In a feature film I tend to believe that getting on with the story is job number one, since you’ve got a limited time window to tell (what should be) a complete tale. If you’re world building you drop just enough detail to assist that and no more. The original Star Wars has its famous opening crawl and then gets right to the action, and as it goes along is constantly peppered with throwaway dialogue about Sand People or Jabba or the Emperor which hits just the right balance of intriguingly vague and supportive of “Oh okay, now back to laser swords.”
Here, we move at a more leisurely pace. Literally so in that the story is being told at a much slower pace as first presented, but also formatively in that we can take breaks from what’s happening directly to Suzie and co. and fill in some of those intriguing bits of the setting I may have had a character mention or may just be something you were wondering about. Like, what sort of tactics did the military come up with to fight (our particular brand of) zombies?
I suppose Star Wars trained me well for this in that I’ve spent probably a far too big percentage of my life wondering about the its intricacies and implications, so now that I’m developing my own setting I’m inclined to think about those answers and details long before a reader ever asks about them. And every so often, I get the chance to present those bits and pieces. Sometimes they’re even thematically relevant to the story at hand and that gets me perilously close to me thinking I might be decent at this.
Excuse the flippant self-deprecation, it’s an artist thing. Unless perhaps you’re someone like Kanye, but all in all I’d rather be me.
10 thoughts on “540 – Trick Hello”
Scarsdale
Called it, she figured he’d do this, if by choice or by zombie voodoo. I’m sure the “friendlier” questioning will start soon, if she doesn’t just kill him out-right. Or just add him to the herd.
Crazyman
Gotcha!
Zombatar
This turn of events is a surprise only to Eustace. And, maybe, Eustace’s subconscious. After all, this way he doesn’t have to actually risk actually attacking Suzie, which gives him a greater chance of survival than actually attacking her. I wonder what he was promised/threatened with?
ConcordBob
Not to nit-pick, but since sights are on target, finger should be on the trigger. Especially this close.
The usual rule is “keep finger straight and off trigger until sights are on target”.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
Not to nit-pick, but since that was current philosophies regarding trigger discipline have evolved.
Of course, it will depend on who you get/got your training from.
Experiments have determined that the fraction of a second to go from finger off the trigger to finger firing when appropriate is insignificant, and the risk of firing unintended is greatly reduced.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
I did the google thing and I believe I saw how you reached this conclusion … but there are two parts to it – One should not omit the second part.
“Trigger Finger Discipline: · The practice of keeping your finger “off the trigger” until your sights are on target AND YOU ARE READY TO DISCHARGE THE FIREARM.” (Caps are my own)
Crazyman
She wants him alive so she can question him; otherwise, he’d already be dead.
ConcordBob
Good discussion on trigger discipline!
His skin is very pale / gray. Is this malnourishment, or has he been poisoned with a mind-control drug? I would have to go back and look a t all various of skin tone.
TKG
On a prior page we discussed what he’s likely got running in his system. I suggested that it’s probably Borrochero (Brugmansia arbora) which is already used by Colombian cartels to eradicate the free will of their victims.
Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)
Now can we satisfy my curiosity? Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or other timeline variant?