26/08/12

*KINNAREE* By Dayle Sanders

EXT. BROADLEAF FOREST EARLY MORNING (SPRING) MUSIC OVER: Pulsing thump of Thai music, gloriously ethnic with surrounding ambience - Over a dark screen we see the caption (insert caption-to-be/ title name here). FADE IN: EXT. BROADLEAF FOREST CONT. Wide shot -- The first sunbeams enter the forest with a yellow magnificence, through the verdant maze and across the morning mist. It is a beautiful paradise surrounded by mountains in the haze, and rich in wildlife. CUT TO: Night flowers BLOOMING. An air of enchantment. FADE TO: EXT. BROADLEAF FOREST CONT. The camera continues to SWOOP through the woods. The tall trees create jagged darkness that looms over the landscape. But there is a feeling of calmness about the forest, something profoundly Thai, dreamlike in its beauty. The camera DIVES DEEP inside to reveal KINNAREE, fully exposed in its light. Half-woman, half-swan. She is sensuous. Winsome and fey... But gentle. EXT. FOREST CHAMBER EARLY MORNING Close up - She strolls into the forest to an area where the sun is deposited as a warm blanket on the tender floors of the forest chamber. Widespread and uninterrupted by tree shadow. Here she will perform her dance. ON KINNAREE She begins dancing eloquently. A series of lively harmonious movements perfectly evoke the Southern Thailand Nora (advanced dance form of the Swan deity). CUT TO: A variety of shots:

SFXs: Rustling in distance... Blithely unaware, she continues. CUT TO: BEGIN MUSIC UNDER: A noise. Building... MOVING SHOT: Working fast... STARTLED, Kinnaree wheels round to the sound nearby... --Utter silence... ...She moves closer with tentative footstep to inspect... --Muffled sound. A mummer. Not sure. --Noise elevates rapidly... Eyes are trained on the target of the sound... POV: She jerks back, scared but defiant. ! KINNAREE [Gasps!] Rising soundlessly is a creature. FULL SHOT, ANGLE ON: The HEM (quadruped creature). It hurries out of the bushes. It is struck by the excitement and energy of Kinnaree. Sacred. Docile. ANOTHER ANGLE: The Hems head lolling. Eyes looking over, gently coaxing her. Clumsy... BEGIN MUSIC OVER: HEMS THEME FRIVOLOUS KINNAREE [sigh.] She She The She glides away. must carry on with her responsibility... Hem follows. kindly shoos the hem away.

The hem mimics her. Kinnaree is elegantly defensive. She gives up and throws her hands in the air, returning to her dancing. Unimpressed by the beasts novel behavior. CUT TO: ON KINNAREE She resumes her dance... Swift as the wind... ...Majestic as the forest. As if in response, the Hem continues to mimic her, much to Kinnarees annoyance. Clumsy... ...And oblivious. Confused, the Hem chances a peek at Kinnaree, unsure why she stopped. TWO SHOT: Kinnaree BLINKS EYES slowly. Her frown RELAXES. Anger and determination set in. Kinnaree begins to think, overlapping with the Hems amusements. Distraction... It is interrupting this important occasion. CUT TO: ON HEM The Hem waits obediently until it can dance in unison. It twitches with boredom, yearning for the dance. ON KINNAREE Ponders on an idea. She volts into the air and throws a stick into the distance. The Hem runs to get it and kinnaree opens her wings to land softly. Fleeting happiness settles in on her face. ...Maybe she's in peace now. MOVING CAMERA: She prepares to resume her dance once more, turning her head the other way only to ABRUPTLY confront the (now on-screen) hem who has raced back, holding the stick.

ON KINNAREE Instinctively, the Hem feels Kinnarees gaze before she looks to the ground. Kinnarees strained expression tells us she is struggling to keep her faade up. She lurches into a crouch, nostrils flaring. A phase of brief tantrum. Hem studies Kinnaree's sad optimism. CUT TO: WIDE SHOT: The flowers are wilting in the distance. A breeze only serves to emphasise their temporary discomfort. The Hem puts on a titled guilt face to try and appease. It looks at her, NothingConcerned by its apathy, the Hem tries to bridge the gap and starts to replicate Kinnarees solo dance. ON KINNAREE Kinnaree looks up with a cursory look at first, confused by the concept, and then accepts the fact that Hem wont leave unless they dance together. She focuses on the dance and joins in. Kinnaree starts to move and begins to enjoy it, feeling the Hems grace and strength. Together, the two characters jitter in the blaze of the suns harmony. Fade out audio THE END