Opus

by
Max Rousseau & Manny Garay

Revised 09-05-09

Polite Productions
14251 NW 22nd Street
Pembroke Pines, FL 33028
954.579.2441
1 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD
1

ANNIKA LAWRENCE, age 17 dressed sharp but modestly walks to a

9 foot concert grand piano in the center of a huge stage. The
room has FIVE FACULTY MEMBERS seated in the front row.

Annika sits down in front of the piano. She puts her right
foot at the ready on the pedal and extends her hands to the
keys. She takes a deep breath then plays the first note of
Fantaisie Impromptu by Chopin. The song continues through
the next scene.

2 INT. SCIENCE CLASSROOM - DAY 2

A SCIENCE TEACHER holds up a Hallway Pass with Annika’s name

on the top signed Mr. Ponti. She lowers it to reveal Annika,
smiling innocently. The Science Teacher reluctantly lets her
leave the class.

3 INT. MR. PONTI’S CLASS - DAY 3

Annika walks into the classroom. TEN STUDENTS are

congregating in the back of the class, clearly off-task.

MR. PONTI, age 39 humble but stern, sits at his desk grading
papers. Annika pulls up a chair. Mr. Ponti notices her.

MR. PONTI
Shouldn’t you be in class?

ANNIKA
Shouldn’t you be teaching your
class?

Mr. Ponti looks at her and to his students. He smirks.

MR. PONTI
Did you practice?

4 INT. MR. PONTI’S CLASS - PRACTICE ROOM - LATER 4

Annika is furiously playing Fantaisie Impromptu by Chopin.

Mr. Ponti is moved and mesmerized by Annika’s playing.

5 INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY 5

Annika and Mr. Ponti are sitting at a table in the cafeteria

eating and laughing.
 2.

ANNIKA
Alright Ponti, what’s on your mind?

Mr. Ponti smiles, digs into his bag and produces an envelope
with the official seal of the ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY.
Annika takes it in shock.

MR. PONTI
Every year they invite 20 pianists
nationwide to play for them in New
York. Of those 20, they select
three to study in Russia.

ANNIKA
You honestly think I can make it?

Mr. Ponti smirks.

MR. PONTI
Take this home and fill it out.

6 INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY - DAY 6

Mr. Ponti and Annika are walking side by side.

MR. PONTI
You need to select three pieces and
they have to be chosen carefully.
(Beat)
We’ll need to meet every other day.
(He stops)
You have a piano at home right?

ANNIKA
(Reluctantly)
Yea.

MR. PONTI
We’ll meet there.

Mr. Ponti leads Annika to a giant shelf filled with sheet

music. Mr. Ponti shifts through the different sections:
Albeniz, Brahms, Debussy, Chopin. He takes some of the
Chopin sheet music and piles them into Annika’s hands.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

With the first piece you must
befriend the audience. Some Chopin-

ANNIKA
The Fantaisie?

Mr. Ponti stops to ponder.

 3.

MR. PONTI
Good. The second piece is the
passion, something bold-

ANNIKA
Beethoven?

MR. PONTI
No, everybody plays Beethoven.

Mr. Ponti shuffles through: Liszt, Prokofiev, Scriabin,

Rachmaninoff. Mr. Ponti grabs the Rachmaninoff sheet music.
Mr. Ponti examines Annika’s hand. He then gives her a stack
of Rachmaninoff sheet music.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

Let’s see how you do with this.
(Beat)
Then finally, the consequence. You
have to leave a lasting impression.
Something moving-

Mr. Ponti moves back to Chopin. He pulls out the Chopin

Preludes. He shuffles through and stops at number 15. He
hands it back to Annika.

ANNIKA
But that’s such a simple piece-

MR. PONTI
Exactly! There’s beauty in
simplicity and that’s what you’ll
leave them with.

7 EXT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - EVENING 7

Mr. Ponti walks up the driveway to Annika’s Up-Scale house.

8 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - EVENING 8

Annika is sitting at the head of the table with her MOTHER

and FATHER on opposite ends, all eating take-out. Annika’s
Parents are dressed in business attire. Nobody speaks or
makes eye contact. Annika’s father simply reads the
newspaper.

The door bell rings. Annika gets up from the table.

 4.

9 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 9

Annika is practicing a section of the Impromptu with Mr.

Ponti; lit intimately by only a reading lamp.

MR. PONTI
Me and this piece have a lot of
history.

ANNIKA
How so?

MR. PONTI
At the first concert I ever
attended. The pianist spoke so
clearly to me with her music. From
then on I knew. This is what I
want.

Annika stares at him.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

You have to be ready to give up
everything for your music Annika.

ANNIKA
(Snickers)
That won’t be a problem.

Annika’s Father walks from his study.

ANNIKA’S FATHER
I’m sorry, but it’s getting late-

MR. PONTI
It’s ok, we were just finishing.

Mr. Ponti packs his things and heads the to the front door.
Annika’s Father remains very conservative giving Ponti a half-
smile as he leaves. Annika looks disheartened when he leaves
and the Father closes the door after Ponti.

Annika’s Father and Annika share an awkward moment where none

of them say anything to each other or move. After a few
beats Annika’s Father walks back into his study and Annika
walks away from the piano.

10 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - MUSIC HALLWAY - DAY 10

Annika walks up to the double doors leading to Mr. Ponti’s

class. She can hear the sounds of yelling.
 5.

Annika sees Mr. Ponti and MR. GORDON, the Assistant Principal
in a heated discussion. Annika quickly makes a U-turn to
leave. The doors open behind her.

MR. GORDON
And where are you supposed to be
Ms. Lawrence?

Annika stops. She sighs deeply.

11 INT. MR. GORDON’S OFFICE - DAY 11

Annika is sitting across the desk from Mr. Gordon. The

contents of Annika’s bag are on his desk. Mr. Gordon is
holding a fresh hallway pass booklet.

GORDON
You’ve been forging hallway passes.

ANNIKA
You have no right to go through my
stuff-

GORDON
Wrong.
(Beat)
I’ve spoken to your teachers. They
tell me that you’re a very smart
girl but you’re rarely in class.
Do you wish to repeat another year?
(Beat)
You will serve two weeks detention.
Starting this afternoon. I’ve
already phoned your parents.

Gordon takes the sheet music books from her bag.

GORDON (CONT’D)
And you won’t be needing this
anymore.

ANNIKA
Give that back.

GORDON
This is school property.
(Beat)
Now get going.
 6.

12 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 12

Annika is angrily sitting in front of the piano. There is a

C-clamp lock on it closing the keyboard cover. Mr. Ponti is
standing at the door talking to Annika’s Father.

ANNIKA FATHER
Not for at least three weeks.

Mr. Ponti and Annika exchange glances.

MR. PONTI
Well I must be off.

Annika heads to the back.

13 EXT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - NIGHT 13

Mr. Ponti is putting his stuff in his car. Annika comes from
the side.

ANNIKA
I’m sorry about all that.

MR. PONTI
No its my fault.

ANNIKA
What do we do now?

MR. PONTI
I don’t know. We can’t meet at
school either.

ANNIKA
Well we can’t just give up. The
audition’s in two months. And I
selected the second piece.

She reveals the sheet music for Rachmaninoff’s Moment

Musicaux No. 4. Mr. Ponti flips through the crowded pages.

ANNIKA (CONT’D)
Is that bold enough?

Mr. Ponti doesn’t say anything. He just looks at the sheet

music.

14 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD

14

Annika begins to play Rachmaninoff’s Moment Musicaux No. 4.

The following scenes are a montage to the Moment Musicaux.
 7.

MR. PONTI (O.S.)

- Stop, stop-

15 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 15

MR. PONTI
STOP!

Annika looks up at him from the piano.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

I didn’t feel a second of that.
You’re just hitting the keys.
You’re not playing. You’re not
telling me a story.

ANNIKA
What would you like me to change?

MR. PONTI
Change EVERYTHING!

Annika remains quiet. Mr. Ponti sits back in his arm chair
and looks away.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

Again.

16 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 16

Annika is playing again. Mr. Ponti is pacing.

MR. PONTI
Everything you do affects the way
play. The way you sit, your
posture, the way you breath.

17 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY - LATER 17

Mr. Ponti is pacing around Annika again as she plays.

MR. PONTI
You need to develope the muscle
memory. Play from the heart and
trust your hands to do what they
need to do.
 8.

18 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DAY 18

Annika watches her father leave for work. She goes to the
piano begins to try and pick the lock.

19 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY - LATER 19

Annika is playing a very intense part of the piece.

MR. PONTI
These chords are monstrous!
(Beat)
Stop using your wrist! Let the
power come from your shoulders and
down into the keys.

He demonstrates.

20 INT. DETENTION ROOM - DAY 20

Annika is hiding sheet music under her biology book making

numerous notes on it. Mr. Gordon notices and takes them away
from Annika. Annika lets out a deep sigh in defeat.

21 EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY 21

Annika jumps the fence with her backpack and jogs away from
the school.

22 INT. DETENTION ROOM - DAY 22

Annika is the only person in the room seated in the middle of

a sea of desks. She has her head on the desk and is
practicing fingering with her right hand, we only hear the
right hand playing. Mr. Gordon lowers his newspaper to watch
in awe.

23 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DAY 23

Annika finally picks the piano lock. She opens the keyboard
cover and begins to play.

24 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - ANNIKA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 24

Montage of Annika waking up tossing and turning in bed,

unable to sleep. Sheet music is scattered all over her bed
and floor. There are quick flashes of her playing.
 9.

25 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 25

Annika is playing a difficult part of the Moment Musicaux.

She looks as though she hasn’t slept in weeks.

MR. PONTI
There are two melodies fighting to
be heard! You musn’t neglect
either of them. I want to hear
every note speak it’s mind.

Annika tackles the most difficult part of the piece where

each hand has separate melodies that intertwine beautifully.

26 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD

26

Annika is playing the same song explosively on the piano.

27 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 27

Mr. Ponti sits on his arm chair with his eyes closed, deeply
moved by the music, almost in a trance.

28 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 28

Annika rides her bike over to the house with a folder bulging
with sheet music. Annika hears Mr. Ponti playing excerpts of
Jeux D’Eau by Ravel. She walks to the source: the living
room window. As she gets close the playing stops.

Mr. Ponti opens the front door.

29 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 29

Annika finishes up Raindrop Prelude by Chopin. She looks

frustrated.

ANNIKA
That was terrible. I’m sorry.
(Beat)
Notes?

Mr. Ponti isn’t maintaining eye contact, and seems somewhat

distant throughout. Annika picks up on this more and more.

MR. PONTI
It was fine.

ANNIKA
What? You can’t be serious.
 10.

MR. PONTI
Well, Yes.

ANNIKA
You don’t have any notes?

MR. PONTI
It sounded good.

ANNIKA
No it didn’t. I could tell, I was
playing it. There was no feeling,
it was over-pedaled and muddy-

MR. PONTI
Chopin’s supposed to have long
pedal points-

ANNIKA
I’m going to start from the top.

MR. PONTI
Annika, take it easy-

ANNIKA
(Hysterical)
Take it easy!? The recital is in
two weeks! If I play like that,
I’m going to get laughed at.

She begins to cry, overwhelmed. Ponti approaches her.

MR. PONTI
Ok, that’s enough for today. You
need a break.

He grabs her arm before she can sit back down at the keys.
Annika slowly moves into his arms as she calms down. Mr.
Ponti’s gaze changes from fatherly to lustful. Annika
notices this. She wipes the tears from her cheek and looks
up at Ponti.

ANNIKA
(Laughs)
What?

After a few moments, Mr. Ponti moves in for a kiss. Annika

pushes back, flabbergasted. Mr. Ponti freezes, contemplating
what he just did. Annika ferociously moves in for a kiss.
 11.

30 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD

30

Annika stops playing. Almost as if she’s forgotten the notes

or can’t continue.

31 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - ANNIKA’S BEDROOM 31

Annika sits on the side of her bed, extremely pensive. She

looks over at the folder for the St. Petersburg conservatory.

32 EXT. MR. PONTI’S NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT 32

Annika walks up to Ponti’s house. She is disheveled. She

knocks on the door. There’s no answer. She knocks even
louder.

Annika moves to the living room window. She knocks there.

Mr. Ponti opens up the front door.

PONTI
Annika it’s late.

ANNIKA
Can I come in?

PONTI
You need to go home.

ANNIKA
We need to talk.

Ponti reluctantly lets her in and cautiously looks out to the

street as he closes the door.

33 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 33

Mr. Ponti walks in and sits next to the piano. Annika

remains standing.

ANNIKA
I’m having trouble with this one
section of the prelude.

Annika is behaving nervously, constantly fixing her hair and

not making eye contact. Mr. Ponti notices this.

ANNIKA (CONT’D)
It’s the middle section-

Annika takes out the sheet music and drops it by accident.

 12.

MR. PONTI
Annika, what are you doing?

ANNIKA
What am I doing? The recital’s in
two weeks?

MR. PONTI
We can’t do this anymore. This has
to stop.

Annika looks like she just got slapped in the face.

ANNIKA
What to you mean? Ponti, I still
need you.

MR. PONTI
You don’t need anybody.
(Beat)
Annika, You’re going to be great.

ANNIKA
Not without you.

Annika moves in dangerously close to him, with fire in her

eyes. She touches his shoulders. Mr. Ponti looks at her,
almost as if a part of him wants this. He snaps out of it
and quickly backs away from her, disgusted.

MR. PONTI
NO, NO, ANNIKA. NO!

Annika is frozen in grief as if she is about to cry. There

is a long silence.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

This is wrong! You can’t see me
anymore.
(Long Beat)
Please go.

Annika gathers her stuff and leaves.

34 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 34

Annika is in a daze at the recital. She’s not playing, just

staring. One of the judges taps the glass for her to
continue. Annika repositions herself. Her eyes are watery
but resolute. She continues to play Chopin’s Raindrop
Prelude in D flat.
 13.

35 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - NIGHT 35

Annika walks from the house in tears. Mr. Ponti looks out
the window at her riding away, stricken with guilt.

36 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 36

Annika continues to play the piece. Every note speaks its

mind. CREDITS roll over her playing.

FADE OUT: