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Rob Bertrand’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned: I learned how to outline a Hollywood movie, by only capturing the essence of the scene.
Dramatic Question: What is haunting the Freeling suburban home and who can they call for help?
Main Conflict: The Freeling’s new home is haunted by a Poltergeist.
Dilemma: Carole Anne is abducted by an evil spirit and taken to the “other side.”
Theme: Sins of the father can come back to haunt you.
POLTERGEIST
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
In the middle of the night, Carole Anne wakes up and talks to someone in the TV fuzz and wakes the entire house up.
EXT. CUSTE VERDE NEIGHBORHOOD – DAY
A thriving new neighborhood. A man on a bike, struggles with a case of beer.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve Freeling is watching football with his buddies
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane Freeling discovers the family’s bird has died.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve gets in a fight with his neighbor about changing the channel on the TV. They’re on the same remote-control frequency.
INT. BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Carole Anne catches her mom, whose about to flush the bird down the toilet.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Robbie Freeling explores the backyard and climbs a creepy, old tree.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane and Carole Anne place the dead bird in a cigar box.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Sitting on a branch of the tree, Robbie sees storm clouds approaching. Carole Anne and Diane bury the bird.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Lightening illuminates the creepy tree. It looks like a grotesque monster. The kids are afraid of the storm.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve rolls Diane a joint as they talk.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie throws a jacket over a clown doll, then jumps back in bed.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The parents are interrupted by Robbie, who’s worried about the storm. Steven takes him back to bed.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie tells his dad that he doesn’t like the tree. Steven teaches Robbie how to count thunderclaps.
INT. DANA’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve tells Dana to get off the phone and to go to bed.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie and Carole Anne count flashes and thunderclaps.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie and Carole Anne sleep with their parents. A ghostly hand shoots out of the TV leaves a mark on the wall. Carole Anne proclaims, “They’re here.”
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
A construction crew breaks ground on a new pool, disturbing the buried cigar box coffin.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
It’s a chaotic family breakfast. Diane asks Carole Anne about the TV People.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
The construction workers cat call Dana, so she flips them off.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane pushes the kitchen chairs in and tells Carole Anne to not sit so close to the TV.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane catches the dog, sitting on the bed and barking at the mark on the wall.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane and Carole Anne have a paranormal experience with the kitchen chairs moving.
INT. NEW HOUSE – DAY
Steve gives a tour of a new home to some potential buyers.
EXT. SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD – NIGHT
Steve arrives home after a long day at work. Diane rushes him into the house.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve watches as Diane sits Carole Anne on the kitchen floor. Carole Anne magically slides across the floor. He’s stunned.
EXT. NEIGHBORS HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane and Steve ask the neighbor if they’ve experienced any strange occurences.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve and Diana discuss who they can call for help.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie counts flashes and thunderclaps, as another storm rolls in.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve doesn’t want anyone in the kitchen until he knows what is happening.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The storm is getting closer. The creepy tree breaks the window and pulls Robbie out. Diane and Steve race to help. Carole Anne watches as the closet door opens, filled with white light.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve and Diane search for Robbie.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Carole Anne screams for help as she’s sucked towards the closet.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie is being swallowed by the tree.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Carole Anne is sucked into the closet.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve rescues Robbie and the tree disappears into a tornado.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve and Diane search the closet, but Carole Anne is gone.
INT. FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The family searches the house for Carole Anne.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane has a sudden thought that Carole Anne might be in the swimming pool.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve dives in the freshly dug pool and searches for Carole Anne.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie hears Carole Anne’s voice on the TV.
EXT. BACKYARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve hears Robbie calling for help.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane calms Robbie and hears Carole Anne on the TV.
INT. PARAPSYCHOLOGY LAB – UNIVERSITY – DAY
Steve is interviewed by Dr. Lesh and her team about the family’s experiences. He just wants help finding his little girl.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve brings Dr. Lesh and her team into the house and advises they don’t go in the room anymore.
INT. KID’S ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve opens the bedroom door and the paranormal investigators witness toys and furniture levitating around the room.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
The investigators are rattled and explain the definition of a Poltergeist as they continue to experience paranormal activity.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The investigators conduct an experiment as Diane contacts Carole Anne through the TV. A portal opens in the ceiling above them and old jewelry falls out. One of the investigators was bit by something.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – LATER
The investigators discuss the case. Dr. Lesh and Diane have a heart-to-heart conversation with Robbie about restless spirits hanging on to life.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – LATER
While the house sleeps, investigator 1 and 2 monitor for paranormal activity.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Investigator 2 raids the fridge for food and has a frightening paranormal experience that shakes him to his core.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
A bright light in the shape of a human walks down the stairs and frightens everyone. The investigators capture it on camera. Proof!
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve and Diana send Robbie off in a Taxi.
INT. KITCHEN – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Dr. Lesh investigates the jewelry. Diane offers her some whiskey for her coffee. Dr. Lesh promises to be back with some help.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve’s boss checks in on him.
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Steve’s boss asks him to go for a ride.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – DAY
Diane opens Carole Anne’s bedroom door and is scared by a frightening noise.
EXT. NEW SUBDIVISION – DAY
Steve learns that his neighborhood is built on an old cemetery.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve and Diane give Tangina, a psychic, a tour of the house, with Dr. Lesh. Steve thinks she’s a crackpot.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – LATER
Tangina comforts Diane and confirms that Carole Anne is alive in the house. Tangina explains that death is only a transition to a different sphere of consciousness and that Carole Anne is trapped by spirits who cling to life. One of them is dangerous.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – LATER
The investigators conduct an experiment with a tennis ball. Diane calls out to Carole Anne.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Tangina discovers a portal entrance inside the closet.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The portal exit opens above the living room.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Tangina throws a tennis ball into the portal.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
A tennis ball drops out of the portal exit.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Tangina throws a 2nd ball.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The 2nd tennis ball drops from the portal.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane tells Carole Anne to not look at the light. Steve throws a rope into the portal.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The rope drops out of the portal.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve yells to take out the slack.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Investigator 1 pulls the rope taute.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Tangina asks for the rope, but Diane insists on going into the portal herself. She kisses Steve and then walks into the light.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Dr. Lesh and Investigator 1 watch the portal.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The face of a decomposed spirit screams at Steve from the portal. He screams in fear and drops the rope.
INT. LIVING ROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane and Carole Anne fall out of the portal and land on the floor, at Dr. Lesh’s feet. Steve runs down the stairs and picks them up.
INT. BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve places them in the bathtub and they slowly wake up. Carole Anne is going to be okay. Tangina, “This house is clean.”
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – DAY
A moving truck is being loaded. The Freeling’s are moving.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane prepares to dye her hair and runs a bath.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane checks on the kids.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane gets in the bath.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie and Carole Anne go to bed. He tries to cover the creepy clown doll with a jacket, but misses.
INT. MASTER BATHROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane relaxes in the bath
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie is attacked by the clown and dragged under the bed.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane blow dries her hair and can’t hear Robbie screaming.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie fights the clown under the bed.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane hears Robbie, but is attacked by an invisible presence.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Robbie gets the upper hand on the clown, as Carole Anne watches as the closet door opens slowly.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane continues to struggle with the invisible force.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Furniture and toys get sucked into the closet, before the door slams shut.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane falls out of the master bedroom and calls for Robbie.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The closet door oozes ectoplasmic residue. The bedroom door won’t open.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane crawls towards the kid’s door, while being bombarded by spirit energy.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The closet door surges with energy.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane reaches for the kid’s door, but is electrocuted.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Blinding light from the closet door.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
A spectral creature guards the kid’s door from Diane.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
The closet door implodes.
EXT. BACK YARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane runs through the yard, screaming for help. She falls into the muddy pool and is bumps into rotting corpses. She’s rescued by the neighbors.
INT. HALLWAY – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane runs towards the kid’s glowing bedroom door.
INT. KIDS BEDROOM – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane opens the door is swept off her feet by the force of the closet door. The kids hold on for dear life. Diane pulls the kids to safety.
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve’s boss drops him off. The house windows glow with paranormal light.
INT. FOYER – FREELING HOUSE
Steve opens the front door as a coffin erupts through the floor. Diane and the kid’s scream as the front door slams shut.
INT. FREELING HOUSE – VARIOUS – NIGHT
Diane and the kids search for an escape, as coffins burst through the floor.
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve confronts his boss about moving the headstones of the cemetery, but not the bodies.
EXT. BACK YARD – FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Diane and the kid’s escape through the backyard as coffins continue to explode from the ground.
EXT. FREELING HOUSE – NIGHT
Steve helps his family into the car and jumps in. He fumbles with the keys as a skeleton falls on the car windshield. The Freeling’s drive away as the house implodes in on itself.
EXT. RAINY STREET – NIGHT
The Freeling’s pass a sign, leaving town.
EXT. MOTEL – NIGHT
The Freeling’s enter a cheap motel. Steve pushes the TV out into the rain.
THE END.
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Richard’s Favorite Movie Outline – The Omen (1976)
What I learnt doing this assignment is… is that they don’t make movies like they did in the seventies. This film is still deeply unsettling today. Music can lift a movie to greatness. The film had a very simple, yet gripping, plot.
Dramatic Question: What would you do if you adopted the son of Satan?
Main Conflict: The Thorns survival as their adopted son and his enablers kill those opposed to his progress.
Dilemma: Could this child really be the son of Satan? Can this child be murdered?
Theme: Evil triumphs good.
The Omen – 1976
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Rome June 6th – Robert Thorn, American ambassador to Italy, is on his way to the hospital. A V.O. tells us his son was born dead.
INT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Father Spiletto and Robert talk about situation. How will Robert tell his wife? Spiletto tells him another baby was born that night and that its mother died during birth. There are no relatives. Robert will take this child as his own.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Robert brings the child to his wife, Kathy. He pretends that it is their own.
INT. EMBASSY – DAY
Robert tells Kathy that they are moving to England as he is the new U.S. ambassador to the U.K.
INT. HOUSE – LIBRARY – DAY
Robert tours the new house in London Kathy has bought. She reveals his aspirations to be the next president of the U.S.
They are very much in love. They kiss, wave at the now much older baby.
EXT. FIELDS – DUSK
Happy family in love. We learn that their son is called Damien. They freak out when the child disappears – but he’s just playing behind a tree.
Further images of family settling in to their new life and happiness.
EXT. HOUSE – BACK GARDEN – DAY
Damien’s 5th birthday. Grand event. Veterans and photographers present. We meet Holly the nanny. Holly locks eyes with Rottweiler.
Montage of Damien and parents loving the party and the rides on offer.
Holly then hangs herself from the house’s roof. ‘It’s all for you!’ She claims. Party ruined.
Photographs taken. Damien looks at, and waves, at the Rottweiler.
INT. LONDON EMBASSY – DAY
Robert faces questions about Holly’s death. He hurries away, knocks over photographer Keith’s camera.
INT. ROBERT’S OFFICE – DAY
A crazed Father Brennan visits, tells Robert hat he must drink Christ’s blood and eat his body everyday to stay safe. He was at the hospital the night Damien was born and tries to tell Robert the truth before being escorted out.
EXT. EMBASSY – DAY
Keith takes photos of Father Brennan as he leaves the building.
INT. DARK ROOM
Keith develops the photographs.
INT. HOUSE – DAY
The new nanny, Mrs. Baylock, arrives. Neither parent arranged for her to come. She says the agency sent her over. She wants to spend alone time with Damien.
INT. DAMIEN’S BEDROOM – DAY
Mrs. Baylock tells Damien that she is here to protect him.
INT. HOUSE – DAY
Robert and Kathy are getting ready for church. Mrs. Baylock argues with Kathy that Damien should not go with them. Kathy insists they go as a family.
INT. CAR – DAY
Driving toward the church, Damien sees the crucifix and immediately starts to act up. He’s scared stiff. Trembling with fear. Screaming. They abandon their church visit and go home.
INT. HOUSE – DAY
Robert and Kathy discuss Damien and how the boy never gets sick. Dad questions everything. Kathy defends her son by just saying he is healthy.
LATER
The Rottweiler protects Damien’s door. Mrs. Baylock brought dog in without permission. Robert wants the dog gone.
Robert enters Damien’s room and watches over him.
EXT. WINDSOR SAFARI PARK – DAY
A happy Damien and Kathy. Damien’s presence scares off the giraffes.
EXT. HOUSE – DAY
Robert leaves in car. Father Brennan waits outside the gates.
EXT. WINDSOR SAFARI PARK – DAY
The car enters the Baboon enclosure. Baboon’s get agitated and attack the car. Freaking out Kathy and Damien.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Kathy and Robert get ready for bed. He knows something is wrong with you – pushes the matter. She wants to see a shrink.
EXT. RUGBY FIELD – DAY
Keith taking photographs as Robert watches the game. Father Brennan arrives, urges Robert to meet him later – he states that his wife will die if he doesn’t listen.
INT. DARK ROOM
Keith develops more photographs. There is a strange mark on his photos.
INT. PARK – DAY
Robert meets with Father Brennan, who gives him a history lesson on Satan and what his future holds. Tells him to visit a man to learn how to kill Damien.
Robert tells Brennan not to bother him again and walks off.
A storm comes. Intensifies. Brennan tries to make it to a church for shelter. Doors are locked. Lightning strikes a pole on the building, it falls and impales Brennan.
INT. HOUSE – SNOOKER ROOM – DAY
Damien animated, plays with his dad. Kathy wants peace and orders Kathy out of the room against Robert’s wishes.
Kathy tells Robert that she is pregnant and wants an abortion.
Phone rings. Robert answers. He is told to look at the paper and finds out about Keith’s death.
INT. SHRINK’S OFFICE – DAY
Robert talks with shrink, who tells him Kathy thinks Damien is evil. Doctor assures Robert it is fantasy. Robert will not accept an abortion.
INT. HOUSE – DAY
Kathy stands on table fixing light. Mrs. Baylock opens Damien’s bedroom door and lets him leave riding his bike. Damien crashes into the table, sending Kathy over the balcony and onto the hard floor below.
INT. HOSPITAL
Robert talks to a doctor who tells him Kathy is in a bad state but will live. She lost the baby. Robert talks to Kathy, who pleads with him not to let Damien kill her.
INT. DAMIEN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Dog Doesn’t let Robert get close to Damien. Phone rings.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Keith on phone. Wants to talk to him about Brennan’s death.
INT. DARK ROOM
Keith shows Robert photos of Brennan and first nanny – they all have the same, unexplainable marks. Brennan had a ‘666’ birthmark.
INT. BRENNAN’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Bible pages affixed over the walls. 47 crucifixes. He was trying to keep something out. Police thought he was insane. Robert admits Damien is not his son. Keith shows Robert a selfie – he has the death mark, too.
INT. HOUSE – DAY
Mrs. Baylock informs Robert that the house keeper has left.
INT. HOSPITAL, ROME – DAY
Robert and Keith look for records. All destroyed in fire after Damien was born. Robert wants to know where Spiletto is.
INT. CAR – DAY
Robert drives as Keith reads from the bible about the arrival of Satan. ‘The Devil’s child will rise from the world of politics.’
INT. MONASTERY – DAY
Dozens of monks praying don’t even acknowledge Robert and Keith’s arrival. They find the mute Spiletto. But he is able to write down the name of a graveyard.
EXT. GRAVEYARD – NIGHT
They jump over the gate. Find the gate. Rottweilers stalk them. They open the graves – the body of a dog, and Robert’s original son was murdered. Dogs attack. They escape.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT
Robert calls Kathy and tells her to come to Rome immediately. As she tries to dress, Mrs. Baylock throws her out the window. Kills her.
INT. HOTEL ROOM, ROME – NIGHT
Robert breaks down after hearing about Kathy’s death.
Keith enters, has information on how to find the man that will tell them on how to kill Damien. Robert now wants his adopted son dead.
EXT. MEGIDDO – DAY
Robert and Keith are escorted through the ancient ruins of this Jewish city.
INT. CAVERN – DAY
They meet Bugenhagen, an archeologist, who talks to Robert alone. He tells him where and how to kill Damien, and that Damien will have the ‘666’ birthmark somewhere on body.
EXT. STREETS – DAY
Robert refuses to do it. He’s only a boy. Keith takes the knives and says he will do it. He is then decapitated by a sheet of glass.
INT. PRIVATE JET – NIGHT
Robert sits with the knives – knows what he has to do.
INT. HOUSE – NIGHT
Robert traps dog in basement. He cuts damien’s hair to find the ‘666’ birthmark. Mrs. Baylock attacks Robert, who kills her with an ice pick.
EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT
Robert puts Damien into car, speeds off. Police follow, call for backup.
INT. CHURCH – NIGHT
Robert drags Damien to the altar, who begs for his life. He readies to kill him with the knives, police enter and shoot Robert.
EXT. AMERICAN GRAVEYARD – DAY
Robert and Kathy’s funeral.
Damien is in the custody of the President of the
United States. -
Quincy (Quinn) Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is how long some scenes can really be. There were scenes that were barely there, but were necessary to keep the story going. There were scenes that took up 5 minutes of screen time. You begin to really discern the difference between a scene and a shot. There were some scenes that incorporated a number of shots. Some, I’m pretty sure, even changed locations, i.e. outside to inside.
Dramatic Question: Will Walter find the photo in time to save his job?
Main Conflict: The final photo for the final issue of Life Magazine is missing and must be found before the magazine goes to press in a few weeks.
Dilemma: Walter needs to decide between security and boldness.
Theme: We all have hidden strength.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
FADE IN
1. INT. WALTER’S APARTMENT – MORNING
Walter balances his checkbook and then tries to leave a wink for Cheryl after hesitating. The site glitches.
2. EXT. NEW YORK – MORNING
Opening credits Part I
3. EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM – MORNING
Walter calls Tod from eHarmony to report the glitch. Tod mentions that Walter’s profile is mostly blank. Walter hears a dog bark.
4. EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX – MOMENTS LATER
Walter dives off the train platform into a burning building. He rescues Cheryl’s dog as the building explodes. He has a meet-cute with Cheryl.
5. EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM – MOMENTS LATER
Walter comes back to reality. He has missed his train. He hangs up with Tod and runs to work.
6. EXT. NEW YORK – MOMENTS LATER
Walter runs through the city. Opening Credits Part II
7. INT. TIME LIFE BUILDING LOBBY – MINUTES LATER
Walter meets a coworker who informs him Time Life has been acquired. Walter’s sister appears with his mother’s clementine cake to wish him happy birthday. She asks him to go help his mother move into a retirement community so she can audition. Walter refuses and takes the cake to go to his job.
8. INT TIME LIFE BUILDING ELEVATORS – MOMENTS LATER
Walter meets the coworker from before who is with another coworker. As they are talking Ted, the managing director of the acquisition transition, introduces himself. The other coworkers introduce themselves. Ted asks who Walter is as the elevator dings and they all get on.
9. INT ELEVATOR – MOMENTS LATER
Walter tries to introduce himself and stumbles on his words. Ted makes fun of him and then purposefully ignores him. Walter then makes fun of Ted’s beard. Ted gets his attention. Walter has zoned out again. Walter tells him he is the negative assets manager. Ted scoffs as the elevator dings and he leaves.
10. INT OFFICE AREA – MOMENTS LATER
Ted schmoozes with another manager. Walter walks through the office to the break area. He sees Cheryl who says hi, but it turns out she’s talking to another co-worker.
10. INT BREAK AREA – MOMENTS LATER
Walter pours himself a cup of coffee and eavesdrops on Cheryl’s conversation with her friend. She relates a fantasy weekend.
11. INT OFFICE COMMON AREA – MOMENTS LATER
Cheryl’s friend walks off. The wall behind Cheryl cracks open and parts. Walter inhabits the fantasy which Cheryl spoke about to her friend.
12. INT BREAK AREA – MOMENTS LATER
Ted and two managers watch as Walter stares off into space. Ted calls him “Major Tom” throws a paper clip at him. The paperclip hits Walter and brings him out of his fantasy. The managers walk off laughing. Cheryl looks sympathetic as Walter leaves the area.
13. INT NEGATIVE ASSESTS DEPARTMENT – MINUTES LATER
Walter greets his assistant, Hernando. They briefly discuss the acquisition. Walter discovers the negative roll famous photojournalist Sean O’Connell has left. He also left a note and a wallet as a gift for Walter. Hernando mounts the neg role and they discover a vital negative, number 25, is missing. Sean says it is the best of his career: “The Quintessence of Life”. Coworker from earlier comes in and tells them that there is a big meeting because Sean sent a telegram to the management about negative 25.
14. INT MEETING ROOM – MINUTES LATER
Walter walks in on the meeting already in session. One of the managers is trying to make the acquisition seems less painful. He drops the news that the next issue will be the last issue. Ted takes over when the “good news” portion arrives and tells everyone about the telegram Sean sent. He asks Walter for the negative. Walter stalls. As the meeting disperses Ted is told the issue goes to press in 2-1/2 weeks.
15. INT OUTSIDE MEETING ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
Walter approaches Cheryl. He asks if she has an address for Sean. She doesn’t, but mentions Peg might as she just processed a check. She’ll get back to Walter later with the info. Hernando comes to Walter with the contact sheet.
16. INT NEGATIVE ASSESTS DEPARTMENT – LATER
Walter and Hernando study the contact sheet to try to determine what negative 25 could be and where Sean might have been. There are only three good photos. Walter has Hernando blow up those three photos.
17. EXT TIME LIFE BUILDING – LATER
Walter is sitting in front of the fountain studying the photos. Cheryl approaches him and tells him that Peg will get back to him. Walter tells Cheryl negative 25 is lost and he’s trying to track him down via the images. Cheryl tries to help him decipher the photos, but they are unable. Walter goes into another fantasy after fumbling with his words. He gets a call from Odessa (his sister) who needs his help.
18. EXT. RETIREMENT COMMUNITY APARTMENT – LATER
Walter, Odessa, and the real estate agent look on a piano hangs from a crane. The apartment is not big enough for the piano, which is their mother’s most treasured possession – their dad bought it for her the year they were married. They need a bigger apartment.
19. INT. RETIREMENT COMMUNITY OFFICE – MINUTES LATER
The real estate agent tells them about a bigger apartment, but it’s much more expensive. They decide to take it and the agent tells them another one will come available in three weeks. He walks away and Odessa gives Walter his birthday present: a Stretch Armstrong.
20. INT RETIREMENT COMMUNITY APARTMENT – LATER
Walter and Odessa help their mom as she repacks her things. Walter tells his mother she can move in with him until an apartment comes available. Odessa finds Walter’s old backpack and travel journal he never got to use because he had to go to work to support everyone after his father died. He gets a text from Hernando about “word in the water” and leaves to go back to work.
21. INT TIME LIFE BUILDING ELEVATOR LOBBY – LATER
Walter meets Hernando who shows him a word in the water of one of the photos. They get into the elevator.
22. INT. ELEVATOR – CONTINUOUS
Walter realizes the picture is actually the reflection of a ship in the ocean. The word is the name of the ship and it’s port city. The elevator dings and Hernando gets off while Ted gets on.
23. INT. ELEVATOR – CONTINUOUS
Ted harasses Walter and then asks if the photo is number 25. Walter tries to stall again. Ted teases him about the Stretch Armstrong and then tries to steal it. A fight ensues which leads into the street.
24. EXT NEW YORK STREETS – CONTINUOUS
Walter and Ted have a superhero-like fight through the streets ending with–
25. INT ELEVATOR – MOMENTS LATER
Ted is tapping Walter’s forehead in the same tempo as the dinging of the elevator. Ted makes fun of him again and then tells him to find the picture as he leaves the elevator and walks away.
26. INT. ELEVATOR AREA – CONTINUOUS
Walter gets an elevator as he gets a phone call. It’s Tod from eHarmony to help him to beef the profile. As Walter walks through the office Tod asks why Walter doesn’t just try to ask Cheryl out normally and Walter tells him he’s trying to set up a meet-cute much like the “Pina Colada” song. He sees Cheryl and hangs up.
27. INT OFFICE AREA – CONTINUOUS
Walter shows Cheryl the boat picture. Cheryl uses her phone to Google the name of the boat. While her phone buffers she gets a text. Her son was skateboarding with a friend in the park and she needs to pick him up. She asks Walter if he wants to walk with her while the Google search runs. Walter says yes.
28. EXT NEW YORK NEIGHBORHOOD – MINUTES LATER
As Cheryl and Walter walk through the neighborhood, Cheryl tells Walter about her decision to come to work at Life. Walter shows Cheryl the wallet Sean gave him. He tells her that while he’s never met Sean, he’s been his “point guy” for 16 years, since he started. Cheryl gets a phone call from her son’s father, but ignores it. Walter changes the subject and asks about her son’s skateboard, saying he used to be part of the scene.
29. EXT PARK – LATER.
Walter watches Rich, Cheryl’s son, while she talks to Peg on the phone to track down Sean. While she’s talking, Walter shows Rich some skateboard tricks. Cheryl gets of the phone and tells Walter that Sean could either be in New Jersey or Greenland. The Google search is done and it turns out the boat in the picture is from Nuuk, Greenland. Cheryl tells Walter he should go to Greenland. She gets a call from Rich’s dad again. Walter goes into another fantasy during which he confides in Cheryl that he has the “Benjamin Button” disorder.
30. EXT. HOUSE PORCH – CONTINUOUS
Walter and Cheryl are both old and sit on the porch. Cheryl thanks Walter for being with her for so many years as he dies.
31. EXT PARK – CONTINUOUS
Cheryl snaps Walter out of his fantasy. She tells him that Ted calling Walter “Major Tom” as an insult isn’t right because the song is actually about courage and going into the unknown. She leaves to chase Rich while Walter thinks about that.
32. INT. TIME LIFE BUILDING OFFICE CORRIDOR – LATER
Ted catches Walter and asks for the picture. Walter stalls again, but Ted demands that he gets the picture the next time he sees Walter.
33. INT. NEGATIVE ASSESTS DEPARTMENT – MOMENTS LATER
Hernando tells Walter he’s searched everywhere and can’t find the photo. He wonders if Sean even sent the photo. Walter sees a picture of Sean beckoning him to come. Walter leaves.
34. MONTAGE
Walter leaves, gets to the airport, buys a ticket, and gets on a plane, and flies to Greenland, during which the Life Magazine motto is written in places all around.
35. EXT. NUUK – DAY
Walter and the only other passenger exit the airplane and part ways. Walter rents a car. He drives into town and stops at a bar.
36. INT. BAR – LATER
Walter enters and asks the bartender about being able to get a message to Sean. The bartender tells him they send mail out via helicopter. The conversation is interrupted by the man singing karaoke. After a brief argument, Walter and the pilot get into a fight, during which time Walter recognizes the pilot’s thumb from one of the pictures. They sit and the pilot tells him that he flew Sean out to the ship a few days ago and that he’s going there now to take radio parts. He invites Walter to go with him, but Walter refuses because of how much the pilot has had to drink. The pilot leaves and Walter watches him go. Another fantasy starts. Cheryl sings “Major Tom” to Walter and he decides to run out and jump on the helicopter as it is leaving.
37. EXT OCEAN – LATER
The helicopter approaches the boat. The pilot informs Walter he’ll have to jump because they can’t land on the boat. Walter misunderstands which boat he’s supposed to jump into and goes into the water. He is attacked by and fends off a shark while the rescue boat goes to retrieve him. He realizes that he wasn’t fantasizing and the attack really just happened.
38. INT. SHIP BRIDGE – LATER
Walter, the Captain, and the third mate discuss Sean’s visit. The tell Walter that Sean for Iceland four hours prior. The captain gets angry because Walter dropped the radio parts into the ocean. The third mate takes Walter below.
39. INT. SHIP BARRACKS AND GALLEY – LATER
Walter has dry clothes. The third mate gives him some clementine cake that Sean had brought. The cake is wrapped in a piece of wax paper with more clues of Sean’s whereabouts. Walter is going to Iceland.
40. EXT. ICELAND PORT – DAY
Walter debarks the ship and grabs a bicycle to ride to Sean’s location at a volcano. He gets a call from Tod from eHarmony and tells him about his new adventures. He has a quick fantasy about a murmuration of starlings forming Cheryl’s face and crashes the bike because he’s not paying attention. The bike is ruined and he sets out on foot to the next town.
41. EXT HOTEL – LATER
Walter comes up on a family hastily packing while their children and their friend watch. Walter tries to ask them about the volcano, but they don’t understand English. He trades them his Stretch Armstrong for the long skateboard one of them has so he can give to Rich as a gift. He goes inside the hotel.
42. EXT HOTEL KITCHEN ENTERANCE – MOMENTS LATER
Walter walks through the abandoned hotel through the kitchen and out back. The hotel owner is packing his vehicle. Walter asks him if he knows Sean. The owner does and tells him he drove Sean to the town to the south. Walter gets excited and leaves with the owner shouting in Icelandic.
43. EXT ICELAND HIGHWAY – MOMENTS LATER
Walter runs up to a rise to see the town. He spots the road to it and decides to skateboard down.
44. EXT ICELANDIC TOWN – MINUTES LATER
Walter comes into the town. It is deserted. A siren begins wailing and the owner from the hotel shows up. After a brief moment he is able to convey to Walter that the volcano is erupting. Walter spots Sean overhead on top of an airplane with his camera heading towards the volcano. Walter and the hotel owner flee the town and get covered in ash.
45. EXT ICELANDIC (DIFFERENT) TOWN – LATER
The hotel owner gets Walter to safety and they say goodbye. They are next to a Papa John’s, the pizza place Walter went to go work for when his father passed.
46. INT. PAPA JOHN’S – LATER
Walter is balancing his checkbook. He’s running out of money. He looks at the final picture. He’s hit a wall.
47. EXT. ICELANDIC TOWN – LATER
Walter calls Cheryl. He tells her he’s in Iceland and relates his adventures. He gives her the new clues, the words from the wrapper. As she is Googling them he relates the story of his father passing and him having to go to work to support the family. Cheryl translates some of the words, which are in Arabic, but no real solutions. He hangs up with Cheryl and gets a text from Hernando that Ted is firing him if he doesn’t get negative 25. Walter flied back to New York
48. EXT. TIME LIFE BUILDING – DAY
A flurry of activity is going on. Two floors have been shut down. Ted sees Walter and demands the photo. Walter confesses it’s lost and is trying to find it. Ted fires him. Walter stands up for himself and Ted dismisses him. Hernando approaches and tells Walter Cheryl was laid off.
49. EXT CHERYL’S APARTMENT – LATER
Walter rings the apartment. Cheryl’s ex answers the door. Walter asks for Cheryl and her ex calls for her. Walter thinks they are back together. He places the board for Rich on the stoop and leaves.
50. INT. TAXI CAB – MOMENTS LATER
Walter is taking a cab home. He has a fantasy, but brings himself out of it and gets out.
51. INT. WALTER’S APARTMENT – LATER
Walter’s mom is cooking dinner. Odessa is talking to the piano movers. She tells Walter he needs to tip them. Walter does, emptying the wallet of cash. He sees the inscription on the Wallet that Sean gave him and then takes his ID and credit cards and tosses the wallet in the trash. He sits down and studies the remaining picture. He realizes the picture is a closeup of his mother’s piano. He asks if someone took a picture of her piano recently. She tells him she took the picture with Sean’s camera. Sean had come by to ask her about Walter’s work schedule. Walter tells her that he got fired because he lost the negative and Sean was someplace with “Warlocks” (one of the words). Mom corrects him “Warlords”. Sean was going someplace with warlords to photograph snow leopards and asked for some of her cake to buy passage. Walter goes a quick google search with the words from earlier correcting “warlocks” to “warlords” and discovers Sean has gone to ungoverned Afghanistan. Mom tells him that Sean was the only one who could help him realize his work. Walter gets inspired.
52. INT. WALTER’S APARTMENT – MOMENTS LATER
Walter sees his backpack. He opens it and looks at all the stuff that’s in it. He finds his travel notebook with a note from his day.
53. MONTAGE OF WALTER’S JOURNEY
Walter on a bus. Walter meeting his “strong little men”. Walter getting a “mountain blessing” (being hit in the face with a branch of laurel). Walter offering the warlords his mother’s clementine cake, which they like. Walter climbing up a mountain and the strong little men making him do calisthenics and eating leaves from the bush. Walking across the snow at 18,000 feet. A brief comical bit where the strong little men have to leave. They gift him with a flute. Walter continues alone.
54. EXT. HIMALYAS – DAY
Walter’s phone rings. It’s Tod from eHarmony. He tells Walter his profile is looking good and asks where Walter is. Walter tells him he’s in the Himalayas. He asks Tod to cancel his account because he won’t be able to afford it. Someone talks to him. It’s Sean. Walter has walked right into his perch for photographing. Walter hangs up with Tod. He tells Sean who he is. Sean is amazed and asks him to sit. He tells Walter to be still because there is a snow leopard in the opposite ridge. Walter asks about negative 25. Sean tells Walter it was in the wallet. He had put it in the picture slot. Walter tells him he threw the wallet away and chastises Sean about mishandling an important negative. Sean agrees, and says it’s a shame because it “was a beauty”. He notices a snow leopard and shows Walter through the camera. They have a moment and they go down together to play soccer with the locals.
55. INT. AIRPORT SECURITY – DAY
Walter gets x-rayed and they discover the flute. They all wrestle for the flute and Walter is taken into custody.
56. INT. TSA INTERROGATION ROOM – LATER
TSA agents ask him how he got into Afghanistan and what he was doing there. They ask him if anyone in the city can vouch for his identity. Walter smiles.
57. INT. AIRPORT PUBLIC AREA – LATER
Tod from eHarmony meets Walter and treats him to a Cinnabon. They have a conversation during which Tod tells Walter that his profile had a ton of winks before he closed it down and that Cheryl never responded to a single wink. They part as friends.
58. INT. PIANO STORE – DAY
Walter, Mom, and Odessa have had to sell the piano. The store owner gives Walter a check. Mom gives him the wallet from Sean for him to put it in, saying she always keeps his knick-knacks. Walter opens the wallet and finds the negative.
59. INT. TIME LIFE MEETING ROOM – DAY
Walter walks into the meeting room. Ted is leading the meeting. He is rude to Walter. Walter gives him the negative, telling him off, finally gaining the upper hand.
60. INT. ELEVATOR – LATER
Walter and Hernando are riding the elevator. Hernando asks Walter what was on the negative. Walter confides he never looked. They have a moment.
61. INT. COFFEE SHOP – DAY
Walter is updating his resume on Indeed with all the new adventures he’s been on. He switches to his email in which are emails from everyone he has met on his adventures, including one from Rich Melhoff. Rich has sent him a video of him riding the new skateboard.
62. INT. TIME LIFE BUILDING – DAY
Walter collects his severance package. He sees Cheryl leaving and follows her out of the building.
63. EXT. TIME LIFE BUILDING – CONTINUOUS
Walter catches up with Cheryl. He tells her that he was thinking of her on his adventures. She asks where he’s been and he tells her he saw her husband and thought they were back together. She tells him that he was just there to fix the refrigerator and he is her “EX” husband. Walter invites her to Odessa’s play and Cheryl accepts. They walk together talking about the play and come up on a newsstand with the last issue of Life. The cover is of Walter looking at negatives by the fountain outside. “Final Issue: Dedicated to the People Who Made It”. They walk off and remind themselves they should purchase an issue. Walter grabs her hand and Cheryl smiles.
FADE OUT
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PS80 Amy’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is mostly about set-ups and pay-offs. I never realized how many of them are in this movie and how when you first look at a scene, there are things in the scene that become important later, but for the moment, you don’t notice them.
Move: A Dream of Christmas
Dramatic Question: Will Penny get her old life back or will she have to settle for the new one.
Main conflict: Penny is living the wish she made, but she wants her old life back.
Dilemma: Penny wants her husband back, but he doesn’t know her or anything of their life together.
Theme: The grass is always greener on the other side.
INT. – PENNY AND STUART’S BEDROOM – DAY
Penny trips over her husband, Stu’s suitcase he left on the floor and curses him.
INT. – BEDROOM – DAY
Penny examines her outfit(s) in the mirror as she prepares for an interview for a promotion at work. She states that she would love to see herself as the Senior Vice President of Marketing.
INT. –KITCHEN – DAY
It’s a chaotic scene as Penny’s sister Niki and her husband Bryan and their children live with her. Everyone is getting ready for the day at the same time. Penny gets frustrated with Stu and the coffee maker that doesn’t work. Then as she’s feeding her niece, she gets food spit all over her outfit.
INT – BOARDROOM – DAY
Penny arrives late for her interview. The security guy didn’t even look up when she said hello.
EXT. – CHRISTMAS TREE LOT – DAY
Stuart and Bryan pick out a Christmas tree. Stuart gets a call from work.
INT. – SHOPPING MALL – DAY
Penny and Niki stand in the line with Niki’s kids to meet Santa. A strange lady behind them keeps inserting herself into their conversation. Penny notices the Gillingham department store and says what a good job she could do advertising for them.
EXT. – CHRISTMAS TREE LOT – DAY
Stuart tells Bryan that he has to go on another work trip to Alaska, and it’s his chance to get the last photos he needs for his photography book. He just got back from a trip. They discuss the fact that Penny took the advertising job to support Stuart publishing his book.
INT. – SHOPPING MALL – DAY
Penny questions how different her life would be if she had made other choices. She gets the call from Stuart telling her he’s going on another trip. Penny wishes she had never gotten married. The strange lady behind her says to be careful what you wish for.
INT. – PENNY AND STUART’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Penny, Stuart, Niki, Bryan and the kids put up the Christmas tree. They discuss how Stuart and Penny always go to the tree lot together to pick a Douglas fir tree and the fact that that is how they met. Penny steps on the ladder to put the angel on the tree (her special job every year) and falls off the ladder.
INT. – PENNY’S BEDROOM – DAY
Penny wakes up in her bed alone.
INT. – PENNY’S LIVING ROOM – DAY
Penny realizes everything in her house if different.
INT. – PENNY’S KITCHEN – DAY
Penny notices that her broken coffee maker has been replaced with a new age coffee maker. She tries to call Stu but gets a wrong number. She then gets a call from her personal assistant Paula begging her to come to work because she has a presentation.
EXT. – HOUSE – DAY
Penny walks out of her house and sees a bright ride Jaguar in the driveway and is surprised to find that the keys are in her purse.
INT. –OFFICE – LOBBY – DAY
The same security guy speaks to Penny when she comes in and calls her by her name and is very respectful to her.
INT. – OFFICE –CUBICLE – DAY
Penny sits down at what was her cubicle as a copywriter and realizes it belongs to an intern.
INT. – PENNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Penny realizes from talking to Paula that she is the Senior VP of Marketing.
INT. – JEWELRY STORE – DAY
Penny talks to her Niki thinking they are both married but learns from her that neither of them is married. She realizes she’s not wearing her wedding ring.
EXT. – STREET – DAY
Penny comes across the strange lady from the mall. She informs Penny that she granted her her wish and tells her that her name is Jayne with a Y.
INT. –STORE – DAY
Penny follows Jayne into the store. Jayne tells her that Stu doesn’t exist in this world and that Niki never met Bryan because she and Stu introduced them.
INT. – PENNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Penny tells Paula about her wish coming true. Paula doesn’t really understand and thinks that Penny is talking about something that happened in the past. She encourages her to release the past and move on. Reminds her that she’s known as the “barracuda.”
SERIES OF SHOTS
Penny gets a makeover and buys new clothes. She embraces the new aged coffee maker in her kitchen.
INT. – OFFICE – DAY
Penny gives everyone candy canes. It surprises everyone that she is being nice.
INT. – ELEVATOR – DAY
Paula reminds Penny that she has an appointment with someone from Gillingham’s department store.
INT. – PENNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Penny assures her boss, Avery, that the meeting with Gillingham’s will go well.
INT. – OFFICE – DAY
Penny meets the young Mr. Gillingham and is smitten with him.
INT. –BOARDROOM – DAY
Penny impresses Mr. Gillingham whose first name is Andrew and he signs with the agency.
INT. – PENNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Avery tells Penny well done.
INT. – PENNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Penny is visited by Jilly from finance and learns that Friday night is girls’ night in her new life. She compares it to watching movies with Stu on Friday night.
INT. – RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Penny meets the girls who want to know about Andrew Gillingham. One of them mentions that she wishes she could bottle time. That gives Penny an idea about the advertising campaign for Gillingham.
INT. –PENNY’S HOME OFFICE – NIGHT
Penny creates the campaign for Gillingham’s
INT. – SHOPPING MALL – DAY
Penny meets with Andrew to intro her idea for his advertising campaign called “Christmas in a box” which involves selling fiber optic Christmas trees. Andrew is impressed with Penny’s idea. He wants to celebrate by taking her to dinner.
EXT. –STREET – NIGHT
After dinner, Andrew walks Penny to her car and tries to kiss her, but she pulls away. In a roundabout way she tells him about her old life which he interprets to mean she has an ex-husband. After Penny pulls away and Andrew walks off, he bumps into Stuart.
INT. – OFFICE – STUDIO – DAY
The photographer for the Gillingham shoot cancels. Paul asks Penny if she knows another one with an eye for style.
INT. – DESK – DAY
Penny searches online for Stuart’s photography website and finds him.
INT. – STUART’S PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO – DAY
Penny offers Stu the photography job for her shoot. He turns it down and Penny realizes that he doesn’t know her at all in her new life.
INT. – STUART’S PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO – DAY
Stu considers Penny’s offer. As he looks at her business card, we hear him calling Penny and accepting the offer after all.
INT. – OFFICE – STUDIO – DAY
Stu and Andrew disagree about the photography. Penny sides with Stu and convinces Andrew that his way is best, and it becomes apparent what a good team Penny and Stu are.
INT. – ELEVATOR – NIGHT
Penny comes off the elevator to find Stu putting away his photography equipment and offers to help carry some of it back to his studio. Stu says he likes to work everywhere and Penny lets it slip out that she knows this about him, which strikes Stu as odd.
EXT. – STREET – NIGHT
Penny spots a Douglas fir tree as she walks with Stu. They talk about how they both go to the tree lot on Christmas Eve. They share a tender look which becomes awkward, and then Stu leaves abruptly.
INT. JEWELRY STORE – NIGHT
Penny tells Niki about her walk with Stu and the fact that it got awkward at the end and he left.
EXT. – STREET – NIGHT
Penny runs into Jayne who gives her a present. Jayne tells Penny the boss (God) is not happy with her because Penny messed up her wish by contacting Stu. After Jayne disappears, Penny leaves the present on the bench and calls Stu.
INT. STUART’S PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO – DAY
Penny and Stu look over the photos he took at the shoot. Penny tells him things about himself that he surprised to learn she knows. She confesses to him that the life she is living now isn’t really hers. Stu doesn’t really understand what she’s trying to tell him.
INT. – OFFICE – STUDIO – DAY
At the next photo shoot for Gillingham’s, Stu is waiting for lenses. The lenses are brought by Brian. Penny embraces him and tells him it’s good to see him, which strikes everyone around her as weird because as far as they know, she doesn’t know him.
INT. – BALLROOM – NIGHT
At the ad agency’s Christmas party, Penny witnesses Andrew take credit for her idea for the ad campaign. Stu shows up with Bryan which Stu and Penny then introduce to Niki. Stu introduces Penny to his fiancée. Andrew figures out that Stu is Penny’s “ex-husband” and gloats about it.
INT. – BACK ROOM – NIGHT
Penny sits on the stairs and cries.
INT. – PENNY’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Niki is there and comments on the fact that Penny left the party early. Penny confesses to her that she used to be a different person. Niki gets multiple text messages from Bryan and confesses to Penny that they have a day even though it’s Christmas Eve.
INT. – PENNY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Penny longingly looks at her fake Christmas tree as she remembers putting up her real Christmas tree with Stu in her old life. Suddenly, Jayne appears on the couch. Penny tells her she’s done with her wish, but Jayne says she can’t give it back. Penny leaves to go find Stu and tell him everything.
EXT. – CHRISTMAS TREE LOT – NIGHT
Penny finds Stu at the lot. He tells her it’s like he’s always known her, like déjà vu. He gives her an angel he found on the ground, the same angel from Penny’s tree in her old life. Stu’s fiancée is calling for him to come see the toy soldiers. Stu says to Penny that maybe things would be different if it was a different time and a different place. This gives Penny the idea to put the angel on the tree. She climbs on the ladder, puts the angel on the tree and falls off.
INT. – STUART AND PENNY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Penny wakes up with Stu looking over her. She is overjoyed to be back in her old life and hugs everyone and wishes them Merry Christmas. She then gets a call from work telling her she got the promotion. She tells Stu she’s not going to take it because she’s going to Alaska with him to help him with his book.
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Budinscak Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned today:
o I picked “RIM OF THE WORLD” to outline for its genre, and after watching it – I’m not quite sure what market this movie targets. What I thought was an homage to ‘80s coming of age movies was not.
o After doing the outline, it tells the whole story and makes it easier to add layers for your script.
o An outline condenses a 100+ page script to 5-6 pages.
o I’m looking forward to outlining my script.
“RIM OF THE WORLD”
Dramatic Question: Will the kids be able to deliver the Excalibur key to Dr. Fielding at the JPL facility.
Main Conflict: Evading an alien tracking them as the traverse a war zone during the 70+ mile trek to the Jet Propulsion Lab.
Dilemma: The General tells them to leave and save themselves, but Alex says no and rallies the other kids to complete their mission and defeat the alien invasion.
Theme: The sum is greater than the parts. Individuals can unite to become a formidable team.
Outline:
EXT. SKY – NIGHT
An alien ship comes into Earth’s orbit and collides with a space station.
INT. SPACE STATION – NIGHT
An Astronaut sends information on the alien ship to Earth, but it’s too late. There’s a growl, the astronaut screams.
INT. BEDROOM – DAY
ALEX, young teen, sits amidst a wall of computer screens in his bedroom. His mother prefer he goes outside and make friends.
INT. MANSION – DAY
DARIUSH, young black teen, surrounded by displays of wealth.
INT. AIRPORT – DAY
ZHENZHEN, young Chinese female teen, pays a man to be her uncle to get past the passport police.
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – DAY
The kids arrive, meet the camp counselors and turn in their cell phones.
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – LATER
Before departing, Alex’s mom sings “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to him and he sings back, in front of everyone.
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – LATER
Alex climbs a tall ladder to the zip line, but is too afraid. He has to climb back down, he’s this summer’s chickenshit walk of shame.
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – NIGHT
Alex finds out space station is offline. Makes eye contact with Zhenzhen and they stare off into space.
EXT. LAKE – DAY
As the canoes are getting cleaned, Zhenzhen walks the other way – and Alex follows. GABRIEL, hispanic young teen, shows up just before Alien ships and F-22’s engage in aerial combat.
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – DAY
The camp is empty and shut down.
EXT. CAMP – DAY
A capsule crashes, it carries the astronaut from the opening scene.
She gives Alex a key with vital info to beat the aliens. An alien appears, kills the astronaut and sends ‘a dog’ after the kids.
EXT. CAMP – CONTINUOUS
The kids capture the alien dog, but the dog escapes. Gabe and Dariush hide from the alien under the stairs as…
INT. BATHROOM – DAY
Alex and Zhenzhen hide in toilet pit. Camp Counselor CONRAD is killed by the alien. Alex and Zhenzhen escape to…
EXT. RIM OF THE WORLD – LATER
The dog chases Dariush and Gabe, they escape inside the capsule.
INT. CAPSULE – CONTINUOUS
Gabe and Dariush look outside when Alex and Zhenzhen knock on the window.
EXT. CAPSULE – CONTINUOUS
The dog charges Alex and Zhenzhen, but misses. It then stalks and surprises Alex …
INT. CAPSULE – CONTINUOUS
Gabe pushes Dariush into the capsule’s engine button.
EXT. CAPSULE – CONTINUOUS
The dog is fried by the capsule’s jet engine.
EXT. CAMP – LATER
The alien captures all 4 kids, but is killed by a F-22. The kids escape.
INT. BIKE SHOP – DAY
The gang teaches Alex how to ride a bike. They’re bringing the key to adults so they can finish the journey.
EXT. ROAD – DAY
Alex crashes his bike and they see the invasion’s devastation.
EXT. CAMP – DAY
Alien is not dead, it mourns the loss of his dog and screams.
EXT. SHERIFF STATION – LATER
Everyone but Gabe enters the sheriff’s station.
INT. SHERIFF STATION – CONTINUOUS
Alex, Zhenzhen and Dariush only find one person in the station – a PRISONER. Alex drops the keys within reach, then leave.
EXT. CITY – DAY
Alex gives Excalibur key to army, but an attack compromises the man. He gives the key back to Alex and is killed.
EXT. SAN GABRIEL VALLEY – LATER
Gabe shares who he is – he escaped from juvie.
INT. GABE’S HOME – NIGHT
The kids lie down to sleep and … crash – a loud noise!
EXT. GABE’S HOME – LATER
Kids search outside and are captured by the Prisoner. He wants the key, Alex refuses. Prisoner makes his move when he’s attacked by the alien.
EXT. GABE’S HOME – CONTINUOUS
Alien stalks kids and Gabe traps him in a pool.
EXT. EAST LA – DAY
Dariush comes clean – his family’s broke. A signal from the JPL’s Dr. Fielding reaches the kids’ walkie talkie.
EXT. GABE’S HOME – LATER
The alien comes out of the pool.
INT. MALL – DAY
Zhenzhen comes clean – her dad wanted a boy. The kids change clothes, dance, ride bikes in the mall.
EXT. MALL – LATER
The kids run to a mid-70’s Mustang in the parking lot.
INT. MUSTANG – CONTINUOUS
Zhenzhen drives the Mustang when the alien attacks jumping on the car’s roof.
EXT. MUSTANG – CONTINUOUS
The kids jump from the moving car. The car crashes through guardrails and hurdles off a bridge taking the alien with it.
EXT. BRIDGE – CONTINUOUS
Car crashes on top of alien. Alex can’t find the key. Dariush leaves to retrieve the key from the Mustang.
EXT. CAR CRASH SITE – LATER
Dariush finds key, Alien awakes and slashes Dariush.
EXT. PASADENA – DAY
Only 1.7 miles to JPL
INT. JPL – DAY
Find Dr. Fielding – he’s dead. End of their quest, the kids are ready to go their separate ways, but don’t.
A call comes in from a General.
INT. JPL – LATER
Alex defies General, tells him they (the kids) came this far, they can do it. General tells them what to do.
EXT. CAR CRASH SITE – CONTINUOUS
Alien escapes by regenerating the lower half of his body.
INT. JPL BASEMENT – DAY
Zhenzhen falls from air duct to basement floor while …
EXT. JPL ROOF – CONTINUOUS
Alex begins to climb a tall ladder to adjust the dishes.
INT. JPL BASEMENT – CONTINUOUS
Zhenzhen turns the generators on, there’s power again.
INT. JPL CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Dariush and Gabe use the key to upload the Excalibur software.
EXT. JPL ROOF – CONTINUOUS
Alex overcoming fears as he climbs the ladder and the alien shows up. Alex adjusts dishes and escapes via zip line.
INT. JPL BASEMENT – LATER
Zhenzhen opens a basement door and an alien dog is freed.
INT. JPL CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Dariush faints from alien’s slash to his chest. Two people are needed to fire up Excalibur – Gabe can’t do it alone.
INT. JPL BASEMENT – LATER
Zhenzhen barely escapes from the alien dog.
INT. JPL CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Gabe cannot understand the number sequence provided by the general. Dariush awakes to help him, then passes out again.
INT. JPL CONTROL ROOM – LATER
Zhenzhen arrives and fires up Excalibur with Gabe when the alien attacks.
INT. LAB – CONTINUOUS
Alex starts jet engine and sings, getting the alien’s attention. When the alien walks behind engine, Alex fires a flare gun. Engine ignites and roasts the alien.
INT. HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
Alex’s story of losing his father during a fire.
EXT. LAB – DAY
Alex walks through a wall of ashes and smoke – they’re all reunited. Alien mothership explodes. Alex finally kisses Zhenzhen.
-
Elizabeth’s Outline of Crazy, Stupid Love
What I learned: can’t even begin to list. I know I’ll be referencing this as I create my own outline.
Dramatic Question: Will Cal and Emily work through the hard stuff and stay together?
Main Conflict: Cal and Emily versus their painful realizations/feelings of life and their current coping.
Dilemma: at midlife, they’re comfortable/lazy in their relationship, but need work to keep it together.
Theme: never give up on your soulmate
1. INT. BAR – NIGHT
Couples in nice shoes play footsies beneath tables. CAL WEAVER (40’s) and his wife, EMILY (40’s) in ratty shoes do not. She tells him she wants a divorce.
2. INT. WEAVER HOME – NIGHT
Babysitter JESSICA (17) shatters Cal and Emily’s wedding photo, wrestling MOLLY (9), sends Molly to bed and smittingly gazes at Cal, hand covering Emily.
3.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Cal and Emily distressed but Emily can’t get Cal to talk.
4.
INT. WEAVER HOME – HALLWAY/ROBBIE’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Jessica walks in on ROBBIE WEAVER (13) masturbating. Apologizes. Is wigged.
5.
INT. ROBBIE’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Robbie’s mortified.
6.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Their usual dynamic: he’s silent, she talks, blurts she slept with David Linhagen, still talking when he threatens to, then does open the door and roll out.
7.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – NIGHT
Emily comes to see he’s okay. He says he’ll leave tonight—just stop talking.
8.
INT. WEAVER HOME – NIGHT
Jessica tidying as Robbie enters to say they’re soulmates, he loves her, their age difference won’t matter soon as—
Emily and Cal enter, Cal announcing the divorce and that he jumped out of a car as Emily talks “normal” to Jessica about the kids’ night, ushers Robbie to bed.
9.
INT. UPSCALE BAR – NIGHT
HANNAH (24), an attorney, at a table with friend, LIZ (29) who accuses her of having a PG 13 life as cool, sexy, JACOB PALMER (32) checks her out.
10.
INT. UPSCALE BAR – NIGHT
On Jacob’s shiny shoes as he struts the room toward—
11.
INT. UPSCALE BAR – NIGHT
Emily and Hannah, for sexy-banter, until Hannah, though attracted decides to leave. Jacob watches on—still confident. Interested.
12.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Cal drives Jessica home, oblivious she’s hot for him, interrupts as she’s saying she has a crush to ask she not mention the divorce to her folks. He knows them.
13.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – NIGHT
Leaves her staring longing, sad.
14.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Cal, slovenly amongst the stylish, drinks cranberry juice, as he broadcasts his woes to people who don’t care, notices Jacob with adoring women.
15.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING – DAY
Concerned office mates cheer that he’s “just getting divorced,” not dying.
16.
EXT. WEAVER HOME – DAY
Moving day, after a rain. Emily tries to dig into their problems as Cal explains how to turn off the sprinklers, blames their distance entirely on the affair, drives off.
17.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Frumpy Cal with cranberry watches Jacob score as Jessica’s Dad, BERNIE (late 40s) brings cologne, leaves saying his wife has chosen Emily’s for them. Jacob watching, and as—
18.
INT. BAR – NIGHT – LATER (MINUTE 18 – THE CALL—ARE YOU IN OR ARE YOU OUT)
Jacob’s bothered, watching Cal’s tell the air his woes. And the clothes! Tells him he’s an idiot, offers to find his manhood—maybe because he reminds him of someone.
19.
INT. CAL’S APARTMENT — DAY
Robbie tries to tell Cal about his own love woes as Jessica arrives to babysit, who tries to come on to oblivious Cal as Molly dances to the TV, oblivious.
Cal leaves, Robbie begs—I love you so much. Please.
20.
INT. MALL – DAY
Frumpy Cal enters the mall, oblivious past a restaurant where—
21.
INT. MALL – MEXICAN GRILL – DAY
Hannah and friends. “Nice” lawyer boyfriend/boss makes her think he’ll propose at their next group gathering, once she’s passed the bar. Liz finds this depressing.
22.
EXT. MALL- WALKWAY – DAY
Cooler-than-life Jacob watches very uncool Cal shuffle up late, slaps him and throws his tennis shoes over the rail.
23.
INT. SHOE SHOP – DAY
Jacob takes Cal’s credit card.
24.
INT. CLOTHING SHOP – DAY
Shirts and ties
25.
INT. GLASSES SHOP – DAY
Jacob continues to insult Cal as they shop.
26.
INT. CLOTHING SHOP – DAY
More shirts and ties.
27.
INT. SKINCARE SHOP – DAY
More insults and credit swipes.
28.
INT. SUIT-SHOP – DAY
Signs a receipt
29.
INT. SUIT-SHOP – DAY
Tailoring. Another slap. Empty wallet. Insults. Cal suggests the Gap for jeans and Cal leaves.
30.
INT. MALL WALKWAY – DAY
Cal pursues. Jacob slaps, makes Cal say he’s better than the Gap.
31.
INT. HAIR SALON – DAY
Haircut. Dresses in new clothes as Jacob makes date with his stylist, who then agrees she’d sleep with Cal—until he says self-deprecating things. Jacob tells Cal his wife cheated because he lost sight of who he was as a man, a husband, and probably as a lover—and Cal admits it’s true.
32.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
In new look, Cal confesses he’s only slept with one woman. Cal bumbles, watches Cal score with numerous women before sexy one approaches him—to give him the check.
33.
INT- EMILY’S OFFICE – DAY
Unhappy Emily copies ‘Divorce for Dummies’ has been avoiding David who comes to say he’s in love with her, which she discourages.
34.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Teacher writes The Scarlet Letter on chalkboard as Robbie texts his age-difference case to Jessica, who—
35.
INT. SCHOOL LOCKER AREA – DAY
Replies he’s making her uncomfortable which he—
36.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Reads as teacher discussing adulteress behavior, calls on him, so he says the A stands for assholes who fall in love
37.
INT. SCHOOL COUNSELOR’S OFFICE – DAY
Counselor recommends swear jar to Emily who leaves with Robbie to—
38.
INT. EMILY’S OFFICE – DAY
Return to work. Emily asks Robbie about Cal, learns he’s sad, going out a lot. Robbie googled ‘Sad mom,’ got porn.
Trying to bond, David’s dissed by Robbie who predicts Emily will end up with better-guy Cal, who won’t give up, like he won’t with Jessica, because of love.
39.
INT. GYM – DAY
Various scenes of Cal listening, at croch-level to Jacob advocate men taking what they want from women. Passes out.
40.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Jacob pronounces Cal ready, points out woman looking to settle as Cal recites “The Game” pick-up artist rules he’s learned, reluctantly removes ring.
Cal meets KATE, dismisses Jacob. Insults fail but during a fit of honest she responds to the one Jacob-line and they—
41.
INT. CAL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT LOCK IN (MINUTE 44)
Have steamy sex, because of/despite his honesty.
42.
EXT. CAL’S APARTMENT – DAY
Promises to cal Kate as she leaves, then—
43.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
The Game Graduate makes moves on many women, good as Jacob, leaves with one. Jacob smiles. He’s done it.
44.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Jacob and Cal bond over their sameness as Liz calls Hannah, says hot guy is here. Hannah won’t take a break.
45.
INT. JESSICA’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Her mom gossips Cal’s become a ladies man. WE were right to choose Emily.
46.
INT. SCHOOL HALL – DAY
School slut tells Jessica to send Cal a dirty picture.
47.
EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD – DAY
Jessica joins crowd as Robbie proclaims his love, crushes him by revealing she loves someone else.
48.
EXT. WEAVER YARD – DAY
Emily snips roses, licks lips at David who mows lawn but—
29.
INT. CAL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Cal gasps awake -its really his nightmare.
30.
EXT. WEAVER YARD – NIGHT
Cal jumps hedge to tend to the yard.
31.
EXT. PARK – DAY
Robbie tells Cal about his soulmate as they play catch, is advised to not give up, tells his dad to get his mom back.
32.
INT. SCHOOL – NIGHT
Cal Gets complimented for his looks by Emily waiting for teacher conference, re-bond a bit. Miss each other. Cal’s mad at himself, too because he didn’t fight for her. But—
Teacher opens door and it’s Kate, who he slept with
34.
INT. CLASSROOM – NIGHT
Cal tries to dodge but reveals with a replay of Robbie’s asshole speech.
35.
EXT. SCHOOL – NIGHT
Possible she can work with this until he reveals he’s slept with 9 women. Possible she can work with this because he was trying to move on but doesn’t want to.
Until Kate shares the “perfect combo of sexy and cute” line, and both wonder who he is and if soulmate is clique
36.
INT. JACOB’S PENTHOUSE – NIGHT
Eating cereal alone.
37.
INT. CAR – NIGHT – SAME
Emily alone.
38.
EXT. SCHOOL – NIGHT -SAME – MIDPOINT
Cal getting drenched alone. All solo scenes-it’s raining.
39.
INT. MALL – MEXICAN GRILL – NIGHT
Hannah celebrates passing the bar with same attorney friends from before. The announcement isn’t a marriage proposal but an offer to join the firm.
Hannah sucks down a drink, hi-five’s Liz and leaves—
40.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
-Arrives drenched and kisses Jacob. Take me home.
41.
INT. JACOB’S PENTHOUSE – NIGHT
Nervous, trying to not be PG 13 (no sex, pull covers up on her), Hanna’s vulnerable-but calling-out-of-his-Moves, throws him off. But the big one gets them to the bedroom.
42.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Cal can’t find his mentor.
43.
INT. JACOB’S BEDROOM
Hannah’s nervous tittering and objectification of him interrupts natural chemistry, predicts he has a stupid massage chair and they bond over the humor and—
44.
INT. JACOB’S GARAGE
Hannah tries, hates the chair but, now they’re chatting—
45.
INT. JACOB’S BEDROOM – SERIES OF SHOTS -MIDPOINT (1:14)
-back in bed laughing, TALKING. Connecting. Sharing. Dad dead, was too soft, sensitive, couldn’t handle vain, cold mom. Falls asleep, she pulls his covers up.
Phone messages: Cal
46.
INT – BAR – NIGHT
Cal leaves yet another message for Jacob. Needs him.
47.
INT. FANCY RESTAURANT — NIGHT
Emily and David try to connect.
48.
EXT. WEAVER HOME -NIGHT
Jessica opens the door on Emily/David awkward kiss, says kids stay awake to see dad. Declines slutty money.
49.
INT. JESSICA’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Jessica takes slutty photos for Cal as we alternate with—
50.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – NIGHT
Robbie bikes flowers to Jessica’s house.
51.
EXT WEAVER HOUSE – NIGHT
Cal cleans yard, watches family. Answers Emily’s, watches her pretends to follow his gentle instructions to re-set the water heater. They really love each other.
52.
INT. HARDWARE STORE – DAY
Cal and kids buy supplies for wife, blows off Jessica’s dad as he once blew off Cal. He’s got a plan.
53.
INTERCUT – EXT. WEAVER HOUSE/INT. WINE-SHOP – DAY
Cal builds something, takes Jacob’s call to learn about Game-changer girl, advises him to not be himself, meeting her mother. Hannah bites Jacob shoulder, no longer PG-13.
54.
INT. JESSICA’S HOUSE – DAY
Jessica’s mother finds photos in envelop for Cal.
55.
INTERCUT – EXT. WEAVER HOUSE/ INT. JESSICA’S HOUSE
Jessica’s mother show’s her dad who races out, Jessica racing after to Weaver’s as—
Emily arrives home, gets blindfolded by Robbie, led to re-enactment of their miniature golf romantic recollection of their meet as their other daughter, Hanna shows up with Jacob, who does not approve as—
56.
EXT. WEAVER HOME – DAY
Jessica’s dad jumps Cal, Jacob intervenes. Robbie hears Jessica tell her dad Cal didn’t even know she was in love with him as David shows up with Emily’s sweater and
Jacob attacks David and the rest of the guys go back at it until—
Cops tell them to keep fights inside, in the family. Jessica and her dad leave. Robbie watches longingly.
57.
EXT. WEAVER HOME – DAY
Cal calls out Jacob as womanizer, tells Hannah not to see him. She leaves with Jacob, Cal leaves Emily with David, Robbie tells him to go home.
58.
EXT. SCHOOL – DAY
Robbie deletes Jessica’s contact.
59.
INT. JESSICA’S HOUSE – DAY
Jessica sad on her bed
60.
INT. JACOB’S PENTHOUSE – DAY
Jacob encourages Hannah to call her dad.
61.
INT. EMILY’S OFFICE – DAY
Emily’s not happy.
62.
EXT. SCHOOL – DAY
Cal waits for Robbie who’s not happy.
63.
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Cal drinking as Jacob enters, Roles reversed. Reminds Cal of Robbie’s 8th grade graduation, confesses his love. They agree Hannah is too good for him. Jacob’s changed.
64.
INT. SCHOOL – NIGHT
Family with Jacob, Cal alone. Cal interrupts Robbie’s morose speech about the hopelessness of one true love.
Tells the story of meeting his soul-mate at 15, that he’s loved her every day since and I will never stop trying.
Applause when Robbie confesses he still loves Jessica.
65.
EXT. SCHOOL – DAY
Hanna and Cal hug, make-up. Jacob, too, slaps him.
Robbie, more grown up—and Jessica sense a future possibility, Jessica gives him the pictures.
Cal and Emily together, laugh, watching their kids. Robbie watching sees there’s possibility of a reunited future.
-
Pablo Soriano Favorite Movie Outline, The Running Man
What I learned doing this assignment: The Running Man is not a great movie. But the concept is pretty cool. Although outdated, if you switch television with a smartphone or tablet, this could be a Black Mirror episode. In fact, with the revival of 80s and 90s sitcoms and movies, as well as the advancement in CGI, I can definitely see a remake of this film getting a greenlight from a production company.
Dramatic Question: Can Ben Richards survive as a contestant on a gladiator game show called The Running Man?
Main Conflict: Ben Richards is framed for shooting at a crowd of innocent protestors and is sentenced to contend on a twisted game show where he has to fight for his survival.
Dilemma: Ben Richards just wants to escape and live on the run but his friends, who are anti-govt. revolutionaries, are in danger because of him, so he must decide whether to help them with their cause or go his own way to survive.
Theme: It’s survival of the fittest in a world brainwashed by television.
OPENING SCRAWL
By 2017 the world economy has collapsed… A police state, divided into paramilitary zones….
Television is controlled by the state… The Running Man has become the most popular program in history…
EXT. SKY — NIGHT
A military helicopter flies by.
INT. HELICOPTER — NIGHT
Three paramilitary police lock and load their assault rifles. Headquarters commands the pilot, Ben Richards, to shoot down a large congregation of protestors. Richards disobeys and headquarters commands the crew to detain him and proceed with the order to kill innocent people. A fight ensues and Richards is apprehended.
EXT. WILSHIRE DETENTION ZONE — DAY
18 months later, a prisoner rolls out the dead body of another inmate. He has to carefully remove an explosive collar before rolling him away on a wheel barrow.
INT. FACTORY — DAY
Prisoners slave away at metalworking. Richards, now with a beard, carries a steel beam as guards watch over them.
EXT. WILSHIRE DETENTION ZONE — DAY
As prisoners load more dead bodies onto a truck, two guards talk about last night’s episode of “The Running Man.” Another guard makes a command to prepare for a transfer of new inmates.
INT. FACTORY — DAY
To allow other inmates to pass the security barrier, a guard must deactivate the Sonic Deadline using an access code. This allows a prisoner to cross the barrier without having their neck collar detonate and kill them. Weiss, another inmate, is close by watching the actions of the prison guard.
EXT. WILSHIRE DETENTION ZONE — DAY
As the perimeter lights turn from red to green, the transfer inmates safely pass through.
INT. FACTORY — DAY
Voice announces that the prisoners’ Restrain Collars have been reactivated. Weiss looks over the shoulder of the guard and gets a glimpse of the access code. Richards notices and stages a fight with another inmate, Laughlin, to distract the guards. The rest of the prisoners use the opportunity to start a prison riot and overpower the guards and take their guns. Weiss gets a hold of the computer that controls the Sonic Deadline but the access code isn’t working. Richards, Laughlin and Weiss head outside for a better signal.
EXT. WILSHIRE DETENTION ZONE — DAY
Access code is still not working. There’s another guard with an identical computer on the other side of the barrier that is blocking Weiss from shutting down the Sonic Deadline. When the automated voice says the deadline is deactivated, Chico, another prisoner makes a break for it but once he passes the barrier, the collar detonates and his head explodes. They finally shoot the guard controlling the other computer and all the surviving prisoners escape.
EXT – LOS ANGELES — NIGHT
Futuristic LA city skyline. Military helicopters hover over the city. A giant tv screen the size of a billboard plays a video of a talking head: “Zone passes are required at all times. Curfew is at midnight. Anyone without a zone pass after curfew will be permanently detained.” Richards, Laughlin and Weiss stealthily sneak into the city.
EXT – SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
The men, now fugitives, are disguised as normal people and blend into the town. The latest episode of “The Running Man” plays on the giant billboard screen. They meet up with a man named Stevie who takes them into a guarded shack.
INT – SHACK – NIGHT
Inside we meet Mic, a leader of the resistance against government controlled network. He removes the explosive collars from each escaped prisoner and they discuss a plan to shut down the video feed and jam the network to broadcast the truth about the government corruption but they still need to find the uplink and the code to access it. We also find out Richard was framed for the killing of innocent protestors and was dubbed the Butcher of Bakersfield. The other two prisoners argue whether they can trust him. Richards wants no part of their revolution.
EXT – SHANTY TOWN – MORNING
A truck takes workers out of the shantytown and Richards hitches a ride telling the other two men that his brother will take him out of the city and wishes them luck in their revolution.
EXT – NETWORK STUDIO — DAY
Limo rolls up to a cheering crowd. Damon Killian, the gameshow host comes out to greet his adoring fans.
INT – NETWORK HEADQUARTERS — DAY
Damon discusses the stagnant ratings with his assistant. Damon is an asshole.
INT – APT. #305 – DAY
Disguised as a construction worker, Ben Richards enters what he thinks is his brother’s apartment using a security code. Upon entering, there are women’s garments strewn about.
INT – NETWORK OFFICE – DAY
We see the large team of production company employees that work on The Running Man show. A producer tells Damon that the Justice Dept keeps calling and Damon tells him to ignore them.
INT – ROOM 305 – DAY
A woman, Amber, enters and turns on the TV for Captain Freedom’s workout video. He is a 10 time champion “stalker” in The Running Man show. The workout is interrupted by a news bulletin showing video of Ben Richards escaping prison and blaming him for the Bakersfield Massacre. Ben reveals himself to Amber and accuses her of breaking into his brother’s home. She reveals that his brother was taken away for “reeducation.” Ben proclaims his innocence to her but she tries to call for help and they wrestle.
INT. NETWORK OFFICE – DAY
Damon and his team scroll through criminals to pick a prospective contestant. All are duds in Damon’s eyes as he’s hoping to boost the ratings. But when the news bulletin shows Ben Richards in action, Damon is smitten and choose him as his next “runner.” To do this, he has to pull a few strings so he calls the Justice Department.
INT. ROOM 305 – DAY
After Ben ties up Amber, she reveals that she works for the network. She also has a travel pass and Ben comes up with a plan to leave the city by forcing her to accompany him to the airport to fly to Hawaii.
INT. AIRPORT – DAY
Ben and Amber make it past the first line of security before she exposes him to the guards.
Ext. AIRPORT – DAY
Ben gets caught on the runway with a net launcher.
INT. NETWORK OFFICE – DAY
Damon introduces himself to Ben and informs him that is to contend in “The Running Man.” When Ben refuses, he threatens to send his friends, Laughlin and Weiss, who have also been captured. Ben reluctantly abides.
INT. NETWORK LAB – NIGHT
After injecting Ben with some drugs, they put him in a cell and make him sleep using a knockout gas.
INT. APT 305 – NIGHT
As Amber watches TV, the news reports that Ben Richards had been arrested at the airport but only after killing two innocent people. Knowing this was untrue, Amber ponders.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
A studio audience cheers as the lights dazzle and the a team of dancers perform on the studio stage. Lights. Camera. Action.
EXT. SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
The inner city folks gather around a huge chalkboard with names and odds.
EXT. NETWORK ENTRANCE – NIGHT
Buzzsaw, the show’s number one stalker makes his way through crowd of fans.
INT. HOME(S) – NIGHT
Everyone gathers around the TV to watch the show.
INT. NETWORK – NIGHT
Amber is grabbing a snack with another colleague and sees Ben in handcuffs being escorted down the hallway, on his way to the arena. After seeing him, Amber makes up a phony story to cancel her plans with this colleague and awkwardly walks off.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Damon introduces Ben to the audience as a special guest and proceeds to push the lie that Ben is the Butcher of Bakersfield. After projecting an altered video that implies Ben is guilty, the crowd boos. A video on screen shows last season’s winners, claiming that contestants can actually win freedom if they survive the show.
INT. NETWORK OFFICE(S) – NIGHT
Amber uses her employee ID card to get past security and she enters a room containing private digital recordings. There she finds evidence that would clear Ben of his crime. She then gets caught by security.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Even after promising Ben that he wouldn’t, Damon reveals that Laughlin and Weiss will also be competing The Running Man afterall. All three get launched into the arena.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
All three men land in the arena.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Damon asks an audience member to pick the first stalker and she picks Subzero.
EXT. SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
The crowd is frantic as they gather around the chalkboard and begin placing their bets.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Professor Subzero is introduced to the audience. Large asian man ice skates and hockey pads armor and his hockey stick is a scythe type weapon that can cut through metal.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
The three runners get pushed into the first stage.
INT. NETWORK DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
Captain Free watches.
INT. FIRST QUAD ARENA – NIGHT
The runners faces off with Subzero in an ice rink. Ben saves his friends and kills Subzero
INT. NETWORk STUDIO – NIGHT
The crowds go silent. Ben calls out Damon on live TV
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Crowds mourn Subzero.
INT. FIRST QUAD ARENA – NIGHT
The room starts to fill with gas to force the contestants out into the next round.
INT. NETWORK OFFICE – NIGHT
Damon has to explain the death of subzero. Justice dept.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Buzz saw and dynamo enter the game.
INT. MAKE UP ROOM – NIGHT
Damon’s assistant informs him that the ratings are up 9 pts. And that Amber was caught snooping in the digital video room.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
To keep Amber quiet about her discovery, she is the newest contestant and is sent into the arena. An audience member picks two more Stalkers: Dynamo and Buzzsaw. The former shoots electricity. The latter uses chainsaws as his main weapon.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
Weiss discovers that all the network satellites are pointing into the middle of the arena which means that the uplink to the network is probably located there. Weiss and Laughlin head towards that direction with the missing to find the uplink and crack the code in order to jam the network. Ben objects and heads the other direction but eventually follows them reluctantly.
INT. NETWORK CONTROL TOWER
Operators communicate with stalkers on the location of the contestants.
INT. NETWORK DRESSING ROOM – NIGHT
Fireball, a retired stalker, is called to wardrobe. He vows to win in honor of Subzero.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
The three men head towards the uplink and run into Amber. In come Dynamo and Buzzsaw. Laughlin and Richards head one way and Buzzsaw follows. Weiss and Amber go another way and Dynamo follows them.
EXT. SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
More people place bets.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
Amber and weisse head toward the uplink. Amber is afraid of getting caught. Weiss is determined to jam the feed.
INT. SECOND QUAD – NIGHT
Richards and Laughlin enter an empty, dark warehouse to take on Buzzsaw. Buzz injures Laughlin but Richards is able to take him down.
EXT. UPLINK BUILDING – NIGHT
Weisse and Amber make it inside the building where the uplink is located and find the uplink interface to decode it .
INT. SECOND QUAD – NIGHT
Richards kills buzzsaw to the dismay of the audience.
INT. UPLINK BUILDING – NIGHT
Weisse has Amber memorize the code. Dynamo suddenly kills Weisse.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
Dynamo captures amber. Richards takes him on. Dynamo is trapped and incapacitated. Richards spares his life stating that he would not kill a helpless human being.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
The crowd boos when he doesn’t kill dynamo. Fireball, a retired Stalker, is called to wardrobe.
INT. SECOND QUAD – NIGHT
Laughlin is mortally wounded. Ben is the last surviving inmate. Damon goes on screen to offer Ben a job as a full-time stalker. Ben rejects the offer and vows to kill Damon.
INT. NETWORK OFFICE – NIGHT
The Attorney General calls Damon. All employees leave. Seems important.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Crowd cheers for Fireball and erupts as he enters the stage. Damon asks a contestant she thinks will make the next kill. To everyone’s surprise, she picks Ben Richards.
EXT. SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
When the people see Agnes pick Ben Richards, several of them start betting on ben. Odds are 100-1.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
Fireball goes after ben and amber
INT. THIRD QUAD – NIGHT
Ben has a hard time taking on Fireball. Amber and Ben are separated. Amber discovers the bodies of Whitman, Price and Haddad who were supposed winners of the Running man competition revealing that no one gets out of the arena alive. Right when Fireball is about to torch amber, Ben Richards kills him.
REACTIONS
Shanty town cheers
Studio is speechless
Control tower is scared
INT. CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Captian Freedom enters stating he won’t fight with gadgets and weapons. Damon is angry that everyone is betting on Richards to win and he kicks Freedom out of the control room.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
Looking for the uplink, Amber and Ben are suddenly trapped.
INT. CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
With the use of stunt doubles and computer graphics, Tony digitally edits a fight to make it look like Ben Richards is fighting Captain Freedom.
EXT. ARENA – NIGHT
With no stalkers around, Ben and Amber are rescued by Mic and his army of rebels. They are taken to the secret headquarters of the resistance. From there they watch the fake fight between Captain Freedom and Ben. In the computer generated version, Ben is killed.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Ben has a change of heart and decides to help the resistance. Now that Amber has the uplink code and then reveals she was hiding the original video of the Bakersfield Massacre, Mic can take over the feed and play the unedited video to not only prove Ben’s innocence but also reveal the corruption of the network.
INT. RESISTANCE HEADQUARTERS – NIGHT
Airs the dead bodies of the so-called winners and plays the original helicopter footage.
INT. CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Platoon of rebels commandeers the control room.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
The crowd turns on Damon. Ben shows up with a squad of rebels and there’s a shootout. Amber runs into dynamo. In a scuffle, Amber shoots the sprinkler system, electrocuting dynamo.
Ben and his team win the shootout. Viewers at home everywhere are captivated. Damon admits the brainwashing of television and how ratings were the most important thing. Ben shoves Damon into the pod and shoots him into the arena which launches him to his death.
EXT. SHANTY TOWN – NIGHT
The crowd cheers and chants his name, BEN RICHARDS. He is a hero.
INT. NETWORK STUDIO – NIGHT
Amber meets up with Ben for a passionate kiss. The screen says stand by. No more propaganda.
The End.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Pablo Soriano.
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No way, I love this movie! Interesting to hear you don’t think it’s good. I watched it a lot as a kid so it holds a special place in my heart 🙂
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Fair enough. I also loved it as a kid. But it didn’t age well for me in comparison to Arnolds other early Sci-Fi Action films (nothing beats Total Recall IMO). The Running Man was definitely entertaining and I loved that it didn’t take itself too seriously. And like I said, the concept is definitely interesting. I liked the film enough to use it as a reference point for my own screenplay for this class. But yeah, as fun as this film was, there were times I couldn’t help but cringe. I’ll say it isn’t a great instead of saying it isn’t good. Although, I’m sure many will disagree with me on that as well.
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Definitely true that some movies don’t hold up well, especially after ~30 years. And I agree, Total Recall is great!
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This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by
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[PS80] Emmanuel’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is outline is the best way to move a story forward before writing action and dialogue. Outlining how other writers accomplished the process in your genre is also a good way to pick up tips.
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Erin’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is: Wow, there are a LOT of scenes in a movie, especially in the last third where the scenes get shorter and shorter and the pace speeds up. It was interesting to see how sequences were constructed here, especially with the use of music and night vs day. Also, there’s so much emphasis on writing main characters who grow and change over the course of the movie, but successful movies don’t require that. In this movie, Axel F is actually the change agent, and he causes other people (Taggart, Bogomil, and Rosewood) to change, while he stays the same from start to finish.
Dramatic question: Will Axel Foley find out who’s responsible for the murder of his childhood friend Mikey and bring them to justice?
Main conflict: Axel breaks the rules to get things done, but he needs to work with the by-the-book cops of Beverly Hills to accomplish his mission.
Dilemma: Axel’s boss back in Detroit repeatedly says that Axel will lose his job if he investigates Mikey’s murder, so Axel’s choice is between keeping his job in Detroit or finding his friend’s killer.
Theme: Sometimes it’s better to break the rules rather than follow them.
BEVERLY HILLS COP (1984, action comedy) OUTLINE
EXT. DETROIT, VARIOUS – DAY @0:00
Detroit establishing shots, working class white & black people & Neighborhoods, factories, abandoned buildings
EXT. ALLEY – DAY @02:35
A guy trying to sell a truckload of cigarettes illegally. Cops show up and everyone flees.
EXT. STREETS OF DETROIT, VARIOUS – CONTINUOUS @5:30
A chase ensues, wreaking havoc all over the streets of Detroit. Chase ends and cops recognize the guy – it’s Axel Foley.
INT. POLICE STATION, VARIOUS (DESKS, LOCKER ROOM/BATHROOM) – DAY @08:20
Coworker Jeffrey ribs Axel; his boss chews him out and threatens him – one more screw up and he’s out.
INT. AXEL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT @11:07
Axel discovers his old friend Mikey in his apartment. He’s out of prison 6 months now and shows Axel stolen bearer bonds
INT. BAR – NIGHT @13:30 and jump @14:40 to show time has passed
Playing pool & drinking. Exposition – Mikey was working in Beverly Hills at their mutual friend Jenny’s art gallery.
INT. AXEL’S APARTMENT HALLWAY – NIGHT @16:00
About to enter the apartment, they’re jumped by 2 guys – the guys Mikey stole the bearer bonds from. Axel’s knocked out. Mikey is shot in the head.
EXT. AXEL’S APARTMENT – NIGHT – @17:40
Cops, etc., outside to investigate the homicide. Axel’s boss tells him to stay away from this case or he’ll lose his job. Axel asks to take his vacation time now.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS, VARIOUS – DAY @19:40
Establishing shots of Beverly Hills: Blue skies, palm trees, gated mansions, famous landmarks, Rodeo drive. So different from the Detroit we saw in the opening credits.
EXT/INT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – DAY @21:00
Axel cons his way into a room even though they are totally full and he has no reservation.
EXT/INT ART GALLERY – DAY @23:20
Axel walks to Jenny’s art gallery. Meets Serge (comic relief). Exposition: Jenny got Mikey a job with Victor Maitland at the gallery warehouse.
INT. VICTOR MAITLAND’S OFFICE – DAY @27:40
Axel pushes his way into Victor Maitland’s office and tries to question him about Mikey but after some polite conversation, he’s ejected by security, literally thrown through the window onto the street.
EXT. VICTOR MAITLAND’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS @30:00
Cops show up and arrest him. (Maitland is well connected and powerful.)
EXT/INT COP CAR – DAY @31:00
Drive to police station.
INT. BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION, VARIOUS – DAY @31:40
Axel is taken out of his jail cell through the station (much nicer than the station in Detroit!) to detectives Taggart and Rosewood. Captain Bogomil questions Axel, who insists he’s just on vacation.
EXT. POLICE STATION – NIGHT @36:00
Jenny bails Axel out.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS STREETS – NIGHT @36:50
Jenny drives Axel. Exposition: Victor Maitland is highly respected and she doesn’t believe he could be involved in Mikey’s murder. Axel sees that they’re being followed by cops.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @37:50
Taggart & Rosewood pull up across the street from the hotel.
INT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL, AXEL’S ROOM – NIGHT @38:00
Axel shows off his suite to Jenny. He orders food to the cops parked across the street.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @39:20
Waiter delivers food to Taggart & Rosewood in the car.
INT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL, BUFFET – NIGHT @39:50
Axel gets a couple bananas from the buffet.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @40:10
Taggart rejects the food; Rosewood accepts it. Axel sneaks up while they’re distracted and sticks the bananas in the car’s tail pipe. Jenny and Axel drive off; Taggart & Rosewood try to follow but the car stalls.
EXT./INT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT @41:00
Jenny lets him in to the warehouse where Mikey had been security. While they’re there, there’s a delivery and they see bearer bonds being taken out of a crate.
EXT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT @43:45
They get in Jenny’s Mercedes and follow the delivery guys.
INT. BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – NIGHT @44:05
Bogomil chews out Taggart & Rosewood for losing the tail on Axel. They’re told to go back to the hotel and wait for Axel.
EXT. BONDED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT @45:15
Jenny & Axel follow the delivery guys van to a warehouse where art shipments are held ‘til they clear customs. Axel tells Jenny to go home, he’s going to investigate; Jenny warns she won’t bail him out again.
INT. BONDED WAREHOUSE – CONTINUOUS @46:00
Axel hops the fence to get in. He demands to see the supervisor by showing his badge & being pushy.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @47:10
Taggart & Rosewood wait in the car.
INT. BONDED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT @47:30
Axel cons his way, pretending to be from US Customs, to talk to the supervisor and says they’re going to go through the paperwork for every single crate in the warehouse.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @48:20
Taggart & Rosewood wait in the car. Comic relief. (“You eat a lot of red meat.”)
INT. BONDED WAREHOUSE, OFFICE – NIGHT @48:40
In the office, everyone is doing what Axel wants and when a guy questions him, he unleashes on him.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @49:35
Taggart & Rosewood wait in the car. Axel gets into their back seat and scares them. He suggests they all get a drink together and make up and be friends.
INT. STRIP CLUB – NIGHT @51:35
At a strip club, Axel stops an armed robbery from happening, with Taggart’s help; it’s the first time Taggart trusts Axel.
INT. BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – NIGHT @55:50
Axel lies and tells Bogomil the “supercop” story about what took place. Taggart tells the truth. Taggart & Rosewood are taken off the case and reprimanded.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – DAY @58:08
The new cops wait outside the hotel and follow Axel when he leaves.
EXT. VICTOR MAITLAND MANSION – DAY @59:15
Axel stands outside and talks to the cops. He sees Victor’s car leave the estate and follows it. Cops follow him.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS STREETS – DAY @1:01:10
Axel loses the cops by waiting until the light turns red to go through the intersection.
EXT./INT. CLUB ENTRANCE – DAY @1:02:00
Axel follows Victor into the club. Cons his way to get inside the dining room. (Herpes simplex 10.)
INT. CLUB – DAY @1:04:10
In the main dining room, Axel threatens Victor, gets in a fist fight with Mikey’s killer, and is arrested again.
INT. BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:06:35
Axel finally tells Bogomil why he’s in town and tells them what he knows about the bonds, etc. Bogomil’s boss shows up and chews him out. Axel is told to leave the city limits immediately.
INT. ART GALLERY – DAY @1:11:20
Victor & Mikey’s killer show up and Victor talks to Jenny about Axel, “casually.” She lies and says she doesn’t know as much as she does.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:13:20
Rosewood has to drive Axel to city limits. Axel tries to convince him to take him to the gallery so he can go to the warehouse.
INT. ROSEWOOD’S CAR – DAY @1:13:45
Axel finally convinces Rosewood to take him.
INT. ART GALLERY – DAY @1:14:30
Jenny insists on coming to the warehouse with them, over Axel’s objections.
EXT/INT ROSEWOOD’S CAR – DAY @1:15:25
Axel insists that Rosewood stay in the car while he goes inside. Jenny insists on coming too.
EXT./INT. WAREHOUSE – DAY @1:16:10
Jenny and Axel go inside. (Jenny is along so Axel has someone to explain things to for the benefit of the audience.) They poke around and he finds drugs. Two guys come up and point guns at their heads.
EXT/INT ROSEWOOD’S CAR – DAY @1:17:40
Rosewood sits anxiously in his car, sees a car full of guys in dark suits including Victor Maitland go inside. He stays where he is, like Axel told him.
INT WAREHOUSE OFFICE – DAY @1:17:55
Victor and his entourage enter the office where Axel and Jenny are being held at gunpoint. He’s pissed.
EXT/INT ROSEWOOD’S CAR – DAY @1:19:30
Rosewood sits in his car, sees Jenny being put in the back of Victor’s car. He’s conflicted.
INT WAREHOUSE OFFICE – DAY @1:19:40
Axel is held at gunpoint and there’s no way out! Mikey’s killer taunts Axel by telling him he did it, then punches him. Victor leaves, with the understanding that Axel be killed.
EXT/INT ROSEWOOD’S CAR – DAY @1:20:55
Rosewood sits in his car, sees Victor leave but no Axel. He finally gets out of the car.
INT WAREHOUSE OFFICE – DAY @1:21:30
The guys continue to taunt and beat Axel.
INT WAREHOUSE – DAY @1:21:45
Rosewood enters the warehouse and draws his gun. Shoot out with the bad guys. Rosewood and Axel escape.
EXT. WAREHOUSE – CONTINUOUS @1:22:20
They get to Rosewood’s car and drive away quickly.
CROSSCUT WITH BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION
Taggart and Rosewood talk. Rosewood tells Taggart to check out the warehouse.
INT BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:23:00
Taggart tells the second set of cops to check out Victor Maitland’s house.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:23:30
Taggart arrives as Axel is breaking into Victor’s gated garden and tells him to stop. Axel and Rosewood break the rules and go in anyway, and Taggart begrudgingly follows.
INT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:25:05
Security guards see activity on the monitors.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:25:15
The three cops sneaking through the garden towards the house.
INT BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:25:25
Bogomil wonders where everyone is.
INT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:25:40
Victor watches what’s going on on the security camera monitors.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:26:00
The three cops sneaking through the garden towards the house.
INT BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:26:30
Bogomil asks to locate Taggart and Rosewood.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:26:35
Taggart & Rosewood try to get over the wall to the house (comically). Axel is getting closer to the house.
INT BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:27:10
Bogomil is pissed that Taggart and Rosewood aren’t answering and are parked at Maitland’s house.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:27:35
Taggart finally gets over the wall to the house. Shoot out ensues with all three but they’re fine.
INT BEVERLY HILLS POLICE STATION – DAY @1:29:30
Bogomil orders backup support for the cops to Maitland’s house.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:29:50
More shooting at Taggart and Rosewood.
INT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE, VACRIOUS – DAY @1:30:15
Axel finally makes it inside. Gets into a chasing, shooting match with Mikey’s killer.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:31:15
Taggart and Rosewood still being shot at.
INT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE, VARIOUS – DAY @1:31:55
Axel shoots Mikey’s killer dead. (Yay!) He’s then shot in the shoulder by Victor.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE, GATE – DAY @1:32:55
Cops arrive on the scene.
INT/EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:33:05
The security guys who had been watching the monitors GTFO.
EXT VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE, GATE – DAY @1:33:10
Cops drive thru gate, blocked by the van of the security guys trying to escape. All the cops (a lot of them) get out.
INT. VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE, VARIOUS – DAY @1:33:45
Final stand-off – Victor holds Jenny at gunpoint. Bogomil shows up and he and Axel shot at Victor multiple times. The dude is dead.
EXT. VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – DAY @1:34:30
Rosewood finally tells the remaining bad guys they are under arrest.
EXT. VICTOR MAITLAND’S HOUSE – LATER @1:34:50
Bogomil’s boss shows up and is pissed. Bogomil gives a bogus report to explain it all to get Axel (and everyone else) off the hook. Taggart backs up the fake report.
INT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @1:38:45
Axel checks out of the hotel. Taggart & Rosewood show up to make sure that Axel actually leaves town. They pay his hotel bill.
EXT. BEVERLY PALM HOTEL – NIGHT @1:40:25
Axel is about to leave. Taggart agrees that he & Rosewood can join Axel at a bar on the way out.
END @1:40:10
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Claudia’s Favorite Movie Outline: WITNESS
What I learned… I appreciated going scene by scene to distill the essence…I realize I didn’t actually WRITE the essence, but understood it in my head as I was writing what took place. ARGH.
Dramatic Question: Will Book be able to expose the dirty cops and keep Samuel safe?
Main Conflict: John Book has to keep his witness safe from dirty cops who murdered an undercover cop.
Dilemma: Will John stay with the Amish, which is a community of friendship and integrity, like his own or go back to his old life amongst the English.
Theme: Do the right thing no matter what the cost.
<b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>WITNESS OUTLINE
1) EXT. Wheat Field – Dawn
Wind Blowing through wheat – powerful image – an Amish family walking through the wheat, funeral procession.
2) EXT. PA Countryside – DAWN
The Amish is a community that comes together during tragedy (and everything else – an import point later)
3) EXT. PA Country Road – DAWN
A Funeral Procession of horse drawn carriages – showing their simple life, no cars.
4) INT. LAPP Home – DAY
Jammed together in a home the Elder giving a Eulogy. All come together. We see the family mourning (RACHEL, SAMUEL and ELI LAPP).
5) INT. LAPP HOME – DAY
Men and women are seated separately.
6) INT. LAPP HOME – DAY
The women happily serve the men food. It’s expected.
7) INT. LAPP HOME – DAY
MEN joke, make small talk as DANIEL makes his way through the crowd, comforts Eli and goes to find Rachel, to whom he is attracted. The women stop speaking to allow Daniel to offer his condolences.
8) EXT. LAPP FARM – DUSK
Wheat blowing through the field. The family is gathering bales of wheat and putting them on the wagon, life/work must go on.
9) EXT. PA COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
Eli is taking Rachel and Samuel to the train station, they have suitcases with them. A truck comes up behind them, followed by a long line of cars.
10) EXT. PA TOWN – DAY
The shocking difference between the life in the country and the horse drawn carriage and all the cars on a busy street with freeway signs.
11) EXT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Daniel has come in to say goodbye to Rachel and Samuel, he says to Samuel “So, first time to the big city, you’ll see so many things!” A foreshadowing of what actually happens. He gives Samuel a gift. Asks Rachel to come home soon – letting her know he likes her.
12) EXT. TRAIN – DAY
Rachel and Samuel go to board, she kisses her father-in-law and he says “You be careful among the English” another foreshadowing and showing the delineation of who they are as a people.
13) INT. TRAIN – DAY
Rachel and Samuel are looking out the window. Samuel is so excited, a new adventure awaits. They see Daniel showing off for them. It’s obvious he will be her next husband.
14) INT. TRAIN – DAY
Samuel is enchanted by all the things he’s never seen, like a hot air balloon.
15) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
A little GIRL sees Samuel and thinks he’s weird (funny clothing) her MOTHER tells her he’s a cute little Amish boy.
16) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Rachel finds out their train has been delayed. They must wait at the station.
We are 10 minutes in, this is the cause that leads us to the inciting incident.
17) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Rachel brings the bags to a bench so they can wait, Samuel explores. Excited to see a RABBI in the same Amish clothes, until he realizes, he’s a Rabbi, not Amish.
18) INT> TRAIN STATION – DAY
He’s overcome by the statue of Archangel Michael lifting up a soldier from the battlefield. Rachel finds him and pulls him back to the bench to wait.
19) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Samuel asks where the bathroom is…
20) INT. BATHROOM – DAY
Samuel goes the bathroom and witnesses the murder of a man, he narrowly escapes being caught by the murderer, DANNY GLOVER.
21) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Rachel and Samuel are surrounded by police. JOHN BOOK comes out of the bathroom (murder scene); asks for Schaffer (his boss) to be called; asks who is the witness… Samuel
22) INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Book questions Samuel, who he calls Sam (becoming friendly/familiar). We learn the murdered man was an undercover cop. They connect over Book being a “big guy.” Not a runt, which offends Book’s partner, CARTER, who’s the runt.
23) INT. CAR – NIGHT
Rachel and Samuel are in the back seat. Rachel says they can’t be held this way, they want nothing of their laws. Book and Carter are looking for a suspect they want Samuel to see.
24) INT. HAPPY VALLEY BAR – NIGHT
Book and carter enter, everyone knows them and is quiet. They grab T-BONE and drag him out of the bar.
25) EXT STREET – NIGHT
Book throws T-Bone down on the car and asks Samuel if he’s the guy. Samuel shakes his head. Rachel jumps out and says they want nothing more of this. T-Bone is angry, Book says it’s an “honest mistake”… the man laughs it off and says “it’s cool”… today that would be considered police brutality and the guy would sue. Carter asks what they are going to do with them? Book has an idea.
26) INT. SISTER’S HOME – NIGHT
Book brings Rachel and Eli to his sister’s (ELAINE)home. We learn Book is a man of principles when he disagrees with his sister having a man sleeping over, especially with her kids in the house.
27) INT. ELAINE’S HOME – NIGHT
Elaine says to Rachel, “John says you’re Amish.” Rachel happily says YES! Elaine only replies “oh”… showing disdain for their religion. Samuel wants to leave.
28) INT: POLICE STATION – MORNING
Book is leading Rachel and Samuel. Rachel states Book is happy they are there because he has a witness. Book agrees. But Rachel doesn’t want her son around a man who carries a gun (against their religion) and goes around “whacking people”… later that gun will save them.
29) INT. POLICE STATION – MORNING
Police line-up, Samuel says none of them are the killer.
30) INT. DINER – DAY
They are getting lunch. Rachel (via a conv with sister) reveals Book’s character, afraid of responsibility to have his own family and thinks highly of himself as a cop – when he’s drunk. He also father’s her children.
31) INT. POLICE STATION – DAY
Samuel IDs MCFEE as the killer. Book understands. All done with no dialogue, this is the first TP.
32) INT. SCHAEFFER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Book tells Schaeffer it’s McFee. He outlines the drug heist that would have netted 22 million, which has gone missing. Schaeffer asks who else knows about it, he says “just you and me”, he asks where the boy is, that they need to be moved.
33) INT. PARKING GARAGE – NIGHT
Book is walking with his dry cleaning to the elevator and gets into a gun fight with McFee. McFee runs. Book realizes he’s been shot.
34) INT. ELAINE’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Elaine wakes up Rachel, says they must leave. John tells Elaine that she has to pretend she doesn’t know anything. He leaves his car in her garage and takes her car.
35) INT. CAR – NIGHT
Book admits that he was wrong, Rachel and Samuel are not safe in Philly.
36) EXT. PHONEBOOTH – NIGHT
Book calls Carter and asks him to steal all the paperwork on the case, to protect Rachel and Samuel. He tells him Schaeffer is involved and to watch his back. He’s disappearing for a few days.
37) INT. POLICE STATION – NIGHT
Carter pulls the paperwork on the case. He’s torn as he’s breaking the law, but trusts Book. (this couldn’t happen today with everything being digital.
38) EXT. ELAINE’S HOUSE – DAY
Schaeffer, McFee and FERGIE break into Elaine’s garage and find Book’s car. McFee breaks into the car and smirks saying “I told you I hit him.”
39) EXT. ELAINE’S HOUSE – DAY
Schaeffer questions Elaine. When she hears he says John’s in trouble, an illegal activity, she knows he’s lying and says so. John is an honorable man.
40) INT. CAR – DAY
Schaeffer tells his cohorts that Elaine doesn’t know where they went. Mcfee reveals that Carter is buttoned down tight – not talking.
41) EXT. CAR – DAY
Book gets Rachel and Samuel home. Rachel has begun to really like Book, she says he should rest, she’ll make coffee. He can’t stay. Then asks if he’ll be coming back for Samuel for the trial and Book says “There isn’t going to be a trial.” Rachel knows something is very wrong.
42) EXT. LAPP FARM – DAY
Book has an accident, he’s lost too much blood. Rachel calls him John, says he must get to a hospital. Book says it’s too dangerous, if they find him then they find the boy. Rachel understands.
43) EXT. LAPP FARM – DAY
Eli races a horse drawn wagon to get Book. Comedic undertone, “is the English dead?” Rachel, No… Eli: “Looks dead”
44) INT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
An elder sees Book’s injury, says there’s nothing he could do, he needs a doctor. Rachel explains to him and Eli that if he dies the men that did this to him will come for Samuel. This changes everything, the man agrees to help.
The man says to Eli he’ll have to speak with the elders, what’s happening is going against their ways.
45) INT. LAPP BARN – DAY
Eli and Rachel use the horse to hide Elaine’s car in the barn.
46) INT. BEDROOM – DAY/NIGHT
Rachel takes care of John, holding hands, putting the poultice on him, wiping his brow… she’s become emotionally attached.
47) INT. BEDROOM – MORNING
John’s awake, fever broken, to find Rachel sleeping in the chair near him. He’s having feelings for her.
48) INT. POLICE STATION – DAY
Schaeffer, McFee and Fergie learn from a phone call with a local sheriff station that there’s no way to track down the Lapp family and they have no phones.
49) INT. BEDROOM – DAY
The Leadership has come to see Book. They leave and Rachel says that they are all very happy he lived, they didn’t know what they would do with him if he died. Comedic undertones. Also, Stoltz’ tea stinks.
50) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Leadership says it’s not their business how Book came to their community.
51) INT. BEDROOM – DAY
Samuel finds Book’s gun. Book yells at him, then takes out the bullets an says it’s okay to look at it. Rachel sees Samuel holding the gun and insists that Book follow their ways in their house. John immediately agrees and gives her the gun to hide.
52) INT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Eli tells Samuel that only God should take a human life. Guns are unclean, should never be touched. When he asks Samuel if he would kill a man, Samuel responds he would only kill a bad man. He’s seen what they do. Eli says “what you take into your hands, you take into your heart” and quotes scripture – to come out from amongst them and be separate. It explains the Amish beliefs about war and much more.
53) INT. BEDROOM – DAY
Rachel is changing the bedsheets as Book reads a magazine on manure. She brings him her dead husband’s clothes, so he won’t stand out amongst strangers (but she’s secretly wanting him to join them). The buttons/hooks and eyes conv. Are you making fun of me, he says no, but she talks about the tourists coming right into their yards and staring at them. He asks for a public phone and tells him he won’t be going for a while – she’s trying to keep him there, control the situation. Book says he’s going that morning. She’s disappointed.
54) INT. KITCHEN – DAY
Eli and Samuel are outside waiting for Book. He comes in wearing Jacob’s clothes, Jacob was obviously shorter than Book. Rachel is laughing at him. He needs his gun – and the bullets. When he asks if he looks Amish she nods and says he looks plain.
55) EXT. TOWN – DAY
Eli brings Book into town. He calls Carter who tells him not to come in, he’s too hot. Book knows has to stay a little longer. Carter will make calls. Eli makes a mistake, tells other Amish members that Book is English.
56) INT. LAPP KITCHEN – DAY
Book whistles as he puts the gun in the kitchen cabinet and then gives the bullets to Rachel, he takes her hand, and says “Don’t put them in the peaches” – which she’s canning. She snickers. You get a sense she’s not gotten to laugh a lot in life.
57) EXT. LAPP FARM – DAY – MIDPOINT
Things have changed. Book is feeling well enough that Samuel shows him around the farm. The well.
58) INT. SILO – DAY
Samuel shows Book the silo, how it echoes. Book asks what’s up there, he says corn. This will be important later in the movie.
59) INT. BARN – DAY
Eli pops his head through a false bottom in the floor, asking what Book is doing. He’s trying to get the car battery going. He asks if Book can work for him (Eli lost help when Jacob died). He said he can milk cows, John says he’s seen pictures. Eli snickers, “you start tomorrow.” The false bottom in the barn will be utilized later.
60) INT. BEDROOM – MORNING
Eli wakes Book up at 4:30 AM for milking.
61) INT. BARN – DAWN
Eli shows Book how to milk. Eli says, you never had your hand on a teat before? Book says, “not one this big”… this makes Eli laugh. Bonding.
62) EXT. FARM HOUSE – DAWN
Rachel smiles at the bonding happening. She rings the bell for breakfast. The bell will be important later.
63) INT. LAPP DINING ROOM – MORNING
They pray and start to eat. Book’s not used to eating so early, so much food. He makes the coffee joke – “that’s great coffee.”
64) EXT. LAPP FORM – DAY
Daniel introduces himself to Book. He’s sizing Book up. He tells him he’s come to see Rachel. But while sitting with Rachel on the swing he can tell there’s something between Rachel and Book and he doesn’t like it… she’s supposed to be his. Book sees them on the swing and walks away.
65) INT. LAPP BARN – DAY
Rachel brings lemonade to Book who is using Eli’s tools to fix the birdhouse. He drinks the lemonade in one gulp, she’s having “feelings”… as is he as he asks what happened to Daniel. She said he’s gone home, that’s he’s only a friend of the family (like a son to Eli)…. Telling Book, “I’m not interested in him” Book is glad Daniel is gone, his own feelings showing.
66) INT. BARN – NIGHT
Book is working on the car, he’s gotten the radio going. Rachel says Book can come to the barn raising…. Book says “if I’m still here.” Always looming that he has to leave. They start dancing to What a Wonderful World, he enchants her and she him. There are several moments where the tension is so thick and they want to kiss. Then Eli overhears them and comes running, shaming Rachel.
67) EXT. LAPP FARM – NIGHT
Eli tells her that there’s talk of people going to the Bishop, that they could shun her. He asks if she understands what this means. She says she will be the judge of it, as she’s done nothing wrong. He says NO, THEY WILL BE THE JUDGE, AND SO WILL I, IF YOU SHAME ME. She says You shame yourself. Eli asked a question, it sounded like “is this the old you?” If so, it shows Rachel has a past.
68) EXT AMISH FARM – DAY
The Lapp’s have come with lumber and manpower to help raise a barn. Daniel sees that Book is riding alongside Rachel, he’s stunned. He asks about Books injury, he says, “it’s better now” Book says it’s getting there and Daniel literally says, “good, then you can go home then.” Rachel is proud of him and says “good luck.”
69) EXT AMISH FARM – DAY
The men raise the barn, the women and children give them lemonade. The men are impressed with Book. Rachel is proud of him.
70) EXT. AMISH FARM – DAY
Prayer before lunch. Rachel intentionally fills Book’s glass first, she looks to make sure that everyone can see this, she’s chosen him. She stares at Eli and Stoltz so they know she’s openly defying him. Daniel is pissed!
71) EXT. AMISH FARM – AFTERNOON
The barn raising continues. The women at this point are quilting together. Her friend says that all the women have an idea about her and the English man… Rachel says, “all of them charitable, I’m sure”… “hardly any of them” rumors, what will Rachel do?
72) EXT. FARM – EVENING
The barn is finished. Book is congratulated by others. Rachel introduces Book to the young married couple the barn was built for. He watches, impressed, as the men leave, singing. He longs for the true camaraderie.
73) EXT. LAPP FARM – NIGHT
Book is on the swing, watching Rachel inside. He wants her but is so torn.
74) INT. LAPP HOME – NIGHT
Rachel is bathing. She suddenly senses Book is watching. She left the door open for him. She turns around so he can see her breasts. He bows his head, knowing it’s wrong. She turns back, hurt.
75) INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
John is sitting on the bed, trying to decide what to do. He looks out the window, knowing he must leave.
76) EXT. CHICKEN COOP – DAY
John finds Rachel collecting eggs. He speaks the painful truth, “if we had made love last night I’d have to stay, or you’d have to leave.” Rachel realizes he didn’t reject her, far from it, he’s a man of honor.
77) EXT. TOWN – DAY
Tourists push buttons trying to get pictures. Book calls Carter and finds out that his partner is dead.
78) INT. SCHAEFFER’S HOUSE – DAY SECOND TP
Book calls Schaeffer, tells him he’s coming for him. Talks about what Paul used to call dirty cops.
79) EXT. TOWN – DAY
Eli knows something’s wrong with Book. They are stopped by jerks harassing Daniel and his family. Eli tells him “it’s not our way” Book says, “but it’s my way.” He beats the kid. The old man tells the sheriff, it’s about to unravel. Book made a fatal mistake.
80) INT. LAPP HOME – EVENING
Samuel is playing with a wooden toy that Book made for him, a special present. She smiles until she realizes… and sees him and Eli putting the birdhouse back up. Something he promised to do before he left. He’s leaving!
81) INT. LAPP HOUSE – EVENING
Eli comes in and confirms that Book is leaving. Rachel implores, WHY, there’s nothing for him out there. Eli says “he’s going back to his world, where he belongs, he knows it and you know it, too.” Rachel picks Book, she takes off her bonnet and gently places it on the table.
82) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – NIGHT
Rachel goes to John, they embrace and kiss.
83) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAWN
Schaeffer, McFee and Fergie have arrived. They back the car out of sight and arm themselves and slowly walk towards the farm house.
84) INT. LAPP HOUSE – DAWN
They break into the Lapp house, kicking down the door. They lie to Rachel saying they won’t hurt her or Samuel, just Book.
85) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAWN
Eli sees McFee with a gun and yells to warn Book. McFee strikes him down to the ground. Book is in the barn, he pulls Samuel in and closes the entrances to the barn. He tells Samuel to run to the next farm to be safe. Samuel is upset that Book doesn’t have his gun.
86) INT. BARN – DAY
Book tried to start the car. Fergie comes running, seeing Book behind the buggy he starts shooting.
87) EXT. LAPP FARM – DAY
Samuel, hearing the gun shuts stops running, trying to decide what to do.
88) INT. BARN – DAY
Book scrambles through the false floor and finds himself amongst the cows. He uses the cows as cover. He climbs up the silo ladder and hides, waiting. Fergie goes into the silo and Book pulls the release… sending tons of corn down on Fergie. McFee tries to save Fergie but it’s too late.
89) EXT. BARN – DAY
Schaeffer is calling for McFee and Fergie. McFee says he can’t figure it out, that Schaeffer needs to come over there.
90) INT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Eli is holding Rachel, I think they are praying. He sees Samuel and he covers achel’s mouth so she won’t scream. Schaeffer is ordering them out of the house. Eli motions to Samuel to ring the bell for help.
91) INT. BARN – DAY
John goes into the silo to get Fergie’s rifle. McFee thinks he hears him and slowly steps forward… his face shows fear. But then he charges to kill Book and Book comes from around the corner and shoots McFee, who smears his blood against the white wall. He’s dead.
92) INT. BARN – DAY
As Schaeffer has a gun on Eli and Rachel, we hear Samuel ringing the bell. He yells at Eli to stop Samuel or he will kill Rachel and he grabs her and holds the gun to her head, pushing her forward. A screaming match ensues as Schaeffer starts to lose it. Book puts the rifle down, praying Schaeffer won’t shoot Rachel.
93) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Eli reaches Samuel and picks him up. We see Amish friends come running to help.
94) EXT. BARN – DAY
Schaeffer pushes Book out the door and into the waiting crowd of Amish men. Book confronts him, will he shoot everyone there? Schaeffer realizes he can’t kill them all and allows Book to take the gun away. He drops to his knees, a beaten, old man.
95) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
A police car drives down the road, joining at least 6 other patrol cars. Book is surrounded by officers and telling them what happened. Rachel and Samuel are watching out the window.
96) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Book is sitting with Samuel in the tall grass, saying goodbye.
97) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Neither Rachel nor Book can say goodbye. The looks say everything, they love each other but can’t fit in each other’s world.
98) EXT. LAPP HOUSE – DAY
Eli is pained to see him leave, but knows it’s best. He says “You be careful out there among those English” showing Book is now considered one of them. As John drives off, Daniel comes walking down the road… he gives a little flick of his hat, happy to see Book leave. Rachel is now his and their world will go back to normal.
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[PS80] DAY 6 BOB SMITH’s FAVORITE MOVIE OUTLINE
“What I learned doing this assignment is …? It was great to learn the feel of a great motion picture as it unfolds, this was especially important to me because of my project “’Moths Around a Flame:’ The Making of “The Blue Angel.” “RKO 281” is a good outline to keep in mind in n creating my own outline.
The film I am writing is about the making of the classic film, “The Blue Angel.” So, my film chosen here is also an historical drama, “RKO 281” about the making of “Citizen Kane” and the trials of Orson Welles as he pursued the project.
THE NECESSARY QUESTIONS:
DRAMATIC QUESTION:
For Welles: It is based on controversial journalist William Randolph Hearst who immediately tries to destroy the film at any cost. Welles dramatic question: Can I get this movie done and on the screen.
MAIN CONFLICT:
William Randolph Hearst and Orson Welles.
DILEMMA:
For Welles, it’s either get Hearst and the Hollywood Brass off his back easily by surrendering his film (“Citizen Kane”) for a price, or risk a wider battle by releasing it, which is what he wants to do. Welles knows that “Kane” will be his magnum opus and his defining work.
THEME:
Persistence inspite of fear .of others. Set in Hearst Birthday scene: Welles explains how the bullfighter Manolete said to him “The only enemy of a bullfighter is not the bull, he is the adversary but not the enemy. The real enemy is the matador’s own fear.”
In the Hearst Castle Birthday scene, Hearst reply to that was to tell Welles, “In Hollywood, both the bull and the matador are destroyed.”
OUTLINE OF “RKO 281” by John Logan. It is a fictionalized Historical Drama based on the documentary, “The Battle over Citizen Kane.” As I am writing a story of the making of “The Blue Angel,” RKO 281 is the story that is closest to it genre, i.e., a movie about the making of a classic movie.
OUTLINE
MAIN TITLES.
During the titles:
INT. WELLES’ CHILDHOOD HOME – NIGHT.
It is Welles’ Birthday party. His mother tells young Orson to make a wish and blow out the candles but don’t say the wish and it will come true. Essence: Welles is prone toward magical thinking.
NEWSREEL OF WELLES, THE BOY GENIUS COMING TO HOLLYWOOD. Main Titles continue.
INT. MGM STUDIO SCREENING ROOM – D/N
Louis B. Mayer is watching the newsreel with some ‘yes-men.’ Someone says, “Who the hell does this cocksucker think he is?!”
ESSENCE: Hollywood harbors suspicion about Orson Welles.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, PRIVATE GUEST ROOM – NIGHT
Room shared by Orson Welles and his screenwriter friend, the heavy drinking Herman “Mank” Mankiewicz – who actually is not Hollywood Royalty, he has not writtena screenplay in years and he is burned out by Hollywood. He is at the party primarily through his friendship with Hearsts’ mistress, Marion Davies.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, BALLROOM – NIGHT
A lavish birthday dinner and dance for William Randolph Hearst, newspaper magnate. Hollywood Royalty is present. Welles and Mank sit across from Hearst and Davies and Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. Welles insults Hearst who criticizes bullfighting as cruel, to which Welles retorts that in Spain at least they give animals a fighting chance; unlike with putting them in cages.” A reference to Hearst’s onsite Zoo.
Hearst
Essence, Welles and Hearst square off.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, ROOM OF ORSON WELLES AND MANK – NIGHT
Mank scolds Welles for insulting Hearst. Welles justifies his action because Hearst is hypocritical. Welles is evincing fascination with Hearst.
INT. HEARST LIBRARY – NIGHT.
Mank shows Welles the glass cases filled with newspapers from across the country demonstrating Hearst’s power.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, PRIVATE CHAMBER – NIGHT
Marion Davies has a confessional type relationship with her friend Carole Lombard who is a very discerning person. As in next scene.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, BALLROOM DANCE FLOOR – NIGHT
Mank dances with Marion, Carole with Welles. She says, “I think you are scared of being found out.” Welles is taken aback: She explains, “You’re scared of somebody finding out that you’re really not a genius.”
INT. HEARST CASTLE, ART ROOM – NIGHT
Welles sees Hearst’s art collection objects he had to possess. Another dimension of Hearst’s power.
Welles also sees from a balcony.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, DANCE FLOOR – NIGHT
From Welles point of view we see Hearst dancing with Marion, who is yet another of Hearst’s possessions.
EXT. HEARST CASTLE, THE ZOO –NIGHT.
The animals are not visible but their sounds are audible
INT. HEARST CASTLE, MANK and WELLES’ ROOM – NIGHT
Welles contemplates lying on the bed. We soon find out.
INT. MANK’S HOUSE – DAY
Welles states he will make a film about Hearst.
Mank warns him that it is suicidal because of the power Hearst wields. Then, shares with Welles that he had been taking notes for a novel based on Hearst and has extensive notes about him.’
Welles finds that Hearst had a pet name for Marion’s clitoris, Rosebud.
Mank: That can’t be in any movie, Orson.”
Welles: We’ll find a way.
Welles indicates that this is a gold mine. Why didn’t you write the novel?
Mank: Because I wanted to live.
Mank says, “All that you are reading is nothing compared to the real gold.
Mank tells the story (or rumor) that Hearst shot producer, Thomas Ince thinking he was Charlie Chaplin whom he suspected of having an affair with Marion Davies. Immediately, the Hearst Empire went into high gear. Ince was instantly cremated, Louella Parsons made sure the story never spread and received a lucrative permanent contract with Hearst as a result. Everything was hush-hush.
Mank asks, “Now you see the power he wields. You still want to do a movie about him?
Welles: More than ever.
Essence: Welles is taking on a man who wields dangerous power.
EXT. MANK’S HOUSE, GARDEN – DAY
Welles asks Mank to write the script. Mank refuses, he’s given up on Hollywood.
Welles professes that he cares for Mank and want to see him writing again.
Mank: “You don’t care about me. The only one you care about is yourself.”
INT. HEARST CASTLE, FIREPLACE ROOM – DAY
Marion Davies puts together a jigsaw puzzle on the floor in front of the fireplace – a scene to be captured in “Kane.”
Hearst has bad news that his wife, Millicent Wilson Hearst, will not grant him a divorce so that he can marry Marion.
Her refusal of a divorce is the central frustration of Marion and Hearst’s life together.
EXT. SANDY MOONLIT HILLSIDE – NIGHT
Welles and Mank muse about Marion Davis and how she is yet another possession of Hearst like the animals in his zoo.
Welles: How can that be love?
Mank says, “Well, it’s love on his own terms.”
Welles: Love on his own terms. Those are the only terms a anyone knows.
Mank: That’s the tragedy.
INT. RKO EXECUTIVE OFFICE – DAY
Studio Chief, George Schaeffer wants Mank to finish the script in 3 weeks.
INT. MANKS HOUSE, DINING ROOM.
Mank says he is in.
INT. SHAEFFER’S OFFICE – DAY
Greenlights Welles’ still-untitled film although he doubts that Mank can write, his reputation is that of an unproductive drunk.
EXT. MANK’S HOUSE, GARDEN – DAY
Mank dictates to a secretary the dialogue that includes love on one’s own terms. A telegram arrives from Welles. Houseman reads it to Mank. It tells Mank to get writing, he has three weeks and stop drinking.
INT. RKO SOUND STAGE – DAY.
Oscar winning cameraman and cinematorgrapher arrives on set with his Oscar.
INT. RESTAURANT – DAY
Welles lunches with Heda Hopper who wants the first scoop on “Kane” everyone believes it’s about Hearst although Welles says it isn’t.
INT. RESTAURANT – DAY
Welles lunches with Louella Parsons (on Hearst’s payroll) he assures her “Kane” is not about Hearst.
INT. MANK’S HOUSE – DAY
John Houseman, Welles, and Mank review the script and struggle with a name. Welles wants to call it “The American” or maybe “Citizen Craig.” BUT Kane sounds better/
INT. SCHAEFFER’S OFFICE – DAY.
Schaeffer names the movie “Citizen Kane.” But informs Welles, the studio would rather have you write and make a movie of Welles’ “War of the World.’ Welles talks Schaeffer into doing “Citizen Kane.” Welles’ own person and destiny is wrapped up in it. Studio brass are concerned about a film about Hearst.
INT. RKO SCREENING ROOM – D/N
Welles reviews western footage.
INT. OFFICE – D/N
Welles reviews story boarding
INT. WELLES HOME, FRONT DOOR – NIGHT
An angry and drunk Mank is angry that his name has been taken off screenplay by line and replaced with “Screenplay b Orson Welles.” Welles claims it’s a typo. Mank claims the script is his. Welles says he has ownership of script and will do whatever he wants with it. Welles asserts his power and ownership. Welles disowns Mank.
INT. RKO SOUNDSTAGE – DAY.
On the set of “Kane.” Welles pleads for patience and support on him as a first time director. Tolland says, “Where do you want the camera?” Which is supportive of Welles.
INT. SOUNDSTAGE.
Filming of Susan Alexander (Kane’s fictitious wife) working on the rug with a jigsaw puzzle, like Marion Davies in real life (a detail only Mank could know). The camera is on a cable on which it zooms in toward Alexander. Camera crashes, Alexander is shaken and so is Greg Tolland.
INT. RKO STUDIO HALLWAY
A messenger runs to Mr. Schaeffer’s exec suite.
INT. EXEC SUITE.
Runner tells Schaeffer that a camera crashed but “Kane” is under budget and moving ahead of schedule. As if that’s a bad thing.
INT WELLES HOUSE, LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
Welles persuades Mank to return to the film even shows that his name has been returned to the byline.
Screenplay by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles.
Mank is onboard again which Welles very much wanted to advance the project.
Welles tells the Mank the Drinker that his father was a drunk but he showed me the world. We see more of Welles character and the empathy he draws from Mank.
INT. THE SET, END OF KELECTION NIGHT – DAY
The camera needs to be lower for this face off between Leland (Joseph Cotton) and Kane (Welles).
Welles takes an axe and chops up the floor boards, a hole is dug to place the camera lower so it can fully capture (from this creative angle) this face off of old friends, of Leland disillusioned with Kane whom he had one day idolized. Important line of Leland:
Leland: “You don’t care about anybody. You only care about yourself. You want the people to love you back but love on your own terms
Kane: Those are the only terms anybody knows.
These are important lines from Mank and Welles’ conversations and they are now in the script.
Is Welles himself a type of Hearst or Kane?
Toland tells Welles “It’s a wrap.”
EXT. SOUND STAGE DOOR AND AVENUE – DAY.
In celebration, Welles picks a costumed girl and dances with her through the avenues between sound stages.
INT. OUTSIDE SCREENING ROOM – DAY
Schaeffer called the press to see the rough cut of the film. The film ends, the press pours out of the screening room. Hedda Hopper walks up to Welles and slaps him.
INT. SCREENING ROOM – DAY
Louella Parsons gets a private screening and she is left shocked and angry.
INT. HEARST CASTLE – DAY
Louella delivers the upsetting report about the film. “It’s all about Rosebud.”
Hearst reacts: They did not spare the most intimate secrets of our life.
Hearst castigates Parsons for not finding out more earlier and reporting it. Parsons tells Hearst that she did ask Welles if the film is about Hearst and he promised her it was not.
Hearst and Parsons are now out for blood.
INT. M-G-M, OFFICE OF LOUIS B. MAYER – DAY
Hearst drops by and tells Mayer that the film must be prevented from being released. If that can’t be done. In a thinly veiled anti-Semitic thread, Hearst is willing to lash against all the Jewish Executives.
INT. SCHAEFFER’S OFFICE – DAY.
Parsons now attacks Schaeffer to not release the film. Schaeffer says he wants to talk to Hearst. Parsons says, You are talking to Hearst, in her person Hearst is represented..
INT. HEARST CASTLE – DAY
Hearst reveals to Marion Davies that they are 125 million dollars in debt. Hearst estate is evaporating just like Kane’s at the end of the film.
INT. MUSIC STUDIO – DAY
Bernard Hermann is conducting the score for “Citizen Kane.”
Mank reports that in a Hearst paper and editorial appeared asking, Why can’t Hollywood be run by “real Americans.” Mank interprets that as code for Jews and maybe they should not release the film because Hearst is strong enough to do something against us Jews.
Hearst is mustering all forces to stop “Citizen Kane” and using others to do the dirty work.
INT. L. B. MAYER’S OFFICE – DAY.
Present: All studio heads except Schaeffer Plan to buy original negative and all prints of “Kane” to prevent its release.
INT. SCHAEFFER’S OFFICE –DAY
Schaeffer tells Welles, take the money and surrender the film. Welles refuses telling Schaeffer he is soul-less. Schaeffer says Welles is soul-less because he has no regard for how his film is affecting people and the life of the studio.
INT. HEARST CASTLE –DAY
Hearst tells Marion Davies that they are broke.
A drunk Davies tells Hearst that he didn’t have to spend all his money on art works.
Hearst. I wanted them
Davies: There is a difference between ‘want’ and ‘need.’
Hearst: Not to me.
Hearst castigates Davies for being crude,
Davies insultingly addresses Hearst as “Kane.”
Hearst: Just remember this: I could have beeena great man but I wasn’t.
INT. HEARST CASTLE – DAY
Carol Lombard and Marion Davies commiserate. She too wanted to be a star but never got there.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, A LIVING ROOM – NIGHT.
Hearst got a print of “Kane.” Shuts it off before it ends.
Hearst in a way is at his end while still alive although in the film, Kane is dead.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, A CHAMBER – DAY
Like Susan Alexander in “Kane” Marion Davies is packing a bag to leave. However.
INT. JEWELRY STORE – DAY.
She is selling her jewelry. Worth over 800K.
INT. HEARST CASTLE, CHAMBER – NIGHT
Davies reveals that she has sold her jewels.
INT. OFFICE OF L B MAYER – DAY
Blackmail file arrives from Louella. Sex scandals etc. With photos of Hollywood people in
Compromising circumstances. Mayer feels he must act now to stop “Kane.”
INT. BAR – NIGHT
Mank, Toland, and Welles are out to dinner and drinks. Schaeffer says he needs the film it must
not see the light of day. Welles makes a scene overturning a table. “Take everything, George.” Then apologizes for his reaction. Welles asks to go to New York with George to convince the stock holders that “Kane” must be released.
INT. HOTEL ROOM OF ORSON WELLES – DAY.
A newspaper with headline about Hitler invading Czechoslovakia. Welles muses on the times
and his speech to the stockholders. He shuffles cards calling for the Ace of Spades, but it doesn’t
come up. His magical thinking that he learned as a child.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, STOCKHOLDERS MEETING – DAY
Welles cautions that the film “Kane” is important. It sends a message about powerhungry. A message that is needed in the current time with a powerhungry Nazi on the march.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY
Schaeffer emerges and says, your film will be released on May 1<sup>st</sup>. You persuaded them with your speech, but did you mean it?
Welles answers, “Does it matter?”
Schaeffer says, “Yes!”
Welles says he meant it.
INT. HEARST CASTLE – CHAMBER – DAY.
Davies tells Hearst to unload the art, once and for all, just “Let go.”
Hearst’s vast wealth evaporates before him as does Kane’s at the end of the film.
INT. HEARST CASTLE – DAY
Hearst walks the halls that are now bare of all art and furnishings jjust like Kane’s palace of Xanadu in “Kane.”
INT. NEW YORK HOTEL OR OFFICE BUILDING – DAY
Welles and Hearst step onto the same elevator.
Welles offers tickets to Hearst to attend the premiere of “Citizen Kane” Hearst declines. He asks Welles to sum up his movie in a sentences. Welles is planning a life of Christ movie and quotes, What profit is there if a man gains the whole world but loses his own soul.” Hearst says his battles are now over but Welles’ battles have just begun.
As Hearst exits the elevator, Welles shouts to him, “Kane would have taken the tickets!”
INT. LOBBY OF A PALATIAL MOVIE THEATRE – NIGHT
It is the premiere of “Citizen Kane.” Mank jokes to passersby in the lobby, “Rosebud is the sled.”
Schaeffer shows up and tells Mank and Welles that RKO fired him.
INT. BAR NIGHT.
Welles and Mank having a drink. “We did it!’ Welles talks of future projects. Then, wonders if he might burn out.
Mank: All stars burn out, the important thing is the flame.
They toast: “To the flame.’
INT, PALATIAL MOVIE THEATRE – NIGHT.
The curtain is pulled back to reveal the opening titles of “Citizen Kane.”
END TITLES OF “RKO 281”
That Welles went on to other projects; “The Magnificent Ambersons,” “Touch of Evil.”
“Citizen Kane” opened to critical acclaim but Box Office indifference.
‘Citizen Kane is considered by many to be the greatest motion picture ever made.’
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This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Robert Smith.
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This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by
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Michelle Damis Favorite Movie Outline – Game Night
What I learned doing this assignment is that I observed a good example of setting up conflicts and then seeing them pay off later. This film while it seems very fast paced and intricate is really very simple. Also that the first scene and last scene were opposite each other, and the big conflicts popped up where they should.
Dramatic Question: Will Max and Annie have a baby.
Main Conflict: Maxs brother always beating him, sibling rivalry. Is he the cause of Max low sperm count/stress?
Dilemma: Do they save Brooks and risk their lives and their friends lives.
Theme: Life isn’t over if you have a baby and/or the grass isn’t greener.
1. INT. Bar – Night
Annie and Max meet-instant love-all about competition and fun.
2. INT. Living Room – Night
Marry Me Scene
3. INT. Wedding – Night
They are all about Fun and Games – starting life together
4. INT. Dr. Office – Day
Trouble Conceiving, Sibling Rivalry-Max always lost to his brother (Setting up conflict)
5. EXT. Front Yard – Day
Annie and Max avoiding awkward neighbor, lie about game night. (Setting up conflict)
6. INT. Kitchen –Night
Meet all the friends, set up history (Setting up sub plot-Fight Club)
7. EXT Front Yard –Night
Meet Brooks-Maxs brother. Establish car(prize) More awkward neighbor.
8. INT. Kitchen/Living – Night
Brother rubs in lesser than/embarrassing. Max can’t perform in front of his brother. Set up importance of Car.
9. INT. Kitchen – Night
After guests leave..”I’ve never won a single game”MAX. “He’s killing your sperm” Annie
10. EXT/ Yard – Day
More awkward neighbor
11. INT. Brooks House – Night
New character intro. Brooks sets up FANCY Game Night. All couples conflicts set up. GAME begins- real situation everyone thinks is fake. (BIGGEST scene 20mins in)
12. INT. Bar – Night
Max and Annie catch up with kidnappers
13. INT. Game company – Night
2<sup>nd</sup> couple finds out its REAL…
14. INT. Brooks home – Night
3<sup>rd</sup> couple finds out REAL
15. INT. Bar – Night
Max and Annie discover it is REAL, not game. Find out Brooks is a fraud and in danger. Max shot. They escape with Brooks.
16. INT. Car – Night
Car chase, More confession from Brooks, Brooks sacrifices himself, jumps from car.
17. INT. Grocery store – Night
Everyone now knows its real- not a game. (STAKES ar up!)
18. EXT. Grocery Store – Night
Annie trying to bandage Max. Trying to stay positive-they are a good team. (This scene really makes you root for them)
19. INT. Kitchen – Night
Group gathers and makes plan, ties in awkward neighbor.
20. INT. Neighbors House – Night
Executing Pan. Max breaks into computer to get info. Bloody Dog. LOTS of tension built.
21. INT. Car – Night
Driving to mansion, discussing plan, Max tries to sacrifice, all in it together.
22. INT Mansion – Night
(Payoff from set-up) Fight club is REAL. Looking for EGG, Lots of suspense
23. INT. Flashback
(Payoff from celebrity boyfriend issue) She confesses.
24. INT. Mansion – Night (BIG Moment 1 hr 7min)
Annie and Max…digging into baby issues. Truth coming out. Fears. “Leaderboard of life”. You want to BE Brooks.
25. INT. Mansion – Night
Couple 2 finds egg. Chase ensues all over mansion with all characters over the egg.
26. EXT. CarChase – Night
Egg Breaks, “now they will kill my brother”, Egg Fake, really witness protection list
27. EXT. Bride – Night
Buildup Confrontation- Saving Brother, Brooks confesses to “Always cheating to beat Max, Cheating at game of Life”. Brooks is jealous of Max. Gary(awkward neighbor shows up)”SAVES” them, gets shot, ALL fake. Gary set up the “GAME” to get back at the friends and be invited back to game night. BIG TWIST…REAl/REAL Bad Guys show up. (this was a double twist) now all is really lost….
28. EXT. Car – Night
Max and Annie chase plane, wrecks his dream car to save his brother.
29. EXT – Airstrip – Night
Annie knocks out bad guy, Max climbs into plane, Annie Kills bad guy
30. INT – Plane – Night
Max gets on plane, fights with bad guy to save brother, Annie saves the day… Max-“You’re Amazing” “I WANT to have a Baby”….”That’s FRUIT”…Resolution.
31. INT Brooks new modest apt. – Night
Playing Charades, Annie tells Max…”Bun in the Oven”,
END –Happily Ever After.
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What I’ve learned doing this assignment is that even though North by North West is an outdated movie, it forms a good structure for a thriller/action movie.
EXT. ADVERTISING AGENCY. DAY
Introduction Main Character Roger Thornhill. Successful advertising man.
INT. LOBBY HOTEL. DAY
Thornhill abducted. They think he is Kaplan.
INT. CAR – DAY
Tries to convince them he is not Kaplan.
INT. TOWNSEN HOME – NIGHT
He meets Mr. Townsend and his right-hand Leonard. When they don’t get the info they want, they let him drink a bottle of whisky.
EXT. ROAD. NIGHT
Attempt to kill him by putting him drunk in a stolen car. He is followed by the gangsters when he doesn’t drive from the cliff, but he is stopped by the police and taken to the station.
INT. POLICE STATION – NIGHT
Calls mother and tells her what happened.
INT. COURTROOM – DAY
Tells the story. Police comes with him to the Townsend home.
INT. HOME TOWNSEND – DAY
Act from so called Mrs. Townsend. They believe her. Nobody believes Thornhill.
INT. HOTEL NEW YORK – DAY
Takes measures in own hands. Searches room Kaplan. Finds connection with Townsend. Nobody has ever seen Kaplan. Escapes the crooks. He steps up his game.
INT. UNITED NATIONS – DAY
Finds out Mr. Townsend is someone else and ends up framed for killing the real Towsend. Picture with the knife in hand in the newspaper. He runs. INT. secret service office – day His predicament is complicated by the secret service intrigue. Kaplan is a decoy for a spy who is on to van Damm. Thornhill is on his own. They won’t help him
INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Takes train to Chicago to find Kaplan. Calls mother. Is recognized by the clerk. Gets on the train. Helped by a beautiful blonde.
INT. RESTAURANT TRAIN – DAY Seduction scene. Gets acquainted with Eve Kendall. Train Stops policemen enter the train. He runs.
INT. SLEEPING COMPARTMENT – DAY
He hides here. Kendall lies for him. He’s off the hook. Wonders why she is so sweet to him.
INT. SLEEPING COMPARTMENT – NIGHT
Clear that Kendall is one of the crooks.
EXT. TRAIN – DAY
He gets away as a piccolo. They find out. Looking for him
INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY
Kendal and Lenonard talk. Kendall sets him up. First signs of doubt with Kendall. She sends him to the middle of nowhere to meet Kaplan.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
Waits for Kaplan is chased by plane. The poison must run. Almost run over by a truck. Plane crashes on the truck. Steels a car gets away.
INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Sees Kendall and confronts her without actually saying something. She leaves. He acts like he doesn’t suspect her. Knows where she’s going. Follows her.
INT. AUCTION HOUSE – NIGHT
Confronts Kendall and Van Damm. Secret Sevice is there too. Starts fight taken by police.
INT. AIRPORT – NIGHT
Finds out Kendall is a secret agent.
EXT. MOUNT – day
He must play Kaplan in order not to compromise the mission and to protect Kendall.
INT. RESTAURANT MOUNTAIN – DAY
He’s trading Kendall for van Damme’s safe passage, but she shoots him. Leonard is a double agent. His body is taken by the CIA.
EXT. WOODS – DAY
We think it’s all over. He meets Kendall. They reconcile, but it all turns around. Professor lied to him. She has to go with van Dam not to blow their cover.
INT. HOSPITAL / JAIL – NIGHT
Acts like he is okay with Kendall leaving with van Dam. Climbs out of the window. Escapes.
EXT. HOUSE VAN DAM – NIGHT
Kendall’s cover was blown. He comes to her rescue. The trick with matches planted in beginning. She is off to the plain. The maid catches him.
EXT. PLAIN – NIGHT
The maid has the fake gun and shoots him. She runs to him with the microfilm
EXT. RUSHMORE MOUNTAIN – NIGHT
They climb down. Danger. She falls but is alright. They are followed by the henchman. He falls too but makes it. They are stuck. They roll down the mountain. Last fight. He wins. Another guy throws her off the mountain. Her life is on a thread. Leonard gives him the last push but is shot. He rescues her and asks her to marry him.
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Armand’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
Outlines are Hollywood standards for producers and executives. We need to get good at putting them together. Also, we need to know what details are worth going into the outline.
I chose the film FREAKY starring Vince Vaughn
Dramatic Question: Can the teen girl recover her body before the body switch becomes permanent?
Main Conflict: Will the serial killer, in the teen girl’s body nobody suspects, kill her fellow students and the teen girl’s family members?
Dilemma: The teen girl has to switch bodies with the serial killer in 24 hours or the change will be permanent + she could be blamed for all the murders in the body of Vince Vaughn.
Theme: Letting go of the pain and moving on with your life is hard but must be done. Finding one’s strength.
FREAKY
EXT. MANOR – WED THE 11TH – NIGHT
Horny teens sit by the fire telling scary stories about serial killers. They joke about scary stories being cautionary tales about sex around homecoming.
INT. MANOR – NIGHT
Teen boy explores the manor by himself, goes down to the cellar (which is full of artifacts because the house belongs to a a rich collector). Teen boy is brutally murdered by a MASKED killer.
Serial killer murders another teen girl in the bathroom. Serial killer chases and kills remaining teen boy and girl.
Serial killer reveals himself to be VINCE VAUGHN. Serial killer finds a MYSTERIOUS DAGGER OR KNIFE. Steals it.
INT. HOME – THU THE 12TH – DAY
Lead HIGH SCHOOL GIRL wakes up for breakfast. We see her family life. Something’s off. Sad. The teen girl is shy, depressed. Older sister is a deputy. Mom seems to be hiding her alcoholism.
EXT. BLISSFIELD TOWN – DAY
Teen girl walks to school through her small town. Classmates pick her up.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL – DAY
Teen girl does not want to attend the homecoming DANCE, but her friends are pushing her to go. We discover it’s been ONE YEAR since the teen girl’s father died.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Mean girls bully our main high school girl. We see a glimpse of our main girl’s crush.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Our teen girl is bullied by a teacher. The murder of the TEENS is reported, and it’s all everyone’s taking about. Main girl wonders if they will cancel the homecoming game. They don’t.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT
Our main teen girl, who is the high school mascot, doesn’t get picked up by her alcoholic mom after the game. She’s all alone.
The teen girl’s phone dies.
The masked serial killer, with the DAGGER, appears. Chases our teen girl.
EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD – NIGHT
The serial killer and the girl fight off. The serial killer is unmasked. We see a vision of a PYRAMID as the killer stabs our main girl in the shoulder. But as the teen girl is stabbed, the stab wound appears on both of their bodies.
The sister cop shows up just in time, killer runs away confused; and our “teen girl” is “SAFE.”
The cops recover the DAGGER.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
The teen girl acts mysteriously. Has nightmares of the dagger, the pyramid and the serial killer.
INT. KILLER’S LAIR – FRI THE 13TH – DAY
The killer, our teen girl, wakes up, realizing she is in the body of the serial killer.
INT. DINING ROOM – DAY
The serial killer’s mind is inside the teen girl’s body. The teen girl is acting strange, but her mom thinks she’s in shock after the serial killer’s attack.
EXT. BLISSFIELD – DAY
The local news are talking about the serial killer. A sketch shown on a storefront tv depicts the killer’s portrait as Vince Vaughn’s character. Vince Vaughn is trying to find answers around town as the locals recognize him as the killer at large.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL – DAY
Teen girl gives herself a badass makeover and goes to school.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL – DAY
Vince Vaughn arrives. He is looking for the teen girl, while hiding from the cops.
INT. LOCKER ROOM/SHOWERS – DAY
Vince Vaughn cleans up in the locker room. Meanwhile, the teen girl kills the MEAN GIRL. Vince Vaughn discovers the dead MEAN GIRL.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
The teen girl is bullied by her teacher again.
INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Vince Vaughn tries to communicate with the teen girl’s friends AND explain everything. They run away from him. Fight him off. EVENTUALLY: the friends believe HIM.
Vince Vaughn and the teens realize the DAGGER is the source of the Freaky Friday body switch.
They discover the dagger is an Aztec sacrificial tool and they have 24 hours to swap the bodies again or it will be a permanent change. The only way to swap the bodies is by another STABBING.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
The teen girl tries to kill her teacher, realizing she’s not strong anymore. She eventually outwits the teacher and kills him.
INT. HALLWAY – DAY
Vince Vaughn and the teen girl run into each other. The teen girl screams, making the cops chase after Vince Vaughn.
INT. CAR – DAY
Vince Vaughn and the teens drive away. Plot how to catch the teen girl.
The police chase after them.
INT. FITTING ROOM – DAY
Vince Vaughn hides. Speaks with the teen’s mother through the fitting room’s door. Vince Vaughn – the teen girl – talks with her MOM about the girl’s late father. Vince Vaughn – the teen girl – realizes the mom is grieving too in silence. They have a heart to heart. Mom kinda flirts with Vince Vaughn’s comforting voice.
INT. ARCADE – DAY
Homecoming is cancelled. Teen girl and the football team plan a secret party at the OLD MILL.
Vince Vaughn – in disguise – and the other teens arrive in time to save the teen girl’s crush from being killed. They restrain the teen girl.
INT. FRIEND’S HOME – NIGHT
The teen girl killer is restrained. The teen girl’s crush realizes Vince Vaughn is the actual teen girl. They plot how to get the dagger from the police station.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Vince Vaughn – the teen girl – talks to her crush. Vince Vaughn realizes he/she’s been empowered by being trapped inside the strong serial killer’s body. Feels good not being bullied anymore. The crush and Vince Vaughn – the teen girl – connect “romantically.”
INT. FRIEND’S HOME – NIGHT
Deranged Teen girl sets herself free, escapes.
INT. POLICE STATION – NIGHT
The SISTER COP stops one of the teen girl’s friends from stealing the DAGGER.
The TEEN GIRL arrives to the police station AND steals the DAGGER. Vince Vaughn stops her before she kills everyone.
Vince Vaughn is detained by the SISTER COP. Teen girl steals a cop car and runs away.
Vince Vaughn traps his SISTER in jail to protect her.
Vince Vaughn and friends chase after the teen girl.
INT. OLD MILL – NIGHT
Teen girl arrives to the party. Teen girl kills the football jocks before they attempt molesting her.
Vince Vaughn – in disguise – and the teens arrive to the party. They have 15 minutes left.
The cops show up.
Vince Vaughn and the Teen Girl face off.
EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT
Vince Vaughn STABS the teen girl before the deadline and BREAKS the body swap.
The teen girl returns to her body.
Vince Vaughn – the serial killer – is shot by the cops.
Later, the teen girl and her crush kiss. A happy ending.
INT. AMBULANCE – NIGHT
Vince Vaughn, the serial killer, is allegedly pronounced dead by the EMTs.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Teen girl and mom “talk” to each other for the first time since dad’s death. Mom encourages the teen girl to go to college and live her life.
INT. HOME – NIGHT
Vince Vaughn shows up for revenge. He prepares to kill the teen girl. Vince Vaughn hurts MOM and SISTER COP.
The Teen Girl finds her inner strength and TOGETHER WITH HER FAMILY, she KILLS Vince Vaughn.
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Janeen’s Favorite Movie Outline
What I learned doing this assignment is that it’s hard for me to summarize things in a hurry. This took some time and the summaries/essences are probably not that good. They don’t point to the beats as they probably should.
Horrible Bosses
Dramatic Question: Can three guys get away with killing their bosses?
Main Conflict: Each of three guys have horrible bosses and want to be rid of them without quitting their jobs and ending up like a friend who is turning tricks in bar bathrooms.
Dilemma: Do they have the guts to kill anyone?
Theme: Karma is a bitch.
1. INT. NICK’S OFFICE – MORNING
Nick (VO) tells us he is about to get a promotion he has earned and gets called to his boss’s office.
2. INT. DAVE’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
Dave makes Nick confess that he was 2 minutes late (not 1) by saying he will fire the security chief if he doesn’t confess.
3. INT. DALE’S CAR – DAY
Tells us he always wanted to grow up to be a husband and he is one.
4. INT. DENTIST’S OFFICE – DAY
Dale tells us how awful his dentist-boss (Julia) is and she shows us by talking about asking about his male size.
5. INT. LOADING DOCK – DAY
Kurt flirts with a FedEx Driver and says he loves his job.
6. INT. OFFICE HALLWAY – DAY
Jack greets Kurt and a pregnant woman waits for the bathroom where Jack’s son, Bobby, is getting high, but chides his dad about being a nit-picker. Kurt and Bobby exchange insults as Bobby leaves.
7. INT DAVE’S OFFICE – DAY
Dave makes Nick drink a big glass of scotch and tells him he’ll have to work all weekend because he (Dave) is getting his teeth whitened on Tuesday.
8. INT DENTIST’S OFFICE – DAY
Dale’s boss squirts his crotch area with water and makes off-color remarks, angry when he tells her he is engaged to his girlfriend.
9. EXT. BY JACK’S CAR
Jack tells Kurt he will be running the place some day. Kurt is delighted as Jack drives off and has a car wreck.
10. INT BAR – NIGHT
Kurt tells Dale that Jack died of a heart attack. Nick joins them and they complain about their bosses. Kurt chases some tail.
11. INT. CONF ROOM – DAY
Dave chides Nick about drinking and says he is taking the job himself. Nick fantasizes about killing him.
12. INT. BULLPEN – DAY
Nick accosts Dave about the promotion he was supposed to get. Dave makes fun of him when Nick tells him he had to work or get fired and he didn’t get to see his grandmother before she died. Nick asks why he should stay after 8 years and Dave tells him he will crush him and make him unemployable if he doesn’t stay.
13. INT – KURT’S OFFICE
Bobby has taken over his dad’s office and makes 3 horrible decisions (fire fat people, fire handicapped guy, go with illegal dumping of chemicals), asking Kurt to fire someone or 3 people will be fired. Bobby is only in it for the money.
14. INT KURT’S OFFICE
Kurt returns to his office, contemplates and lets the guy in the wheelchair go. Then Bobby comes out and says Kurt is the bad guy and heartless. He turns the office against Kurt.
15. INT DENTIST’S OFFICE
Julia asks Dale into her office and locks him in with her, scantily clad. She is inappropriate and tells him she will be getting more bold the closer he gets to his wedding day and then gropes him before letting him go.
16. INT BAR – NIGHT
The three guys complain about their bosses and inability to change jobs. Kenny comes by and says he can’t find a job. Propositions them to pay him for hand jobs. After he leaves they talk about killing their bosses, but Dale says no and the other two agree it was just hypothetical, but the subject has been broached.
17. INT DENTIST’S OFFICE
Julia offers free dental care to Dale’s fiance.
18. INT DENTAL CHAIR ROOM – DAY
After knocking out Dale’s fiance, she shows Dale pictures of his dental procedure and her posing with him while he was unconscious. Then she says if he doesn’t put out, she will kill his fiance.
19. EXT KURT’S HOUSE
Dale drives furiously to the house.
20. INT KURT’S HOUSE
Nick and Kurt are shocked when Dale says they should definitely kill their bosses. Kurt and Dale try to talk him into it by talking about how they would do it. Dale says he will find a hit man.
21. INT SLEAZY HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT
Nick joins Dale and Kurt in the room of a seedy motel to meet a hit man who turns out to be a “Man seeking Man” fellow. They are appalled, pay him and leave.
22. INT KURT’S CAR – NIGHT
They argue about how to find a hit man and go to a bad part of town.
23. INT SEEDY BAR – NIGHT
They insult the bartender while asking if he knows a hit man and he drives them out with a baseball bat.
24. EXT SEEDY BAR – NIGHT
A man follows them out and introduces himself as Motherfuckah Jones.
25. INT BEDROOM – NIGHT
Motherfuckah tells how he got his nickname — stealing his mother’s week’s pay.
26. EXT SEEDY BAR
Jones asks for $30K, but lowers the price to $15K to make the deal. They will meet at a mall with a briefcase of money.
27. INT NICK’S OFFICE – DAY
Dave is having his office and the sales office knocked together into his big new office.
28. INT. BANK – DAY
Nick is getting the $5K cash fro ma teller.
29. INT KURT’S OFFICE – DAY
Bobby is having an orgy in his office during work hours.
30. INT KURT’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Kurt is getting out cash from his hidden savings.
31. INT KURT’S OFFICE – DAY
Bobby is being inappropriate with everyone in the bullpen.
32. INT DENTIST’S OFFICE
Julia is licking/kissing Dale.
33. INT CONVENIENCE STORE – NIGHT
Dale is getting cash from an ATM
34. INT MALL – NIGHT
They hand over the money to Jones, but he says he’s only going to be a murder consultant, not the murderer. He tells them how to plan the “accidents”. He suggests they kill each other’s bosses like Strangers on a Train.
35. INT NICK’S OFFICE
Nick says he can’t leave the office right away.
36. EXT KURT’S CAR – DAY
Dale and Kurt are in the car outside waiting for him and tell him to hurry up.
37. INT NICK’S OFFICE
Nick sticks a pen down his throat to make himself throw up and Dave tells him to get out, take his work with him and having it on his desk by 6AM Monday. Nick leaves.
38. INT KURT’S CAR – EVENING
Dale, Nick and Kurt bicker as they surveil Bobby’s house.
39. INT KURT’S CAR – LATER
They are all exhausted from the boredom, they decide to look in the windows or ring the bell to see if Bobby is even home. The garage door opens and they scatter as a sportswear flies out of it. They sneak in under the closing garage door.
40. INT BOBBY’S HOUSE
They look for some idea of Bobby’s schedule. Dale finds cocaine and then spills the cocaine on the floor. Kurt inspects his bedroom and bathroom and settles on his toothbrush, rubbing his butt crack with it. They vacuum up the cocaine, but the dustbuster had already been used.
41. EXT KURT’S CAR – LATER
Kurt has stolen Bobby’s watch phone and Dale objects to the theft. They drive to the dentist’s house, bickering.
42. EXT DAVE’S HOUSE
Nick and Kurt leave Dale outside and negotiate a 2 honk signal while he keeps watch. They throw the key-rock and then use the key to get in.
43. INT DAVE”S HOUSE
Nick and Kurt surprise a cat and then go upstairs.
44. EXT KURT’S CAR
Dale is rocking out in the car instead of being the lookout.
45. INT DAVE’S HOUSE
The cat keeps getting in the way as they look for ideas of how to kill him.
46. EXT KURT’S CAR
Dale throws a wrapper out the window, Dave tells him to pick it up. Dave is allergic to peanuts and tries to get Dale to give him his epi shot. Dale finally manages it as Dave’s wife gets home. Dale has accidentally saved Dave’s life.
47. INT DAVE’S HOUSE
Nick and Kurt freak out and leave out the back door.
48. EXT KURT’S CAR
Dale gets back in the car and drives away when Dave accuses Dale of stalking his wife so he drives off, honking the horn once.
49. EXT STREET HOUSE
Nick and Kurt decry their lack of recon time. Dale pulls up and they, thinking he killed Dave, chide him for doing it in public. They lock him out of the car while they confer.
50. INT KURT’S CAR
Nick and Kurt lock Dale out of the car while they confer about using bad cocaine to kill Bobby and peanuts to kill Dave. Then they let Dale in.
51. INT STORE
They buy rat bait to poison the cocaine with and pick up peanuts.
52. EXT STORE
Dale is going to put peanuts in Dave’s place, Nick is going to poison Bobby’s cocaine. Kurt is going to do recon on Julia.
53. EXT JULIA’S HOUSE
Kurt is shocked at how hot Julia is when she gets home. Kurt calls Nick to say it’s going to be hard to kill Julia because she is so hot. Later it is revealed that they had sex.
54. EXT BOBBY’S HOUSE
Nick is waiting outside Bobby’s house for an opportunity to get in. They wonder how Dale is doing with Dave.
55. DAVE’S HOUSE
Dave is looking for evidence his wife has been having an affair and sees his cat playing with something. It is Bobby’s phone/watch that they stole from his place. He is determined.
56. EXT BOBBY’S HOUSE
Dale sees Dave leave and goes into his house, adding peanuts to his shampoo.
57. NICK’S CAR
Nick waits outside Bobby’s place and sees Dave heading into Bobby’s house, knocking on the door. He shoots Bobby twice and leaves. Nick hides from him as he pulls away. They agree to meet at the bar.
58. INT BAR
They argue about Dale not doing peanuts at Dave’s house, Kurt finding it will be difficult to kill Julia and Kurt no longer needing to kill Bobby. He claims she was undressing and eating “weird shaped foods” to tantalize him. He was lured into the house. They decide to send an anonymous tip to the cops saying Dave killed Bobby.
59. EXT KURT’S CAR
The cops block them in as they are leaving the bar and say they saw Kurt’s car leaving the scene of a bar.
60. BACK OF COP CAR
They are booked and arguing in the back of the car.
61. INT COP SHOP WAITING ROOM
They talk over other people waiting in the room as though no one else is there.
62. INT INTERROGATION ROOM
Cop accuses him to of fleeing a murder scene. They banter and Dale gets them out with legal jabber and they leave.
63. INT KURT’S CAR
They argue about their next moves and decide to consult Motherfuckah
64. INT BAR
Jones wants more money and congratulates them for getting one of the guys to kill another one. He suggests they get Dave to admit to the murder while wearing a wire. Jones confesses to bootlegging a movie and doing 10 years for video piracy. Jones berates them for being so gullible.
65. INT KURT’S CAR
They discuss how they are going to get Dave to confess on a recording.
66. EXT DAVE’S HOUSE
They continue bickering.
67. INT DAVE’S HOUSE
They ring the doorbell, Dave’s wife answers and everyone yells surprise. She recognizes Dale who saved Dave’s life and they re all invited in to the party as they wait for Dave. Kurt flirts with Dave’s wife. Dave is shocked and hates surprises. He doesn’t notice Nick. They go to confront him.
68. INT DAVE’S STUDY
They tell Dave that they saw him kill someone. They get him to confess that he shot it and liked it. He thinks they are blackmailers and is very angry with them and he said they are dead men. When he goes for his gun, they run.
69. INT DAVE’S HOUSE
They find Kurt coming out of the bathroom with Dave’s Wife (sex obvious) and hustle him out of the house.
70. INT KURT’S CAR
They go by Bobby’s house and cops are there. Nick talks about leaving the country to be safe. Julia calls Dale from her bath and talks dirty to him until he says what he will do to her. They are rammed repeatedly by Dave’s SUV in a chase scene while Dale is still on the phone talking dirty to Julia. The navigation service guy disables their car and Dave catches up with them, ramming them again, accosting them with a gun in his hand.
71. EXT KURT’S CAR
Dave threatens to kill them all, then decides he will accuse them of killing Bobby and threatening him. He shoots himself in the leg, throws the gun to Dale and the cops pull up. The cop can’t find the recording on the recorder so the navigation guy butts in. He replays the conversation and they arrest Dave.
72. EXT NICK’S OFFICE
Nick (VO) says they got off and he is the acting President. Bob Newhart is the CEO who is very twisted.
73. INT KURT’S OFFICE
Kurt gets his old job back and the pregnant woman isn’t pregnant and the wheelchair guy is now in charge.
74. INT DENTIST’S OFFICE
Dale frames Julia with Kenny as a patient they are going to molest and he has Jones outside videoing it. He blackmails her with the video they made of her to be nice.
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[PS80] Jennifer’s Favorite Movie Outline
WHAT I LEARNED:
This exercise helped me recognize how tightly written a satirical dark comedy needs to be done to be done well. Likewise, it helped me see how to carry the tone through the entire movie.
DRAMATIC QUESTION:
Will overachieving Tracy win the election for student council president?
MAIN CONFLICT:
Tracy vs. Mr. McAllister. She sees him for his weaknesses and dislike of her, and he sees her for the overly ambitious bent she has to win at all costs.
DILEMMA:
Will Mr. McAllister do the right thing even if it means Tracy wins?
THEME:
Doing whatever it takes to win won’t make you happy, but might get you what you think you want.
*****
OUTLINE OF Election
INT. LOCKER ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAlister showers after running to get ready for the school day.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Early in the morning a student dressed like a teacher sets up a table.
INT. SCHOOL TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister cleans out the fridge to find space for lunch, making a mess that upsets the janitor.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Student is Tracy Flick setting up her table to campaign for student body president. Mr. McAllister walks up and clearly is only being polite in wishing Tracy luck in the election. V.O. Tracy blames Mr. McAllister for everything.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
V.O. Mr. McAllister indicates his confusion over what happened. We see him interact with students showing how much he cares and wants to make a difference in kids’ lives. They love him right back.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
He starts discussing morality vs. ethics with the class. Camera freezes on Tracy, whom Mr. McAllister clearly doesn’t want to call on but grudgingly does once no one else volunteers. She’s an obvious overachiever type trying really hard.
INT. TABLE – CLOSEUP OF YEARBOOK – DAY
Pages turn in yearbook to show Tracy’s many activities. V.O. Tracy tells us how special and accomplished she is.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy in student government noting that she only likes activities she can lead while showing us how she railroads her way into being in charge. Mr. McAllister doesn’t like this.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
V.O. Mr. McAllister shares how Tracy had an affair with his best friend Mr. Novotny, a male teacher who is married.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
V.O. Tracy is in Mr. Novotny’s classroom while he teaches, sharing that he didn’t take advantage of her.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
V.O. Tracy shares how Mr. Novotny took the editors of the yearbook out to celebrate and began their affair. Initially he was concerned she has no friends her age and wants to be her friend.
INT. DARK ROOM – DAY + CAR – DAY
Tracy shares how Mr. Novotny really sees the real her.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. Novotny puts on “Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady.” Tracy and Mr. Novotny share a rootbeer and then go to his bedroom.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister and Mr. Novotny talk about Tracy’s relationship with Mr. Novotny. Mr. Novotny says they’re in love. Mr. McAllister says it’s a moral issue.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Mr. Novotny with school principal – notes that Tracy’s mother doesn’t understand Mr. Novotny’s relationship with Tracy. Mr. McAllister is in the room as a witness/support.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. Novotny’s wife is angry with him, kicks him out, and divorces him. He moves back in with his parents.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy’s explanation of ethics gets cut off, and Mr. McAllister does nothing to stop kids from leaving the room when the bell rings, upsetting Tracy. V.O. that she is mature enough now to understand that Mr. McAllister’s life is sad and repetitive and that he must be jealous of her. She says her mom always says “the weak are always trying to sabotage the strong.”
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – DAY
Closeup of photos of Tracy. V.O. Tracy shares that her mother sends famous women letters asking how they got where they are to help Tracy.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy chats up students at her table set up to campaign. V.O. about how women need to work twice as hard to succeed. She notes that ethical conduct is more important than winning.
EXT. SCHOOL BUILDING – DAY
Tracy shouts for Mr. McAllister at his car to let him know she has all the signatures she needs to qualify for the student council campaign. She pushes to get him to approve the names now so that she can campaign starting tomorrow, which he does. She makes clear she will work hard to campaign even without competition and wants a harmonious working relationship with Mr. McAllister, which makes him clearly uncomfortable.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister tosses out Tracy’s signatures. He shares his love for his wife while worrying about Tracy talking about their harmonious working relationship.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister watches a porn video supposed to be about high school students.
EXT. SKIING – DAY
A young man, Paul, falls while skiing. He has to stop doing sports for at least a couple years.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Paul questions the meaning of his life. Then destiny appears in the form of Mr. McAllister, who tries to talk Paul into running against Tracy for student council president to avoid a “dictatorship” under Tracy, who is running unopposed.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Campaign signs being hung for Tracy. She sees Paul set up with his own campaign sign across in the cafeteria and learns that Mr. McAllister encouraged Paul to run for president. She signs his petition to run.
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – DAY
Tracy makes campaign pins while noting how easy it is for popular kids to take away what Tracy has worked for.
INT. PAUL’S HOUSE – DAY
Paul works on campaign ideas and announces to his sister Tammy what happened at school. She is upset while denying she is gay as her friend Lisa leaves her.
INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Lisa gets together with Paul and helps him with his campaign. Lots of sex. Tammy runs for student council president.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Paul and Lisa – and separately Tracy – ask Mr. McAllister to intervene and stop Tammy from running.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister and his wife spend time with Mr. Novotny’s wife Linda. Mr. McAllister and his wife are trying to have a baby but are unsuccessful. Mr. McAllister helps Linda around the house and is obviously attracted to her.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister asks Linda if they should get a hotel room. Linda is not pleased.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister has a sex fantasy about Linda and then Tracy while having sex with his wife.
INT. SCHOOL GYM – DAY
Campaign day for student council president. Tracy is highly polished, professional. Paul uses his popularity and sports prowess as campaign points while reading in a monotone. Tammy is the anti-hero campaigner who says school and this presidency are all b.s. and not to vote at all.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal is angry and decides to suspend Tammy for 3 days.
EXT. STREET – DAY
Tammy thinks suspension is a nice vacation and rides her bike to watch classmates at school at gym/practice.
INT. TAMMY’S ROOM – DAY
Paul gives Tammy her homework and is openly confused about why Tammy is running against him in the election. He says he still cares about her even though she’s adopted.
INT. SCHOOL ROOM – NIGHT
Tracy is angry about what Tammy did and thinks her classmates are ungrateful for all she does for the school yearbook. Her campaign poster falls off the wall and she falls with it. She rips it to pieces in anger, then rips down Paul’s posters as well in a fit of rage, blood on her hands in the end when she has to hide the ripped posters.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Tammy sees Tracy driving erratically and dumping the posters.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister notes all the trouble started with the election. He helps Linda with a plumbing problem, then she hugs him meaningfully. They are about to have sex.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister makes plans to meet Linda at school and go to a hotel. He fantasizes about being a well-dressed lover man type.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Paul and Lisa are upset that someone tore down Paul’s posters, blaming Tammy. Principal agrees Tammy’s speech was out there and gives Mr. McAllister the task of solving the problem.
INT. TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister confronts Tracy about posters and she says there are lots of “subversive elements” at Carver High. Mr. McAllister tries to teach Tracy a lesson about pushing too hard, but Tracy knows a personal secret about Mr. McAllister that shocks him into silence. Tammy admits to tearing down posters and gives physical proof, but Mr. McAllister knows the truth in his heart.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister keeps thinking about Linda. He gives his students a pop quiz and races to set up everything at the hotel, grabbing flowers and champagne on the way. He gets back to school just in time.
EXT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Linda is not home when Mr. McAllister meets her as planned. A bee stings him in the eyelid.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister calls Linda from the hotel and gets no answer. He leaves a message.
INT. PAUL’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Parents lecture Tammy about her bad behavior. She’s not allowed back to high school.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
He returns home, eye swollen, to find his wife, Linda, and Linda’s baby together, the women having obviously spoken. His wife is crying, so he leaves, recognizing he just blew up his life.
INT. TRACY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Tracy prays to win the election.
INT. TAMMY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Tammy prays as practice before starting Catholic school. She asks for Paul to win, Lisa to apologize, and leather pants.
INT. PAUL’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Paul prays for Tammy and doesn’t believe she tore down his posters. He wants God to decide who wins. He thanks God for his blessings.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister spends the night in front of Linda’s house hoping she will come home, but his eye is swollen and his life is wrecked.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy prepares to hand out 400+ cupcakes and gives the first to Mr. M, who has seen better days. He showers at school and tries to call Linda, who doesn’t answer.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Principal announces that Tammy has been disqualified for election.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Election Day: Tracy casts her vote and has a photo opp planned. Paul wishes her luck but doesn’t feel right voting for himself, so he votes for Tracy instead.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Ballot counting begins. A student counts first, then Mr. M. He is unnerved and struggles to open the ballot box.
INT. TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister calls Linda, who finally answers and says their affair was a mistake. She claims he took advantage of her, and he tries to recover until she hangs up.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy is winning by a single vote after a student counts. Mr. McAllister begins his recount.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy tries to see who won through the window to Mr. McAllister’s classroom. The second student involved with counting ballots indicates silently that she won. She is excited.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister gets the same result. But then he sees Tracy looking triumphant and decides to stop her. He removes 2 ballots from her pile and throws them away secretly.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal confirms Mr. McAllister’s (false) count. Student who counted disputes the results because 2 ballots are missing from the total ballot count.
INT. SCHOOL GYM – DAY
Tracy wishes Paul luck, thinking she will win. Mr. McAllister announces to the school assembly that Paul won in a very close race, and Paul is exuberant. Tracy is crushed.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister has a sad meal. Paul’s family enters and thanks Mr. McAllister for his help. Paul shares all of his ideas and shares his concern about Tracy, but Mr. McAllister assures Paul she is fine.
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Tracy cries uncontrollably while her mother consoles her. As she exits, she suggests Tracy might have needed more posters or to incorporate more of her mom’s ideas in her campaign speech.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister tries to apologize to his wife, who slams the door in his face.
INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister books a hotel room, buys toiletries from a vending machine.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister wakes up and decides to start anew.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Mr. McAllister grabs items from his mail slot and is asked to go talk to the principal.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal confronts Mr. McAllister about election with all parties involved present because the janitor, still upset with Mr. McAllister, has found the ballots. Paul is called to the office and told the news. Mr. McAllister resigns.
INT. HOME – DAY
Closeup of newspapers sharing details of the scandal.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister’s wife leaves him and takes almost everything except his car, which he is driving. The student who counted votes pulls up and spits on Mr. McAllister’s car. Mr. McAllister decides to leave Omaha.
EXT. PARTY – NIGHT
V.O. One year later, Paul is partying, won homecoming and prom king, and was dumped by Lisa.
INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM – DAY
V.O. Tammy is at Catholic school smoking and has met Jennifer, her soulmate.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
V.O. Tracy Flick leads student council and got into Georgetown. She misses Mr. Novotny. She doesn’t feel happy at the end of her school years because she has no friends.
INT. COLLEGE DORM HALLWAY – NIGHT
Tracy storms out of her dorm room into the hallway and orders students in her hallway to be quiet while she studies.
INT. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – DAY
Mr. McAllister is a tour guide at the museum in NYC, a place where he says people go to escape their troubles. He’s glad to be there.
INT. DC MUSEUM AREA – DAY
Mr. McAllister sees Tracy Flick interning for a senator and looking at him admiringly. He nearly runs over and yells at her, noting he is no longer angry with her and feels sorry for her for working so hard to pursue her “tiny little dreams.” He throws something at the limo. Who the fuck does she think she is?
INT. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – DAY
Mr. McAllister asks a group of kids on tour a question, and he avoids answering the little go-getter girl who reminds him of Tracy.
FAIRLY COMPLETE OUTLINE – ONLY A COUPLE MINOR SCENES OMITTED
ELECTION
EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS – DAY
Mr. McAllister exercises
INT. LOCKER ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAlister showers
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Early morning, a student dressed like a teacher sets up a table.
INT. SCHOOL TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister cleans out fridge to find space for lunch, making a mess that upsets the janitor.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Student is Tracy Flick setting up her table to campaign for student body president. Mr. McAllister walks up and clearly is only being polite in wishing Tracy luck in the election. Tracy blames Mr. McAllister for everything.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY (+ MISC. OTHER SETTINGS in this montage)
Mr. McAllister indicates his confusion over what happened. We see him interact with students showing how much he cares and wants to make a difference in kids’ lives, and they love him right back.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
He starts discussing morality vs. ethics. Camera freezes on Tracy, whom Mr. McAllister clearly doesn’t want to call on but grudgingly does once no one else volunteers. She’s an obvious overachiever type trying really hard.
INT. TABLE – CLOSEUP OF YEARBOOK – DAY
Pages turn in yearbook to show Tracy’s many activities while she tells us how special and accomplished she is.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy in student government noting that she only likes activities she can lead while showing us how she railroads her way into being in charge. Mr. McAllister doesn’t like this.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Mr. McAllister shares how Tracy had an affair with his best friend Mr. Novotny, a male teacher who is married.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy is in Mr. Novotny’s classroom while he teaches, sharing that he didn’t take advantage of her.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Tracy shares how Mr. Novotny took the editors of the yearbook out to celebrate and began their affair. Initially he was concerned she has no friends her age and wants to be her friend.
INT. DARK ROOM – DAY + CAR – DAY
Tracy shares how Mr. Novotny really sees the real her.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Tracy and Mr. Novotny share a rootbeer and then go to his bedroom.
INT. RESTAURANT? GARAGE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister and Mr. Novotny talk about Tracy’s relationship with Mr. Novotny. Mr. Novotny says they’re in love. Mr. McAllister says it’s a moral issue.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Mr. Novotny with school principal – notes that Tracy’s mother doesn’t understand. Mr. McAllister in room.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. Novotny’s wife is angry with him, kicks him out, and divorces him. He moves back in with his parents.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy’s explanation of ethics gets cut off, and Mr. A does nothing to stop kids from leaving the room when the bell rings, upsetting Tracy. She notes that she is mature enough now to understand that Mr. A’s life is sad and repetitive and that he must be jealous of her. She says her mom always says “the weak are always trying to sabotage the strong.”
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – DAY
Closeup of photos of Tracy. Tracy shares that her mother sends famous women letters asking how they got where they are to help Tracy.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy chats up students at her table set up to campaign. V.O. about how women need to work twice as hard to succeed. She notes that ethical conduct is more important than winning.
EXT. SCHOOL BUILDING – DAY
Tracy shouts for Mr. McAllister at his car to let him know she has all the signatures she needs to qualify for the student council campaign. She pushes to get him to approve the names now so that she can campaign starting tomorrow, which he does. She makes clear she will work hard to campaign even without competition and wants a harmonious working relationship with Mr. M, which makes him clearly uncomfortable.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister tosses out Tracy’s signatures. He shares his love for his wife while worrying about Tracy talking about their harmonious working relationship.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister watches a porn video supposed to be about high school students.
EXT. SKIING – DAY
A young man, Paul, falls while skiing. He has to stop doing sports for at least a couple years.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Paul questions the meaning of his life. Then destiny appears in the form of Mr. M, who tries to talk Paul into running against Tracy for student council president to avoid a “dictatorship” under Tracy, who is running unopposed.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Campaign signs being hung for Tracy. She sees Paul set up with his own campaign sign across in the cafeteria and learns that Mr. McAllister encouraged Paul to run for president. She signs his petition to run.
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – DAY
Tracy makes campaign pins while noting how easy it is for popular kids to take away what Tracy has worked for.
INT. PAUL’S HOUSE – DAY
Paul works on campaign ideas and announces to his sister Tammy what happened at school. She is upset while denying she is gay as her friend Lisa leaves her.
INT. SCHOOL – DAY
Lisa gets together with Paul and helps him with his campaign. Lots of sex. Tammy runs for student council president.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Paul and Lisa – and separately Tracy – ask Mr. McAllister to intervene and stop Tammy from running.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister and his wife spend time with Mr. Novotny’s wife Linda. Mr. McAllister and wife try to get her pregnant unsuccessfully. Mr. McAllister helps Linda around house and is obviously attracted to her.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister asks Linda if they should get a hotel room. Linda is not pleased.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister has sex fantasy about Linda and then Tracy while having sex with his wife.
INT. SCHOOL GYM – DAY
Campaign day for student council president. Tracy is highly polished, professional. Paul uses his popularity and sports prowess as campaign points while reading in a monotone. Tammy is the anti-hero campaigner who says school and this presidency are all b.s. and not to vote at all.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal is angry and decides to suspend Tammy for 3 days.
EXT. STREET – DAY
Tammy thinks suspension is a nice vacation and rides her bike to watch classmates at school at gym/practice.
INT. TAMMY’S ROOM – DAY
Paul gives Tammy her homework and is openly confused about why Tammy is running against him in the election. He says he still cares about her even though she’s adopted.
INT. SCHOOL ROOM – NIGHT
Tracy is angry about what Tammy did and thinks her classmates are ungrateful for all she does for the school yearbook. Her campaign poster falls off the wall and she falls with it. She rips it to pieces in anger, then rips down Paul’s posters as well in a fit of rage, blood on her hands in the end when she has to hide the ripped posters.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Tammy sees Tracy driving erratically and dumping the posters.
INT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Mr. McAllister notes all the trouble started with the election. He helps Linda with plumbing problem, then she hugs him meaningfully. They have sex.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister will meet Linda at school and go to a hotel. He fantasizes about being a well-dressed lover man type.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Paul and Lisa are upset that someone tore down Paul’s posters, blaming Tammy. Principal agrees Tammy’s speech was out there and gives Mr. McAllister the task of solving the problem.
INT. TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister confronts Tracy about posters and she says there are lots of “subversive elements” at Carver High. Mr. McAllister tries to teach Tracy a lesson about pushing too hard, but Tracy knows a personal secret about Mr. McAllister that shocks him into silence. Tammy admits to tearing down posters and gives physical proof, but Mr. McAllister knows the truth.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister keeps thinking about Linda. He gives his students a pop quiz and races to set up everything at the hotel, grabbing flowers and champagne on the way. He gets back to school just in time.
EXT. MR. N’S HOUSE – DAY
Linda is not home when Mr. McAllister meets her as planned. A bee stings him in the eyelid.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister calls Linda from hotel and gets no answer. He leaves a message.
INT. PAUL’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Parents lecture Tammy about her bad behavior. She’s not allowed back to high school.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
He returns home, eye swollen, to find his wife, Linda, and Linda’s baby together, having obviously spoken. His wife is crying, so he leaves, recognizing he just blew up his life.
INT. TRACY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Tracy prays to win the election.
INT. TAMMY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Tammy prays as practice before starting Catholic school. She asks for Paul to win, Lisa to apologize, and leather pants.
INT. PAUL’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Paul prays for Tammy and doesn’t believe she tore down his posters. He wants God to decide who wins. He thanks God for his blessings.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister spends the night in front of Linda’s house hoping she will come home, but his eye is swollen and his life is wrecked.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy hands out 400+ cupcakes, the first to Mr. M, who has seen better days. He showers at school and tries to call Linda.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Principal announces that Tammy has been disqualified for election.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Election Day: Tracy casts her vote and has a photo opp planned. Paul wishes her luck but doesn’t feel right voting for himself, votes for Tracy instead.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Vote counting begins. Students count first, then Mr. M. He is unnerved and struggles to open the ballot box.
INT. TEACHER’S LOUNGE – DAY
Mr. McAllister calls Linda, who finally answers and says their affair was a mistake. She claims he took advantage of her, and he tries to recover.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy is winning by a single vote after a student counts. Mr. McAllister begins his count.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY – DAY
Tracy tries to see who won through window to Mr. McAllister’s classroom. One of students indicates silently that she won. She is excited.
INT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CLASSROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister gets same result. But then he sees Tracy looking triumphant and decides to stop her. He removes 2 ballots from her pile and throws them away secretly.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal confirms Mr. McAllister’s (false) count. Student who counted disputes the results because 2 ballots are missing from total ballot count.
INT. SCHOOL GYM – DAY
Tracy wishes Paul luck, thinking she will win. Mr. McAllister announces that Paul won in a very close race, and Paul is exuberant. Tracy is crushed.
INT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister has a sad meal. Paul’s family enters and thanks Mr. McAllister for his help. Paul shares all of his ideas and shares his concern about Tracy, but Mr. McAllister assures Paul she is fine.
INT. TRACY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Tracy cries uncontrollably while her mother consoles her, giving her an anxiety/sleeping pill. As she exits, she suggests Tracy might have needed more posters or to incorporate more of her mom’s ideas in her campaign speech.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister tries to apologize to his wife, who slams the door in his face.
INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
Mr. McAllister books a hotel room, buys toiletries from a vending machine.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – DAY
Mr. McAllister wakes up and decides to start anew.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Mr. McAllister grabs items from his mailslot and is asked to talk to the principal.
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – DAY
Principal confronts Mr. McAllister about election with all parties involved present because the janitor has found the ballots. Paul is called to office and told the news. Mr. McAllister resigns.
INT. HOME – DAY
Closeup of newspapers sharing details of the scandal.
EXT. MR. MCALLISTER’S CAR – DAY
Mr. McAllister’s wife leaves him and takes almost everything except his car, which he is driving. The student who counted votes pulls up and spits on Mr. McAllister’s car. Mr. McAllister decides to leave Omaha.
EXT. PARTY – NIGHT
One year later, Paul is partying, won homecoming and prom king, and was dumped by Lisa.
INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM – DAY
Tammy is at Catholic school smoking and has met Jennifer, her soulmate.
INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Tracy Flick leads student council and got into Georgetown. She misses Mr. Novotny. She doesn’t feel happy at the end of school because she has no friends.
INT. COLLEGE DORM HALLWAY – NIGHT
Tracy orders students to be quiet who are in her hallway while she studies.
INT. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – DAY
Mr. McAllister is a tour guide at the museum in NYC, where people go to escape their troubles. He’s glad to be there.
INT. DC MUSEUM AREA – DAY
Mr. McAllister sees Tracy Flick interning for a senator and looking at him admiringly. He nearly ran over and yelled at her, realizing he was no longer angry with her and felt sorry for her for working so hard to pursue her “tiny little dreams.” He throws something at the limo. Who the fuck does she think she is?
INT. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM – DAY
Mr. McAllister asks a group a kids on tour a question, and he avoids answering the little go-getter girl who reminds him of Tracy.
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Suya Lee’s Favorite Movie Outline
Outlining & Your Character Structure Day 6
Intro to Basic Structure
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?”
This assignment took almost a week. I understand we were only given 2 days. No matter. I believe in Hal’s expert modelling. I realized I needed to understand on a deeper level about this lesson/ exercise. I totally unpacked Die Hard, against the movie, with Hal’s scene outline. Since I was already behind, I didn’t read the Die Hard screenplay. For Captain Phillips, I watched the movie, the extras, director’s commentary, did the scene outline as per Hal’s example of Die Hard. I resisted reading the screenplay. Have downloaded it, will read it later. While doing all this, I came up with 2 more twists for my own story.
Logline:
When a group of old timers at a veteran’s retirement home win the mega lottery, they buy an old cruise ship to sail around the world with their extended families, but pirates attack their ship in South-East Asia and the veterans must face the last battle of their lives to save their families.
Outline of Captain Phillips (from the movie)
Dramatic Question: Can Captain Phillips survive his kidnapping?
Main Conflict: Somalian pirates hijack a cargo ship, then kidnap Captain Phillips.
Dilemma: Can Captain Phillips save his crew, and then, later stay alive on the tender boat?
Theme: Life between a rich country and a poor country as the Somalian pirates have to no choice but to kidnap a cargo ship for ransom money.OUTLINE OF CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Written by Billy Ray
Note: This movie had a ton of intercuts between scenes lasting a few seconds, even a few words. Most of the scenes are grouped together with ‘intercut’.
EXT. HOUSE – DAY
Rural house.
Super: Underhill, Vermont
INT. HOUSE – DAY
Super: March 28, 2009
Captain Phillips (C.P.) prepares for his assignment, Maersk Shipping. Wife appears.
EXT. HOUSE – DAY
C.P. packs up car. Wife comes out of the house.
EXT. CAR – DAY
Moving. On highway. C.P. and Wife drive to the airport.
EXT. CAR – DAY
Moving. Captain Phillips and Wife drive to the airport.
EXT. AIRPORT – DAY
C.P. gets out, takes luggage out. They kiss. Wife drives off.
EXT. COASTAL DESERT TOWN – DAY
Super: Eyl, Somalia
Life in a coastal village. Men greet SUVs.
INT. HUT – DAY
A child wakes up Musi. Main Pirate leader.
EXT. COASTAL DESERT TOWN – DAY
Musi gathers with other men/elders. SUV leaders demand they work. Musi picks his boat team. Picks 1 Strong Man not from his village, other 2 are from his village (Teenager and Driver). Rival Pirate leader does the same.
2 skiffs set off. Arrive at the pirate mother ship on the ocean.
EXT. PORT – DAY
Super: Salalah Port, Oman
Cargo shipping containers at the busy port.
INT. CAR – DAY
Moving. C.P. gets to the port.
EXT. PORT – DAY
C.P. looks up at the cargo ship, Maersk Alabama, goes onboard, checks safety gates. Not locked.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
C.P. goes to his captain’s quarters. To the Bridge. Meets the bridge crew. Goes over map of route with Shane Murphy, 2nd in command. On map: Somali Basin
EXT. PORT – DAY
Cargo ship leaves dock. Intercut with bridge, other sections of the cargo ship, cargo ship leaving dock.
INT. ENGINE ROOM – DAY
Engineer checks dials.
EXT. OCEAN – DAY
Cargo ship cruising the open waters.
EXT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
Next day. C.P. walks around cargo ship, checks safety on cargo ship.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
C.P. goes to the lunch room. Tells crew breakfast/coffee is over.
EXT./ INT. PIRATE MOTHER SHIP – DAY
Pirates look at radar for a cargo ship to attack.
INT. CAPTAIN PHLLIPS’ OFFICE – DAY
C.P. on computer, reads pirate alerts.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
C.P. on bridge. Orders a practice safety drill. Crew get ready for drill (both INT. and EXT.) Intercut C.P. on bridge. During drill, C.P. spots 2 skiffs on the radar closing in. C.P. checks with binoculars.
Murphy comes to bridge. Intercut with engine room. Engineer says ok to speed up. Radar shows 2 skiffs still coming. Drill becomes real.
Intercut with crew, engineer, bridge. Turns cargo ship, 2 skiffs still there. Discuss. Call the…
INT. UK OPERATIONS CENTRE – DAY
Super: UK Maritime Trade Operations – Dubai
Intercut with UK centre and bridge. No immediate help.
EXT. 2 PIRATE SKIFFS – DAY
Musi and Rival on 2 skiffs, motor to the cargo ship. Cargo ship manoeuvres, causes waves.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
Bridge discussion. Intercut with engineer, pirate skiffs. Musi tells his team about making money. C.P. thinks of what to do. Fakes a call to the coast authorities. Coast authorities say they will dispatch help.
Pirates listen on their radios. Rival’s skiff turns back. Intercut with mother pirate ship. They listen to the radio. Musi keeps going. Pirate mother ship looks for any planes.
Radar shows 1 skiff still coming. Engineer says ok to speed up. Musi asks for more speed of his skiff. Cargo ship engines are doing almost max. Musi gets closer. Skiff engine fails. Cargo ship keeps going. C.P. and Musi look at each other through binoculars.
INT. CARGO SHIP – NIGHT
Lunch room meeting. Crew are upset about pirates. C.P. tells them they signed up for this.
INT. CAPTAIN PHLLIPS’ OFFICE – NIGHT
C.P. emails home. Tells Wife everything is fine.
EXT. PIRATE MOTHER SHIP – NIGHT
Musi and Rival get into a fight about Rival turning back. Rival points a gun at Musi’s head. Musi hits him with a wrench, kills him. Musi gets both engines. His crew fixes his own motor. Elder doesn’t stop Musi.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
C.P. gets ready. Races to bridge. Skiff comes back, with 2 engines. Intercut with bridge, crew gets ready for attack. Engineer says oks to speed up the engines. Intercut with Musi and his skiff. Looks at the cargo ship. On bridge – C.P. makes a call…
INT. US OPERATIONS CENTRE – DAY
Super: US Maritime Emergency Line, Northwood, UK
Intercut with operations centre. Cargo ship radar shows skiff is close.
INT. CARGO SHIP – DAY
Intercut with Musi, radios cargo ship – stop cargo ship, give up. C.P. turns cargo ship. Musi and crew see cargo ship not stopping. Shoot at cargo ship. Cargo ship starts the water hoses, water shoots down. Musi keeps shooting.
One water hose is broken. Murphy goes to fix it. C.P. get the flare guns. Shoots at the skiff. Musi turns skiff away from flare. Murphy tries to fix the fire hose. Gets shot at. Musi and crew get ladder ready to board cargo ship. Murphy retreats.
C.P. turns the cargo ship, to escape Musi’s skiff. They hook up the ladder. Board the cargo ship. C.P. radios his crew to go to down below and hide.
Musi shoots at C.P. Engineer stops cargo ship, like it’s broken. Musi and crew to go the bridge. C.P. radios the crew in the engine room.
Musi and crew enter bridge. Musi wants all the cargo ship’s crew member and a ransom. C.P. says he doesn’t know where his crew are. Talks to Musi, says it’s only a business negotiation.
Crew hides deeper into the engine room. Musi pushes buttons, to control the bridge, fails.
Musi and the Strong Man are at odds. On loudspeaker, C.P. first, then, Musi threatens to kill.
C.P. tries to calm Musi, as a gun in pointed at a Crew Member’s head. C.P. says to shoot him instead. C.P. keeps talking as the radio/walkie talkie is still on, crew in engine room can hear.
Crew discuss the situation. C.P. takes Musi and the Teenager down below. In a maze. Not to the engine room. Murphy goes to the food storage area. C.P. takes Musi and Teenager there. Musi sees the cargo ship map, wants to go to the engine room.
Murphy gets water bottles. Hears them coming. Hides in the back freezer. C.P. stalls Musi with water bottles. They go into the freezer. C.P. sees Murphy hiding.
C.P. says the Teenager has bare feet. C.P. gets food out. Murphy leaves freezer, radios the engine room. Get broken glass by the door entrance to the engine room.
On bridge. Two Pirates remain with two cargo ship crew. Engineer goes to the upper deck (to shut down lights). In engine room, the Teenager cuts feet on the broken glass. C.P., Musi and Teenager go further into the engine room. Crew hide below.
Strong Man goes outside, looks at deck below. Engineer gets to the room to turn off lights. C.P., Musi and the Teenager go further down into the engine room. C.P. says the Teenager is hurt, needs attention. Lights go out.
Strong Man goes below another deck, Engineer goes behind a door. C.P. keeps saying the Teenager’s feet needs attention. A first aid kit is on the bridge. They go. Musi by himself.
On bridge, 2 crew are still held captive. Engine room, Musi checks it out with a flashlight. Goes down further. Crew attack him. Musi cuts his hand on a knife.
Teenager and C.P. on bridge. Radio broadcasts the fight in the engine room. Musi talks in the radio. Wants his pirate crew to rescue him.
C.P. radios his crew and Musi. The ransom money isn’t enough, but gives it to them anyway, $30,000. Negotiates an exchange. Go on the cargo ship’s tender boat. Pirates force C.P. into the boat. Musi gets inside the tender boat.
INT. TENDER BOAT – DAY
C.P. tells Driver how to steer. They kidnap C.P. Tender boat launches into the water.
EXT. WAR SHIP – DAY
Big war ship on the ocean.
Super: USS Bainbridge, Assigned to Counter – Piracy Task Force 151
INT. WAR SHIP – DAY
Commander hears the pirate attack situation. Redirects war ship to the Maersk Alabama.
INT. TENDER BOAT – NIGHT
C.P. and the pirates. Musi radios the pirate mother ship. No answer. His hand gets worse. Crew don’t get along. Discuss situation. Opens door. Maersk Alabama follow them.
INT. CARGO SHIP – NIGHT
Murphy and crew follow the tender boat.
INT. TENDER BOAT – DAY
C.P. wakes up. Travelled all night. Crew are upset. Musi counts the money. He’s not well. Hand cut, a fever develops. Teenager’s feet needs attention. C.P. gets the first aid kit. Fixes the Teenager’s feet.
EXT. TENDER BOAT – DAY
Drone circles overhear. War ship motors towards them.
INT. WAR SHIP – DAY
Navy plots on radar. Commander talks to his crew, pirates’ profiles on the computer. Tender boat doesn’t get to Somalia. His orders – Stop it by all means.
INT. TENDER BOAT – DAY
Everyone is exhausted. Pirates run out of khat plant (like a drug for seasickness, getting high.) C.P. asks for water. Teenager gives it to him. Crew is upset. Strong Man takes the water away. Musi radios the pirate mother ship. No answer. More discussion. Cargo ship follows. Pirate mother ship has engine problems. Tells Musi to go to the port with C.P.
EXT. AIRPORT – DAY
Super: Seal Staging Base – Virginia
SUVs drive to an army plane. Navy Seals get on the plane.
INT. TENDER BOAT – DAY
Musi’s hand gets worse. Driver smashes window on his driver’s side (for fresh air). It’s boiling inside the tender boat. Water runs out. More discussion. A fight between Musi and Strong Man.
A horn blasts. Intercut with tender boat. Musi opens door, sees the war ship. C.P. sees it. Pirates tie the door. War ship radios the tender boat. Demanding C.P. back. Musi talks back.
A navy person who can speak Somalian talks to Musi, about getting them water and food. Military men board the cargo ship. They will guide it to another port. Cargo ship leaves.
War ship sets up 2 war ship boats, motor to the tender boat. With military and the navy interpreter. Musi says cargo ship is leaving to C.P.
2 war ship boats go the tender boat. Musi opens up. Interpreter talks. Also filming it. A discussion. They ask to see C.P. who says he is in seat 15.
A gun is fired on the tender boat. 2 war ship boats go back to the war ship. Musi fights with the Strong Man. Radio between Musi and the Commander. C.P. says he is ok on the radio.
Another 2 war ships arrive. On tender boat, more discussion. Musi, crew and C.P. see the 3 war ships now. Tie the door. C.P. talks to Musi about giving up. On war ship, Commander gets call. Under deadline. Can’t let tender boat get to Somalia.
EXT. PLANE – NIGHT
Navy Seals jump out, parachute towards the 3 war ships.
INT. TENDER BOAT – NIGHT
Crew is exhausted. Teenager opens door. C.P. needs go to the bathroom. He pushes the Teenage off. C.P. dives into the water to escape. Musi jumps in. He gets C.P., they fight in the water.
Intercut with Navy Seals parachuting over the 3 war ships. All fast intercuts below. On war ship, navy crew sees 2 people in the water. They don’t shoot, unsure if it’s C.P. or not.
Strong Man shoots at C.P. in the water. C.P. Gives up escaping. Pirates get C.P. Back into the tender boat. Navy Seals in the water. Commander sees C.P. is back in Musi’s control. Navy Seals get on the war ship. Strong Man beats C.P. Musi stops the Strong Man.
A helicopter shines a light over the tender boat. Military Negotiator takes over from the Commander. Musi and the Strong Man are upset at each other. Military Negotiator radios Musi. Musi holds a gun to C.P.’s head.
Musi shoots at the helicopter. It leaves the tender boat. Helicopter comes back. Musi radios the Military Negotiator. Threatens C.P. Makes C.P. talk to the Military Negotiator. Musi talks to the Military Negotiator.
Military Negotiator knows all their names. Musi’s crew are upset, shocked. Negotiate a deal. Musi has a gun to C.P.’s head. Navy Seals get ready on the war ship. Test out weapons.
On the tender boat, C.P. and Musi discuss more, about their situation, their dilemmas. Musi says the statement about their differences, “Maybe in America.”
On war ship’s loudspeaker, war ship boat asks to see C.P. He says he’s ok. A listening device is attached on the side of the tender boat. Military says that they have negotiated with Musi’s elders about the ransom money. Musi needs to come back to the war ship with them.
They will tow the tender boat towards the war ship. Military gives C.P. a t-shirt to wear, stay in seat 15. Musi agrees to go back to the war ship. War ship boat leaves. War ship devise their next strategies. Musi gets on the war ship. He questions where the elders are. They tell him lies.
In the tender boat, they wait. Navy Seals get in position at the back of the war ship. Wait for tender boat to come closer. Project bright lights at the tender boat (for the Navy Seals).
Strong Man radios the war ship. Military says they need the lights to pull the tender boat closer to the war ship. Navy Seals now in position, can see the tender boat, the crew inside. Navy Seals need the tender boat to be closer. Navy Seals don’t have 3 green targets (3 clear shots) on the 3 Somalians.
C.P. puts on the t-shirt. Still no 3 green light targets. Helicopter overhead. Driver has to keep tender boat straight, towards the war ship. Tender boat is too rocky (big waves from other 2 war ships). 2 other war ships go back.
Radios in to the war ship. Driver not steering straight. C.P. grabs a pen, writes a note to his family. Military Negotiator radios the Strong Man about the towing. Commander says to tow faster. Navy Seals ready, but no 3 green targets. Tender boat gets closer.
Strong Man takes notes from C.P. Snipers ready. Not 3 green targets. Strong Man wonders where elders are. C.P. attacks the Strong Man. War ship hears the fighting going on via the listening device on the tender boat. C.P. seems to get the better of the Strong Man.
Teenager hits C.P. Strong Man ties C.P. up close to the Driver. Arms up high. Military Negotiator radios the tender boat, if you harm the hostage, no deal. Strong Man beats C.P. with a rifle. Military Negotiator yells for C.P. to find out if he is ok. No answer.
Tow tender boat faster. C.P. screams. Military Negotiator hears it. Teenager blindfolds C.P. He talks to the Teenager to stop, to give up. C.P. breaks down, cries, in panic. No 3 green targets. Teenager says not to kill C.P. to the Strong Man.
Strong Man says no one is coming, no elders will come. No 3 green targets. Strong Man knows the truth. They were ambushed, all die anyway. Strong Man points the gun at C.P.
Military Negotiator says “execute”. Navy Seals shoot 3 Somalians. C.P. is alive. Takes blindfold down, see dead Somalian. C.P. in shock. Cries. Military comes in from top of the tender boat. Get C.P. off the tender boat, onto the war ship boat.
EXT. WAR SHIP – DAY
Military take Musi down. C.P. boards the war ship boat. Navy Seals pack up. C.P. on war ship.
INT. WAR SHIP – DAY
Take C.P. to the infirmary. Musi is arrested. Realizes his ending. Told his 3 friends are dead. In the infirmary, C.P. gets checked over by the nurse/doctor. C.P. breaks down, cries. Not injured. They lie C.P. down on bed. Tow tender boat behind war ship. Other 2 war ships on the ocean.
Super: info of aftermath of C.P. and Musi
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PS 80 – Jodi’s Favorite Movie Outline – Day 6
I’ve learned a scene breakdown is an outline, I never realized that. I’ve never filled in the blanks and followed an outline, I always wrote as I thought up ideas. I realize that’s just because I didn’t know how to follow a structure, thinking I’d just get everything tangled up. But with this I can see it is much easier to map the story out and make sure I don’t miss any key parts of the structure.
Dramatic Question: Can Henrick persuade the US to go along with his plan and keep him from being deported as a traitor.
Main Conflict: Germany has invaded Denmark and the Ambassador cannot bring himself to acquiescing to the nazi’s and let them take over his beloved country.
Dilemma: Accept Germany’s occupation of Denmark and the fate of his people as his superiors have done, or proclaim independence and fight within the US, possibly leading to his deportation and hanging as a treasonous traitor.
Theme: I’m stealing from Die Hard here but it does apply: One woman and one man can make a difference.
Outline of: The Good Traitor.
This is my first time seeing this movie. My favorite movies are comedies so I picked this one because it is the same genre as the script I’m writing in this class: Drama and history.
1. INT. HOSPITAL BED – DAY
Title: June 1963, Skodsborg Sanatorium, Denmark.
Essence: AMBASSADOR HENRICK KAUFFMAN is dying with his wife at his bedside. CHARLOTTE KAUFFMANN, his wife suffocates him with a pillow.
2. INT. THE KAUFFMANN BEDROOM – DAY
Title: 1939, The Danish Embassy, Washington, DC
Essence: Chanting of Sieg Heil is heard. Henrick and Charlotte dress to meet President Roosevelt. He is nervous.
3. INT. THE WHITE HOUSE – DAY
Title: The White House, Washington DC
Essence: Henrick meets PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, Charlotte has known the President since she was a child The President acts cool to Henrick. Henrick tries to get verbal support from the President that the US will be a strong ally to Denmark when Hitler invades. The President is again dismissive to Henrick.
4. INT. KAUFFMANN BEDROOM – NIGHT
Essence: Henrick verbalizes his concern that President Roosevelt will not be onboard with Denmark. They decide Henrick needs to stand out to get Roosevelts attention.
5. EXT. GARDEN PARTY – DAY
Essence: Henrick, BLECHINGBERG and ARNO JENSEN debate about Denmark’s neutral policy. Blechingberg offends Jensen who has a different view than Denmark staying neutral.
6. INT. KAUFFMANN LIVINGROOM – DAY
Essence: Charlotte’s sister ZILLA and her Daughter visit. It appears there is either something between Henrick and Zilla or they had a history together.
7. INT. KAUFFMANN’S OFFICE – DAY
Essence: Jensen warns Henrick of Danish suicide by being neutral to Hitler. He feels they are being naive. Henrick agrees with Jensen and tries to recruit him to work with him.
8. EXT. SWIMMING POOL – DAY
Title: 1940, Charleston Hotel, South Carolina
Essence: It is revealed that Charlotte deals with issues by drinking.
9. EXT. OUTSIDE PATIO – EVENING
Essence: Zilla and Henrick are talked into telling the young children about their secret mission to the Gobi Desert as spies. Zilla is married to SENATOR MASON. Mason was instrumental in Henrick and Charlotte marrying. In a moment by themselves it is revealed that Henrick and Zilla still love each other.
10. INT. JENSEN HOME – MORNING
Title: 9 April 1940
Essence: A Reporter from the New York Times calls and asks if he could get a comment from the legation about the German invasion of Denmark. This is a surprise to Jensen.
11. INT. KAUFFMANN’S OFFICE – MORNING
Essence: Henrick finds out the Danish are negotiating surrender and the Germans plan on ruling the country. Henrick plans on declaring himself independent of Denmark. He knows he will be recalled, lose his position with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and be looked upon as betraying his country.
12. INT. THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WA DC – MORNING
Essence: He asks the State Dept. if he can have their support for him to run an independent embassy in the US to represent the King and the free Danish people. Henrick believes Danish foreign policy can’t be ran with nazi pressure. The State Dept Director BERLE declines. Henrick’s on his own.
13. INT. KAUFFMANN’S HOME – DAY
Essence: The nazi radio caster announces to avoid any passive or active resistance. Charlotte reminds Henrick of his philosophy of diplomacy when he stated his concern for being extradited back to Denmark under nazi rule, “You say it’s 50% information, and 50% gambling….Gamble.”
14. INT. RADIO STATION – DAY
Essence: Henrick broadcasts a news update stating his position of no longer taking orders from Denmark as they are being ruled under duress by Germany. He will work for one thing only; a free and independent Denmark.
15. INT. KAUFFMANN’S OFFICE – DAY
Essence: Nine out of 24 embassies support his position, the others are calling him a traitor. Svenningsen’s telegram demands Kauffmann acknowledge the agreement with the nazi’s or he’ll replace him with a new Ambassador and deport him.
16. INT. KAUFFMANN BATHROOM – NIGHT
Essence: He needs Charlotte’s help to get access to President Roosevelt.
17. EXT. FRANKLIN’S VACATION HOME – DAY
Essence: Henrick asks for the President’s help, the President agrees to help him gain a little time. Charlotte jokingly makes reference to Zilla getting all the glory from people. Later, Henrick and Zilla walk into the woods and kiss.
18. INT. KAUFFMANN BEDROOM – NIGHT
Essence: Charlotte saw Henrick and Zilla kissing and confronts him. He coolly blows her off and leaves the room.
19. INT. KAUFFMANN OFFICE – DAY
Essence: All Denmark Ambassadors that have not acknowledged Germany rule over Denmark have had their funds stopped. Denmark shipped gold reserves to the US before the occupation. His plan is to help the US build an air base in Greenland and get the Cryolite for their airplane production, but they will first have to usurp Greenland’s Governors. Henrick hopes this could be the beginning of the end of Hitler, but they have to find a loophole to do this or they can be arrested for treason.
20. INT. BLECHINGBERG’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Essence: Blechingberg betrays Kauffmann by calling Svenningsen and asking for a new Ambassador to replace Kauffmann.
21. INT. STATE DEPARTMENT, WA DC – DAY
Essence: Kauffmann suspects Blechingberg is sabotaging him so he asks Berle of the State Dept. to investigate him for possible criminal activity. Berle says he’ll put Hoover on the job. They propose their idea about occupying Greenland to Berle and he instantly throws them out of his office.
22. INT. EMBASSY KITCHEN – NIGHT
Essence: Kauffmann and Jensen discuss how they can make the air base a permanent deal for America.
23. INT. KAUFFMANN BEDROOM – MORNING
Essence: Henrick makes peace with Charlotte, but Charlotte still has doubts about him.
24. INT. KAUFFMANN LIVINGROOM – DAY
Essence: Zilla makes peace with Charlotte. It is clear Charlotte forgives her sister more than she forgives Henrick.
25. EXT. GARDEN – DAY
Essence: Charlotte confides in Roosevelt that she thinks Henrick is in love with Zilla. He proposes that she see a different way of thinking about love. She shares with the President Henrick’s belief that it would benefit world peace if the US has military bases in Greenland in perpetuity.
26. INT. STATE DEPT. – NIGHT
Essence: Fearing that Churchill won’t be able to hold Great Britain and the US would be forced into war, the President and the State Dept reconsider Henrick’s idea. Henrick takes the opportunity to negotiate his position to be the only official representative of the free Denmark and wants Denmark’s funds freed up and Denmark’s gold reserves at his disposal.
27. INT. KAUFFMANN LIVINGROOM – NIGHT
Essence: Henrick stares at King Christian’s portrait and the contract terms he just made. Charlotte wrapping her arms around him says “You are the King”.
28. INT. OFFICE – DAY
Essence: The US has taken custody of Greenland for the Danes. Henrick and Roosevelt sign the agreement during a broadcasted photo op.
29. INT. BANK – DAY
Title: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Essence: Henrick and his children are shown into the gold reserve room for Denmark, which is piled high and wide with gold bars. He says to his kids “Whoever has the money wins”.
30. INT. EMBASSY OFFICE – DAY
Essence: Jensen and his Assistant dole out the freed up funds to the different Danish embassies around the world. Jensen “This should tide them over for at least three months”.
31. EXT. KAUFFMANN HOME – DAY
Essence: Zilla runs into Henrick sitting on a bench. He asks her to sit next to him. He holds his hand over hers, clearly still interested in more romance with her. She smiles at him, moves her hand and walks away. Henrick looks around to see if his wife saw again…she didn’t.
32. INT. KAUFFMANN DININGROOM – NIGHT
Essence: Stolen glances between Henrick and Zilla. A messenger brings news to Henrick that because he acted without authority signing the contract of Greenland, he has been relieved of his duties as Ambassador and is charged with high treason, must relinquish his personal fortune, and is being deported immediately.
33. EXT. AIRPORT – NIGHT
Essence: At the same time they are trying to deport Kauffmann, Blechingberg is served with deportation papers himself from the FBI investigation. Berle, the Director saves the day for Kauffmann, as it stopped his deportation. Henrick says “Now those damned Americans better enter into the war”.
34. INT. WHITE HOUSE – DAY
Title: (Roosevelt) December 7<sup>th</sup>, 1941
Essence: Roosevelt broadcasts Japan has attacked Pearl Harbor. The President and Winston Churchill are meeting to discuss the axis of war and to build the foundation for world peace with the UN, if Denmark is to join, Henrick must make sure everyone knows the Danes are not with the nazis.
35. INT. KAUFFMANN LIVINGROOM – DAY
Essence: Henrick has gathered the influential Danes living in the US and asks them to stick together and not buckle to the nazis. Charlotte confronts Henrick, he cruelly says he likes everything about Zilla. He has disdain for Charlotte. She tries to harm herself by stepping on glass.
36. INT. SAME
Essence: Jensen gives Kauffmann the good news that King Christian the 10<sup>th</sup> says he cannot criticize the unilateralism line taken by Ambassador Kauffmann. Which is a blessing to Henrick.
37. INT. CAR – DAY
Title: May 1945
Essence: The Danes celebrate Henrick and Denmark’s freedom after five years of occupation by the nazis. Henrick meets with Svenningsen and Prime Minister Buhl. Svenningsen wants to banish him to Asia but instead he is able to write his own ticket with the PM and his new goal is for Denmark to join the UN.
38. EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
Title: June 26 1945
Essence: Delegates from 46 United Nations have come together in San Francisco to sign the peace agreement, with Ambassador Kauffmann among them signing for Denmark.
39. INT. KAUFFMANN BEDROOM – NIGHT
Essence: Charlotte and Henrick hope that there will be more earnest players like PM Buhl in the UN. Henrick acknowledges that if it wasn’t for Charlotte, Denmark wouldn’t be a free country. They seem to be happy as a couple again.
40. INT. HOSPITAL BED – DAY
Essence: Blood is all over Henrick as his neck has been cut open. Charlotte is holding the bloody knife. She gets into the tub with her pajamas on and takes the knife and stabs herself in the stomach. They were found dead on June 5<sup>th</sup> 1963 at the Sanatorium where Henrick was undergoing cancer treatment.
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[PS80] Kelli Cooke:
What I learned doing this, is that re-watching a favorite movie for the sake of school work is equal to me playing hooky at doing real work for as many days as I can make it stretch out.
One of my favorite movies Man Up
Dramatic Question: will our main person find love again
Main Conflict: has been hurt by a past breakup
Dilemma: starts off lying to a potential suitor
Theme: rom/com
Man Up-2017 written by Tess Morris
1. Int: Hotel room-
Nancy is talking to herself in the mirror, imagining the meeting between her and the blind date she is being set up with at her friends engagement party.
2. Int: hotel room-
Nancy is in bed watching her favorite movie. Phone rings as room service is setting out food she has ordered. A pep talk from her sister puts her back on track
to attend the party, that she is avoiding.
3. Int: downstairs at the hotel-
Nancy arrives at the party. Set up where everything that can go wrong does.
4. Int: commuter train-
Nancy is on the phone, telling her sister how terrible the blind date was. Her sister is after Nancy to be back in time for their parents anniversary party.
Due to construction there are delays. Nancy meets another passenger who begins giving her unsolicited dating advice.
5. Int: commuter train-
Train stops, Nancy who had fallen asleep, wakes up with the noises of arrival at the station. The passenger who nosed in with advice has left her a book with a note to read it.
6. Int: train station-
Nancy runs down the platform to catch the girl to return the book. While looking for the books owner, is mistaken for it’s owner who was meeting someone for a blind date.
Nancy decides to pretend to be the other girl.
7. Outside: walking from the station across a bridge
Nancy (now as Jessica), strolls with the man whose name is Jack. They start getting to know each other, ‘Jessica’ pretending to be interested in the things Jack has been told
that the real Jessica is interested in.
8. Outside: at a street vendor:
Jack and ‘Jessica’ share a beer and pick another place to get a drink.
9. Int: themed pub:
The two do shots and then go to another place to go bowling
10. Int: bowling alley:
Things are going well with ‘Jessica’ and Jack till someone from her past recognizes her for who she is and threatens to reveal her to her date with blackmail tactics.
11. Int: ladies room of the bowling alley:
Nancy is found by Jack in a compromising situation (the embrace of the friend who threatened blackmail). Nancy comes clean, tells Jack she isn’t Jessica.
12. Int: bowling alley coat check:
Jack and Nancy are having words about her lying or at least avoiding the truth of who she is, that she planned to tell him because she really likes him.
It is discovered that Jack left his satchel at the previous pub and he has a notebook that she needs, it has the speech for her parents anniversary party in it.
13. Ext: streets of London:
He hails a cab, she says it’s not far that they could walk. Now they race each other to see who will get to the pub first.
14. Ext: Outside pub:
They arrive at the same time.
15. Int: pub is crowded
Jack has the barkeep look for his man-bag. Nancy goes to the loo to clean up after running, swimming, and biking to get to the pub (a symbolic representation of Jessica who is a triathlete) .
16. Int: at the bar
Jack and Nancy are parting ways when Jack’s ex wife and her boyfriend appear. Jack introduces Nancy as his girlfriend and they all grab a table to have drinks. Jack and his ex glare at each other
and snarky comments are exchanged.
17. Int: table in the pub
The two couples exchange verbal banter. Jack is still quite visibly hurt over how his marriage ended. Nancy asks him to dance and she advises him to put on a brave face and not show his ex-wife
how much it still effects him.
18. Int: at the bar
They do parting shot with the ex and her fella. Through a series of mistakes Nancy tosses her shot on the arm of the boyfriend, and the bar keep lights it on fire. Now Jack is laughing hysterically
and Nancy grabs a fire extinguisher to put out the fire (Nancy’s cover story was that she is a firewoman), instead of hitting the boyfriend who is on fire, she instead hits Jack’s ex
in the face with the fire suppressant substance that is in the extinguisher.
19. Ext: walking to the train station
Nancy is asking Jack to join her in going to her parents anniversary party that she is very late for, but Jack is looking at his phone and discovered that Jessica is still interested in meeting
him. So Jack didn’t hear Nancy, and they part neither one of them getting the other persons number.
20. Int: Nancy’s parents house, Anniversary party
Nancy comes in the door, she’s remembered the chocolate mousse that her mother asked for. She immediatley breaks down that she met a lovely man, but she made the mistake of pretending to be
his blind date, and the encounter ended poorly.
21. Ext: Side walk pop up bar
Jack and Jessica chatting, Jack quickly realizes he will have to explain everything he says to Jessica because of the age difference between the two of them. He suddenly realizes Nancy
suited him better. They understood each other. He tells Jessica he’s made a mistake and she helps him try to figure out how to find Nancy.
22. Int: Return to the bowling ally
Jack finds Nancy’s former school friend (Sean)and asks his help in finding Nancy.
23. Int: Red BMW
Childhood chum, Sean, takes Jack to where Nancy is. Guy drives at breakneck speeds, while 80’s power ballads play in the back ground
24. Int: Nancy’s parents house
Nancy sits sad and dejected, the after effect of tears still lingering about her eyes and face.
25. Ext: suburban neighborhood
Sean drops Jack, directing him to a house he says is Nancy’s parents.
26. Int: Nancy’s parents house
Knock on the door reveals Sean, and everyone there mistakes Sean for the guy Nancy is sad about. Sean hams it up, playing the part of lost boyfriend. Nancy grows sadder by the minute
27. Ext: Wrong house
Jack knocks on the door Sean directed him to, only to find its a party with a large group of drunk kids. Jack asks if they know Nancy, and goes to hold a girls hair out of her face as
she gets sick in the sink. One kid says he knows Nancy, that she used to be his babysitter when he was younger.
28. Ext: House lined, dark streets
Jack and his entourage of teens running through the streets shouting for Nancy. Jack notices the red BMW of Seans and heads for that house.
29. Int: sitting room full of friends and family
Nancy stands finally getting her whits about her, says a few lines of an impromptu speech, when the window opens across the sitting room and Jack crawls through the window. Where he takes over the speech!
He toasts to Nancy, to tricky ex wanna-be boyfriend Sean who sent him to the wrong house, and to a running theme in the movie “fuck the past”!
30. Int: hallway
Jack and Nancy have gone in the downstairs loo and are kissing and making out, while Sean listens at the door.
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