Jerrold Dawson

Short Film

By Freddie Johnson

Characters:
Jerrold Dawson – Henryk
Betty (lawyer) – mum
Teddy - Ash
P.C Hopps - dad
Police officer 1 - jack
Hooded guy 1 - jack
Hooded guy 2 - Chris
Hooded guy 3 - ash
8 year old Dawson – Caroline son
8 year old friend – Caroline son
Preteen/Teen Dawson – Oliver Jukes
Teen Dawson’s Girlfriend – charlotte Baker
Person killed – Phillip wife
Jerrold killer - Phillip
News Reporter - Sophie
Hologram -Ethan Malha
Henrick Smith – ?
Memory Bank helper – Oscar Beale
Answering Machine – Oscar Beale
Note: This film will be set at night because the light is very poor in the future
so will always look like the evening.

Text: The year is 2048

There has been a government project that looked at “mind
control” of humans, but it was forced out of existence at the
end. They sent in the special forces to kill the guinea pigs.
This led to the special forces getting arrested and the
government throwing the project out of the window. the project
was called RedRobin. Until now the project wasn’t brought to
the public…

INT Evening Lounge: The Tv is on in the dark house, tv is

playing a news item about a government project that killed
many people and was forced out of existence, the project was
called RedRobin.

News reporter on tv
Nathan Jason, is the third person to be arrested in relation
to the government project ‘RedRobin’. which involved the
murder of thousands of innocent people at the end of the
project. The special forces involved were either arrested or
fled the country for this. From new evidence we have been
given the special forces have been released and given a sorry
from the country, but from this evidence a third person has
been arrested in relation to the project. Nathan Jason was one
of the people to cover up the project by getting rid of the
test subjects, by sending in the special forces, who believed
at the time were sent there because of a well-known terrorist
that was in the village where the Guinee pigs were. We now
know that the government told the special forces to shoot
anyone, and told the authorities they knew nothing of this
order.
Thankfully all this information is coming to light from an
anonymous person giving the police tip offs, and sending
information to the journalists.
This is only the third person to be arrested from this project
RedRobin and we expect many more to come in the near future…

(Doorbell rings)

News reporter on tv
…In other news Memory Bank has bec… (the news is turned off)

JERROLD DAWSON gets up and walks to the door.

EXT raining, front door: A hologram is standing outside in the
rain is a blue hologram wearing a red top, blue jacket and
fedora on (with the words memory bank going around the hat).

INT, front door: Jerrold Dawson opens the door sees the
hologram.

Hologram
Hello. Are you Jerrold Dawson?

Jerrold Dawson
Yeah

Hologram
Excellent here is your memory bank that you purchased.

The hologram hands over a small circular disc. Jerrold Dawson

takes it and closes the door.

INT Lounge: Jerrold walks back into the lounge and puts the
disc on the table, a hologram of the bank of memories pops up.
A man appears at the start HENRICK SMITH CEO of Memory Bank.

Henrick Smith
Hello and welcome to your memory bank from us the Memory Bank.
This whole company would not be possible if it wasn’t for a
little chip inside your head that has recorded all your
memories. Which you purchase when you want your memories back.
So, welcome to your memories.

The screen then goes to a blue screen that show eight titles:
Mum dying, grandma and grandad, playing, school, job, happy,
dad leaving and other.

Jerrold stares at the word mum dying he gets sad, reaching to

touch it but retracts.

Jerrold Dawson
Playing.

The screen pops up with a memory of him playing in a garden,

climbing a tree with his friend, wondering how he got up
there. Jerold smiles.

Jerrold Dawson
School
 The memories then change to him in his preteens going to
school walking around, a girl then walks in and they look like
girlfriend and boyfriend, he doesn’t recognise her, another
one shows him being good at drawing.

(V.O) Jerrold Dawson

You always remember who you went out with and who you slept
with, but that girl I don’t ever remember, and drawing I was
awful at it, that drawing I got from a friend.

INT Kitchen: Jerrold gets up and moves to the kitchen where he

gets on the phone to the company.

Memory bank
Hello and welcome to memory bank how can we help?

Jerrold Dawson
Yes, I ordered my memory bank and I don’t recognise some of
the memories.

Memory Bank
Oh, ok let me have a look for you…

From the lounge

Aaaahhhh

INT Lounge: There is a sudden scream from the lounge Jerrold

goes to investigate and sees that in a memory he is stabbing a
woman to death. The CEO of Memory Bank then pops back up.

CEO of Memory Bank

Unfortunately, you have committed a crime in your memory
544668903g the police have been notified (voice starts to get
muffled) and will arrive shortly.

Jerrold is panicking he is very confused.

(V.O) Jerrold Dawson

This was the new law which came about as soon as Memory Bank
began. It stated any crime committed on a memory would be
enough evidence to commit the person. This did create a back
log of cases as everyone who even committed a minor offence
was arrested. So, it started only notifying when you had a
committed a serious crime. This would only happen when the
memory was opened by you as the company never looked into your
memories themselves.

Jerrold walks to the phone the company are still on the line.
 INT: Kitchen

Jerrold Dawson
So, are they my memories?

Memory Bank on phone

Yes, it says he(re)…

Jerrold ends the call.

INT Hall: P.C HOPPS and Police Officer 1 knock on the door,
Jerrold answers and they put cuffs on him.

P.C Hopps
You have been arrested for a murder which has come from your
memory 544668903g. Under Memory Bank Act 2006 you will be
arrested and charged in due course…

INT, cell: Jerrold looks lost, can’t come with terms with what
is happening he is behind a table with a police officer the
other side.

P.C Hopps
…Do you understand

BETTY walks in

Betty
Hi, sorry I’ve just arrived I got your call Jerrold. Hi
officer I’m Jerrold’s lawyer.

Betty stands behind Jerrold. Betty then leans forward with an

outstretched hand.

Betty
Sorry I didn’t catch your name officer?

P.C Hopps
It’s P.C Hopps

He shakes her hand.

Betty
Right where did we get to?

P.C Hopps
I just asked Jerrold if he understands why he is here.
 Betty
Right ok, I think my client understands quite alright what is
about to happen to him more than you think as he did work in
the government.

P.C Hopps
I don’t need to know that plus I couldn’t care less. We need
to find out what he remembers, Jerrold (leaning forward) what
do you remember?

Jerrold tilts his head up slowly staring at him.

Betty
As you can see my client is in shock at the moment on what has
happened and is clearly trying to work out when this was
himself. I suggest that you let my client out on bail, to come
to terms with this and figure it out for himself. I also know
that you still have a big back log of cases to do with memory
bank, and my client is clearly not a risk to the public.

P.C Hopps
Ok fine you’re right we do have a back log and need to find
space for everyone, I’ll grant you bail for 1 month. Where at
that time we will come to your house again to arrest you. Do
you understand?

Jerrold stares at him

Jerrold Dawson
I understand perfectly

P.C Hopps
Excellent

Betty
Do you mind if I have a word with my client, please?

P.C Hopps gets up and leaves the room.

Betty
I’ve known you for years Jerrold and I know you would never do
anything like this, is there anything you remember.

Jerrold Dawson
No, nothing at all Betty. (softly)

Betty
Well you had better find out what is happening.
 Jerrold Dawson (V.O)
My lawyer Betty was very good I could trust her and she could
trust me, I babysat her kids sometimes when she was away. I
worked on some cases with her as she was the government lawyer
but helps me out from time to time. She knew I wouldn’t hurt
anyone, that’s why I worked behind a desk and not out in the
field.

EXT, raining, outside house: Jerrold walks to the front door

opens it, and walks into the house and closes the door.

INT, kitchen: Jerrold is talking to his friend (TEDDY) who

works in the government.

Jerrold Dawson:
Teddy you’re still working for the government as an
investigator, right?

Teddy
Yeah, Why?

Jerrold Dawson
Great, don’t ask about why yet I’ll tell you over a drink
later, but I need you to look into Memory Bank, it’s very
important, I need you to find everything you can on them. Who
they work with, investors, heads of operation, finances, do
they deal with any other companies. You got that?

Teddy
Yeah, got it. Is everything all right Jerrold?

Jerrold Dawson
Look just do this and I’ll tell you later.

Jerrold hangs up the phone.

INT lounge: He sits down on the sofa and starts looking online
at memory bank on the table. (Fades to black)

INT, Kitchen: Suddenly the phones rings, the person ringing is

Teddy. Jerrold answers the phone.

Teddy
I have what you asked for, let’s meet at the Old Lion.

Jerrold Dawson
No, I don’t want to go there, let’s go to the tunnel just out
of town. You know the one.
 Teddy
Yeah why there? It’s a dump, nobody goes there anymore.

Jerrold Dawson
Exactly.

INT, Tunnel: Jerrold Dawson walks into the tunnel with an

advert of memory bank playing on one side. Jerrold sees a
figure at the end which is Teddy. He walks to him.

Teddy
Jerrold Dawson, it’s been so long and this is where you
thought we should meet.

Jerrold Dawson
Yeah, for good reasons.

Teddy
And what reason is that?

Jerrold Dawson
Because I believe that I’ve been framed by memory bank for a
murder, but I don’t know why.

Teddy
Wow I didn’t expect that. I kinda always knew something was
wrong with them that’s why I never got the implant. I warned
you about them

Jerrold Dawson
Yeah I know I probably shouldn’t.

Teddy
Well look I did a lot of digging and I hope this helps.

Teddy hands him a briefcase.

Jerrold Dawson
Thanks. I do hope you have found something that will help.

Teddy
Well, you can tell me all about it another day.

Jerrold Dawson
Yeah, we’ll go to The Old Lion.

Jerrold walks back down the tunnel leaving Teddy standing

there.
INT, kitchen: Jerrold is looking at all the information he got
from Teddy (which is on the wall as a hologram) he looks at it
intensely. He then spots something, a name in a document
signed by someone named Jack Johnson. Jerrold goes to the
phone and calls Teddy.

Jerrold Dawson
Teddy you remember Jack Johnson?

Teddy
Yeah, he was part of our department back in the day. He then
went with you to work on some secret projects.

Jerrold Dawson
(Mumbles) RedRobin

Teddy
What?

Jerrold Dawson
Nothing, is he still alive?

Teddy
Who Jack?

Jerrold Dawson
Yeah. Do you know where he is I need to speak to him?

Teddy
I’m sorry but I thought you knew he’s dead, he was found in a
river a month ago.

Jerrold is taken back he doesn’t know what to think. He

doesn’t know his next move.

Jerrold Dawson
Oh thanks… was it an accident?

Teddy
No, it seems to have been a suicide, but if you ask me the
whole case seemed a bit sketchy, the officers cut a lot of
corners and Jack didn’t seem the kind of person to commit
suicide.

Jerrold Dawson
Interesting.

Jerrold Dawson (V.O)

The thing about Jack was that he was like a machine he didn’t
feel anything, so for him to commit suicide is weird. Jack
worked with me on some projects, but I forgot he worked with
 me on RedRobin the project that killed loads of people.
Luckily for me I had all the documents as I was the anonymous
person tipping everyone off about it.

Jerrold hangs up the phone and rushes to his record player.

INT Lounge: He looks for a record flicking through each one

until he finds the one. It is a single by Prince called
Batdance which has the Batman logo on it.

Jerrold Dawson
(whispers) RedRobin

He places it on player. He turns it to 45 and puts the needle

on. Pictures and documents fly by on the clear lid of the
record player. He then slows it down to 33 still watching the
images flicker. He stops it, the images stop, there’s a
document for the RedRobin project, Jerrold zooms in on the
bottom by using the middle of the record, at the bottom is a
signature by Jack Johnson, he zooms in closer, there is a
small print that has in associations with Memory Bank and a
signature from the CEO. Jerrold’s eyes widen

Jerrold Dawson (V.O)

What I realised was that Memory Bank somehow knew, most
likely from Jack who knew I kept documents of my projects just
incase anything went tits up. And then because I bought my
memory bank, the company must of put in the murder so I would
go to prison. Meaning that they wouldn’t go to jail like the
other three people so far have done.

INT, Kitchen: (fade in) Jerrold is calling Teddy, he gets

through to the answering machine.

Answering machine
I’m sorry you’ve gotten through to the answering machine. Who
won’t allow you to record a message at this time please try
again.

Jerrold tries again, it starts ringing when there is a knock

at the door and a rattle of the letter box, a circular disc is
dropped through.

INT hall: Jerrold picks it up feeling confused he walks into

the lounge.

INT Lounge: He places the disc on the table a video pops up of

Teddy, with another video playing next to Teddy of the murder.
 Teddy
When I realised Memory Bank was setting you up for a murder, I
decided to do some more digging and looked at your memory
544668 something. Don’t ask how I got it but when I was
looking I saw that there was a CCTV camera. I managed to find
that camera and the feed from the day and what I found was
really interesting. There was nothing there, you didn’t show
and neither did the woman. I’ve looked through the whole day
and other nights, there is nothing absolutely nothing. Memory
Bank have definitely set you up.

There’s a knock at the door, Jerrold walks towards it slowly

realising everything.

INT Hall: Jerrold opens the door two hooded figures are
standing there, as soon as they realise its open they rush in.
Jerrold realises and rushes towards the kitchen.

INT Kitchen: Jerrold runs into the kitchen, the kitchen door
opens to show another hooded guy, Jerrold stops suddenly and
is then taken down by the other two. Hooded figure 1 walks
towards him and takes out a device and shines a light in his
ear. Jerrold is trying to get them off by moving his legs up
and down.

Jerrold Dawson
AAAAHHHHH

Jerrold then stops moving and is still, the hooded man turns
the light off.

INT Jail: Jerrold looks like he doesn’t know what is happening

he looks confused, sitting in his jail cell paralyzed.

Jerrold Dawson (V.O)

They had taken everything they
(INT kitchen flashback: The men destroying the files and
burning the house down, and Jerrold hitting his head)
destroyed all my files and burnt my house down blaming me
being paralyzed to the smoke and hitting myself on the table
when I fell over.
(INT Jail:)
When in fact me being paralyzed was down to the light being
shown through my ear. which meant I went to jail for my crime.

One-week later INT Jail: Jerrold is watching tv. It’s showing

Memory Bank has gone down and the CEO Henrick Smith has been
arrested.
 News Reporter
In a sudden end to the RedRobin project we were given all the
documents about the project and on Memory Bank which we can
now reveal was sent to us by Jerrold Dawson. (a picture of him
is shown) Who was recently arrested for a murder which seems
to have been a fake memory, one planted by Memory Bank so that
their name would never come into this. Well now it has,
showing Memory Bank was a key investor in the project. With
this now out there the CEO Henrick Smith has been arrested and
is awaiting conviction, and the company has folded and will
now seis to exists. There has been no comment from the company
or the CEO at this time. (news reporters voice fading into the
background) There are set to be more arrests as police look at
all the documents.

Jerrold Dawson (V.O)

What memory bank didn’t account for was me making several
copies. These would get sent out to the police and journalists
after a week if I didn’t open documents. This was the end of
RedRobin and those involved, I was later released on a wrong
conviction.

Jerrold gives a little smirk on his face.

The End