WITHHELD

A TREATMENT FOR A FEATURE LENGTH FILM

BY CAM RAW PRODUCTIONS

MATTHEW WALLIS
JOSHUA CLARKE
HOLLY SANDFORD
SAM BECKETT
A Black Curtain
A Single Spotlight on a girl
Indiscriminate time of day

A GIRL stands against a black curtain, staring blankly, lifelessly into the darkness as a single
spotlight glares down on her. There is no life in her eyes, not even the slightest glimmer of
hope. There are bruises and scratches on her face, very light ones in places. Obviously
they’ve been healing for some time. You hear a voice breath ‘Everyday… I watch…’ when a
flashback suddenly strikes.

A Bedroom
Early evening
Polaroid’s spread across a desk

A desk in a bedroom is scattered with a mess of Polaroid photographs. Amongst them are
pictures of her at parties and having fun with her friends. Written underneath each Polaroid
are dates, names and events.

A Black Curtain
A Single Spotlight on a girl
Indiscriminate time of day

Back to the girl standing in darkness. Her eyes are beginning to swell with tears. She is still
staring into nothingness, lifeless, even as the tears grow heavy and begin to fall onto her
pale cheeks. Another flashback hits her as a voice says ‘Everyday… I cry.’

A bathroom
Early evening
A girl is in the shower

The bathroom is steamy and the shower can be heard splashing water. The girl is getting
ready to go out for the evening.

A Black Curtain
A Single Spotlight on a girl
Indiscriminate time of day
Her eyes are bloodshot and stinging from crying so much. She’s still staring, seemingly
lifeless, until she reaches up and brushes away a tear. A voice says ‘Everyday… I bleed.’

A kitchen
Early evening
A knife block on a counter

A knife block rests on a kitchen counter as someone reaches over and wraps their hand
around the handle of a large knife. Slowly it is drawn from the block and moves towards a
chopping board. On the knife block are some Post-It notes, some are shopping lists, others
just reminders.

A Black Curtain
A Single Spotlight on a girl
Indiscriminate time of day

She starts blinking furiously, her eyes now even more bloodshot. This is a massive
juxtaposition to the now pale and snow white colour of her skin, as if all the life has been
drained out of her. It is also somewhat of a paradox, since she is now starting to snap back
to reality and come back to life. A voice can be heard saying ‘Everyday… I die…’

A bedroom
Early evening
A notebook on a desk

There is an A4 notebook strewn carelessly onto a desk amidst a plethora of pens and
pencils. On the open page is a giant heart sketched in biro, but all that can be read is ‘LOVES
RYAN’. There are other random scribbles, but nothing particularly legible.

A Black Curtain
A Single Spotlight on a girl
Indiscriminate time of day

The girl opens her mouth, contorting and twisting her face. Her eyes stream as they squint.
Tears begin pouring down her cheeks once more. A voice exclaims ‘Everyday… I scream’.
A dark stretch of desolate road
A girl standing, screaming
Late evening/Early morning

A blood-curdling scream pierces the cold night air. The girl is standing in the middle of a
road, breathing heavily as a car is driving away from her. She takes her high-heeled shoes off
and begins to sprint faster, panting and begging for the car to stop. The DRIVER glances in
the mirror, but seemingly ignores the pleas of the girl. Slowly, it pulls to a stop under a
single lamppost on a desolate stretch of road. The girl runs to the passenger door and
clambers into the car as fast as she can before it drives off. A second car drives behind
shortly after, as if it is following the first.

A bedroom
Morning, 9:30am
A girl is asleep in bed

A detached house in a suburban area. A phone can be heard vibrating. The girl lies asleep on
the sofa she passed out on. She stirs and rolls over as her phone vibrates on a desk across
the room, a sharp pain coursing through her head as she sits up. She grabs it and moans,
rising to her feet slowly. Upon retrieving her phone she sees a missed call from withheld
number. She shuffles drowsily from the bedroom into the bathroom, her eyes still on her
hands as she cradles the phone, trying to think who could that call could be from. The phone
clatters to the floor as she looks up into the mirror; her face is battered and bruised. Panic
sets in, she grasps the sink, desperately trying to keep her balance. Her expression changes
to one of shock and horror. She drops to the floor, scrambling and fumbling for her phone.
Finding it she dials her boyfriend’s number frantically, but it goes straight to voicemail. She
then tries her best friend, but the same happens. Finally, she tries to phone her mom, but
again it goes straight to voicemail as she stares helplessly at the screen.