Maika: Maybe. Maybe I am.

Page Seven

7.1

View is back looking outwards toward the water; the waves are more aggressive now. Maika sits down just in front of the water on the sand. She extends her hand towards Steve to pull him in closely. Only Steve’s legs are in-panel; he is standing.

            Steve: Maika Munroe – Mysterious and Maudlin Midnight Moon Goddess of Michigan.

            Maika: I am not maudlin. Get down here you goof.

7.2

They are sitting next to each other on the sand. Maika is cross-legged, while Steve is leaning back (with his legs arched), taking in the sight of the moonlit water. They’re both facing the water. Maika’s head is turned towards Steve; he is looking forward. Steve points towards the moon.

            Maika: Well, aren’t you going to kiss me?

            Steve: Uh, well… I’m kind of enjoying the moonlight here. Can’t it wait?

7.3

Maika is in an upright position now; she is crawling towards Steve. She is about to kiss him. Steve has stretched out his legs, readying the embrace with his eyes closed.

7.4

View is from Steve’s eyelids. They are mostly closed, with faint moonlight peering in (include his blurred eyelashes that he would be seeing); black surrounds the eyelid interiors. A loud SNAP sound effect occurs.

            Maika: *guh!*

7.5

Still Steve’s eyelids. They have opened a bit more, letting in more moonlight and a blurred, gray figure that appears to be falling.

7.6

Still Steve’s eyelids, this time they are almost completely opened. He is looking at his lap, where Maika, with her spinal column sticking out of the back of her neck, can be seen (only slightly blurred this time around). Her face is laying on its right side on Steve’s lap, with her eyes wide open looking into Steve’s. She has a look of horror and astonishment on her face. Blood is coming from her mouth as well as from her wound.

            

          Maika: *grrrggglllll*

Page Eight

8.1

Splash page. Steve is holding Maika, now dying and bleeding, in his arms. View is looking towards the water, with the moonlight at the top-left of the page. The water is perfectly still now. Steve and Maika are in the middle of the frame, somewhat in the background (they’re not distant but they’re not super close), while the sand is just before them, with the hood of the car visible from the right side of the panel. Its lights are still shining towards them. Some trees/bushes can be seen on the left.

A shadowy opening can be seen by these bushes, with faint bare footprints leading from this entrance all the way up to the beach in sight. A second set of footprints can be seen mixed in with the other ones coming from the beach, headed towards the shadowy opening. A half-formed footprint appears just before the opening. Be sure to include Steve and Maika’s separate shoeprints leading from the car to the beach, to distinguish them from It’s.

            

           Steve: MAIKA!!!!!

THE END