Arkham Interviews with Professor Crane
Episode 1
Sanity vs Madness
Opening Scene:
(We see the office of Johnathan Crane. There is a white board, an organized desk and two windows. One is blocked by the white board, the other shows a view of the Gotham City night skyline. Jonathan walks into view, making sure the camera is on. He adjusts his tie as he clears his throat.) H-hello. (Clears throat again) My name is Doctor Jonathan Crane. Former Professor of Psychology at Gotham University, with an emphasis in fear. Now, you may be wondering to yourself, "What would a former Gotham University professor want in working at Arkham Asylum?" Well, I'm here to tell you just that.
(Jonathan reaches out for his rolling office chair) You see, (he sits down on it backwards with his arms resting on top of the chairs backing) fear is something that has always fascinated me. From the basest of creature's fight-or-flight response to modern man's more… um, "sophisticated" fears. Fear drives everything. For example; we see the doctor because we're afraid of dying, we marry because we're afraid of being alone, and we have children because we're afraid that when we die we will have left this world with nothing of value. Now, I digress, but the reason I am interested in working at Arkham, is… (he stands up out of his chair and begins pacing with his hands behind his back)
I've noticed a surprisingly alarming amount of new inmates brought in, thanks to the efforts of a so called "Batman." If he even does exist. (He looks off to the side, exasperated that anyone would believe such an urban legend. He then shakes his head and refocuses on the camera)
My belief is that not all of these inmates are truly insane. Some of them, I believe, have simply lost their way and um… have become prisoners of their own fears. And my hope is that we will be able to help them overcome these fears and re-enter society as normal citizens. And my process for this is very simple. First, (he pulls out a marker and begins writing on the white board behind him) I plan to interview the pa- (Cut to camera static)
Second scene:
(Cut back to the office. The white board is covered in scribbles and scrawls over what appears to be old charts and graphs. The bat-signal can be seen in the Gotham sky outside the window. We see Johnathan at his desk looking very tired and disheveled. He looks like he hasn't shaved in a few days and there is a bottle of alcohol sitting on the desk among several messy papers) Hello. My name is Jonathan Crane. (deep breath) It has been (sigh) two years since I first began working at Arkham Asylum (deep breath) and (sigh) my success has been… minimal, to say the least. Most of my patients are either truly insane or (deep breath) they (sigh) simply cannot receive the help they need at the Asylum. (another deep breath and sigh) And my side projects have been receiving very little funding lately due to a lack of (deep breath) results that I had promised upon first arriving here.
(He pauses. He then pours himself a small drink and laughs to himself a single time. He then drinks the alcohol in swift sip, smacks his lips and notices his hand is shaking) Look at that. (He chuckles as he speaks) My body betrays me. I'm afraid. … Me…. The so-called Master of Fear… (softly chuckles) afraid. (pause) Afraid of… losing my job? Maybe. Afraid of… (sigh) I can't let this continue. (deep breath) I cannot allow them to make me afraid. (He pauses. A look of realization enters his eyes) That's it. (Comprehension and revelation dawn on him as he slowly looks up) That's it! (he speaks slowly as his gaze turns to the unreadable white board behind him.) Make- me- afraid. (He stares at the messy board for a second longer before rifling through his papers looking for something) I know what I have to do to save my research! (Cut to static)
Final Scene:
(Cut back to the office of the opening scene where Jonathan has just finished explaining his plans to cure the Asylum inmates and has drawn a thought out and deeply explained plan on the white board. There is no bat-signal in the sky or alcohol on the desk. All signs of madness have yet to manifest themselves) – there by, eliminating the need for the Asylum for the patients who simply… need some help. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "This sounds almost to good to be true, and why should we take the risk that this won't work?" Ha, well, you would be correct to be afraid, but (he raises a finger to illustrate his point) as wise men have said before, (Jonathan walks towards the window) "It is when we face our fears, (he turns and looks out at Gotham, his hands being held behind his back) that one becomes truly brave.
End of Episode 1