You know, I spend a whole lot of time working, writing, and learning about my future profession. But I honestly try to spend more time with my friends.
How come my relationships aren't providing more fruit than my profession.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Scene 2 - Family Values
EXT. JOHNSON’S HOUSE (1980’S) - DAY
... Two boys outside in a backyard.
The neighborhood is early 1980’s, upper-class suburbia in mid-spring. The sky has a few clouds, light and fluffy, dream like. One of the boys is six. His name is Aiden. He has sandy blond hair and his face is flush with running. The flush of his face brings out the blue in his eyes. He is short for his age and still has some baby fat. He chases, huffing and wheezing after his older brother...
Noah, 12. He is also quite short for his age, but has a much more athletic build than his brother. His mid-length brown hair streams behind him as he runs. His bright green eyes flash in the bright sun. The two of them play cops and robbers. Aiden holds a stick that is shaped vaguely like a gun. Noah just holds his fingers in a gun shape. As they run around making GUNSHOT noises and LAUGHING, a pretty voice rings out.
The boys run to the front of the house, onto a wrap around porch where...
Nora, their Mother, is sitting drinking a glass of lemonade. A pitcher is next to her with two glasses. She pours a glass for each of them. As she does this she smiles a radiant smile, the kind that reassures you that everything is OK with the world. Her blond hair flows on a gentle gust of wind and her blue eyes sparkle more than the glass. The pitcher sweats in the late spring heat, droplets of water reflecting the bright sunlight.
Aiden jumps up and runs down the steps at the front of the wrap around porch. Halfway down the steps the family dog is sleeping. Aiden trips on the dog. It GROWLS at Aiden and gnashes it’s teeth. Aiden cowers in fear. Nora smacks the dogs nose. The dog bites her hand so hard it starts bleeding.
Aiden and Noah’s father, Steven, comes out of the front door and sees Nora pulling her bloodied hand out of the dog’s mouth. Steven and Noah looks very much alike. Steven runs up to her, pulls the dog away by its collar.
Steven drags the dog around back to tie him up in his dog house. The sky clouds over. Noah follows his father with a concerned look on his face. Nora YELLS from the porch.
Steven walks into the house. Nora follows him and continues screaming. The words are now unintelligible, but there is obviously a large fight going on between Nora and Steven. Noah sees that Aiden hasn’t picked himself up off the ground. Tears are silently running down Aiden’s cheeks.
Noah slowly helps Aiden up. They start walking into the woods next to their house.
EXT. THE WOODS (1980’S) - DAY
As they walk down a steep path into the woods, Noah puts his arm around Aiden. Aiden stops shaking with his brothers touch. They push their way through branches and bushes until they reach a tree house in the middle of a clearing. A rope swing hangs from the tree. Noah sits in it while Aiden sits at the bottom of a tree.
Noah starts to swing more. As his does this the swing CREAKS and the NOISE of the crickets get louder and louder. The sounds rise to a crescendo...
... The crescendo falls again.
Noah sleeps peacefully in his bed. CRICKETS are heard through the open window and a slight breeze ruffles his hair. A door SLAMS somewhere.
Noah stirs but doesn’t wake. A SQUEAL drifts up into the window, followed by the swift CRASH of an axe. Noah wakes
alarmed.
Noah climbs out of bed and picks up his flashlight. He walks quietly down the stairs into the moonlit corridor, turning the light on only when he gets to the bottom of the stairs. He turns the front door handle slowly and pushes the door open.
EXT. JOHNSON’S HOUSE (1980’S) - NIGHT
Noah quickly flashes his flashlight around to see if there is anyone outside. No movement.
He walks around the back of the house to Bruno’s dog house. His flashlight picks up something dark on the ground. He kneels down to get a closer look. Blood. He shines his flashlight’s beam up following the blood to see the mangled corpse of their old dog Bruno. He SCREAMS!
Noah’s eyes start open. He looks around in all directions. His girlfriend, Sarah, lies next to him, still asleep and purring softly. He looks at the clock. The time reads 5:42 AM.
... Two boys outside in a backyard.
The neighborhood is early 1980’s, upper-class suburbia in mid-spring. The sky has a few clouds, light and fluffy, dream like. One of the boys is six. His name is Aiden. He has sandy blond hair and his face is flush with running. The flush of his face brings out the blue in his eyes. He is short for his age and still has some baby fat. He chases, huffing and wheezing after his older brother...
Noah, 12. He is also quite short for his age, but has a much more athletic build than his brother. His mid-length brown hair streams behind him as he runs. His bright green eyes flash in the bright sun. The two of them play cops and robbers. Aiden holds a stick that is shaped vaguely like a gun. Noah just holds his fingers in a gun shape. As they run around making GUNSHOT noises and LAUGHING, a pretty voice rings out.
NORA (O.S.)
Aiden! Noah!
Aiden! Noah!
The boys run to the front of the house, onto a wrap around porch where...
Nora, their Mother, is sitting drinking a glass of lemonade. A pitcher is next to her with two glasses. She pours a glass for each of them. As she does this she smiles a radiant smile, the kind that reassures you that everything is OK with the world. Her blond hair flows on a gentle gust of wind and her blue eyes sparkle more than the glass. The pitcher sweats in the late spring heat, droplets of water reflecting the bright sunlight.
NORA (CONT'D)
Who was winning? The cops or the robbers?
YOUNG NOAH
Everyone knows the cops always win, mom!
YOUNG AIDEN
Nuh UH!
Who was winning? The cops or the robbers?
YOUNG NOAH
Everyone knows the cops always win, mom!
YOUNG AIDEN
Nuh UH!
Aiden jumps up and runs down the steps at the front of the wrap around porch. Halfway down the steps the family dog is sleeping. Aiden trips on the dog. It GROWLS at Aiden and gnashes it’s teeth. Aiden cowers in fear. Nora smacks the dogs nose. The dog bites her hand so hard it starts bleeding.
NORA
Son of a bitch!
Son of a bitch!
Aiden and Noah’s father, Steven, comes out of the front door and sees Nora pulling her bloodied hand out of the dog’s mouth. Steven and Noah looks very much alike. Steven runs up to her, pulls the dog away by its collar.
STEVEN
Nora, honey, are you alright?
NORA
That stupid dog tried to kill Aiden! I told you we should’ve put it down!
Nora, honey, are you alright?
NORA
That stupid dog tried to kill Aiden! I told you we should’ve put it down!
Steven drags the dog around back to tie him up in his dog house. The sky clouds over. Noah follows his father with a concerned look on his face. Nora YELLS from the porch.
NORA (CONT’D)
Steven! How many times have I goddamn said it? One day we’re going to find that the dog has killed something. We need to get rid of it!
Steven! How many times have I goddamn said it? One day we’re going to find that the dog has killed something. We need to get rid of it!
Steven walks into the house. Nora follows him and continues screaming. The words are now unintelligible, but there is obviously a large fight going on between Nora and Steven. Noah sees that Aiden hasn’t picked himself up off the ground. Tears are silently running down Aiden’s cheeks.
YOUNG AIDEN
He bit mommy.
YOUNG NOAH
She’ll be fine.
He bit mommy.
YOUNG NOAH
She’ll be fine.
Noah slowly helps Aiden up. They start walking into the woods next to their house.
EXT. THE WOODS (1980’S) - DAY
As they walk down a steep path into the woods, Noah puts his arm around Aiden. Aiden stops shaking with his brothers touch. They push their way through branches and bushes until they reach a tree house in the middle of a clearing. A rope swing hangs from the tree. Noah sits in it while Aiden sits at the bottom of a tree.
YOUNG NOAH
You OK?
YOUNG AIDEN
Mommy was mad at daddy for not getting rid of Bruno wasn’t she?
YOUNG NOAH
Mom and Dad will sort things out. Don’t you worry about it.
You OK?
YOUNG AIDEN
Mommy was mad at daddy for not getting rid of Bruno wasn’t she?
YOUNG NOAH
Mom and Dad will sort things out. Don’t you worry about it.
Noah starts to swing more. As his does this the swing CREAKS and the NOISE of the crickets get louder and louder. The sounds rise to a crescendo...
FADE TO:
INT. YOUNG NOAH’S BEDROOM (1980’S) - NIGHT ... The crescendo falls again.
Noah sleeps peacefully in his bed. CRICKETS are heard through the open window and a slight breeze ruffles his hair. A door SLAMS somewhere.
Noah stirs but doesn’t wake. A SQUEAL drifts up into the window, followed by the swift CRASH of an axe. Noah wakes
alarmed.
YOUNG NOAH
Mom? Dad?
Mom? Dad?
Noah climbs out of bed and picks up his flashlight. He walks quietly down the stairs into the moonlit corridor, turning the light on only when he gets to the bottom of the stairs. He turns the front door handle slowly and pushes the door open.
EXT. JOHNSON’S HOUSE (1980’S) - NIGHT
Noah quickly flashes his flashlight around to see if there is anyone outside. No movement.
YOUNG NOAH
Bruno?
Bruno?
He walks around the back of the house to Bruno’s dog house. His flashlight picks up something dark on the ground. He kneels down to get a closer look. Blood. He shines his flashlight’s beam up following the blood to see the mangled corpse of their old dog Bruno. He SCREAMS!
CUT TO:
INT. NOAH’S BEDROOM (2006) - DAY Noah’s eyes start open. He looks around in all directions. His girlfriend, Sarah, lies next to him, still asleep and purring softly. He looks at the clock. The time reads 5:42 AM.
NOAH
Damn it.
Damn it.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Family Values
Family Values
(Opening scene)
by
Mark J. Ormesher
(Opening scene)
by
Mark J. Ormesher
Copyright: Mark J. Ormesher
Creative UNCommons
7245 Clifton Rd.
Clifton, VA 20124
Ormesher@mac.com
Creative UNCommons
7245 Clifton Rd.
Clifton, VA 20124
Ormesher@mac.com
INT. PRISON CELL - DAY
A grimy, dirty, cold prison cell. The walls are an awkward
shade of blue. Patches of light filter through the small
window.
A man lies on his back, facing the roof. We do not see his
face. This man is AIDEN.
Sitting outside the cell is a PSYCHIATRIST. He is flanked by
two heavily armed guards.
PSYCHIATRIST
Aiden? Do you know why you’re here?
AIDEN
Yes.
PSYCHIATRIST
Can you tell me?
AIDEN
I could tell you many things.
Would you like to hear a story?
PSYCHIATRIST
What story would you like to tell
me?
Aiden lies back down, his body relaxes. Aiden? Do you know why you’re here?
AIDEN
Yes.
PSYCHIATRIST
Can you tell me?
AIDEN
I could tell you many things.
Aiden sits up. Long, dark hair falls in clumps around his
face. A genuine smile, that of a child, crosses his face. It
provides a stark contrast to everything else, which is beaten
and poorly cared for.
AIDEN (CONT’D) face. A genuine smile, that of a child, crosses his face. It
provides a stark contrast to everything else, which is beaten
and poorly cared for.
Would you like to hear a story?
PSYCHIATRIST
What story would you like to tell
me?
AIDEN
Just a friend I used to know. He
was crazy.
PSYCHIATRIST
What’s your friends name?
AIDEN
I don’t remember now. That isn’t
important.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why not?
AIDEN
(innocently)
Because names aren’t important.
People are important. I remember
people, not names.
PSYCHIATRIST
And this friend? Did he remember
people too?
AIDEN
No. He didn’t care about people, he
liked names. I remember he used to
talk, talk so much. When he was by
himself he said their names, he let
me see him once, he talked their
names for a long time.
PSYCHIATRIST
When?
AIDEN
Long time. He loved their names. He
hated them. He loved their names.
PSYCHIATRIST
Can you tell me a story Aiden?
AIDEN
Aiden? Oh! Yes! That was his name
wasn’t it?
PSYCHIATRIST
Aiden’s your name.
AIDEN
Don’t be silly, I’m not Aiden.
Aiden was crazy. Aiden went there.
He went to dark.
PSYCHIATRIST
Focus Aiden. Tell me the story.
What do you remember of it?
AIDEN
I remember the dark. He showed me
the dark once. It was full.
PSYCHIATRIST
Full?
AIDEN
Blood. Guts. Sharp. It was hot,
sticky, wonderful.
I loved every moment. But it scared
me, the dark was scary. He let it
in. It filled him.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why?
AIDEN
So that he could be full of
something! He was empty. Don’t you
understand? He needed to be filled.
He needed something so that those
people didn’t see empty. That’s why
he took their names. So he’d be
normal. He wanted to be normal. He
was a boy. He was young.
PSYCHIATRIST
Did he tell you about Nora, his
mother?
AIDEN
Mommy? No.
PSYCHIATRIST
What did he tell you about?
AIDEN
He told me about that evil hell
dog.
PSYCHIATRIST
Did he tell you the dog’s name?
AIDEN
Bruno. He told me about that dog.
He. He. He... He hates that dog.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why does he hate that dog?
AIDEN
It follows him. It follows him
everywhere. Follows... Follows.
Follows.
PSYCHIATRIST
It’s ok Aiden. You can tell us the
story later. Ok?
Aiden starts sucking his thumb. He nods.Just a friend I used to know. He
was crazy.
PSYCHIATRIST
What’s your friends name?
AIDEN
I don’t remember now. That isn’t
important.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why not?
AIDEN
(innocently)
Because names aren’t important.
People are important. I remember
people, not names.
PSYCHIATRIST
And this friend? Did he remember
people too?
AIDEN
No. He didn’t care about people, he
liked names. I remember he used to
talk, talk so much. When he was by
himself he said their names, he let
me see him once, he talked their
names for a long time.
PSYCHIATRIST
When?
AIDEN
Long time. He loved their names. He
hated them. He loved their names.
PSYCHIATRIST
Can you tell me a story Aiden?
AIDEN
Aiden? Oh! Yes! That was his name
wasn’t it?
PSYCHIATRIST
Aiden’s your name.
AIDEN
Don’t be silly, I’m not Aiden.
Aiden was crazy. Aiden went there.
He went to dark.
PSYCHIATRIST
Focus Aiden. Tell me the story.
What do you remember of it?
AIDEN
I remember the dark. He showed me
the dark once. It was full.
PSYCHIATRIST
Full?
AIDEN
Blood. Guts. Sharp. It was hot,
sticky, wonderful.
I loved every moment. But it scared
me, the dark was scary. He let it
in. It filled him.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why?
AIDEN
So that he could be full of
something! He was empty. Don’t you
understand? He needed to be filled.
He needed something so that those
people didn’t see empty. That’s why
he took their names. So he’d be
normal. He wanted to be normal. He
was a boy. He was young.
PSYCHIATRIST
Did he tell you about Nora, his
mother?
AIDEN
Mommy? No.
PSYCHIATRIST
What did he tell you about?
AIDEN
He told me about that evil hell
dog.
PSYCHIATRIST
Did he tell you the dog’s name?
AIDEN
Bruno. He told me about that dog.
He. He. He... He hates that dog.
PSYCHIATRIST
Why does he hate that dog?
AIDEN
It follows him. It follows him
everywhere. Follows... Follows.
Follows.
PSYCHIATRIST
It’s ok Aiden. You can tell us the
story later. Ok?
PSYCHIATRIST (CONT’D)
See you tomorrow, ok?
See you tomorrow, ok?
The psychiatrist stands and walks away from the bars. Aiden
rolls over on his stomach and curls his legs under him.
AIDEN (V.O.)
I hate these fucking sessions.
It’s been six fucking years now and
all I have to do is act retarded
for the rest of my life. I should
grow some balls and get it over
with. Tell them ‘Yea! I did it! I
killed the bastards! I loved every
fucking minute of it!’ You know the
story right? No? Ok. I’ll start
from the beginning. I’ll fill in
the bits that I wasn’t there for
with what my dumbass family told
me, they told me right before... Oh
hell. I don’t want to spoil the
fun.
TITLES I hate these fucking sessions.
It’s been six fucking years now and
all I have to do is act retarded
for the rest of my life. I should
grow some balls and get it over
with. Tell them ‘Yea! I did it! I
killed the bastards! I loved every
fucking minute of it!’ You know the
story right? No? Ok. I’ll start
from the beginning. I’ll fill in
the bits that I wasn’t there for
with what my dumbass family told
me, they told me right before... Oh
hell. I don’t want to spoil the
fun.
The screen flickers like old fashioned celluloid being looped
into a projector. Among the flickering is an image. The title
is shown like a title from an old home movie: “Family
Values.” The picture comes into view with some flashes and
then the focus adjusts to reveal...
Things to do this summer...
1) Finish my studies on film and philosophy of film.
2) Watch at least 20 Classic Films that I haven't seen before.
3) Finish a damn screenplay (God, that's been a goal of mine for a year now!)
4) Find someone new. Or at least revitalize an old relationship to a point of stability.
5) Maintain a blog.
2) Watch at least 20 Classic Films that I haven't seen before.
3) Finish a damn screenplay (God, that's been a goal of mine for a year now!)
4) Find someone new. Or at least revitalize an old relationship to a point of stability.
5) Maintain a blog.
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