ONE WORD - WEEK 4 - SNAP

Yes indeed, my word for week 4 of this exercise was "SNAP". This word gave me some trouble as I tried to figure out what to write about. I started thinking about things that could potentially snap, such as a neck, a temper, a towel, a football, etc. Once I had a fairly significant list of things to snap, I decided I didn't really want to write about any of them exclusively. So I decided to try and write about them all. My goal with this script was to put a reference to snapping of some sort in each and every panel. I managed to do that, but I'm not sure how well it all flows together. This is my shortest script, coming in at 4 pages. After 4 weeks of this, I'm averaging 5 pages per script, which was my goal from the beginning.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A football is being snapped into the hands of a quarterback by the center of a football team.

QUARTERBACK:
Hike!

Panel 2. Three guys are sitting around in a sparsely-furnished apartment. Each of the guys is in their very early twenties. Joe is tall and athletic white male with blond hair. Matt is a shorter white male, and is a little bit overweight. He has brown hair and a light beard. Rob is a black male somewhere in between Joe and Matt as far as size is concerned. Rob has thick glasses perched on his face. Joe is jumping up from the couch as he watches the quarterback who took the snap throw an interception on the large television screen. Matt and Rob are playing a card game on the table behind the couch. There are a few bowls of food on the table, including a large bowl of carrot sticks.

JOE:
Not an interception! God--I hate our quarterback! He’s such an idiot!

ROB:
That’s kind of a snap judgment, don’t you think?

Panel 3. Joe has turned to face Rob and Matt now, his expression one of annoyance. Rob and Matt are still intently playing their card game.

JOE:
No, Rob--I don’t think that’s a snap judgment. And neither would you, if you were watching the game. What the hell are you guys doing, anyway?

ROB:
Uh--we’re playing cards. Obviously.

MATT:
Yeah, you ever play Snap?

Panel 4. Joe is holding a clenched fist over his head, with his head hanging limply to the side, as if he is mock hanging himself. Rob and Matt are still playing their game, but Rob is smirking as he speaks.

JOE:
No. And I don’t want to play snap. I’d rather hang myself.

ROB:
Most likely resulting in a snapped neck, which would be apt.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Joe is snapping one of the carrot sticks from the bowl on the table in two.

JOE:
Yeah, very funny. And dude, what is up with these snacks? I mean--carrot sticks? What kind of football food is that?

SFX (CARROT STICK):
SNAP!

Panel 2. Rob is looking at Joe as if he’s just come to a startling realization. He’s also snapping his fingers to punctuate his statement. Joe is grousing, and Matt is amused by the whole situation.

ROB:
Hey, I’ve got an idea! If you don’t like it, why don’t you bring your own food next time, you bum?

SFX:
SNAP!

MATT:
Ha ha!

Panel 3. Joe is looking around the room, as if hoping to come across some other food item by chance. Rob and Matt are back to playing their game of Snap.

JOE:
Seriously, you don’t have anything else in here?

ROB:
I might have some rice krispies in a cabinet somewhere.

MATT:
Chock full of vitamins snap, crackle and pop.

Panel 4. Joe has plopped back down onto the couch with exasperation. Matt and Rob have finally stopped playing their card game and are instead mocking Joe openly now.

JOE:
I truly hate you guys.

MATT:
Oh, snap! What a comeback!

ROB:
Yeah. You’re in rare form today, Joe.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Joe is using the remote on the television, a sour look on his face. Rob is holding his phone, which is blasting out a ring tone. Matt is eyeing Rob with bemusement.

JOE:
Whatever. I’m changing the channel. This game sucks.

SFX (PHONE):
I’ve got the power!

MATT:
Dude, is that seriously your ring tone?

ROB:
What? It’s a classic.

Panel 2. Matt is leaning over the couch Joe is sitting on, watching and gesturing towards the screen as one professional wrestler performs a snap suplex maneuver on another wrestler.

MATT:
Ah--nice, Joe. You finally put on something good.

JOE:
I can’t believe you think wrestling is better than football. It’s not even real.

MATT:
C’mon, dude--I know it’s scripted, but they’re doing some seriously physical stuff. You can’t fake a snap suplex like that. It takes real athleticism.

Panel 3. Joe lightly swats Matt on the arm to get his attention.

JOE:
We still playing hockey tomorrow?

MATT:
Yeah, definitely. I really need to work on my shooting though. I’m pretty rank.

JOE:
You’ve got a pretty decent snapshot though.

Panel 4. Joe is cocking a thumb behind himself in the direction of Rob, who is still talking on the phone. Both Joe and Matt are amused now as they talk about Rob.

JOE:
This guy might not even go if his lady has her say.

MATT:
I know--she’s got him on a pretty short leash.

JOE:
Yeah! Snapping that whip!

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. Joe and Matt are reacting with surprise as Rob takes a picture of the two of them using a camera with a very bright flash from his spot behind the couch.

SFX:
SNAP!

MATT:
Hey!

JOE:
What the--?

Panel 2. Rob is holding up the camera he took the picture with, mocking Joe and Matt. The camera has a strap that is around Rob’s neck. Joe has snapped, and is yelling into the air from his spot on the couch. Matt is looking at Joe as if he’s crazy.

ROB:
Just wanted to get some evidence of you two actually watching sweaty men grapple.

JOE:
That’s it!

Panel 3. Joe has come out from around the couch and is snatching the strap of Rob’s camera from around his neck. The strap around Rob’s neck is snapping as Joe tugs on it, while Rob protectively cradles his camera.

JOE:
Gimme that camera!

SFX:
SNAP!

ROB:
Dude! You broke the strap!

Panel 4. Joe is snapping Rob’s hindquarters with the broken camera strap. Rob is still protectively holding onto his camera like a newborn baby while he scampers away. Matt is observing the entire scene, with his hand pressed to his forehead in amazement.

JOE:
So I’ll buy you a new one, ya big baby. Quit your crying.

SFX:
SNAP!

ROB:
Agh! Quit it!

MATT:
And these are my friends...