Please find below a short script myself & two of my close friends worked on last year – all comments &/or advice is welcome... INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY Open shot of a woman focusing on notes visible on her laptop. She scribbles barely literate writing on a clipboard that is nearby. Her clinical gloves rub against the paper. She focuses her eyes onto a chair that is against the opposite wall. It has straps attached to both arms. Another person who is dressed in the same clinical manner is sat down on the chair. MARTIN (Standing up) Are you sure about this? The woman moves on to the next table and comes upon a syringe. The needle is not yet inserted. MARTIN Katherine? KATHERINE Yes, of course I’m sure. She smiles. MARTIN I’m just a bit nervous that’s all. KATHERINE Well I’m excited too. MARTIN That’s not quite what I meant. KATHERINE Listen - just trust me okay? You know what this will do for us when it works. MARTIN Yes I know. Katherine begins to finalize her preparation. MARTIN (Nervously to himself) Please God. Aiden walks into the room with some intent. KATHERINE (Smiling) Oh hello Aiden, I'm glad you could make it. AIDEN Don’t be sweet with me Katherine. Don’t tell me you’re actually going ahead with this. KATHERINE Well of course... AIDEN You are a fool. KATHERINE A fool who is about to go down in history for changing the world as we know it. AIDEN We need more time. It’s not ready yet. KATHERINE (Placing down the syringe) Whatever happened to you? You used to have so much passion. You told me you wanted to change the world and now that we actually can, you turn your back on it! AIDEN I’m doing what’s right! You just seek your own ends, you need to stop with the delusions of grandeur and actually test this drug more thoroughly. Yes it has outstanding potential, but it can’t be rushed! KATHERINE It works. I have already proven this. MARTIN Hold on a minute, I thought you had tested this thoroughly. KATHERINE I have, you saw what it did to those mice. I've spent my whole University career preparing for this moment. This is it, I can feel it. MARTIN Whole University career? You're only in the year above me. You just started your third year?! KATHERINE Look relax. I’ve tested this formula extensively, all the irregularities have been eradicated... This is the finished article. AIDEN You’ve only tested on mice, not on a human subject. It takes years if not decades of trials before we could even begin to think about human testing. KATHERINE I have projected potential results on human subjects and I am certain of the outcome. MARTIN You are willing to test this on me and all you have is projections? You told me you had advanced to primate tests. KATHERINE Well not exactly. Look Martin, you know my work; you surely know I couldn’t get permission for primate tests. MARTIN So I am quite literally your guinea pig? KATHERINE No, not at all. I would never put you at undue risk. MARTIN Excuse me but if you think you are testing your shit out on me then you are very much mistaken. KATHERINE I’ve manipulate the genes of mammals to become far more advanced. I hold the make-up of their genetic code in my hands, it is mine to do with as I please. AIDEN Yeah, small mammals. You can’t just go straight to human testing! MARTIN The structure of a mouse albeit only marginally different, is different enough to result in extremely negative outcomes. It’s way too risky, why would I want to roll those dice? KATHERINE Martin, why did you want to become a scientist in the first place? MARTIN You know why, to seek the truth. To find enlightenment and enrich everyone’s lives. KATHERINE Exactly... This enriched the mice. It made them better in every way, stronger, faster and vastly more intelligent. You could look deep into their eyes and see straight into their soul. I made them more alive than they could ever have been. AIDEN Please Kathy, if you have made any breakthroughs you must publish it and then you can get funding for further research. KATHERINE No further research is needed, it is ready now. AIDEN Did you not listen to me? The last time I checked we are not mice! You have no idea how a human may react to the drug. I wouldn’t want something so unknown loose in my bloodstream. MARTIN I second that. You are way too hasty Katherine KATHERINE Do you not see the possibilities? MARTIN I’m fully aware of the possibilities but this is just conjecture at the moment. We cannot prove or disprove anything, which is why further tests are needed. KATHERINE Guys, just - chill the hell out! Anyone listening would think I'm trying to resurrect Frankenstein’s Monster! There is evidence that these results would extrapolate to human trials. Have faith in me would you, please. MARTIN How can I put my faith into something so fragile? KATHERINE Fragility is the key to strength. What weakens us makes us stronger, which is exactly why we give someone a taste of a disease to make them immune to it. Take a leap of faith for once in your life. MARTIN I’ve got hurt too many times. I have very little faith left at all. KATHERINE Tell me this. Have you ever wanted to feel what it is like to connect with the spirit of the earth? To feel at one with everything and everyone and then to hold all that in the palm of your hand. To experience pleasure beyond the bounds of human understanding. MARTIN I already have. I will never have that again. KATHERINE I wouldn’t be so sure. You can connect to her again, feel her in your memory, bring her to life. You can bring her back, Martin. MARTIN Don’t you dare use her in your argument, have some respect would you! KATHERINE I'm sorry. I'm just speaking the truth. AIDEN Look, I think this is going too far. There is no proof that the mice experienced anything like this. KATHERINE You saw what it did to the mice Aiden, imagine if that was replicated in a human. Just think about it. Our minds could expand tenfold and beyond. MARTIN It wouldn’t be her. KATHERINE (Smiling, knowing she got him on her hook) It would be every bit of her you ever remembered, that’s where she exists now. That’s the beauty of the human mind, it never forgets, however much it likes to make us think it does. You can be with her again Martin and you can be stronger, a better person. Truly human 2.0... AIDEN Katherine please... Katherine dismisses him. MARTIN It would just be a memory, a faded dream. KATHERINE Yes, now it would. But you have to think of what you’d be capable of after you are enhanced, after your brain is so much more. You can access the deepest recess of your mind and bring them to life. Just imagine... MARTIN It still needs to be tested further. We have plenty of time. KATHERINE New discoveries are being made at such a rapid pace. Health, science and technology - it’s all growing exponentially. Every day it seems another breakthrough is made, who's to say tomorrow someone won’t find what I have found and take it away from us altogether. We'd be legends, immortalized. We'd be Gods. AIDEN God’s? I think you need to lose this delusion that is clouding your judgment. I never realized you were so egotistical. KATHERINE I’m not at all. We'd all be like Gods, every one of us. It’s the next natural step of evolution, the next epoch of humankind… (To Martin) Martin, just tell me you don’t want to see her again, feel her. Tell me you don’t want to live your wildest dreams, be the first human to experience true enlightenment. MARTIN I suppose someone has to take the first step... Katherine smiles. AIDEN No, Martin. KATHERINE (To Aiden) I'm sorry but you can’t hinder the progress of science. AIDEN That’s the last thing I want to do, but going into it too quickly just sets you up for a fall and gives science a bad name. I want to do this right. KATHERINE I’ve never felt more right about anything in my life. AIDEN Then more fool you. KATHERINE Martin, would you like to sit in the chair? Martin does so somewhat reluctantly. Katherine brings over the needle, some cotton wool and a container with some liquid substance inside. Martin nearly faints at the sight of the needle. He starts to fidget. KATHARINE Take your shirt off. MARTIN What? AIDEN Katherine... KATHERINE It's so I can put these on his chest... (She holds up two round medical sticker pads) Relax! AIDEN Will you stop using that word. KATHERINE What... Relax? Relax! Ignoring the little tension rising, Katherine undoes Martin's shirt and he takes it off. She attaches the stickers to his chest and straps him to the arms of the chair. Aiden looks a little alarmed and turns towards Katherine for assurance. There is none. He holds on to the Martin's forearm. KATHERINE Look Martin, don't worry if you start to experience headaches, just focus on the thought of invincibility, ok? Martin and Aiden exchange a she-really-has-lost-the-plot look. MARTIN I really don't know. Martin's bare torso starts to tense. AIDEN I'm really not sure about this Kathy, just wait a minute. Katherine has the sterilized needle adjacent to Martin's right arm. MARTIN No, no! Stop. Just wait, please. KATHERINE Relax... You'll feel a sharp little prick and then it will all be over. I'll even give you a lollipop after for being such a good boy. She smiles proudly at the her little joke, but none of the guys reciprocate, instead they look at each other with further concern. AIDEN Just stop Katherine! This is crazy!...
Please find below the first couple of scenes from a script I have written & complete – all comments &/or advice is welcome... CREDITS ROLL: JOANNA, a woman in her middle 20’s, is seen sleeping in her bed. The morning sun creeps through the curtains while Joanna is seen tangled with her covers in an unflattering mess. Close up of the alarm clock showing the time at 8:29am. The alarm clock flicks to 8:30am and an uplifting Indie rock song blasts through the bedroom and continues to play as the credits roll. Joanna slams her alarm clock with her hand, but fails to turn it off. She forces her eyes open and glances at the time. JOANNA Dammit! (To the alarm clock) I set you for an hour ago! Joanna falls out of bed and frantically gets ready. Here we have a montage of Joanna getting ready, such as brushing her teeth, putting on her clothes and doing her hair, which she keeps fiddling with until she gets it exactly right. She quickly puts on her coat before she is seen running out of the front door and across the street. INT. A BAR/RESTAURANT – MORNING FRIDAY The scene starts with Joanna arriving at the bar a bit late. She walks in as inconspicuously as possible. CAROLINE (Grinning over her magazine) Good morning, sunshine… Joanna ignores the older woman while grabbing a tray and notepad and taking off her coat in the process. A girl with vibrant auburn hair, ELIZABETH, comes from behind the bar and smiles over at Joanna. ELIZABETH Are you alright, Jo? CAROLINE (To Joanna) You look like hell. JOANNA (Half with it) I just… CAROLINE Had a date with Prince Charming and then a wild night of sex? Or are you just going for the shagged out look? ELIZEABETH (To Caroline) Don’t being so patronising. It’s not nice. CAROLINE So it was Prince Charming then? A young woman, EMILY, places a Latte cup in front of Joanna while rambling on about something. JOANNA (Looking up from her notepad, confused) I’m sorry, what? EMILY You’re Latte. One sugar, extra cream – just how you like it. JOANNA Oh - Thanks. EMILY You made it in the end then? JOANNA Just about! You know, could have woken me. EMILY Sorry, I thought you were awake. Besides, we all know what you’re like in the mornings. Joanna smiles before blowing on her Latte. Emily turns around and places a cup of tea by Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiles to thank Emily. Emily then gives Caroline her Coffee. EMILY Good morning, Caroline - here is your black coffee, extra strong, no sugar – just how YOU like it… Caroline grunts in response. Emily shakes her head and then turns back to Joanna who is now sipping at her Latte. EMILY (Smiling) So, have you seen him yet? Joanna looks up, confused. JOANNA Who? Emily rolls her eyes. EMILY You know exactly who I’m talking about; you’re Prince Charming, that’s who. Caroline puts down her magazine and turn’s her full attention to the women. CAROLINE Ha – she wishes. ELIZABETH Ignore her… JOANNA I would rather not think about him, if I’m honest. I mean, what’s the point? I’ll only set myself up for a fall. CAROLINE Yeah, good point. JOANNA (To Elizabeth) Is he even here yet? CAROLINE You’re kidding aren’t you? He’s probably still in bed with his girlfriend. You know - the blonde bomb shell – goes by the name of ‘look at me, look at me.’ Emily turns to face the sarcastic woman. EMILY Go back to reading your magazine. This is a private conversation between friends. CAROLINE (To Emily) You do know that she doesn’t stand a chance with him. She’s a plain Jane… (To Joanna) No offence! Joanna shakes her head as if to say, ‘none taken!’ CAROLINE …and Jennifer is… EMILY …An evil witch? CAROLINE Look, you need to stop filling her head with all this ‘fairy-tale’ nonsense. Joanna takes another sip of her Latte, giving herself a cream moustache while watching the women argue about her. CAROLINE A guy like James Anderson wouldn’t look twice at someone like… Just then, JAMES comes walking through the door of the main bar. Joanna stares in awe, while Caroline shakes her head. He turns his attention to the women and smiles. JAMES Good morning, ladies. Joanna, Emily and Elizabeth smile back at him. His eyes rest on Joanna. He then lets out a little chuckle. JAMES Erm, Joanna… He makes his way over to where she is standing. Emily, Elizabeth and Caroline watch in complete shock. Joanna freezes as he leans in close to examine her face. She holds her breath as he raises one hand and gently grazes her top lip with his thumb. JAMES You had a, erm – bit of a cream moustache going on there. It’s gone now. He smiles at her. Sudden realisation sets in and Joanna’s eyes widen with embarrassment. James laughs as she closes them, covering her face with both hands and shyly peeking through her fingers as he turns and walks away. EMILY Oh - my God! That was AMAZING! CAROLINE (Stunned) Huh, well what do you know? ELIZABETH There’s your Prince Charming. CAROLINE He’s hardly Prince Charming. EMILY (To Caroline) You’re just jealous. CAROLINE (Sarcastically) Yeah, sure I am. Joanna leans back against the bar - frozen. Emily grabs Caroline’s magazine off the side and starts wafting it at Joanna to cool her down. EMILY Breathe Jo. Breathe… Caroline shakes her head at Emily. CAROLINE Oh, stop being so over dramatic. Caroline turns to the menu’s and starts to do some ‘work’. Emily puts down the magazine and turns her attention back to Joanna. EMILY Are you ok? JOANNA (Still shocked) Did that just - happen? EMILY (Grinning) Yes it did. Joanna reaches up to touch her lips. She smiles dreamingly and then the two burst out into quiet giggles and squeals of excitement. CAROLINE (Under her breath) Oh please. Just then a young, nerdy looking man, SIMON, approaches the girls – a large smile across his face. SIMON Hi girls – Joanna… His eyes linger on Joanna’s face as all the women besides Caroline turn to smile at the young waiter. EMILY Oh hey, Simon. JOANNE Hey, Si. SIMON I have a drinks order for you, Joanna. JOANNA Oh, I’m not working on the bar today. He looks down at the paper in his hand. EMILY Yes, as you can see – Beth is. SIMON (Still staring at the paper) Oh. EMILY Yeah... Simon looks back up at Joanna while Elizabeth takes the paper from his extended hand. ELIZABETH I’ll sort that out, shall I? SIMON Thanks Beth. ELIZABETH (Smiling) That’s okay. Simon continues to gaze at Joanna. Emily purposefully coughs. Elizabeth laughs. Joanna looks from Simon to Emily and then back again. Emily frowns while clearing her throat. EMILY Ok, Simon - thank you. He turns to look at Emily - disappointment on his face, then back to Joanna. SIMON Oh, alright. Goodbye, Joanna. JOANNA (Smiling) Bye, Simon. SIMON Ciao Bella. Simon finally leaves the women, and Emily turns to look at Joanna. EMILY Oh my God, he is so weird. JOANNA No he’s not, he’s sweet. Leave him alone. EMILY Ciao Bella? The girls burst out laughing, but then their attention is turned back to the door James disappeared through, as James returns into the main bar followed by a gorgeous blonde woman and an older man. They watch as the blonde girl squeals with joy before hugging the older man and then turning to James, hugging him too. All three are smiling and laughing. EMILY Oh, when did ‘Goldilocks’ get here? JOANNA I don’t know. I didn’t see her come in. They all watch on, curiously. JOANNA I wonder what she’s so happy about. Caroline turns her attention back to the women, looks over at the scene across the room and smiles. CAROLIE Maybe she’s pregnant. I see a tiny small bump coming along. ELIZABETH Too many puddings, I reckon. CAROLINE You lot would know about that. Emily turns to Caroline. EMILY You know, that is the last time I make you a coffee. CAROLINE (Turning back to the menu’s) Like I care! The smartly dressed, older man clears his throat. MR. CLARK Can I have everyone’s attention, please? All employee’s, along with some customers, turn their attention to Mr Clark, their boss, and owner of the bar/restaurant. MR. CLARK I am very proud to announce the engagement of my beautiful daughter - Jennifer, and this charming young man – Mr James Anderson, who she has chosen to be her husband. He motions towards the couple standing closely by his right side. Joanna watches on, tears threatening to form. MR. CLARK It is with great pleasure that I welcome James into the Clark family, and...