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Day 5 Assignment
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6 Replies
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Jean’s Has Finished Act 4 + 5
What I learned doing this assignment is that I CAN write the whole pilot in 10 days. That amazes me. Yes, it needs work, but that’s what the other passes are for. The outline is the blueprint. Getting down the first draft is like laying the frame to a house. It gives you a good look at what the whole will look like when it has the finishing touches. I’m happy with the results. Can’t wait to go through the passes.
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This section, ACTS FOUR AND FIVE came easily, thanks to outline and all the foot work learning the ins and outs of the characters. This section definitely takes these characters to the point of no return. It’s a bit long. Needs an edit.
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Jack’s Act 4 and 5
ACT 4
EXT. GEORGE’S LAW OFFICE BUILDING – DAY
On the street, Charles stands waiting at the limo.
Victoria marches to it, slides into the car.
INT. LIMO – DAY
Kayla watches Victoria sigh as she plops down onto a seat.
KAYLA
That was quick. Your meeting went well, too, huh?
VICTORIA
Our parents tried to match us, and I must admit I was quite taken with the idea. I followed George to Yale. He got his JD and I got my MBA, but he cheated on me mercilessly, which was ultimately fine with me because now we have business together.
(pause)
But he’s hatching a plan to procreate with me. Something about encouraging reproduction of persons presumed to have inheritable desirable traits. It’s absolutely absurd; he wants my eggs.
KAYLA
Give him the turtle egg.
Victoria comes out of her funk.
VICTORIA
You are so refreshing.
(pause)
Come to New York with me! We can be there in three hours. I’ll have you back Sunday night.
KAYLA
I spend my whole very happy life in Zero Beach and within a day of meeting you, I’m supposed to become a jet setter.
(pause)
I have to meet with my clients today, the Ayes Indian Tribe, about the Everglades.
VICTORIA
We’re only an hour away. Call them now. Come on, live a little.
Kayla pulls out her phone and taps it, puts it to her ear.
EXT. AIRBOAT RIDE FACILITY – DAY
At the edge of the Everglades, Victoria’s limo pulls into the parking lot of a business whose sign reads Airboat Rides.
On the dock, Billy Osceola and Windy Moon pose for a selfie in front of the giant python, now hanging from a rack.
Billy sees Kayla emerge from the limo and waves her over.
BILLY
Counselor, come check it out.
Victoria slides out of the limo and follows Kayla.
Charles steps out of the limo to watch, surveys the area.
Kayla hugs Billy and Windy Moon.
KAYLA
Billy Osceola and his daughter Windy Moon. My friend, Victoria.
Billy offers a friendly hand. Wendy Moon smiles hello.
Victoria shakes Billy’s hand but is transfixed by the python.
VICTORIA
What in the world is this?
BILLIE
Burmese python.
KAYLA
Decades ago Hurricane Andrew destroyed southern Miami, including a reptile breeding facility. We had zero pythons then. Now, they estimate a hundred thousand.
Billy slices the snake’s belly open. Over one hundred eggs slide out.
VICTORIA
Ooohh.
BILLY
This is why they’re taking over.
Victoria moves closer to examine the eggs on the wooden dock.
VICTORIA
Can you scoop some out for me to take to New York?
KAYLA
Victoria knows of a genetics laboratory that does things with eggs.
BILLY
Ah, yeah, sure. Hold on.
KAYLA
(to Victoria)
Take as many of these as you want.
VICTORIA
(to Kayla, sarcastic)
What about messing with nature?
KAYLA
These bad girls need to be messed with.
Billy hops aboard the airboat and returns with a plastic container. He scoops eggs out of the snake with the container and then puts the lid on it.
Victoria summons Charles, who takes the container.
CHARLES
I’ll get some ice.
VICTORIA
(to Kayla)
I’ll let you talk business.
(to Billy and Windy Moon)
A pleasure to meet you.
Victoria steps away toward the limo.
KAYLA
(yelling after her)
Save some of those python eggs for Sir George!
Kayla turns her attention back to Billy.
BILLY
In the tribe we have a raccoon clan, a fox clan and a squirrel clan, but now there are no raccoons, no foxes, and no squirrels; all eaten. I’m thinking of starting my own clan: the python clan.
INT. LEARJET – DAY
Over the Atlantic, in the cockpit, Victoria takes off her headset, unfastens her seat belt and moves to the cabin leaving Charles to monitor the trip.
In the cabin, Kayla looks out the window over the ocean as the sun disappears, talking on her cell phone.
Victoria sits across from her.
KAYLA
(on the phone)
I’ll be back in Miami Sunday night.
INT. VICTORIA’S OFFICE – DAY
Jeremy sits at his desk playing a war video game on mute, dodging bullets with his body as he shoots and talks.
JEREMY
That’s great, have a good time, but remember, like your father said, there’s no money in saving the turtles.
He blasts the enemy and celebrates.
JEREMY (CONT’D)
And don’t worry. I got things covered here.
INT. LEARJET – DAY
Kayla clicks off.
KAYLA
Okay, New York, here we come.
INT. VICTORIA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Victoria unlocks the door of her apartment and comes in, flips on the light. Kayla follows, looks around, impressed.
She sees a photo of Victoria and her mother and father over a fireplace and stops to study it.
KAYLA
Ah, the gene pool you say is responsible for your personality.
VICTORIA
Much easier to deal with on the mantle than in person.
KAYLA
Same deal with my father. He’s right out there somewhere.
She points outside.
VICTORIA
You don’t know where he lives?
KAYLA
Nope. I see him in February when it freezes over up here. I don’t know anything about his side of the family. Never even met his parents.
VICTORIA
How unusual.
KAYLA
His father owned the citrus groves where the polo match was held before it was developed. Dad got my mom pregnant in high school. She was a great athlete and probably would have gone to college on scholarship but she had me.
(pause)
We’re on opposite sides of the political spectrum. He lets me have the guest house on the beach, but we don’t really talk much. He’s real busy.
Kayla sees two paintings on the wall and goes to the first.
KAYLA (CONT’D)
(to the painting)
Who are you?
VICTORIA
King George the Fifth, reigned during the first world war. His first cousin, and also one of my grandfather’s cousins, was Kaiser Wilheim, over here.
The other painting presides from behind a sofa. Kayla moves to look at it.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Kaiser Wilheim was the ruler of Germany in World War I. Son of Princess Victoria, the oldest daughter of Queen Victoria. Since England and Germany were at war during their reigns, King George changed the name of our royal house from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, after the castle, and adopted Windsor as surname for the family.
KAYLA
I didn’t realize you had royal blood. Are you now telling me you have German blood?
VICTORIA
All the royals do.
KAYLA
You’re a mutt, just like me!
VICTORIA
Breeding, Love, breeding.
Victoria leads her to a sliding glass door which she opens and they exit to a view of the lights of the city.
As Kayla takes in the view, Victoria walks to a bar and opens a small fridge, takes out a bottle of white wine and pours two glasses.
Kayla comes to the bar and takes her glass, raises it.
KAYLA
To New York City. Hanging with you is certainly not dull.
VICTORIA
The Big Apple.
CLINK.
Kayla moves close and they kiss.
KAYLA
Gonna give you an algorithm you’ll never forget.
ACT 5
INT. LIMO – DAY
In an elegant limo, Victoria climbs in, followed by Kayla. Charles closes the door.
EXT. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS’ LABORATORY – DAY
SUPRA: MENDHAM, NEW JERSEY
A wall with a high hedge surrounds a stone building. At the entrance a sign reads Matthews Genetics.
The limo cruises through the entrance.
INT. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS’ LABORATORY – DAY
In a laboratory, PROFESSOR SIDNEY MATTHEWS, 50’s, British, egocentric, injects a needle into a chicken egg.
His perky daughter, BRYONY MATTHEWS, 20’s, enters.
BRYONY
She’s here.
The professor puts the syringe down, writes something in a notebook, closes it and follows Bryony out.
INT. FOYER – DAY
In the foyer, Victoria and Kayla stand up when Professor Matthews and Bryony enter. In a chair beside them lies a box.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Victoria!
He kisses both cheeks.
VICTORIA
Thanks for coming in on the weekend. This is Kayla Hitch, from Florida.
Kayla extends her hand. The professor shakes it.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Ms. Hitch. A pleasure to meet you.
Victoria picks up the box from the chair, hands it to him.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS (CONT’D)
What’s this?
VICTORIA
Two items. The first is a turtle egg in sand. I dug it up on a beach in Florida. Red tide is threatening the species, according to Kayla, and only one in a thousand reach adulthood. The other container has Burmese python eggs. They are taking over the Everglades. I told everyone you can solve their problems.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Very interesting. I’ll have a look.
The professor hands the package to Bryony.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS (CONT’D)
Right. Well, come with me.
I have exciting news.
They leave Bryony behind and walk out of the foyer into a hallway.
INT. LABORATORY HALLWAY – DAY
In the hall, the professor stops, looks through the glass at equipment.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
We’ve expanded the laboratory
with all-new, state-of-the-art equipment.
They continue down the hallway until they come to a door with Professor Sidney Matthews, President written on it.
INT. PROFESSOR MATTHEWS’ OFFICE – DAY
In a contemporary office with a sitting area in front of a wall holding his degrees, he motions for the two ladies to take a seat.
Kayla scans the room, interested in the decor, picks up a silver amulet from a table holding a yew lamp, examines it, puts it back down and walks to a painting over a table.
The painting displays four men carrying a severed head.
Victoria, as a frequent visitor, takes it all in stride and sits down on a love seat.
KAYLA
What in the world is this?
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
That is the basis for the reason you Americans place pumpkins on your porches during Halloween.
KAYLA
Really?
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Bran The Blessed. In our Celtic Realm, the soul lives in the head, not in the heart. Bran was a king that was stricken in battle with a poison spear, and his head, and thus soul, were transported back to England. Later gourds appeared on peoples’ front lawns, and then pumpkins, all to remember him.
Kayla nods, wondering, sits down.
KAYLA
Victoria tells me you’re a Druid.
The professor nods yes.
Kayla sits next to Victoria on the love seat. Their shoulders and hips touch.
He takes a chair.
VICTORIA
Dr. Matthews worked for the company that cloned Dolly back in 1996.
Kayla acknowledges the statement with an appreciative nod.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
I have a new prospectus for you. Would you like to take a look, or go over it at another time, perhaps in private?
VICTORIA
Kayla is one of my lawyers. You can talk freely.
Kayla straightens up, paying attention as Professor Matthews goes to his desk and picks up a portfolio, returns and hands it to Victoria, sits back down.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Why don’t you give me the basics.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Very well. I’m pleased to say we are up over 30% this year. We have breakthroughs in both embryo enhancement and gene editing. I think after studying the prospectus, you will finally allow me to freeze a number of your eggs.
VICTORIA
(to Kayla)
Can you believe these men? I have suitors for my eggs in two states.
KAYLA
How many women can say that?
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Who else is interested?
VICTORIA
George Townsend.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
I thought you broke it off with Sir George.
VICTORIA
Yes, but my fund manages his family’s trust, and we see each other on the polo field.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
I see. And he wants your eggs? I don’t understand.
VICTORIA
His friend Santiago Gonzalez, from Argentina, captain of my polo team, is involved with cloning the polo ponies. He has a laboratory similar to yours.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
You should stay away from him; he’s involved with more than cloning ponies. The word is he’s created a few children with, how should I say this, some abnormalities.
Kayla and Victoria look at each other.
KAYLA
Huh.
Kayle turns back to the professor.
KAYLA (CONT’D)
What do you do here?
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
We edit human DNA to heal diseases as well as enhance offspring.
KAYLA
Designer babies?
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Babies with superior qualities: health, intelligence, performance.
Kayla looks at Victoria.
KAYLA
I don’t think any of our children will need enhancing.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
I was on to freeze Victoria’s eggs to have in case anything were to happen to prevent her from having children, or, to offer her the option of having children at a time of her choosing with the use of a surrogate.
(pause)
Let me show you the cryogenics lab.
He stands, motions to the door.
Victoria hands the portfolio to Kayla.
The three exit into the hallway.
INT. LABORATORY HALLWAY – DAY
In the hallway, the professor leads Victoria and Kayla to a door which reads, DR. ELLEN WADE. The professor knocks, then opens the door.
INT. DR. WADE’S OFFICE
In an office smaller than the professor’s DR. ELLEN WADE, 40’s, sits at her desk in front of her computer. She looks up as the door opens.
Professor Matthews, Victoria, then Kayla enter.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
Dr. Wade, you know Ms. Cromwell, of course. This is Kayla Hitch from Florida.
Dr. Wade rises, comes from behind her desk and shakes hands with Victoria, then Kayla.
DR. WADE
So nice to see you again, Ms. Cromwell.
(to Kayla)
Ms. Hitch.
PROFESSOR MATTHEWS
In addition to our egg-retrieval procedures, Dr. Wade is also an embryologist and oocyte cryopreservation specialist.
DR. WADE
That means preserving and freezing the eggs. Follow me.
INT. OPERATING ROOM – DAY
Dr. Wade leads the group through a side door into an operating room with soothing colors. Soft MUSIC plays.
DR. WADE
The donor is placed under a mild sedation and doesn’t feel a thing. The process is minimally invasive, only takes fifteen minutes and you’re back to normal the next day.
Dr. Wade leads them to another door.
INT. FREEZER STORAGE ROOM – DAY
Dr. Wade opens the door and they walk into a room with a panel of freezer doors. She opens one of the freezers.
DR. WADE
The eggs are stored here.
Kayla and Victoria peek in, then look at each other.
KAYLA
Sounds pretty easy. What’s it cost?
DR. MATTHEWS
Victoria is important to our business. No cost to either of you, for the procedure, or the storage.
DR. WADE
We can go over the paperwork, and see if you’re ovulating.
KAYLA
I should be. It’s that time.
She looks at Victoria.
VICTORIA
I guess we’re in sync on that, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to do anything like this.
KAYLA
(to Victoria)
Come on. You don’t want to be like the turtle that comes up on the beach and gets spooked, do you? Live a little.
DR. WADE
We could do everything this morning.
Victoria turns her palms up and shrugs acceptance.
MONTAGE – KAYLA AND VICTORIA HAVE THEIR EGGS RETRIEVED
The ladies fill out forms at Dr. Wade’s desk.
They change into gowns, a little giddy.
Victoria leans back on an examination table.
Kayla’s turn.
The eggs are placed in sealed containers.
The containers are stored in the freezer with their names on the top.
EXT. MATTHEWS GENETICS – DAY
On the way to the waiting limo, Victoria gets a phone call.
She sees who’s calling and waves Kayla on to the car.
Charles gets out and opens the door for Kayla.
On the phone, the blood drains from Victoria’s face.
VICTORIA
(quietly)
You said our firewall couldn’t be penetrated.
She listens.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Make sure nobody can find out until Monday. I’ll be there in a couple of hours.
She disconnects and walks slowly to the limo, thinking.
INT. LIMO – DAY
Victoria hides her worry.
VICTORIA
(to Charles)
To the office, Charles.
(to Kayla, nonchalantly)
Something’s come up. I’ll have Charles take you to the apartment.
Victoria pours a glass of water for Kayla, then herself as Charles starts the car.
Kayla offers a toast.
KAYLA
To Eggs.
VICTORIA
Okay.
KAYLA
Over easy.
Victoria wrinkles her eyebrows, wondering what that meant.
KAYLA (CONT’D)
Glad that’s over and it was easy.
Victoria gets it, but her mind is not in the limo.
CLINK.
They lean back and Charles drives off, watching them in the mirror.
INT. CROMWELL AND COMPANY LOBBY – DAY
Holding coffee and a briefcase, Victoria enters an exquisite lobby through doors that read Cromwell and Company. On the reception desk is a large pumpkin.
A secretary, ANGELA, 30’s, stares at her as if something is wrong.
INT. CROMWELL AND COMPANY OFFICE – DAY
Victoria walks into a brightly-lit office with twenty cubicles, half of which hold employees. Everyone who sees Victoria stops what they are doing and watches her.
Something is definitely up.
Next to the corner office, PETER MOORE, 50’s, waits with a grim look.
INT. VICTORIA’S OFFICE – DAY
Power office overlooking the city. Victoria walks past Peter.
VICTORIA
Peter.
He follows and closes the door behind him.
With downtown Manhattan in the background, Victoria steps behind her desk and puts her coffee and briefcase down.
Still standing, she tries to log in to her desk top computer.
Looking at her computer screen, a series of fireworks appear, then the words: CROMWELL AND COMPANY, YOU HAVE BEEN HACKED.
PETER
Everything’s down.
On the screen, a clown’s face appears. She sits.
CLOWN
(in a garbled, distorted voice)
Hello, Ms. Cromwell. Top of the day to you.
VICTORIA
Who are you and what do you want?
CLOWN
I am your new boss and what I want, if you’re ever going to get your files back, is for you to pull out your top desk drawer and reach in and get the note attached to the top there. Go ahead, do it now.
Victoria stares at the screen, then Peter. She pulls the drawer out and feels the underneath of the ceiling of her drawer.
She withdraws her hand holding an envelope with tape on it.
CLOWN (CONT’D)
Show me the envelope.
Victoria complies.
CLOWN (CONT’D)
Get everyone else out of the room.
Victoria nods to Peter. He leaves.
CLOWN (CONT’D)
Open it.
She does, and reads the one-page note.
If you want your files restored, all you have to do is get a small sample of Queen Elizabeth’s skin. We already have her hair, and thus her DNA, so we will know if it is hers.
Victoria looks up at the clown.
CLOWN (CONT’D)
You have one week. I’ll release enough funding for you to continue normal operations. When you have the skin, place it in a bag of dry ice and keep it with you in your office and place a vase of flowers in your window. Do not tell anyone in your office. We will know if you do. This can be easy, with no real cost to you. Figure it out.
The screen goes blank.
Victoria stands up, rushes to the door, opens it.
Peter, standing there, comes back in.
VICTORIA
I thought that firewall we spent a fortune on was foolproof.
PETER
They didn’t need to break through the firewall. Must have gotten
your passwords somehow. What do they want?
VICTORIA
Get the security team and find out where this came from.
Peter leaves. Victoria paces.
She pulls out her cell phone, places a call.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Es Victoria Cromwell para Santiago, por favor.
She paces again, waiting.
VICTORIA (CONT’D)
Santiago, how are you? Good, good, … yes, yes. Quick question. Why would someone want to freeze a small amount of someone’s skin in dry ice?
SANTIAGO (V.O.)
DNA, I suppose, why?
VICTORIA
No, they already have DNA.
SANTIAGO (V.O.)
Well, skin cells are what we originally used to clone the polo ponies. You’re talking human skin, though, right?
VICTORIA
Yes.
SANTIAGO (V.O.)
Are the people who want the skin Chinese?
VICTORIA
Don’t know. What does it mean that the skin is from a female?
SANTIAGO
Well, either she has special skills that they need in the future, or someone could raise her, then twenty years or less from now, they could have a child with her, for her genes. Who’s the woman?
VICTORIA
Nobody you know. Never mind. Thanks.
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Janeen has Finished Act 4 & 5
What I learned doing this assignment is that I am getting very comfortable reminding myself that I can fix it later, I just have to get it done now.
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Tracy El Pueblo Acts 4 and 5
Writing faster is still my goal! Act 4 flew along because I think it was the best outline I’d prepared. What I’ve really appreciated is the time spent outlining. I’ve been more of a “let’s discover what the story is” type of writer and figure it out later. Act 5’s character story outline had caused me the most problems — never got resolved before we moved into Module 4. Further proof that the outline process is what makes a fast first draft possible because that’s what slowed down my momentum.
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Rob has finished Act 4 and 5
Feeling good to have a first draft at last. Keen to keep practicing this high Speed Writing thing. I think it’s got heaps of potential.
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