Lesson 15

[Jeremy Cooke]

LOGLINE: Two reluctant partners are teamed together to do a job.
ESSENCE: Partners pulling in different directions will end badly
INTERESTING SITUATIONS: defuse a bomb; paint a room; stop a leak in a submarine/nuclear reactor; land an aeroplane; pitch a tent; escape zombies; trapped in a flooding mine.

INT. FLOODED MINE SHAFT, PUMP HOUSE

INTERCOM
Surface here. Who’s in charge down there?

NANCY
(quickly)
That’ll be me.

SQUIRE
I thought I

NANCY
(firmly)
Me!

SQUIRE
(beat)
Yeah whatever.

NANCY
Do you have a problem with that? Wait a minute have you put in?

SQUIRE
Not really my bag.

NANCY
You bloody well have, haven’t you!

INTERCOM
We can’t get through. You’ll have to identify the source and

The lights flicker and go out. Dim emergency lights come on casting a weak glow. Squire twiddles with the knobs on the speaker then hits it a blow.

SQUIRE
Cheap fucks haven’t maintained the back-up battery. Nope I’m fine. So what’s the plan…boss?

NANCY
We need

SQUIRE
We need to close that valve before we drown. I’d guess at the rate the water’s rising we’ve got about thirty minutes tops.

NANCY
I’d say longer…maybe an hour.

SQUIRE
Whatever. Do you want me to clear some of the debris away so that we can see what we’ve got?

NANCY
Exactly. Let’s go.

Nancy and Squire start man-handling fallen debris. Squire climbs up on a large piece to reach smaller pieces.

NANCY
Be careful. That lot looks unstable.

SQUIRE
(grins)
If it falls on top of me I’ll sure you’ll rescue me.

NANCY
I don’t want to have to rescue you.

SQUIRE
Pity…I was looking forwards to a bit of mouth-to-mouth.

Nancy takes hold of the largest remaining piece wrestles the last bit free.

SQUIRE
Wait it’s heavy. Let

NANCY
I can do it!

SQUIRE
I know but

Squire reaches out to take a grip of the load.

NANCY
(struggling)
I told you I can do it!

SQUIRE
(admiringly)
I know you can girl but

Nancy slams the debris to the ground narrowly missing Squire’s foot. He jumps aside.

NANCY
(gasps)
There I told you.

Squire is down on the ground looking at a gap in the debris.

SQUIRE
You know I reckon I could

Nancy pushes Squire aside.

NANCY
Let me see.
Nancy wriggles a little way in.

NANCY (cont’d)
I can see the valve panel and

SQUIRE
And just beside it the elevator! Let me

NANCY
Oh no Jose…as soon as you get there you’ll be away back to the surface like Flynn and leave me to

SQUIRE
No way. It’s just…can you turn the valve?

NANCY
I’m in charge! You heard the man! Give me that spanner!

Squire hands Nancy the spanner.

SQUIRE
It was a robot.

NANCY
Well yes…but a senior robot.

Nancy starts wriggling down the narrow passage.

NANCY
Watch me.

SQUIRE
Mmmm…I am.

Nancy wriggles back and stands.

NANCY
Were you looking at my arse?

SQUIRE
I couldn’t really help it.

NANCY
I order you not to look at my arse.

SQUIRE
I can’t really not if you go first.

NANCY
Right…well I order you to go first.

SQUIRE
That’s what

NANCY
Don’t you backchat me. Get in there…now.

SQUIRE
Yes Maam.

Squire squeezes himself into the gap. The debris pile shudders and shifts as he wriggles his way deeper. He stops.

SQUIRE
I’m stuck.

NANCY
Stop fecking around. This water’s quicker than I thought. Soon we’ll not be able to use the tunnel unless you want to grow gills.

SQUIRE
No seriously

NANCY
I order you to come back.

Squire squirms a bit more.

SQUIRE
Nope it’s settled behind me I

NANCY
(furiously)
That’s your big fat arse. Get back here before you drown!

SQUIRE
Hey! I don’t

NANCY
Well go forward then.

Squire struggles the debris pile shifts again.

SQUIRE
(grunting)
Nope…I…can’t. It’s settling behind me.

NANCY
You can. Just stop the flow and we’ll figure the rest out later. Go on!

SQUIRE
But you’ll be struck?

NANCY
I’m already stuck here. Stop the bloody flow or we’ll both die. We can sort the rest out later.

SQUIRE
(pause)
You’re right.

Squire gives a wriggle, a squirm, and as the debris pile closes behind him he pops free.

SQUIRE
I’m out. I’m by the panel. Where’s the spanner?

NANCY
(weakly)
Here.

SQUIRE
Where!

NANCY
Here…I forgot.

The sound of the elevator doors opening and closing then…the sound of water rising.

Nancy sits down in the water. It’s over her waist when she sits.

NANCY
Fuck this. I’m toast

———–Optional happy ending——————-
The sound of the elevator returning on the other side of the debis field. We hear the cage door opening and Squire exits holding a walky-talky.

SQUIRE
(to walky-talky)
Steady…down…stop…down on that…slow slow.

Squire guides a large diameter hose out of the lift shaft and pulls it out of the cage before it settles in the water.

SQUIRE
(to walky-talky)
OK fire it up…yip it’s drawing…keep it lit.

Squire takes a spanner out of the cage and closes the valve. The sound of water flowing falls silent.

SQUIRE (cont’d)
Nancy, Nancy!

NANCY
Squire! Squire is that you?

SQUIRE
All sorted. Water’s off and we’ll soon get you out…oh and Nancy.

NANCY
What?

SQUIRE
I got that promotion.

[Alfred Dunham]

RE: Hal’s little speech about Cliffhangers, would one be appropriate at the end of your Scene? Just a thought.

[Alfred Dunham]

Alfred Dunham – Lesson 15

LOGLINE:

Two polar-opposite individuals are ordered to work together on a project that ends in chaos.

ESSENCE:

Solidarity in the face of chaos

SCENE ARC:

From being forced together to:

Making a total mess out of the situation.

1. Nancy and Squire are ordered to work together.

2. Nancy and Squire argue over everything.

3. With their assignment in chaos, they make up.

NANCY: Traits

confrontational, stubborn, scheming, caring.

NANCY: Subtext

Nancy is a scheming lady who is covertly competitive with peers.

Subtext 2 – Nancy has done some short-term jail time for trying to setup a small-potatoes Ponzi-like scheme.

SQUIRE: Traits

evasive, selfish, happy-go-lucky, seductive.

SQUIRE: Subtext

Squire is a seductive guy who uses his charm to control others.

Subtext 2 — Squire has an illegitimate child, which he uses as leverage to get whatever he wants – i.e., he controls the mother.

SCENE: Squire and Nancy – Second Draft

INT. PET STORE – DAY

A new pet store, Pet City, is scheduled to open in a couple of weeks, but the animals are still being housed in a state of total disarray.

The Manager has called Nancy and Squire into her office.

MANAGER

I need to run to the bank, so I’m leaving you two in charge while I’m gone.

NANCY AND SQUIRE

(simultaneously)

Yes, Ma’am.

MANAGER

Nancy, you seem to have an ordered, caring mind. I’d like for you to oversee the complete arranging of the pet quarters.

Nancy glances at Squire with her well-practiced air of superiority.

MANAGER

(to Squire)

And you, Squire, seem to be the helpful type, so I want you to assist Nancy with the moving and setup.

Squire just smiles and nods in approval.

MANAGER

Good. Go to it, then.

THE BACK AND EAST SIDES OF THE STORE

NANCY

I think it will be cool to arrange the animals Biblically. The manager will be certain to notice.

SQUIRE

Say what?

NANCY

You know, the fishes first and then the reptiles and birds — and cats and dogs.

SQUIRE

So which came first – dogs or cats?

NANCY

Cats, of course.

SQUIRE

Why cats?

NANCY

Cats are considered more female-like, and dogs are considered more male-like.

SQUIRE

Well, there goes your scheme, then. The way I heard it, Adam came first.

NANCY

Well, they got it wrong.

Squire laughs.

SQUIRE

That’s nuts.

NANCY

Have you never heard of parthenogenesis?

SQUIRE

What’s that?

NANCY

Virgin birth. Females don’t need males to reproduce – quite common in many animals.

SQUIRE

So where’s the fun in that?

NANCY

Never mind.

SQUIRE

And you still plan to put the cats and dogs together?

NANCY

Of course. Kind of natural, don’t you think?

SQUIRE

You’ll be s-o-r-r-y!

Squire reaches out and fondles Nancy’s hair.

NANCY

Squire! What the hell are you doing?

SQUIRE

Your hair is just as soft as it looks.

NANCY

I know. So stop it. You already have a wife.

SQUIRE

No, I don’t.

NANCY

Then where’d your kid come from?

SQUIRE

Maybe that thing you said?

NANCY

(disgusted)

Nice try. Nope. He looks like you, not her.

SQUIRE

Very well, but you’re missing out on all the fun.

NANCY

Want me to tell your – whatever – what you’re up to?

SQUIRE

Ahh—

NANCY

Yeah, and then who will be missing out on all the fun?

SQUIRE

If that’s the way you’re going to be about it. Never mind.

NANCY

Squire, you’re a pervert. Just move the damn fish tanks over there against the wall.

SQUIRE

Why there?

NANCY

Because I say so.

SQUIRE

Okay, but you don’t have to be so snarky about it. What’s in it for me?

LATER

The reptiles, rodents, and birds have been moved into place against the east wall, along with the fish tanks.

Squire is filling one of the tanks with filtered water, via a long hose.

Nancy is busy with the cats and dogs. But having the cats that close to the dogs is not working out well.

Nancy screams —

NANCY

Squire, come help me; the dogs are out.

Squire races to Nancy who is desperately trying to round up the dogs who have escaped their enclosure.

Some of the dogs have found the cat cages and have knocked them over.

Some of the cats have also gotten loose and are now being chased around the store by dogs.

LATER

One by one, Squire has managed to chase down and return the dogs to their now reinforced enclosure. But the fish tank has overflowed.

Squire rushes to turn off the water. It’s too late.

Bags of dog food on the floor are soaking up the water.

Bird cages have been overturned, letting the birds out, and one unperturbed cat is perched atop a bird cage finishing its finch dinner.

Nancy screams again —

NANCY

Where’s Kaa?

SQUIRE

Who is Kaa?

NANCY

The snake, you idiot.

SQUIRE

You’re afraid of snakes?

NANCY

Yes.

SQUIRE

You work in a pet store, and you’re afraid of snakes?

NANCY

Yes, yes, yes… just find the evil thing.

Squire’s shoes are already wet, but he moves things around – searches.

SQUIRE

Are you afraid of mice, too?

Nancy’s face goes pale.

NANCY

I hate mice.

SQUIRE

Good news. I found Kaa. He’s in the mouse cage.

(beat)

Bad news.

NANCY

Oh, God, no.

SQUIRE

When he figured out how to open the mouse cage, he let all the mice get out… well, all but one.

A mouse tail hangs out one side of Kaa’s mouth.

LATER

Even with all the animals rounded up and returned to their cages and pens, the store is in chaos. Hundreds of dollars of product sit on the wet floor, ruined.

Nancy sits on a still overturned cage – cries.

NANCY

I’m so sorry I got you into this, Squire.

Squire sits down beside her and puts an arm around her.

SQUIRE

(chuckles)

So am I.

Nancy laughs – wraps both arms around Squire – continues to laugh.

One can hear the front door open… close.

MANAGER (O.S.)

Shrieks.

[Brenda Boddy]

Looking back over my interest list…I added a healthy dose of theft to give more interest to the script.

Logline: Two employees are left to close the gym for the evening.

Essence: Both employees are more interested in their own agendas, instead of doing their jobs.

INT. GYM – NIGHT

Nancy (19), leggings and a tank top with the gym logo, stands talking to an older LADY sitting on a Lat Pull Down machine. The Lady reads a piece of paper.

Nancy glances at the clock and then out at the nearly empty gym floor.

NANCY

Try that dog food recipe. I swear my little Angus hasn’t had an allergy in a year.

The Lady tucks the paper in her bra and squeezes Nancy’s hand.

LADY

Thank you, Nancy.

SQUIRE (21), looking like an upside-down triangle, all biceps and no legs, stands chatting with an attractive BLOND, on the ab machine. He also wears the gym logo on his shirt.

Nancy looks at the clock again.

NANCY

I’ve got to get back to work. Enjoy your workout.

Nancy meanders up to Squire.

NANCY

Can I borrow Squire for just a second?

The Blond and Squire smile at each other.

SQUIRE

Of course.

(to Blond)

I’ll be right back.

Squire moves to the side with Nancy.

SQUIRE

What’s up?

NANCY

You’re fifteen minutes over on her training. I need some help with closing.

SQUIRE

Just going over some final tips. I’m almost done.

NANCY

It’s an ab machine. How many tips does she need?

SQUIRE

Oh, we’re talking nutrition and other things as we’re finishing up. You go ahead and start the bathrooms.

NANCY

I always end up doing the bathrooms. It’s your turn.

SQUIRE

I’ll help you in a minute. We’re almost through.

Squire returns to the Blond, a warm smile on his face.

Nancy stalks over to the cleaning closet and disappears inside.

BLOND

If you have to go, I can stretch myself out.

SQUIRE

I’ve got plenty of time. Let’s hit the mats.

Blond and Squire pull out mats and lie down. Squire pulls his knee toward his opposite shoulder. Blonde mimics him.

Nancy returns to the floor with the cleaning cart. She pushes the cart extremely close to Squire as she passes, forcing him to move his arm.

Squire deliberately flashes Nancy a smile and then returns to the Blond.

SQUIRE

It’s the best hike in the area. The views are amazing. We could do a leg day on the trail. Make it part of your routine next week.

Nancy enters the bathroom. She immediately staggers back out, her mouth open in disgust. She gulps in air. She stands looking around the gym, hands on hips. Everyone has gone home, except for Squire and the Blond, still lying on the mats, just talking, no stretching.

Nancy notices barbells and equipment left lying around the gym. She picks up a string and a few wisps of grass from someone’s shoes.

Nancy strolls into the office, keeping an eye on the two on the floor. They are absorbed in each other. She reaches into a drawer and stuffs a few bills in her pockets. She exits the office and approaches her coworker, smiling sweetly.

NANCY

I’m sorry to bother you two again, but Squire will have to quit flirting and help me close this place up.

Squire rolls to his feet and pulls the Blonde to hers. He looks at Nancy his mouth tightening, then turns his full charm on the Blond.

SQUIRE

Let me walk you to the door.

Squire moves to the cubbies with The Blonde. He carries her bag to the door. They stand laughing together at something Squire said.

Nancy approaches them with a clipboard. She holds the door open as the Blond scurries out. Squire turns to Nancy.

SQUIRE

Hey, gal. Why the push? We were just talking.

NANCY

We’re supposed to be doing the closing list together.

SQUIRE

Did you get the bathrooms done?

NANCY

I always get stuck with the bathrooms, even when you promise to help. I’m not doing them tonight.

SQUIRE

It’s my dad’s birthday. I can’t stay late. You should’ve started something on the list.

NANCY

While you hustled your client? That’s not how a team works.–Shit. It’s six now. I can’t be late either. I have a date.

Nancy runs to grab her purse from the office, shuts out the lights, and heads for the door. Squire trails after her.

SQUIRE

The boss will have a fit if we leave the gym like this.

NANCY

I can’t help it. You’ll have to stay.

Nancy opens the door.

SQUIRE

My evenings as important as yours. I’m leaving too.

They both walk out. Nancy locks the door from the outside.

Lady walks out of a second bathroom. No one is around. She meanders past the vending area, looking over her shoulder. There is still no one around.

LADY

(calling out)

Nancy?

The gym is quiet. Lady takes several handfuls of protein bars and stuffs them in her pockets. She takes a magazine and tucks it into her shirt. She enters the office.

Lady returns stuffing wads of money in her pockets with the bars. She turns the lock from the inside of the door and exits the gym.