Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron
A family coaster concept utilizing Mack Rides spinning coaster.
Skills demonstrated: Concept, Research, Beats, Treatment, Scripting, Dialogue, Preliminary Concept Illustration, Preliminary Layout
Premise
The evil Red Baron has been sighted once again and it is up to Snoopy - as the World War I Flying Ace - to bring him down. But he can’t do it alone. The Flying Ace needs your help! Take to the skies in a thrilling chase as you fly alongside Snoopy on a daring mission to bring down the Red Baron.
Look and Feel:
WWI Mood Board
Beats and Treatment w/dialogue
EXT. Approach (SC00)
A large semi-dimensional poster marquee showcases Snoopy as the Flying Ace soaring overhead.
Passing the marquee, we enter a certain beagle’s imaginary version of a top secret World War I airfield base tucked away in the wilderness ...
Queue Layout and Scenes (click to enlarge)
EXT. Air Traffic Control (Overflow Queue - SC01)
The base is open air and dotted with pine trees, the grass and dirt beneath our feet is tightly packed and worn from heavy foot traffic. A series of small free-standing poles each topped with a miniature air traffic control tower (approximately Woodstock-sized). Definitely not a birdhouse. Each tower has small wooden sign hanging off it by a rope labeling it with a pseudo-military name “Bravo Beagle”, “Delta Doghouse”. We watch as planes soar overhead creating a kinetic whirlwind.
Air Traffic Control “Birdhouse” Reference Image
EXT. Airfield Repair (Queue - SC02)
Concept Rendering
Ahead we approach the airfield repair tent marked by a small signpost nailed into the ground. Solid metal poles support a thick canvas tarp ceiling. The whole structure, as with everything on the base, is easy to tear down and move at a moment’s notice. Military issue supply crates are scattered around in piles (“puppy chow”, “birdseed”...). There is also a portable radio perched upon a crate, Indistinguishable chatter crackles through at random intervals as we pass by.
It appears that Snoopy’s last encounter with the Red Baron was unsuccessful as we see one of Snoopy’s trusty Sopwith Camels riddled with bullet holes. But worry not, this aircraft won’t be out of commission for long, as a team of Woodstock are already hard at work making repairs. And although it pays a curious resemblance to a doghouse, we pay it no mind.
Several of the crew are perched on tiny platforms suspended by small pulley cables, the Woodstock are wearing tiny welding masks and are patching up some of the holes. Their torches are small but you can still see the little blue light of the torches the size of a large Christmas light bulb.
Taped to a supply crate are Welding safety signs as well as a “Days without incident” counter which is at 0. The sign is burned at the bottom.
INT. Bunker Entry to Hanger (Queue - SC03)
At the edge of the base, we can see the two-story Hanger rising up ahead of us. The makeshift metal structure is made up of hastily assembled corrugated metal, wood, and fabric. We approach and pass through the entrance to the lower level of the Hanger.
It is a long straight shot to the staircase at the end of the corridor – it appears that this corridor is used primarily for gearing up and final checks before heading up to the elevated landing strip upstairs.
On our right, we pass a bulletin board with a large “Battle Plan” pinned up... and although it bears a strong resemblance to a completed game of tic-tac-toe, the paw print signature at the bottom verifies that it has been blessed by the Flying Ace himself.
Continuing on, we pass a small cage locker that contains the Flying Ace’s famous flight cap and scarf (as well as his supper dish).
As we ascend the staircase at the end of the long corridor, the base enters a Red Alert!
A voice reports over the loudspeaker, interrupting the indistinct radio chatter.
CAPTAIN CHARLIE BROWN (V.O.)
Attention all pilots, enemy inbound, the Red Baron has been sighted! All pilots report to your stations immediately!
Static crackles.
LIEUTENANT PEPPERMINT PATTY (V.O.)
You heard the man, it’s go time people! Battle stations! Red alert! Let’s go, go go!
INT. Hanger (Queue - SC04 & Load)
The Hanger is alive with activity as the center of the hanger is a large runway strip. Squadrons are quick to land and load up the next batch of pilots before they once more enter the fray.
The edges of the Hanger are lined with an assortment of wooden crates, WWI era tools, steel oil drums, Ladders and miscellaneous army supplies. Squadron flags wave from the ceiling. Much like everything we had seen on the base we can see how this structure is made to be as quick and efficient to assemble as possible. This structure is temporary and could be packed up in a moment’s notice. In some ways the construction of this hanger feels more like a shed, with tall beams supporting a vaulted tin roof.
As we approach and are directed to our gate, we watch as the Flying Ace himself lands on the strip with a squadron behind him - the Squadron peels out and it is our turn to jump in the cockpit.
With the Flying Ace leading the charge, our squadron of planes revs up and takes off across the landing strip and out into open air.
Ride Experience (SC05)
With Snoopy at the head of the pack, we begin our ascent. Climbing up, up, up into the sky...
LIEUTENANT PATTY (V.O.)
Flying Ace, come in Flying Ace, do you copy? It looks like the Baron is up to his old tricks. Eyes open, Beagle Six...
As we begin to crest up and over, we hear the WHIRRR of a biplane RIGHT BEHIND US!
LIEUTENANT PATTY (V.O.)
He’s on top of you! Evasive maneuvers, dive, dive, dive!
Snoopy is quick to act and we follow hot on his tail in a steep downward, swooping dive.
We careen up and down, swerving in graceful arcs and sudden drops to try to shake off the Baron. We are engulfed in a turbulent aerial dogfight as we dip around sprays of bullets, narrowly dive as we hear the roar of a biplane above us, all while spinning wildly in the heat of this chaotic battle.
As we swerve wildly and bank hard, we can catch a glimpse of the Baron’s biplane rising up beside us to take aim. We narrowly skirt past him and bank hard to come about, rearing up as the entire squad fires a sneak attack on the Barron in perfect formation!
With the help of our squadron, the Red Baron and the Flying Ace appear evenly matched and the Baron only flies in battles he knows he can win. We hear the biplane pull away and retreat.
Our radio crackles to life with uproarious cheers and whoops as we slow and begin to descend back to the landing strip.
LIEUTENANT PATTY (V.O.)
Great work, Beagle Squad! The Baron will think twice before he tries another trick like that again!
We are greeted with cheers and applause as we land back on the strip. We flew alongside the famous Flying Ace and helped him fend off the evil Red Baron by thwarting his sneak attack! The skies are safe and we’ve proven ourselves as invaluable members of the Flying Ace’s elite flight squadron. As we exit our planes and return back down to the base to celebrate our victory, we see the Flying Ace take off once again, after all, he doesn’t want to be late for supper time.