Plotting episode 4 Tuesday, 28 April 2009

We’ve posted the script and storyboards for episode 4. Here, I’m going to tell you the story of how they were developed, and who was in the writing team.

At the end of episode 3, Aileen was in a taxi, chasing book assassin Otto Dafé to the airport. Kyle was already at the airport. (Watch the story so far before reading any further!)

We decided together that the number “4″ – which has popped up quite a few times – would have some significance. The discussion led to a brilliant chemical solution by Kiwi which linked the number 4 to Potassium and Beryllium (chemical symbols K and Be). This has since been confirmed as Sally Challenger’s expedition journal has found these elements in the water – thanks IndiaJones (and, kudos to Rocketboy who first mentioned the water!).

We also decided that Aileen was going to concentrate on solving the theft of the Challenger journal, rather than chasing K.B.E., so we needed to work out who had hired K.B.E. to remove the journal. This led to a lot of discussion about how Aileen would follow Otto and what she’d find. Kiwi suggested eavesdropping, Tom seconded this, and a vote decided it. A second vote put the responsibility for eavesdropping onto Kyle – he should make the most of his opportunity at the airport.

So, episode 4 starts with Kyle listening in as Otto sets up a rendezvous. The address given is “4 Mundi Place”, another instance of the number 4 and a reference to one of the good suggestions that hasn’t been selected – snaknap proposed that the Challenger journal might have been torn up and sent to the four corners of the world. Otto is meeting Beryl Potts, a winsome name for a baddie, dreamed up by Bibliomane. The destination of Christchurch was proposed by Erik the Read.

It’s been decided that Grazp Pharmaceuticals are definitely the organisation that hired K.B.E. to assassinate the book. Tom and Anna started discussing this possible link back in February, headlong highlighted it in March, and Bibliomane brought it up again and linked Grazp to the discoveries on the Challenger expedition – that mysterious compound in the water. This was supported by Siobhan and Tom.

So, Aileen and her team discover that 4 Mundi Place is the New Zealand office of Grazp. Next, they needed to put together the link between Grazp and the journal. It was decided that Watson would get the glory here – he has unencrypted part of a corrupted file. (He’s able to do this only because of all of you who have been helping us write the journal – the journal entry that will appear in the episode is written by curlyshirley.) We also incorporated an idea of Bibliomane‘s that Lyn might remember something of the journal, plus a suggestion of Tom‘s that she’d remember this at a crucial time.

Finally, we needed to work out what would happen once the team reach Christchurch. The general consensus was that they would follow Otto to Grazp’s office, where Aileen’d overhear part of his progress report. But, what would happen at the ending? We couldn’t decide between the two options – so we’re using both. Bibliomane suggested that a gunshot would be heard, so that’s how this episode ends. Tom suggested that Aileen might be captured, so she’ll start episode 5 in captivity.

In order to separate Aileen from the others, so that she could be caught, we sent her in to the Grazp office on her own. (Although, Watson wouldn’t let her go entirely alone, so he’s in the building – with orders to stay near the entrance.) She’s disguised as a courier, with a package for Beryl Potts (we don’t know what’s in the package!). Aileen is bugged, so Kyle and Lyn can hear everything that happens. It’ll be up to them and Watson to rescue Aileen in episode 5!

Thanks for your suggestions. Also, thanks to everyone who has voted in our polls, all the writers of The Lost Book (Matthias, Bookaddictus, Norvaljoe, Rocketboy, Mary, QueenofSheeba, Bananagirl, pondweed, Professor Moriaty, IndiaJones and curlyshirley), Lisa, Guinevere, Nadia, Eric, cathyinoz, Shirley Rodgers, Jasmine Collins and Troy. We quite literally couldn’t do this without you all!