GROUP 1 | SHORT FILM (SCRIPT DRAFT - ALYSSA)
FREEFALL
(Title comes from the very last scene, where the Main character’s
victim finally jumps off the rooftop of the school)
Scene 1 - Punishment Class, In the Dead Classroom
(The shot focuses on the wall clock, its loud ticking the only
sound you can clearly hear)
(A menacing screech of marker on whiteboard joins the singular
tune, the shot shifts to the markered hand writing on the
whiteboard, a teacher writing the word “Freedom” one letter after
another)
(The screeching marker is followed by the tapping of a pencil on a
notebook, the shot shifts to the hand tapping the pencil on the
open notebook, “Obedience”--Opposite to Freedom)
(The cycle of clock-Marker-pencil continues into a loop, growing
faster)
(Slowly, a teacher’s voice gradually grows louder in the
background as the loop ensues)
(The teacher slams the marker down onto their desk, the main
character flinches from their trance, eyes instantly drifting
towards the large word on the whiteboard “FREEDOM”)
Teacher: FREEDOM! An abused word, don’t you think so?
(The main character looks them in the eye for a moment, the
teacher has this cold look in their eyes, yet they’re smiling–a
biting smile. They look around the room, empty, they realize
they’re the only student there. Of course)
Student: I guess so?
Teacher: And why do you think so?
(Momentary pause)
Student: Because…People use it to their advantage…? Freedom wasn’t
always something anyone could have, and now many use it to do as
they like.
(The teacher nods in thought, smile now smug, almost mocking)
Teacher: Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
(The student purses their lips, scratching their head and laughs
pitily, but does not reply)
Teacher: Name, Who’s the first philosopher that comes to mind when
you hear the word ‘Freedom’?
Student: Um…
Teacher: I’ll have to remind you, Name, this is an Intervention
Class for Philosophy. If I fail you here, there’s no way to save
your grades like last time.
(Name gulps, looking around for a moment)
Student: John Locke, Sir/Ma’am. He believed in natural freedom,
claimed that everyone was naturally free, and that we had the
power to do whatever we wanted, and how we went about with our
lives.
(Teacher nods again in thought, this time with a hint of
impressed)
Teacher: A classic then, I guess you have a little bit of hope in
this class.
(Teacher claps once, facing the whiteboard once again)
Teacher: Then we’ll start with Locke. John Locke was a……
(Teacher continues to write and discuss)
Scene 2 - Class Lecture, the invisible bastards
(Shot shifts towards the m/c, they take a deep breath and slump
into their chair in relief)
Red:
The 5 alter-egos:
Red - Obnoxious, Opinionated and Arrogant
Blue - Wise, and a know-it-all (Clashes with Red a lot)
Yellow/White - Rational, Reasonable, Emphatic (Intervenes with
arguments among the 5)
Pink/Black - Dramatic, Sarcastic, Rhetorical (Hates Yellow/White)
Gray - Sits by the back corner of the room and doesn’t talk
(Important character - Will be the one cause of m/c’s final
breakdown)
Notes:
- We should assign one Philosopher that will be represented by
each alter-ego
- The Intense scene can be when the Teacher starts to confront
and question the M/C for what they did while the 4 alter-egos
taunt them, as the M/C spirals out of control.
- Before writing the scenes and conversations, we should divide
up the scenes for the whole duration of the short film, and
assign them to each writer
2nd meeting notes:
- Get all writers emails to sync to this document
- Discuss names of m/c, teacher, victim, other characters to
appear
- Discuss how many main scenes there will be, and what they are
- Assign which members will be writing which scenes
- Suggestion: 2 members will be working on a long scene
Ex. 2 members for the Introducing alter-egos scene
2 members for the Intense confrontation scene
- Another suggestion: 2 members should be completely working on
the script, while the other two members are focused on
creating the storyboard of the first parts of the script
Main scene divisions (Suggestions lng, can be altered depending on
writers decisions):
Scene 1: Intro to m/c, summer class, and teacher
Scene 2: Introducing the Alters, trying to act normal around the
teacher while the class resumes, The Alters arguing around m/c
(using philosophic terms and quotes and whatnot) while m/c tries
to act as normal and sane as possible. Still bubbly and funny in a
way (Until Red says something dark, that shifts the whole vibe of
the shortfilm)
Scene 3: The pin drop, something is awfully wrong, alters start to
taunt m/c and question why he’s in summer class in the first
place, foreshadowing with the teacher’s discussion about what he
did using philosophy elements. (Shortfilm slowly starts to drift
away from bubbly and funny into intense and eerie)
Scene 4: The Intense scene, Teacher’s turn to slowly spiral and
turn their lecture into a confrontation, flashbacks, the alters
driving m/c insane around them questioning him in a mocking way
like the teacher.
- There’s a separate room within the school where the cops and
investigators are watching it all play out.
- Background music starts to turn into low buzzing and
whitenoise
Scene 5: The breaking point, Gray asks/says a single line that was
the final straw for m/c to finally remember what he did, Intense
flashbacks as Teacher painfully narrates what exactly he did that
day before they graduated.
And the audience will never know why m/c did what they did.
Chills, right? Haha, sorry, i can’t believe I wrote this at 3AM,
gnight dnjvf
