It was a dark and stormy night…
© 2004 Terrence Willitts 8.17.04
PAGE ONE
PANEL ONE
Close-up of television screen, reporter behind desk reading the news.
Caption: All day long, they were glued to their televisions.
PANEL TWO
Cut of living room, homemaker/motherly type sitting on chair, facing tv, intently watching.
Caption: Hearing the storm was getting stronger, closer
PANEL THREE
Guys in auto shop, grease monkeys in overalls, standing around watching tv
Caption: Feeling the impending sense of doom getting closer
PANEL FOUR
Front of bank, large CLOSED sign on front door
Caption: Business closed early, sent their employees home
PANEL FIVE
Crowded grocery store, people in line, bottled water and boxes of food in their carts
Caption: They bought their emergency supplies
PANEL SIX
Motherly type from panel 2 greets her husband at front door, while 2 kids watch the tv
Caption: And they went home.
PAGE TWO/THREE
PANEL ONE – TWO PAGE SPLASH
The peninsula of Florida, as seen from miles over head. A huge hurricane is right at the side of the southwest coast, its cloud formation covering a great amount of space. (here’s a radar image: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sfl-charley_gallery,0,2074720.photogallery?coll=sfla-home-dots-utility&index=32 ) and here’s a satellite photo (http://www.mytelus.com/news/photo.do?pageID=news_home&articleID=1686350 ) What I’m picturing is a more ‘realistic’ view, more at an upper angle than directly overhead… with the peninsula pretty much just to the right of the two-page split, and the storm taking up most of page two. (here’s another good view of charley, just not in the right place - http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040813/photos_ts/mdf655663 )
Caption 1 (upper left, page two): Hurricane Charley struck Florida shortly before 4pm, Friday, August 13th, with winds of 145 mph.
Caption 2 (lower right, page three): It was the worst storm to hit the US in 12 years.
Credits (along top of page)
PAGE FOUR
PANEL ONE
We see the same family, husband and wife on the couch, kids on the floor, watching tv. They’re visibly nervous.
Caption: People who felt unsafe went to shelters or elsewhere. Many counties evacuated target areas.
PANEL TWO
The family, as before, but they’re not watching tv, the house is dark, except for candlelight.
Caption: As the storm winds got closer, power was lost across much of the storm’s path.
PANEL THREE
The family is sitting on the floor, around a small coffee table. There are several large candles on the table, as well as a portable radio. Each parent has an arm around one of the children, comforting them.
Caption: Updates were listened to on the radio, as the storm howled outside.
PANEL FOUR
The children and mother are facing the father, and he is gesturing with his hands, telling a story. The kids are so intent on the story, their fears are forgotten.
Caption: To pass the time, and to take minds off the storm, stories were told…