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Cradlegrave, from John Smith and Edmund Bagwell, has proven to be one of the most popular stories in 2000AD for years. Thanks to John Smith, we have the script for episode 9 - so you can see how it made the transfer to the page.
Be warned - spoilers for Cradlegrave if you're waiting for the trade collection...
CRADLEGRAVE - EPISODE 9 of 12
 PAGE 1
Frame 1 Open
on a right hand page. Continue in Tozzer’s box room-cum-skunk
factory where we left off last episode. Overhead shot from behind
the seated Skully as Shane nervously protests his innocence, hands raised
with palms out in a placatory gesture. Smoke spirals up in the
foreground as Skully puffs on that big fat joint.
SHANE: I D-DON’T KNOW
WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT, MAN. HONEST. I DON’T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER.
SKULLY: HOW STUPID DO
YOU THINK I AM? YOU KEEP TAKING THE MICK, YOU LITTLE SHIT, AND
YOU’LL GET MORE THAN A SLAP.
Frame 2 Flip
scene for a closeish frontal shot on Skully as he holds up a little
cardboard strip between finger and thumb with a tube of Superglue visible
inside its plastic bubble. Skully tilts his head inquiringly,
eyes fixed on Shane.
SKULLY: YOU EVER TRIED
TO HAVE A PISS WITH YOUR DICK SUPERGLUED TO YOUR BOLLOCKS?
Frame 3 Smallish
pic. Close up on Shane now, quite a subtle reaction shot, taken
aback, brow furrowed and eyes narrowing in disbelief at Skully’s question.
SHANE: WHAT?
Frame 4 Now we’re
in among the lights and sticky greenery of the skunks plants looking
over their fat bud-heavy tops at Skully as he stands up chuckling, performing
a strangely sinister comedy mime to go with his dialogue. [Check
this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cannabis_flowering.jpg.]
SKULLY: I SEEN A BIG
RASTA FELLA DO IT TO THIS BLOKE IN STRANGEWAYS. IT WAS LIKE WATCHING
HEATHER MILLS TRYING TO PISS THROUGH A KEYHOLE.
SKULLY: WE GLUED RATS
TOGETHER, TOO, SOMETIMES. JUST FOR A LAUGH, LIKE. ONCE TIME
WE SUPERGLUED A RAT TO THIS QUEER’S HEAD…
SKULLY: THERE WERE BITS
OF MEAT AND FUR AND SKIN ALL OVER THE PLACE. HAHAHA!
WE SHOULD’VE PUT IT ON YOUTUBE!
Frame 5a First
in a little four-panel-sequence taking up bottom tier of page.
Look over Skully’s shoulder past Shane and Tozzer at the door they
entered in through. Both shoot nervous glances at each other.
[Edmund: this door leads out to the landing and should be at the left
of the frame to accommodate the S/FX.]
S/FX:(from door off
left) NOK
N-NOKK
NOK
SKULLY: VISITORS!
DON’T KEEP ’EM WAITING, TOZZ. NOT WHEN WE’RE EXPECTING COMPANY…
Frame 5b Similar
POV only we move in closer now so we’re at Tozzer’s back as he turns
and exits the room for the poorly-lit upstairs landing.
NO DIALOGUE
Frame 5c Continue
moving in on the doorway. Tozzer has vanished from view and all
we see is the gloomy landing. [This panel is optional but I feel
we need it as a kind of visual delay ‘cue’ – is there a technical
term? – before Cal appears. Would tilting the perspective on
this panel and the next make this sequence more unsettling/disorienting?]
NO DIALOGUE
Frame 5d And
move in further still until all we see is anonymous murk and perhaps
the very edge of the doorjamb.
[LETTERING:
Can we have CALLUM’s dialogue start off small and faint then gradually increase in size/loudness as he approaches up the stairs?]
CALLUM:(off/small) …ME
MOBILE? CRAIG WE’REN’T ANSWERING SO I THOUGHT HE MUST’VE…
PAGE 2
Frame 1 Full
width panel. Head-and-shoulders shot on Callum in immediate foreground,
head tilted three-quarters so we see his face drop as his gaze fixes
on Skully and Shane and Tozzer directly in front of him. Callum’s
skin is waxy and strangely discoloured and there are more of those sore
red pustules clustered around his mouth and face.
CALLUM: SHIT.
Frame 2 Now we’re
close behind Tozzer looking past his side for an upper-body shot on
Cal as he is pushed into the room by the big menacing goon we saw last
episode (PAGE 6, Frame 3). Cal has his hands
up, palms out, placatory, falling over himself to apologise.
CALLUM: L-LOOK, I DON’T
KNOW WHAT YOU’VE HEARD, SKULLY, BUT ME AND SHANE HAVE GOT NOTHING
TO DO WITH IT…
 Frame 3 Smallish
reaction shot. Close up on Shane, irritated, pissed off as he
gives a barely perceptible shake of the head, indicating Cal should
keep his mouth shut.
SHANE: CAL, YOU GOBSHITE.
Frame 4 Skully
confronts Cal now, standing just inches away from him, holding his chin
firmly in one hand and starting to apply pressure so that Cal winces
in discomfort.
SKULLY: NOTHING TO DO
WITH IT, EH? YOU MUST THINK I WERE BORN YESTERDAY.
SKULLY: I’VE BEEN
DEALING GEAR ON THIS ESTATE SINCE YOU TWO WERE IN NAPPIES.
NOTHING HAPPENS UP HERE I DON’T GET WIND OF.
Frame 5 Overhead
shot from in front of Skully as he releases Cal and tears another can
of lager off a fresh six-pack. Cal backs away nervously towards
the wall as Shane and Tozzer look silently on.
SKULLY: ONLY REASON
THEY’RE ALL KEEPING SHTUM IS COZ THEY’RE SHIT-SCARED OF ME.
THEY CAN HARDLY LOOK ME IN THE EYE, MOST OF ’EM.
SKULLY: ALL RIGHT, THEY
MIGHT FEEL SORRY FOR OUR KEIRA, BUT THEY’D LOVE ME TO LOSE
ME RAG SO’S I GET SENT DOWN AGAIN…
Frame 6 Now we’re
at Skully’s side looking past his hand at Shane as he opens the can
in immediate foreground. Shane up close with Cal behind him, regretful,
doing his best to apologise.
SHANE: L-LOOK, SKULLY,
MATE–
SKULLY: I’M NO MATE
OF YOURS, DICKHEAD. YOUR MATE’S THAT DIRTY OLD NONCE
AND HIS MISSUS UP THE TOP OF YOUR STREET. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT’S
THE LOCAL CHAV-PAD.
SKULLY: WHAT’S HE
DO? LET YOU DOSS AROUND AND SMOKE SOME BLOW IF YOU LET HIM TOUCH
YOU UP A BIT?
Frame 7 Smallish
panel. Circle round slightly for a two-shot on Shane and Cal now,
closeish head-and-shoulders as they exchange a glance loaded with meaning,
both imagining Ted’s body decaying in that terrible little bungalow.
SKULLY:(off) IF I DIDN’T
KNOW BETTER I’D SWEAR YOU WERE A COUPLE OF SMACKHEADS, JUST BY LOOKING
AT YOU…
PAGE 3
Frame 1 Look
over the sticky cannabis plants for a wideshot on Shane and Cal in profile
while Skully turns to face them straight on, taking another swig of
lager.
SHANE: IT’S NOT LIKE
THAT. TED’S… T-TED’S ALL RIGHT. HIS WIFE’S SICK
AND WE JUST GIVE HIM A HAND WITH HIS SHOPPING AND STUFF…
SKULLY: AHH.
A HOODY WITH A HEART OF GOLD. YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME FILL UP
IN A MINUTE.
Frame 2 Another
smallish panel as we cut to a reaction shot on Cal, head turned slightly
as he looks towards us with barely suppressed fear in his eyes.
CALLUM: W-WHAT ARE YOU
GONNA DO TO US?
Frame 3 Now we’re
close behind Shane and Cal looking between them at Skully as he leans
nonchalantly back against the wall and takes a showy drag of the last
bit of spliff. He raises a quizzical eyebrow, thoughtful, as if
considering all his options.
SKULLY: WHAT, FOR PUTTING
ME LITTLE GIRL IN HOSPITAL? WHAT DO YOU RECKON I SHOULD DO TO
YOU?
SKULLY: PUT YOU IN THE
BACK OF A VAN WITH A LOAD OF BROKEN GLASS AND RAG YOU ROUND THE ESTATE
IN FIFTH GEAR?
Frame 4 Closeish
head-and-shoulders shot on Skully, three-quarter profile as he turns
to face Shane and Cal now. Shane is scared but stoic but Cal seems
close to tears, eyes glistening and lower lip a-quiver.
SKULLY: DON’T PISS
YOUR PANTS, MATE. LUCKY FOR YOU IT WAS KIERA YOU RAN OVER AND
NOT ONE OF ME OTHER KIDS.
SKULLY: TRUTH IS, I
DOUBT SHE’S EVEN MINE. I’VE GOT FIVE OTHERS WITH THREE
DIFFERENT BIRDS AND THEY’RE ALL FINE, EXCEPT FOR KIERA…
SKULLY: SHE’S SWEET,
LIKE, BUT SHE’S SOFT IN THE HEAD. SHE GOES WANDERING OFF LIKE
SHE’S IN A WORLD OF HER OWN.
Frame 5 Move
in so we’re looking over Skully’s shoulder for a closeish shot on
Shane, eyes lighting up now with recognition and a glimmer of hope.
SKULLY: HER MUM LETS
HER HAVE THESE JUMBLE SALES OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND SHE ONLY WENT AND
FLOGGED ALL ME OLD WAR COMICS, DIDN’T SHE?
SHANE: WHAT, NOT “COMMANDO”
COMICS, LIKE?
SKULLY: “BATTLE
COMMANDO”, YEAH, WHY?
Frame 6 Pull
out for a two-shot on Shane and Skully, upper-body profile shot as they
face each other across the bright airless room. Shane suddenly
full of enthusiasm now, eyes wide and bright with relief.
SHANE: I BOUGHT
THEM OFF HER. IT WAS ME SHE SOLD THEM TOO. YOU CAN
HAVE THEM BACK ANY TIME, MAN, NO PROBLEM…
SKULLY: YEAH?
WELL NICE ONE, KID… THAT’S A START, THAT… THAT’S A STEP
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, DEFINITELY…
Frame 7 Move
in for a tight close up on Skully, maybe a moody low-angle shot with
just one side of his face in view as he turns and shoots a steely glance
in our direction.
SKULLY: BUT YOU’RE
NOT GETTING OFF THAT EASILY.
PAGE 4
Frame 1 Full
width panel as we see various snapshots highlighting the Estate’s
growing deterioration in this heat. It’s a bright sunny afternoon
with toddlers splashing and playing in a paddling pool set up on the
grass at the top of the Estate. The backdrop of graffiti’ed
and half-shuttered council houses shimmers with heat haze. (Maybe
include the scrawled CGRS tag spray-painted on a wall
somewhere.)
NO DIALOGUE
Frame 2 Exterior.
Medium shot on an elderly woman in a summer dress sat on a deckchair
in her garden, perhaps three-quarter profile as she fans herself with
a book or magazine to keep cool.
NO DIALOGUE
Frame 3 Cut to
a sideshot of a car parked on a street, sunlight glinting off glass
and metalwork. There is a small dog locked inside the sweltering
vehicle, barking furiously and scratching at the rear windows in a desperate
attempt to get out
DOG: AR-RARF
DOG: RAR-RAR-RARFF
Frame 4 Full
width panel. Cut to a back garden of one of the Estate’s houses.
An overweight bikini-clad woman dozes on a sun lounger in the foreground
in a drunken stupor. There is an open-top pram behind her with
a baby inside screaming and crying and shaking its little fists as it
bakes in the midday sun. The baby’s mother has a can of cheap
lager clasped in one hand and is surrounded by more empty cans and alcopop
bottles.
[LETTERING:
Little musical notation marks around the balloon.]
RADIO:(jag/music) IT’S
SUCH A PERFECT DAY,
I’M GLAD I SPENT
IT WITH YOU,
OH SUCH A PERFECT DAY…
BABY:
WAAA
WAAAAA
Frame
5 Two-panel tier. Ground-level shot looking up over the bloated
rotten corpse of a rat where two or three scruffy mean-looking boys
(ages around five to ten) are poking at its innards with sticks and
broken branches. The youngest boy crinkles his nose at the stench
but the others wear ghoulish glassy-eyed smiles, fascinated by the corpse.
KID #1: TURN IT OVER.
GO ON. I DARE YOU.
Frame
6 Similar POV but close in on the rat now as one of the kid’s flips
it over with his stick. It lies rigid on its back with its little
feet in the air and its maggot-infested innards exposed. Yellow-white
maggots seething in its insides and its eye sockets.
NO DIALOGUE
Frame
7 Full width panel. Ted and Mary’s garden. Slight overhead
shot looking at Mary’s bedroom window with its oily discoloured staining.
The crack in the brickwork has widened now and oozes a sticky purulent
ichor that pools out across the garden like spilled oil. The plants
all around are withered and dying and big fat bluebottles circle the
air.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE 5
Frame 1 First
of five full width panels with the even-numbered panels split into two.
Night. Interior. Mary’s bedroom. Overhead shot looking
past the fly-blown light bulb in immediate foreground at Mary’s ravaged
figure sprawled on the bed. Her body is even more disfigured here,
torso livid and swollen, black ulcerous cancers blossoming through papery
skin. Flies clamber across the ceiling and walls.
BOX: IT’S THE NIGHT
TIME MARY LIKES BEST.
BOX: THE STREETS ARE
HUSHED AND THE AIR’S COOL AND SHE CAN BREATHE WITHOUT IT HURTING.
BOX: IT’S NIGHT WHEN
THE HUNGER IS AT ITS WORST.
Frame 2a Interior.
Cut to Shane’s house. We are at the top of the landing looking
down the short gloomy flight of stairs as Shane climbs towards us with
a pissed-off Cal behind him.
CALLUM: BLOODY SKULLY!
CALLUM: WHO THE HELL
DOES HE THINK HE IS? THERE’S NO WAY I’M BEING HIS BITCH
FOR THE REST OF ME LIFE!
Frame 2b Now
we’re behind Cal as he follows Shane down the landing towards his
bedroom. Shane already reaching through the bedroom door to turn
on the light.
SHANE: SOD SKULLY.
WHAT ABOUT TED? WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE OR
SUMMAT…
Frame 3 Full
width panel as we cut back to Mary’s bedroom. Now we’re looking
down towards Mary’s feet past the bedside cabinet with its dim electric
lamp. There is an empty tin of dog food standing there with a
dirty fork upended in it, tines pointing upward.
BOX: THE SICKNESS HAS
FILLED HER TO BURSTING AND SHE’S UNRAVELLING AT THE SEAMS.
BOX: SOMETHING BLACK
AND TERRIBLE FESTERS INSIDE HER READY TO BE BORN.
Frame 4a Back
to Shane’s bedroom. Frontal shot on Shane rummaging around in
a drawer full of CDs and dope-smoking paraphernalia and teenage bric-a-brac
while Cal looks on from behind.
SHANE: I MEAN, IMAGINE
HIM IN THIS HEAT. THE NEIGHBOURS’LL SMELL HIM AND KNOW SOMETHING’S
UP, AND THEN WE’RE SCREWED…
SHANE: SHIT! WHERE’S
THE SODDIN’ KEY?
Frame 4b Rear-shot
on Shane now, head-and-shoulders close up as he turns round to fix Cal
with a determined stare.
SHANE: WE’RE GOING
TO HAVE TO GET RID OF HIM.
Frame 5 Full
width panel. Back in Mary’s bedroom. Frontal in-your-face
shot on Mary as she scrutinises the dog food can for leftovers, running
an arthritic finger around the inside to scrape up any remaining traces.
BOX: SOMETIMES SHE FORGETS
WHO SHE IS. SOMETIMES SHE THINKS SHE’S A CHILD AGAIN PLAYING
IN THE BACK STREETS OF BELFAST.
BOX: HER MEMORIES ARE
LIKE LEAVES IN FAST WATER THAT SHE CAN’T QUITE CATCH.
PAGE 6
Frame 1a Similar
layout as previous page. First of two panels in this tier as we
return to Shane’s bedroom. Closeish frontal shot on Shane (just
his mid-section in view) frantically searching through the pockets of
a discarded pair of tracksuit bottoms while Callum sits in the background
on the edge of Shane’s bed, looking up from lighting a cigarette.
CALLUM: GET RID OF HIM?
W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
SHANE: WHAT I SAID.
WE CAN’T LEAVE HIM THERE, AND WE CAN’T CALL THE COPS OR ANYTHING…
NOT WITH MARY THE WAY SHE IS.
SHANE: WE’RE GOING
TO HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THE BODY SOMEWHERE.
 Frame
1a Flip scene so we’re behind Cal now looking over his shoulder
at Shane as he throws the tracksuit pants down in disgust, his face
creased up in irritation.
SHANE: ’KIN HELL!
SHANE: WHERE IS IT? I CAN’T FIND THE KEY TO MARY’S…
Frame 2 Full
width panel. Back to Mary’s bedroom. Ground-level shot
looking up at Mary over the sticky matted carpet with its black oil-like
stains. Her skin slips and slides as she tries to prop herself
upright on one raw ulcerated elbow.
BOX: BUT THE HUNGER.
THE HUNGER IS WITH HER ALL THE TIME.
MARY:(wavy) TED?
MARY:(wavy) F-FEED ME…
S/FX: NOK
NOK-NOKK
Frame 3a Exterior.
Gritty sodium street lighting. Tight close up on a spotty hand
turning a key in the lock of Mary’s front door and the door coming
ajar.
NO DIALOGUE
 Frame 3b Flip
scene so we’re in Mary’s hallway for a closeish shot on the door
as it half opens to reveal Shane’s brother Craig peering nervously
inside. It’s difficult to recognise him as he wears a baseball
cap and a scarf or bandana tied over his mouth and lower face like a
looter or some anonymous G8 protestor.
CRAIG: H-HELLO?
CRAIG: IT’S ME.
CRAIG.
Frame 4 Full
width panel. Still in the gloomy hallway but pull back now as
Craig steps inside closing the door behind him. He clutches a
plastic carrier bag to his chest filled with tins and packets of food.
MARY:(off/wavy) …FEED
ME…
MARY:(off/wavy) …TED…
CRAIG: IT’S ALL RIGHT.
I BROUGHT YOU SOME FOOD FROM HOME, LOOK…
 Frame 5a Move
round for a rear-shot now as Craig opens the door and walks into Mary’s
bedroom. He’s in semi-silhouette but beyond him we can see Mary
raising her misshapen head and fixing him with her red rheumy eyes.
She grins an awful rotted-toothed grin and silvery spittle streams and
spills from the whole width of her mouth.
MARY:(wavy) FEED ME
TED.
Frame 5b More
or less the same POV as above only Craig has gone into the room now
and is closing the door behind him. Darkness envelops us apart
from a line of dim electric light along the doorframe.
NO DIALOGUE
NEXT: INFECTED
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