Patchwork By Patrick Meharg

Black screen [title, fades in] Its better to burn out than to fade away, Niel Young [title, fades out] Black Screen

file:///D|/3rd%20Year/Final_film/Production_Bible/Patchwork_Script.txt[09/12/2011 11:30:28]

Opening Titles Black Screen Fade in, from black; 1. Ext. Park; late afternoon. A football pitch by the roadside, muddied and beaten up grass. Apartment blocks are in the background. Music Starts; Children are playing football, running and screaming is heard but very faint. Mother (at least 30) is a bit dishevelled, dressed in old clothes, and a red scarf and carries a bag and a wooden curtain rail. She is walking home along the park road, watching the children playing football. MOTHER (Voice Over) I still think of you, child. Young and free. Mother comes to a bridge but walks off towards the side and looks out across the river and towards the bridge arches. Mother bushes through the bushes and proceeds down the riverbank. Music stops. Fade in from black; 2. Ext. Bridge; Evening. Mother brushes some of the weeds and foliage off of herself and walks under the archway. Mother lights a match and looks around the archway. In the foreground is a burnt out bonfire. The river water is low and most of the archway is filled with driftwood and general waste and rubbish. In the corner is a red and gold striped tarp propped up for a make-shift shelter with a sleeping bag and provisions stored under it. The tarp has a hole and collected rain water is dripping through the leak, the sound echoes through the archway. Mother opens her eyes, looks left then right. She places the bag on the floor by her feet. Mother walks to the driftwood and stakes the curtain rail in the mud so it sticks up vertically. She then picks up some drift wood and assembles the wood into a cross shape. Mother looks to the far wall on which crude graffiti is scrawled. It reads; Please remember me, happily, by the rose bushes Mother brushes her hand over the words. Mother sits down on the pile of garbage and looks around the archway. Mother buries her face in her hands.

file:///D|/3rd%20Year/Final_film/Production_Bible/Patchwork_Script.txt[09/12/2011 11:30:28]

Mother Did [pause] did I do this? A Rose drops down from the ceiling and lands in Mothers hands. Mother looks at the rose. Mother goes to her bag and one by one takes out an item of clothing an dresses the wooden cross into a manikin. She reaches into her bag once again and begins to bring something out but then stops. She looks around to the makeshift shelter under the tarp. Mother peers into the shelter and notices a photo. Its of her and Son when they were younger. Theyre smiling. By the photo is a note. Mother picks up the note. It reads; Please remember me in the car behind the carnival, my hand between your knees. Tell my mother not to worry Mother walks back over to the manikin still clutching the note, she puts the note into the bag. Mother then reaches back into her bag and pulls out a clean, neatly pressed blue scarf. She holds it for a moment.

Mother You never did dress warmly. Mother wraps the scarf around the manikins neck. The camera pans up and out from under the archway. Pans to;

Music Starts 3. EXT. Street, Apartment Estate, Dusk Mother walks to the foyer of the apartment block. On her way out, Neighbour walks out and holds the door open for Mother. Neighbour (tenderly and awkwardly)
file:///D|/3rd%20Year/Final_film/Production_Bible/Patchwork_Script.txt[09/12/2011 11:30:28]

Oh, Hi, I heard about the er. Neighbour looks at his feet and rubs the back of his head then looks back up at Mother Neighbour (still awkwardly) How are you? Mother doesnt make eye contact but pauses, Neighbour puts his hand on her shoulder awkwardly. Mother leans in slightly and there is an awkward embrace between the two.

4. INT. Apartment, Dusk Mother opens the door to her flat. Dog is sitting in the hallway panting. The dog lead sits on the side table. Dog barks and looks at the lead.

5. Ext. Apartment Blocks, Suburbs, Dusk. The Camera zooms out so we can see the apartment and the bridge in the same shot, with the manikin visible the scarf blowing in the wind. Mother (v.o) I know [pause] Life goes on eh girl? Everything except the scarf fades to black. The blue scarf flutters in the wind on the black screen and then a red scarf fades in and flutters too. Both scarves then fade out to an entirely black screen. Ending credits. Black Screen

file:///D|/3rd%20Year/Final_film/Production_Bible/Patchwork_Script.txt[09/12/2011 11:30:28]