A question on script writing

One way of learning layout I've heard is to pick up a number of published comics (superhero, indy, manga-- try one of each), and start scripting out 5-10 pages from each. Really break down why the writer/artist chose to have X panel be a close-up, but in a small panel, and X panel be a full shot of the building, in a half-page panel. Think about how the panels control pacing. Think about why specific panels are drawn without borders.

Some writers are much less specific about panel placement (though I think it's still good to *know* the methods).
This is from the blog of Amy Reeder Hadley, DC artist for Madame Xanadu, about working with her writer:

His scripts are plot-first, meaning he summarizes each page, I lay it out and draw it, and he adds dialogue at the end to match it. And he's been completely open to the way I do things. In fact, it seems the more experimental I am, the happier he is. Such a great environment to work in! I've read up to the 8th plot by now, and I'm telling you, it just gets better and better; I can't wait for you all to see it. He's an artist, too, and I think that helps, because his plots are so visual, and the visuals he comes up with are so original.

Click to expand...

I think elae is right on the money that you can learn best from looking at good comics and seeing how they do it (much like you can learn a lot from reading great books).

I would also suggest, if you really are feeling lost, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. It's a nice easy read, and it's impossible not to learn about comics in the process. A great book that can both teach you the basics and also help you understand pacing and panel placement and all of that.

Here are some books/artists that are out right now that (I personally think) have fantastic well paced art - these are all pretty mainstream:

Madame Xanadu (as elae mentioned above) - Amy Reeder Hadley's art is amazing.
J.H. Williams current work on Detective Comics (issues #854 - 860)
Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead
Amanda Conner's Power Girl (if you can look past the boob window)
Fables has a few different artists, but always looks good
Buffy is usually pretty great and consistent
Jill Thompson's Beasts of Burden - a mini series about animals that is beautifully illustrated
Stumptown a new Oni book that looks great
Spider Woman is not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm liking it so far
Michael Avon Oeming's Powers (the new series) is highly stylized but great

For less mainstream you might want to try:
Charles Burns Black Hole
Ross Campbell's Wet Moon books
Craig Thompson's Blankets or Goodbye Chunky Rice
Gabrielle Bell's Lucky
Jeffrey Brown's Unlikely

Good luck!

Don't take it personally; this is a pretty quiet part of the forum.

Let us know how the project goes.

elae is right again (she's always right!) this is just a pretty quiet area, doesn't always get a lot of traffic. Also, a lot of the people that do come here are writers that are interested in comics, not writer/artists, so they may not have felt like they were able to help with this particular question.

It sounds like you had a little breakthrough though...so that's good. Good luck!

The (main) problem with writers dictating panel placement is that the artist will often make on-the-spot decisions - often brilliant decisions - which renders the stated panel layout worthless. It is important that there is 'flow' in the reading, but it is also essential that the eye is drawn in the right direction across panels. Of course, there are also certain panels which should contain within the panel (drawing the eye to an important detail which the plot hinges on) that will affect panel layout.

Even though Alan Moore is a certified genius, the original script for V For Vendetta also had input from Dez Skinn (Warrior's editor) in the form of requested panels (a few inserts), so you're going to find at least two (maybe three) individuals will also be laying out the pages of anything you work on, unless you decide to go with self-publishing.