ELEVATOR STORY

SCRIPT

CAST
Leila Gyngell-Townsend Director
Josh Bridgeman Johnny Miles
Scott Gyngell Stanley Johnson
Dave Harrison Security guard 1
Oliver Brown Security guard 2
Tracy Gyngell Security guard 3
Tracy Gyngell Intercom announcer
ACT 1: SCENE 1 - EXT. THE ORACLE MALL, READING

Establishing shot of outside the

entrance showing the big sign and
escalators going up towards the
shops. Alongside opening music, we
cut to different shots to the beat.
(https://youtu.be/DA58VdIoesU)

ACT 1: scene 2 – INT. THE ORACLE MALL, READING

This includes the bottom of the

escalator facing up the stairs.
Camera looking down from Five Guys’
seating area showing the large drop
down 3 stories with people calmly
walking at the bottom. There are not
many people as it’s early morning on
a weekday.
The camera then shows a man’s shoes
as he walks hurriedly through the
mall. He has smart shiny shoes on. We
follow him, he is in his early 40s
walking through the mall hurriedly,
checking his watch and gripping his
briefcase tightly. We see that he is
wearing an expensive watch and a nice
suit.
 (his phone rings)
He rolls his eyes as he must fumble
around in his pocket to get the phone
out and seems stressed/ annoyed when
he sees who it is from.
Businessman:
(answers) Hey darl- yes, I’m just grabbing it
now- yeah, yeah… mm ok sure. I- (with a clear
sound of annoyance) Aw shit did my phone not
charge last night?!”
His hair is slicked back with gel, a
smart fresh haircut and sunglasses
on. Even though he is hurried, he is
calm and collected, looking cool as
he goes. He ends up in a back corner
of the mall waiting for the lift, no
one else is around.

Businessman:
“C’mon” (impatiently)
He aggressively presses the call
button 5 times.
Intercom voice:
“This is a security announcement. Shoppers
please locate a safe, nearby space and attempt
to lock yourself inside. This is not a drill.
There is a bomb threat.”
He quickly looks around desperately
to discover that nobody is near.
“Please protect yourselves and your immediate
family only. Staying in one place and remaining
quiet is what we advise for your survival. We
will keep you updated. Please remain calm.”
(repeat x1 but much quieter in the
background)

Businessman:
(frightened and confused) What?
We see a POV as he spots a door and
walks to it to further investigate.
Walks to door.
He tests the door to find it’s
unlocked. As he reaches for the door
handle the camera shows his face as
this is where I am going to switch
locations to the spare room in my
house, so we don’t see the door
actually open from the outside

A look of relief is visible on his already panicked face as he

enters.
(this will be a cupboard in my house)
ACT 1: SCENE 3 – INT. CLEANING CUPOARD, READING MALL
(the intercom still plays in the
background, repeating the same
message)
The businessman looks around the tiny
empty room and grimaces at the strong
smell of bleach. The camera is at
floor level and shows his smart shoes
moving around the enclosed space.
From this view you can see the door
swing open and a pair of dirty old
trainers enter the room.
Businessman:
“You scared the shit out of me. (pauses) You
good?”
We see a young man (mid-twenties)
casually dressed in a hoodie, shorts
and trainers with a backpack has
walked in. He has messy hair and
beard and isn’t well-kept like the
businessman.
Causual guy:
(with a cockney twang) “Sorry mate, yeah.”
We see the two awkwardly standing in
the room looking around, avoiding eye
contact.
The camera shows that the casual guy
has a tear drop tattoo on his face,
then it shows the businessman
grimacing at it.
 The businessman looks up at the
security camera in the top corner and
the footage flips to the security
cam, showing what the mall security
can see.
ACT 2: SCENE 1 - INT. SECURITY OFFICE
A small office with multiple monitors
and a team of people dressed in
black. Security guard 1 is typing, 2
is on the phone and 3 is checking the
monitors intently.
Security guard 1:
“Two adults, one teen in the lower toilets by Debenhams. High
priority. Two adult males in cleaning cupboard first floor.
Low priority.”
Security guard 3:
(Watches the businessman looking at
the camera through the monitor.)
“They’ll be fine.”
Security guard 2:
“So is there actually a bomb in this place?”
The other two uselessly shrug as they
go about their business not as
hurriedly as you would expect during
an urgent crisis. They are lazy and
slow.

ACT 2: SCENE 2 INT. CLEANING CUPBOARD

It’s darker with a single lightbulb

hanging from the ceiling. The
strangers continue to awkwardly avoid
eye contact. The businessman goes to
use his phone but realises it’s dead.
Businessman:
“Excuse me, don’t suppose I could use your
phone to call my work and tell them I’ll be
late?”
The Casual Guy takes a few seconds
Businessman:
 (impatiently) “Excuse me??”
Casual guy:
“Sorry sir, I don’t have any credit”
He pulls a basic ‘pay as you go’ Nokia from his pocket. The
businessman grimaces at it as he looks the other man up and
down, taking in his scruffy clothes and cheap phone.
(Nervously) “Otherwise I’d call my girlfriend. I sort of just
got shoved into this room by someone who works here.”
Businessman:
“All because some selfish cunt making bomb
threats. I’m not impressed mate, are you?”
Casual guy:
(Reacts awkwardly in his body language and laughs forcefully.)
A montage of the men sitting around bored starts, mostly from
the view of the security cam in the corner. This lasts for 30
seconds, showing them moving around the room and secretly
looking at each other. The montage mostly focuses on the
casual guy’s expressions which are panic and nervousness, in
contrast to the businessman’s expressions of boredom and
agitation.

ACT 2: SCENE 3 – INT. SECURITY OFFICE

Security guard 1:
“What’s the big boss saying?”
Security guard 2:
“Ok well they must be in the building
somewhere. I just got to locate them but it’s
virtually impossible. We can’t spook the bomber
by checking everyone or sending sniffer dogs
down, and we can’t evacuate because we need
guards stationed, people safe and for us to not
release the bomber if he’s changed his mind, or
create a diversion for him to set it off.”
Security guard 3:
“We just gotta wait and observe. We’ll catch
them.”
Security guard 1:
 “Really? I’m losing hope. I think all of this
is a hoax, not gonna lie.”
The other security guards shrug
before continuing with their jobs.
They still seem a bit too relaxed for
what could be a very real and
dangerous situation.
Act 2: Scene 4- Day. int. Cleaning cupboard

Casual Guy:
Begins to physically sweat.

Businessman notices this.

Businessman:
“It’s really hot in here, maybe take your
backpack off or something.”
Casual Guy:
Snaps back stiffly
“Nah, I’m good. Mate.”
Businessman raises his eyebrows and
continues to pick at his nails in a
bored manner.
Businessman:
“(Awkwardly) What brings you to Reading then?”
Casual Guy:
“What do you care?”
Businessman:
“Alright, just trying to make conversation.”
(long pause)
“Tear drop scar, huh?”
Casual guy:
(Defensively)
“You don’t know me.”
Businessman:
(annoyed)
 “I just want to know if I’m locked in a room
with a murderer-“
Casual guy:
(Shouts angrily)
“I’m not a FUCKING MURDERER.”
The businessman is shocked and looks
down, saying nothing, embarrassed.
The casual guy takes off his backpack
and moves into the corner before
unzipping it and peering in.
From the CCTV we see something odd
inside the bag with a big screen,
counting down from 23:05. We see the
time going down for a few seconds
before it switches to the security
team.

ACT 3: SCENE 1- DAY> INT. SECURITY OFFICE

SECURITY GUARD 1:
“Yo, guys, pause camera 28 and zoom in.”
SECURITY GUARD 3:
“You got something there, Mike?”
SECURITY GUARD 1:
“Definitely looks like it’s something.”
SECURITY GUARD 2:
We see him zoom in on his monitor to
the casual guy’s backpack, which you
can see inside of.
“It’s a bomb. This is the guy. Cleaning
cupboard 4, ground floor, let’s go.”
He jumps out his seat.
SECURITY GUARD 1 pushes him back
down.
SECURITY GUARD 1:
“We can’t just storm in. We can’t alert him to
us knowing. If he’s calm, he won’t set off the
 bomb until the timer gets to 0. This man in
dangerous.”
Security guard 3:
“I’ll go lock the door from the outside. At
least then if the bomb goes off it’s only
affecting the back of the mall, luckily where
the least amount of people are.”
Security guard 1:
“Good idea.”

ACT 3: SCENE 2 – DAY> INT> CLEANING CUPBOARD

Businessman:
“I’m sorry I was a dick before. I guess we’re
just in a bit of a stressful situation, you
know?”
(Pause)
Casual guy:
looks up thoughtfully, still avoiding
eye contact.
“I’m used to those kind of judgements… But i’m
not used to people apologising for it too
(makes brief, scared eye contact before looking
away again)”
Businessman:
“No worries I guess, man. I’m Stanley by the
way.”
Leans over to shake hands
Casual guy:
“Johnny.” (Shakes hand)
Stanley:
(lights a cigarette) Tell me about yourself
Johnny. (Puffs on cigarette)
Johnny:
“Oh, you know…”
Stanley:
“(jokingly) not sure that I do boss. (Takes a
long drag) Ok, my turn. Got the wife back home
 taking care of the youngest. The older ones are
about your age, bit younger maybe. They live
with their mum, my ex-wife out in Kettering.
See ‘em time to time but tryna start over with
the new family in Oxford, actually spend time
with the kid this time. (Dryly laughs)
Johnny:
(Slightly relaxes) I got my girlfriend and baby
boy Sam back home. Laura works too… try make
ends meet for us. Sure, it wasn’t planned as
well as it could have been but my little
family’s coming together.
Stanley:
I wish I could say you’ll slowly grow to hate
it, but you won’t… you’ll quickly grow to hate
it! Hahaha!
Johnny:
I think you’re wrong, but we’ll see.”
Stanley:
(Still laughing) Yes, we will, haha.”
Johnny holds his backpack to his
chest and begins to look even more-so
uncomfortable. Stanley looks at him
questioningly
(uncomfortably) “If I didn’t know any better,
I’d say you’ve got a bomb in your bag (nervous
laughter)”
Johnny looks shocked and is lost for
words.
“Oh my god you do. You’re the bomber!!”
Johnny:
“It’s not like that- shh- Stan, please.”
Stanley:
“No way dude! What’s wrong with you, I knew
something was off as soon as you came in the
room-“

Act 3: Scene 3 – DAY> INT> SECURITY OFFICE

 The security guards have been
watching the live footage from the
cleaning cupboard and have seen the
scene unfold.
Security guard 3:
“Woah, what’s going on in there!?”
Security guard 1:
“Looks like they didn’t come in together like
we thought, I think the dude in the suit’s just
figured out this guy’s the bomber.”
We see the security screen in the
background as the pair continue to
argue heatedly in the other room.
Security guard 2:
“Got some intel on this guy. Johnny Miles- used
to be part of a pretty serious gang in Whitley.
Came out of prison nearly 3 years ago and he’s
been silent since. The file notes say he’s had
a kid since he’s been released so they
genuinely believed he’d stopped to look after
his son and girlfriend.”
Security guard 1:
“Well what kind of prison sentences we talking
here? Petty theft? Murder?”
Security guard 2:
Turns to the others slowly and dramatically says
“…murder…”
Act 4: Scene 1 – DAY> INT> CLEANING CUPBOARD
Stanley heads for the door and tries
to open it, discovering that it’s
locked. He angrily shakes the door
handle before giving up and starts
pacing round the room.
Johnny:
“(Desperately) I’m not a bad guy I swear!”
Stanley:
“He says with a fucking bomb in his bag! What’s
wrong with you.”
Johnny:
 “Listen to me. I’ll explain. (Getting angry) I
don’t want to be here either, ok!? This isn’t
my choice. We’re both gonna die here in 6
minutes so we may as well just… talk… I don’t
know.”
Stanley:
“(quietly) Six minutes? (Pause, then screams)
SIX MINUTES?! MY LIFE IS GOING TO BE OVER IN.
SIX. FUCKING. MINUTES?!”
(long pause. He holds his head in his
hands whilst pacing, Johnny looks
solemn, sitting down looking
desperate. Stanley continues in a
more controlled volume)
“Why the hell are you doing this? Like, what…
why…?”
Johnny:
“I used to be in a gang. During my initiation
to become leader, I… I got caught. Went to
prison for a couple years, stopped all of it. I
got left alone for a few years- by police and
the gang- my life was on track. Starting my
little family. I went from being round a gang
of 20 or so day and night to just my girl and
my baby 24/7. (lightly smirks) I didn’t realise
how little means so much.”
Stanley:
“(Still angry, but more contained) Look at you
rabbiting on about a past life that I don’t
even care about. You’re still going through
with this?! Deactivate the bomb… … … please.”
Johnny:
“(Getting emotional) I don’t want to be here
doing this either. The gang blackmailed me into
doing this for them. I’m past that life, it’s
not me anymore. I love. My. Family. Ok? They’d
be killed if I didn’t do this today. (Opens bag
and looks in at the bomb, reading the display.”
I don’t mind dying for them. If I die, they
live.”
Stanley:
“You’re not a hero for saving them! You’re
killing tens of- maybe hundreds of- innocent
 lives who didn’t choose a life of crime. You’re
a selfish idiot!!”
Johnny:
“I love my family too much, man… 5 minutes.”
There is a long pause where the
camera angles change often, showing
the saddened and desperate
expressions on the mens’ faces,
similar to the beginning of the story
where they were both too awkward to
speak to each other.
Stanley:
“I cheated on my wife.”
Johnny looks up at him, surprised.
“(laughs to himself) Do you want to know the
most fucked up part? I got the bitch pregnant.
My wife doesn’t know. She can’t have kids, you
see. I always saw myself with kids and I didn’t
know until after we got married. I don’t love
either of them. But I promised them both the
world.”
Johnny listens thoughtfully with his head to the side like how
a dog does when you talk to him.
“I’m broke. Trying to support two different
families. I don’t love my wife but I respect
her. I know it’s the biggest disrespect I could
have- yeah… but.”
Johnny:
“Sounds like you’ve made some pretty shit
choices too.”
Stanley:
“My entire job is a shitstorm too. I just sign
dodgy legal documents and get paid loads. They
dress me up in a smart suit- they think I don’t
know what I’m getting myself in for but I do.
If MI5 investigates anything to do with my
documents I’m gonna be the one that gets the
wrap for it. I could go to prison for the rest
of my life for some of those things.”
Johnny:
 “Wow. From lookin’ at ya I thought you had it
all. The Hugo Boss suit, the Italian shoes,
wife, kids, amazing job.”
Stanley:
“Looks like it, huh? We’re going to die so
screw it, I’ll tell you. About a month ago I
got given some thing I had to sign and after
reading it- I think- I think it was some kind
of grant for a sex trafficking ring in Africa.
I took it home and did some research and yeah,
for some reason or another they needed
permission from someone in a first-world
country to give them the go-ahead. Probably
because the girls are British. Maybe they were
going to try and say my signature was their
parents giving them permission. It’s
disgusting.
Johnny:
“Did you sign it?”
Stanley:
“With this particular one, they slid it on my
desk and said quietly they’d give me £30k in
cash, off the books if I signed this no
questions asked. Mate, I was going to be
thousands in debt because of this new house, I
had no choice. (Gets emotional) Someone’s
daughter’s probably out there because of me.
I’m a monster.”
Johnny:
“Probably not just one girl either.”
Stanley tightens his face and looks apologetic and is about to
tear up but fights it.
Johnny peers into the backpack and looks back up, exhaling in
frustration.
“3 minutes.”
Stanley:
“Here’s a crazy idea, you thought about cutting
the red wires like they do in movies?”
Johnny:
(Looks annoyed at the stupid comment.)
“Movies?”
 Stanley:
“Yes mate. I know it might be the most stupid
idea on the planet but it’s worth a short ain’t
it? Do you really want to follow through with
this? There are things you can do, people you
can get help from, give up with this shit now
and start over. You got time. You’re a good
guy. I know you are. I can see that”
Johnny:
“(thinks for a few seconds) I appreciate that,
Stan. You had a few surprises too dude. If we
get out of this alive you gotta clean up your
act dude. Love what you have and cherish it.”
Stanley:
“You’re right. Look at me taking advice from a
bomber.”
They both laugh.
“So red wire, yeah? I got scissors in my briefcase… if you
want to try? It might blow us both up now instead of in-“
Johnny:
“-2 minutes-”
Stanley:
“(face drops) Ah, ok. What you saying then?”
Johnny:
“We got nothing to lose, but I vote we use this
time for ourselves, cos if this plan does kill
us, I think I’d rather have the time. We’ll cut
it in the final 3 seconds?”
Stanley:
“Good plan. I just can’t believe we don’t have a
way to contact anyone. I know maybe you don’t
want to because of how you wanted to leave it
but… I don’t want to die without saying goodbye
to my wife.”
Johnny:
“Speak into that camera, maybe it records 24/7
and they can pass the message on to her. It’s a
long shot but worth a try I guess.”
Stanley:
 “No, that’s good, thank you. I think I’ll do
that.”
Stanley walks over to the corner of the room where the camera
is and looks up at it whilst taking a deep breath. We see him
through the view/ screen of the CCTV cam. He says his speech
slowly and thoughtfully, taking regular breaks to think,
showing that it is heartfelt and genuine.
“Kerry. Darling I know it’s been rough. You have
no idea how sorry I am. If you’re watching this,
I’m dead. Don’t hold anything against yourself…
or Johnny, the guy with the bomb. He’s a good
guy at heart protecting his family… something
that I’ve struggled to do. A promise I’ve
broken. I’ve been seeing someone on the side for
a year or so now… Charlie… I got her pregnant
too. I know I’m awful. I hope you can still love
me past my mistakes and my gravestone because
after all this disrespect, I do honestly still
love you. It’s something that can’t be
controlled. I’ve never told you I loved you and
not meant it. Please believe that. I haven’t got
a lot of time. Johnny’s made peace with his
wrongdoings- I want that release. I don’t know
if I deserve it, or that this makes things right
but… if I get out of this alive, things are
going to change.”
Johnny and Stanley make eye contact and
nod to each other understandingly.
“I love you so much. You were always enough. I
did wrong by you. I’m sorry. I love you.”
He moves away from the corner of the room
and joins Johnny in the centre and pulls
out a pair of scissors from his briefcase
and hands them over.
The camera changes from the view of CCTV to eye level height-
switching between close-ups and mid-shots of them both.
They look concentrated and nervous as
they watch the clock of the timer go
down. It’s a tense 10 seconds. The timer
begins to count down from 10.
Johnny:
“Nice to meet ya, mate.”
9
Stanley:
 “See you on the other side.”
8
Johnny catches the red wire between
the blades of the scissors and holds
it there, waiting.
7
“I’ve had a pretty fortunate life you know.”
6
The camera angles start to get faster, changing from close-
ups, mid-shots and wide shots alongside dramatic music that
speeds up also (parallel)
5
4
They nod at each other, pausing and
holding eye contact whilst they
prepare to cut the wire.
3
Johnny cuts the wire, causing the
screen to turn black and the music to
cut.
There is a big explosion that we hear
but don’t see.
Pause for a beat
ACT 4: SCENE 2 – DAY> INT. HOUSE
We cut to a TV playing a cartoon with
an explosion (what we just heard) and
the pans out to show a young child
sitting on the floor in front of the
TV. He is happy and excited. The TV
continues to create fun, cartoonish
sounds The camera slowly turns around
to show Johnny sitting on the sofa
behind, also looking happy as he
watches his son.
As the camera continues to turn, a
match shot blends together the camera
panning round a living-room and we
see Stanley and his wife closely sat
on their sofa watching a movie
together, sharing a bowl of popcorn.
 The sound of the TV smoothly shifts
from the cartoon to the ending of a
romantic movie with music. As the
camera moves, it shows more clearly
that the woman is heavily pregnant.
They both also look happy and
complete. We pan round to the TV
after completing a 360 degree view
and close-in to the TV which is
playing an ending credit sequence, as
the shot closes in it becomes the
screen and the credits are relevant
to my own production and the music
and visuals slowly fade out.
FIN.