Lesson 6

[Ed Lusk]

What I learned doing this assignment is not be afraid to try many scenes to introduce the main character using the techniques provided. I’ve written multiple intro’s but not using a specific format, which now helps scene structure and impact.

Character Introduction Scene – Father Simon Merchant – Protagonist

Existing Scene Beats:

INT. GEORGETOWN VIROLOGY LAB – NIGHT

We see microorganisms magnified 1000x scurry about under a glass slide in a electron microscope.

Reverse view: up the microscope lens, an eyeball, blood shot, darts about studying, evaluating the cells below.

Wide view of a virology lab. Modern, cluttered. From a speaker hidden is the stacks of folders, heavy metal music blasts .

This is FATHER SIMON MERCHANT, physically fit, 30’s, his profile that of a handsome man. He wears the cossack of a Jesuit Priest under his lab coat. He’s still as a statue, hunched over the microscope.

This is his lab and his life.

The lab door swings open. The shadow of a young women carrying a tray falls across the laboratory walls. She moves towards the man. Sets down the tray and kills the music.

Without looking up from the microscope Father Merchant chastises the women, OLIVIA NORCROSS, 20’s for disturbing his peace.

END INTRO SCENE BEATS

NEW MAIN CHARACTER INTRO SCENE BEATS

EXT. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY STREETS – NIGHT

A man, physically fit, handsome, 30’s, runs through the streets. His Georgetown University tee-shirt soaked with sweat.

Off in the distance a church bell RINGS out.

With each DONG of the bell the man runs faster, another DONG, even faster. He looks over his shoulder as if being chased. Whatever it is he can’t out run it. DONG. He cuts the corner, Prospect Street NW entering the…

…The Exorcist Steps. He takes them two by two. The climb killing his momentum. The man’s lungs burning, deeps gasps for air now. He reaches the top landing and collapses on his back. Physically spent.

A cat emerges from the shadows. It licks the man’s face and purrs. The man pets the animal softly. A smirk of gratitude across his face.

INT. SHOWER STALL – LATER

Lots of steam. The water must be as hot as the man can stand it. A small silver cross around his neck channels the water down his chest.

INT. LABORATORY – LATER

A young women, OLIVIA NORCROSS, 20’s, academically alluring, sits among the clutter of microscopes, stacks of folders. She holds in her hand an envelope sealed with a heavy wax seal. Close in on seal: It’s from the Vatican.

While she drums her nails on the stainless steel counter she peruses the diplomas along the wall. All awarded to SIMON MERCHANT:

-Bachelors in Theology, Loyola University.

-Masters in Philosophy, Harvard University.

-A crucifix, fresh palm branch tucked behind it.

-PhD in Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University.

-Doctor of Virology & Bacteriology, Georgetown University.

The running man enters the lab. Dressed in a lab coat and the Cossack of a Jesuit Priest. He wears ear buds, and is into the beat. We hear what he listening to – heavy metal music.

Olivia addresses him as SIMON. Then again more forcibly as: FATHER SIMON MERCHANT. He can’t hear her. He’s not paying attention until he’s startled at the sight of Olivia.

Merchant sees the letter and inquires: “If that’s a purloined letter, Olivia, the truth will not set one free.

Olivia slides the letter over to Merchant, bats an eyelash, and waits.

END CHARACTER INTO SCENE

[Michael Williamsen]

Mike Williamsen characters’ introductions

WIL: Visual description, actions, dialog need to be Oscar class in introductions.

Sheriff MIKE* APPARENT HERO

A Sheriffs car pulls off the road into a parking lot.

The door opens, SHERIFF MIKE sets a bagged bottle down on the floorboard, gets out slowly, covered slightly by the door and car, he pees on the ground. Sheriff Mike, 50, going on 70. His shoulders slump to one side, his face has the nose that found itself in the wrong place too many times. A sheriff’s badges glistens, hanging crooked, on a uniform almost as wrinkled as the man wearing it, all under the hair of a fashion magazine cover.

A car going by slows down, window open the driver pulls out a phone and takes a picture. “I see the headlines: Sheriff pisses away the election.”

Mike lumbers to a large tarp on the ground. Victoria joins him. He says he has the money for the mortgage, just needs to get the check in. He pulls the tarp back to reveal a victim who has been slashed and has a ziptie around his neck.

VICTORIA – LOVE INTEREST

A small sedan rattles into a parking lot. VICTORIA slips out of the car dropping her phone into a puddle. Obviously a looker in her day, now weathered by too high expectations leading to disappointments.

She goes up to Mike as he is standing over a tarp on the ground. He pulls the tarp back. She turns and pukes. Mike comments about her being a bit out of character now being a crime reporter.

She pulls her camera up to take a photo. Mike stops her to keep this hush for awhile.

She replies that she really needs a good story to keep this job and their 4 year old daughter in the private school.

BILLIONAIRE BOB$,APPARENT VILLAIN dominating, wickedly handsome, always dressed like he owns GQ Magazine, never met a mirror he didn’t like. Jokester with one-liners.

Mike and Victoria walk to the parking lot. Their daughter Lucy in Mike’s arms.

A black limo pulls into the lot stopping in the middle. The driver opens a rear door.

A long slow-motion pause.

Out comes BILLIONAIRE $BOB$,VILLAIN dominating, wickedly handsome, always dressed like he owned GQ Magazine, never met a mirror he didn’t like.

Lucy jumps from Mike’s arms and into Bob’s arms calling him Uncle Bob.

Mike steps towards Bob, clenched fists. Bob’s driver steps up with both fists accusing Bob of stealing his wife and now his child.

Lucy melts them all causing them to back down from the fight.

Bob outclasses Mike by apologizing for his driver saying this is no way to act in front of a child.

Mike offers to take Lucy for the night.

Victoria says no.

Bob hands Lucy to Mike saying a child needs a good father.

MAYOR – APARENT HERO’S BEST FRIEND turns to be the ultimate villain in the end.

Bob and the deputy sit in a dark corner of a bar. The room fills with spotlights for the grand entrance of MAYOR. Every step he takes is like a runway model, smile and suit frozen, posed for the camera. All eyes in the bar follow his grand walk to the back corner, Mayor nodding to them in kingly fashion.

Bob gets right to the point inviting Mayor to join their sex-slave ring tempting him with “a lot of money.”

Mayor declines.

Bob shows Mayor photos of Mayor with young girls at the last party.

Mayor says “How much money is a lot of money.”

Bob writes a number on a napkin and slides it to Mayor.

Mayor says: “What do we do with Mike (Mayor’s best friend and sheriff investigation the sex-slave operation.

Outside the bar, Mayor makes a call “we have a problem but I have an idea to swing it around.”