Tuesday, December 4, 2007

To Look for, To Visit, To Give Change

1. EXT. DOORWAY #1 - DAY

The door opens. A gawky teenager, wearing a convenience store vest, smiles perfunctorily.

TEEN
Hey, does a guy wearing a green blazer
live here? No? Sorry.

2. EXT. DOORWAY #2 - DAY

A doorbell rings, the door opens. TEEN stands fiddling with the edge of her vest.

TEEN
Does a guy live here with you? About this tall
with dark hair? Kinda oldish? Sorry.

3. EXT. DOORWAY #3 - DAY

Hesitant knocking, and the door opens on the TEEN looking down the hallway. She quickly jerks her head around to face forward.

TEEN
Did someone who lives here just get back from
the store? See I work there and... Oh. OK. Sorry.

4. EXT. DOORWAY #4 - DAY

More forceful knocking, and the door opens on the TEEN, hunching forward looking annoyed and tired.

TEEN
You're not him. Do you know some middle-aged dude
who lives in this building, maybe? 'Cause he left a
lot of... I work down at the corner store.

TEEN smiles a little.

TEEN
Oh yeah. I've seen you at school. Hey your dad didn't
just get back from the store or anything? OK. Yeah,
it's not a big deal or anything. God, I feel like I've been
doing this all day. Me? Around 8. I'm just meeting
some people later... yeah around the corner. Cool.
I'll guess I'll see you there.

TEEN smiles again.

5. EXT. DOORWAY #5 - DAY

A broken doorbell chimes and the door opens. The TEEN is slumped against the door jam. She quickly straightens up.

TEEN
Ma'am you don't happen to have a... um...son
living with you? Or your husband, about
6 feet tall? Maybe a boyfriend?... Sorry, sorry.

6. INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY

The TEEN walks right up to the cashier's counter.

TEEN
I knocked on practically every door in that
building. I totally tried. What else was I
supposed to do? Barge in and check under
their beds or something?

The TEEN pulls out a pile of twenties and a few coins and deposits them on the counter.

TEEN
God, count it if you don't trust me. All he
got was a lighter. Yeah, he was in a rush.
Obviously. Fine. Do I still get to leave by 8?
Yeah. Yes. OK.

Wailing sirens rise as the TEEN shuffles off to the back room.


12/10/07 KAG

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Monday, November 12, 2007

Surround

1. INT. OFFICE - DAY

GUY, mid-thirties with a hunted look, sits in his cubicle in the corner, hunched over his desk. All of his office supplies, his computer and his trash can have been placed extremely close to him, leaving the rest of the cubical bare.

2. INT. CAFETERIA - DAY

GUY sits at a four-person table that already has four people seated at it. GUY's seat has been placed at one of the table's corners. GUY attempts to scoot in closer, and his fellow table occupants try to make more room for him, but he pulls their trays even closer than before. GUY has a small plate with sushi rolls and rugelach arranged in the center of his plate. He hunches over his food and starts to eat.

3. INT. SUBWAY - NIGHT

A LITTLE OLD LADY sits in an empty subway car. GUY enters the car, and immediately sits next to her. The LITTLE OLD LADY scrunches up her face and tries to lean away from GUY. Every inch she moves away, GUY leans toward her to fill the gap between them. GUY pulls out his music player and puts in his ear buds.

TITLE: (over GUY leaning toward LITTLE OLD LADY) Feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of existence?

4. INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

GUY tosses away his bag and coat and sits down in Squeezy Chair (a squishy chair with automated arms that close in around the seated person). The chair closes its arms around GUY, and at their tightest point, GUY smiles and sighs blissfully.

TITLE: (over GUY smiling in chair) SQUEEZY CHAIR. For when the universe seems like it's expanding too quickly.


18/09/07 KAG

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Thursday, November 8, 2007

Gated

1. EXT. APARTMENT COURTYARD -- DAY

BERYL, a thin, deteriorating 80, walks cautiously down the stairs and slowly to the solid door to the exterior. It has no window or peep hole. She presses the intercom button by the door.

BERYL
Yes, who's there?

The buzzer for her apartment can be heard echoing around the courtyard.

BERYL
Yes, you got the right one. My intercom upstairs
is on the fritz. That's why I came down.

The buzzer makes two quick replies. BERYL assumes the person is dull-witted.

BERYL
Just speak into the five little dots next to
the button you are pressing.

The buzzer buzzes a long buzz.

BERYL
I'm expecting a delivery man.
Are you the delivery man?

There is a long pause. Then the buzzer gives three short rings. BERYL'S face crinkles with suspicion.

BERYL
Just tell me who you are and what you
want and I'll open the door.

The buzzer buzzes two long rings. BERYL becomes stern.

BERYL
Listen. Do you think this is funny? I can
just go upstairs and ask my friend if I
can look out her window and see who
is causing all this trouble. Are you the
delivery man, or aren't you?

The buzzer is pressed and is not released. BERYL grows more and more infuriated. She looks at the stairs and looks back at the door with increasing fury, uncertain what to do. Finally, she flies at the intercom button.

BERYL
ENOUGH!

The buzzer stops immediately. BERYL waits in the sudden silence, holding her breath for another sound. All is quiet. BERYL sets her mouth in grim determination, her chest heaving with anger and fear. She grabs the handle of the door, and pulls it open quickly. No one is there. BERYL cautiously steps out of the threshold, and looks up and down the deserted sidewalk. She looks at the normal day for a moment, deflated, and closes the door.


04/10/07 KAG

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Friday, November 2, 2007

Backstroke

1. EXT. SWIMMING POOL - MORNING

ZELDA, in her mid-40's, flip-flops over to the edge of the pool, carrying her goggles and swim cap. She is in a terribly good mood for this early in the morning. ZELDA takes off her flip-flops, lining them up at the edge of the pool, and jumps in the water. She snaps on her swim cap and secures her goggles over her eyes. ZELDA turns to face the edge of the pool, places her hands on the ledge, lifts her knees to her chest and puts her feet against the wall. She pushes off and begins her even, strong backstroke.

ZELDA smiles as the looks at the clouds drifting by. A bird swoops overhead, and ZELDA strokes dreamily in the morning calm. She turns expertly at the other end of the pool and resumes her stroke. Just before she reaches the opposite edge, a peach-colored blur flashes by overhead. ZELDA is so surprised she thwacks her head on the edge of the pool. Smarting from the blow, she rubs her head and looks around. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. She warily resumes her backstroke, and the morning calm returns. ZELDA flips around at the far edge and swims back. As she approaches the edge, the peach-colored blur streaks by again, and once more, ZELDA smacks her head. She is furious.

ZELDA gets out of the pool and jams on her flip-flops. She walks angrily over to the tall hedge surrounding the pool. ZELDA can't see over the top, so she drags a nearby table over to the hedge and climbs up on top of the table. Peering over the top of the hedge, she sees nothing but a very normal looking suburban back yard.

As she is about to climb down, ZELDA hears the click of a fence latch. She cautiously peeks over the top of the hedge. A MAN stomps into the backyard, grumbling and cursing and holding something peach. ZELDA ducks down behind the hedge, but still watches the MAN through the bushes. The MAN attaches a pump to the peach thing and begins inflating it. ZELDA, proud of solving the mystery, decides to stand up on the table and speak to the MAN. The MAN has almost finished inflating the peach thing, but he pumps a little too much. An over-inflated blow-up doll shoots over the hedge, smacking ZELDA in the face. ZELDA screeches in surprise and falls off the table, landing on top of the deflating blow-up doll.

30/09/07 KAG

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Monday, October 29, 2007

Hundred Million

1. INT. BALLROOM - DAY

STEPHIE, petite and 40ish, has lined up dozens of vases along a table covered in a white cloth. Several stacks of dining tables and chairs line the walls. STEPHIE reaches down and hauls up a gigantic bag full of shiny ball bearings, plunking it on the table. RENALDO, thin and 30ish, walks in with a huge bouquet of calla lilies and artistic-looking branches. STEPHIE begins cooing immediately.

RENALDO
Aren't they exquisite?

STEPHIE
Oh, Renaldo! They are perfect! Just
let me get some of these in a vase to
see the final look.

STEPHIE strains against the thick plastic of the bag, tugging at the top with her fingers. She turns a strained smile to RENALDO. STEPHIE yanks on the plastic with her whole upper body, with no results.

STEPHIE
Just a sec!

STEPHIE really puts her back into it. When she gets nowhere, she turns to RENALDO a little perturbed.

STEPHIE
Do you have any scissors? Or a knife
or something?

RENALDO shrugs and motions to his armful of lilies with a look of abject helplessness. STEPHIE leans over the bag and tears at the plastic with her teeth.

RENALDO
Careful! Your veneers!

STEPHIE glares at RENALDO, who backs away slightly. STEPHIE still has a mouth full of plastic.

STEPHIE
Almost got it...

But she doesn't. With her fury mounting, STEPHIE grabs the top of the bag firmly, only to get a handful of slobber which she wipes on her skirt. She grabs the other side of the bag with even more force and yanks mightily at it with a grunt. The bag is torn completely in half, scattering the entire bagful of ball bearings across the entire ballroom floor. STEPHIE and RENALDO gape at the bouncing balls. After the metallic cacophony dies down, RENALDO adjusts the lilies in his arms uncomfortably. STEPHIE sets her lips firmly, reaches down, and pulls up an identical bag of ball bearings.

STEPHIE
Thank goodness I thought to
bring another bag.

STEPHIE attacks the bag with renewed vigor.


27/09/07 KAG

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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Down


1. EXT. TALL BUILDING ROOF - DAY

A crowd of well-dressed and good-looking people ooh and ahh over the spectacular view. A MAN looks at his watch and motions for his cluster of friends to come with him.

2. INT. ROOF ELEVATOR LOBBY - DAY

The elevator dings, lighting up the down arrow. The small crowd walks to the elevator, but one WOMAN halts in the lobby, while everyone else packs into the elevator. Her face is contorted with fear. The WOMAN motions for her friends to go on.

WOMAN
I'll just take the stairs. Don't worry about me.

The WOMAN smiles bravely. The elevator door shuts on the concerned faces of her friends.

3. INT. HALLWAY/ STAIRWELL - DAY

The WOMAN walks to the stairwell door purposefully. She swings the door open, and peers down the well-lit, friendly-looking stairwell and begins trembling in terror. She slams the door shut and leans her back against it. The WOMAN rifles through her bag frantically, pulls out her cell phone and dials a number. Sobbing hysterically, she speaks into the phone.

WOMAN
I can't do it! I just can't!

4. INT. WOMEN'S BATHROOM - DAY

The WOMAN splashes water on her face. Taking a paper towel from the dispenser, she carefully dries her face. She seems calmer. The WOMAN throws away the paper towel and straightens her blouse. Suddenly, the bathroom door slams open and four MASKED FIGURES dressed in ninja black attack her. Three of them push her down to the floor, holding her there while the fourth pulls out a syringe. The WOMAN struggles and almost screams as the fourth injects her in the neck.

TITLE OVER FREEZE FRAME: Problems going down?

5. INT. DOWNSTAIRS LOBBY - DAY

The elevator doors open to reveal the WOMAN sitting in a wheelchair completely unconscious, accompanied by the four MASKED FIGURES. They wheel the WOMAN over to the MAN and her friends, who shake the MASKED FIGURE'S hands, smiling broadly. The fourth FIGURE produces another syringe and injects it into the WOMAN'S neck. She groggily comes to. She smiles at the MASKED FIGURES and wobbling slightly, gets out of the wheelchair.

6. EXT. BUILDING ENTRANCE - DAY

The four MASKED FIGURES walk out of the building, with one slinging the folded wheelchair jauntily on his shoulder.

TITLE: Call THE DESCENDERS today!


22/09/07 KAG

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