Lesson 10

[Madeleine Vessel]

MADELEINE’S BANTER/FLIRTING/EXPRESSIONS

“What I learned doing this assignment is… There’s a difference between banter, flirting, and expressions of love. I enjoyed experimenting with all three. This particular assignment was surprisingly easy for me. Yay!”

Here are three scenes that show banter, flirting, and an expression of love:

SCENE 1 – BANTER:

David joins Thea at the sink where she is washing dishes.

DAVID
I’ll wash. You dry.

THEA
Do you even know how to wash dishes?

DAVID
How hard can it be?

He picks up a dish, swabs it with a sponge.

THEA
Wrong.

She takes the sponge from him and replaces it with another one.

THEA
This is for cleaning dishes. The other one is for cleaning up gunk.

DAVID
How was I supposed to know which sponge was the correct one?

THEA
Right is right. Left is wrong. It’s not my system. It’s my mother’s.

DAVID
And, of course, you wouldn’t go against your mother.

THEA
Why would I? The system works.

DAVID
So if the system didn’t work, you would do something else?

THEA
Of course.

DAVID
Is doing mining claim assessment work benefiting you?

THEA
What do you mean?

DAVID
How is working in your father’s mine furthering your career?

THEA
It’s temporary.

DAVID
Temporary meaning as long as your dad needs you.

THEA
It’s my life.

DAVID
Actually, it’s your life on hold. How is that working for you?

Thea grabs the sponge for washing out of David’s hand.

THEA
This is my chore. If I need your help, I’ll ask for it.

SCENE 2 – FLIRTING:

At the Motherlode Restaurant, David and Thea sit at a table eating with Curly and Ginny, Thea’s mother. They are celebrating Ginny’s birthday.

Waiting for dessert –

GINNY
(to David)
You play pool.

DAVID
On occasion.

GINNY
Shall we?

Ginny stands.

Hesitantly, David stands.

They move into the bar where there’s a pool table.

Ginny selects a cue and hands a cue to David, deliberately catching one of his fingers in the exchange.

She winks playfully.

David racks the balls.

DAVID
You break.

Ginny breaks.
A striped ball rolls into a pocket.

GINNY sizes up the table, gently nudges David aside with her hip to get a better angle on the cue ball.

She shoots and sinks a striped ball.

GINNY
I’ve got you now.

David is clearly not comfortable with her inuendo.

Ginny sinks another ball.

David watches her eyeball the table and moves out of her way.

She shoots and scratches.

GINNY
Darned.

David picks up his cue and sinks one ball after another until the table is cleared.
He puts away his cue and indicates to Ginny that they should return to their table.

SCENE 3 – EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE:

Thea’s Sacrifice

Thea sees into David’s bedroom that he’s packing.

She knocks on the door, and walks in.

THEA
You’re leaving?

DAVID
My car’s ready.

THEA
Oh.

DAVID
That’s all you have to say?

THEA
What else is there to say?

DAVID
How ‘bout don’t leave.

THEA
I don’t have the right. It’s your life… Your calling.

DAVID
I never promised you anything.

THEA
You’re right.

DAVID
Aren’t you angry? If you’re angry, yell, swear at me, tell me I’m a bastard.

THEA
I’m not angry.

DAVID
You’re not angry?

THEA
I’m just disappointed.

David collects his things.

DAVID
I don’t belong here.

THEA
I know.

He brushes by her and out the door.

Thea wipes away a tear.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by  Madeleine Vessel.

[William Peed]

Mike’s Rom Com Lesson Ten

1. WITH SOMEBODY WHO LOVES ME (INCITING INCIDENT, MEET CUTE)

Daniella flirts with Pasha Hassan

Who Banters back

DANIELLA

I want to dance!

PASHA HASSAN

According to the Sultan, The Prophet frowned upon dancing, peace be upon him

DANIELLA

And how did the prophet feel about drinking? According to the Sultan?

PASHA HASSAN

I don’t know. I never asked him

Miguel and Pasha Hassan banter

Freedom vs. Death

Daniella flirts with Miguel

Very subtle, with a whiff of danger. If Pasha Hassan realizes they’re flirting (he doesn’t. He’s too arrogant to consider the possibility of Daniella choosing someone over him) he’ll have them both killed.

Miguel, Pasha Hassan and Daniella banter

Freedom v. Death v. Love

2. PROMISES, PROMISES, YOU KNEW YOU’D NEVER KEEP (TURNING POINT 1)

Miguel flirts with the concubines in the harem

The center of attention

The Troubadour, a Tragic Bard ready to tell another one of his heroic tales

This isn’t the first time. In fact, this is how Daniella fell in love with him so many moons ago

Miguel flirts with Daniella

Chastened, apologetic

Still angry, Daniella banters back.

Zara flirts with Benengeli

3. A SCENE WITH MIGUEL AND DANIELLA DURING MM3#

Daniella banters with Miguel, through telling the story of Theseus and Ariadne to Zara.

Zara banters with Benengeli.

4. THE TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES

In the harem —

Daniella flirts with Pasha Hassan

To give Miguel and Benengeli cover to escape

If Pasha Hassan discovers them in the harem, he’ll have everyone there killed.

Miguel, in disguise, banters with Pasha Hassan and Daniella

MIGUEL

Daniella has told us so much about you

MIGUEL

Quotes some of his own poetry to Pasha Hassan. Poetry that Miguel Pasha Hassan has tried to pass off as his own.

5. DANIELLA ASKS MIGUEL TO HELP ZARA ESCAPE (MIDPOINT)

Daniella flirts with Miguel

Now she’s chastened. Apologetic.

She’s now asking him to do the very thing she had asked him not to do

Miguel, in control, banters back

He has the upper hand and knows it

And will use it to get what he wants

5. SOMEWHERE IN MM # 5

Miguel and Daniella (and Pasha Hassan?)

Maybe we move the Theseus scene here?

Miguel has won. He’s convinced Daniella to try to escape Algiers with him. She has trepidations. She’s only doing it because Zara and Benengeli are going with or without her.

Pasha Hassan still thinks Miguel is writing a proposal to Daniella for him

6. LOW POINT (AND I WON’T FORGET TO PUT ROSES ON YOUR GRAVE)

Miguel flirts with Daniella

Planning their future together in Madrid

DANIELLA

When are we going to leave?

MIGUEL

I figure we’ll use the wedding as a distraction.

DANIELLA

What wedding?

MIGUEL

You and Pasha Hassan. He asked me to write a marriage proposal for you. That’s what I’ve been working on.

DANIELLA

Why didn’t you say anything?

MIGUEL

He wanted it to be a surprise.

She’s mad to discover that he’s been lying to her about this the whole time

Which will lead us into —

7. AN INDECENT PROPOSAL

At a palace party —

Daniella flirts with Pasha Hassan

She asks Pasha Hassan to marry her — using Miguel’s own words!

Absolutely destroyed, Miguel banters with Daniella.

8. HE CAME DANCING ACROSS THE WATER

Daniella flirts with Pasha Hassan

Miguel banters back

Miguel is angry and very close to losing control

DR. ALONZO

Let’s get out of here.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  William Peed.

[Bent Hanlen]

Banter
Nimfa – Come here. I want you to know about banana catsup.
Tommy – I can’t because I’m fixing your sink pipe.
Nimfa – Banana catsup is similar to tomato catsup. But much better. Do you know why
Tommy – No but I think I know why your pipe is leaking. Your seal is broken and rotten. Where is your property manager ?
Nimfa – Probably waiting to eat what I am going to feed you.

Flirting
Tommy – Are your desserts as sweet as you?
Nimfa – You finally noticed.
Tommy – I’m not always the fastest.

Expressions of Love
Nimfa – I’ve brought you dinner. I saw your text that you’ ve been non stop today.
Tommy – Dinner? Wow thank you. I am starving. The day wouldn’t let me take a break.
Nimfa – A hardworking man like you deserves a filipina wife who knows how to fill a man’s stomach.
Tommy – I understand why. This is delicious. And you made this.
Nimfa – Momma rolled the dough.

[Eugene Mandelcorn]

EUGENE’S BANTER/FLIRTING/EXPRESSIONS OF LOVE

What I learned doing this assignment is that the more Banter, Flirting and Expressions of Love in the script, the more that an audience will feel their love and identify with the characters.

BANTER

Joe drives with Beth in the passenger seat and Voice and Karen in the rear. Voice sits behind Beth and Karen is scrunched against the window behind Joe. She holds her nose.

VOICE: (with contempt) So, what’s your name?
KAREN: Karen.
VOICE: Karen, what?
KAREN: I’d rather you didn’t know my last name.
VOICE: That’s fine I’d rather you didn’t know my first. Just try to stay away from me.
KAREN: (holding her nose) That shouldn’t be too hard.

Arriving at the small lot where their tiny houses will be built.

VOICE: I doubt it’s even buildable.
KAREN: What do you know. The Voice actually has a mind.
VOICE: I’ll have you know; I graced the stage on 3 different continents.
KAREN: What did you play, a fool?
VOICE: Only if the part was written by the Bard.

FLIRTING

Joe is trying to convince Beth to work with him on a film project.

BETH: So, I’ve still got your jacket. At least if we meet again, I can give it back to you. If not, I can always mail it.
JOE: I really would love to work together, if we can.
BETH: Do you have a script?
JOE: Not exactly, but I know what problem I want to solve.
BETH: Yeah?
JOE: Homelessness. (beat) You think you could write the script?
BETH: I don’t know. Do you have a story?
JOE: The characters will tell the story.
BETH: This course has put me back a bit. I don’t know if I have the time to write a feature screenplay. I have to work to eat.
JOE: I could pay you.
BETH: You have the money to pay me? How much do you have to make this film?
JOE: Enough. When can you start?
BETH: I need a little more info.
JOE: Can you help me cast it?

EXPRESSION OF LOVE

When the police threaten to remove Voice and Karen from the lot where Joe and Beth plan to build their tiny homes, Voice gets in an argument with the police and when they wrestle him to the ground and handcuff him, Karen pleads for the police to let him go. When he loses consciousness and has to be put into an ambulance, Karen insists on riding with him, holding his hand, on the way to the hospital.

• This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by  Eugene Mandelcorn.