Plotting episode 6 Wednesday, 12 August 2009

Hello! You’ve watched episode 6. You know that it was written by the audience. So, how did that happen and who was involved?

The discussions about episode 6 started the moment we’d finalised the story for episode 5. There was a conversation about what Watson and Kyle were doing while everyone else was occupied (they don’t feature in episode 5) and another that tried to work out the implications of Otto Dafé being revealed as a good guy. These discussions led The Lost Book team to realise that we should consider the best narrative structure for the final episode to allow us to tie up as many loose ends as possible. A vote decided that the episode would have a voiceover and lots of snippets of events telling as many stories as we could squeeze in.

The two narrators for the voiceover – Aileen and her dog Watson – were also selected by vote.

Bibliomane suggested using Copper Beeches Café in Iowa City as a framing device, giving a “present day” location of the characters as they look back over the events after Aileen and Professor Remi were rescued at the end of episode 5. As the various storylines developed, Meg‘s suggestion that Kyle would ask Aileen out was voted in, so Kyle and Aileen’s date became the location for the framing scenes. Bibliomane‘s idea of the Sheep Heid Inn in Duddingston, Edinburgh, was agreed to be the best, so episode 6 starts and ends at the Sheep Heid.

Watson’s reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, Kiwi‘s suggestion.

Aileen is reading her article in the Daily Gazette – the publication of which was another of Meg‘s ideas. We had decided that Invisible Inc’s reason for getting Aileen involved was that they needed a press witness so it was good to see the outcome of this.

The article itself shows Beryl Pott’s arrest – a plot suggestion from Bookaddictus. We learn more about how this happened when Watson tells his story. Lulu had suggested that Watson might uncover Grazp’s lab and IndiaJones proposed he could find a business plan or sales brochure that revealed Grazp’s plan (a plan dreamed up by Wearealldoomed – Beryl Potts was going to sell rejuvenation to a group of elite, making a fortune and creating a new class). So, we combined the two ideas and had Watson finding some test-tubes and a draft brochure – after leaping over laser beams because that was fun to create!

Next up, Aileen’s Mum. Lots of discussion, started by Bibliomane, agreed that she wasn’t guilty of helping Otto steal the book – she was was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. As Tom says, “Mum is innocent (and clumsy)”. Headlong‘s idea that Aileen’s Mum should be released was voted into the episode so we decided to show both the release and the clumsiness. We see Aileen’s Mum back at work at the library, starting a chain reaction that sees a valuable book plummeting into in her bucket of water.

Next up came IndiaJones‘s idea for a new job for Otto – librarian. The State Library of Victoria in Melbourne was proposed by Anna. Poor Otto’s cover with the K.B.E. was completely blown during his adventure, but he’s still working for Invisible Inc. – just lying low for a while. Kiwi pointed out that he would stamp books with invisible ink (groan) and the suggestion that this would be a security device came from Bibliomane, hence the books having a disappearing “Protected by Invisible Inc.” stamp.

Tom suggested that Aileen should join Invisible Inc., so we showed her in training.

Back at the Sheep Heid, at the end of the flashback sequence, we see Kyle at the bar getting a jug of Pimms – DJ Johnston-Smith reckoned the Sheep Heid makes a great jug of Pimms so Kiwi suggested this as a romantic drinks option.

We also snuck in a final story, showing what Professor Remi has gone on to do. The cover story on the magazine section of Aileen’s Daily Gazette that features Remi – the summary on the main paper says “Go exploring: exclusive interviews with the Rift Valley expedition team”. Remi’s ongoing career was thought up by Tom, Lulu and TheLetterB.

And, the ending. We wanted to leave the possibility of a sequel open, but only gently, so we showed Aileen and Watson getting the call for their first Invisible Inc. mission. What will their new adventure be?!

Thanks to everyone who helped write episode 6 and everyone who voted in the polls. Thanks also to the writers of The Lost Book (Jasper Fforde, Matthias, Bookaddictus, Norvaljoe, Rocketboy (twice!), Mary, QueenofSheeba, Bananagirl, pondweed, Professor Moriaty, IndiaJones (twice!), curlyshirley, ScoutingForBoys, Martha K., Caroline (twice!), LuLu, Andrew J. Wilson, Dinobot, Wearealldoomed, Gondolagirl and Peanut) and to Brian, Caroline, Lauren Johnston-Smith, Libraryfan, Nu-Knees, Percival, ResQgeek, Siobhan and TreeHugger. You all did a great job in creating the last episode of The Lost Book!