ONE LAST BREATH

A radio drama by Megan Darlow

PRODUCTION SCRIPT
January 23rd, 2024
© 2024 Megan Darlow
All rights reserved.
 One Last Breath
2.

ONE LAST BREATH

CAST

CAPTAIN The Captain of the ship

HEATHER Mother of the young girl
RICHARD Father of the young girl
MARGRET Young posh girl
DIVEMASTER Instructs and informs the divers
 One last breath
1.

SCENE ONE: EXT. ON A DIVE BOAT OUT AT SEA – DAY

SOUND: ENGINE OF BOAT GETTING CLOSER AND

iiiiiiiii.
STOPPING, WATER LAPPING AGAINST THE BOAT

DIVE MASTER: When you reach the bottom, you will have
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. approximately thirty minutes of air, you
aaaaaii. can only explore for a maximum of fifteen
iiiii minutes – so make it quick.

DIVER 1: What will we find when we are down

iiiiiii. there?

DIVE MASTER: A fairly vast vessel, mixed with wood and

I fibreglass. A large stern painted with
iiiiii. rust – inside a gaping hole, be careful of
iiiiii the currents. Are you ready? Transceivers
iiiii working?

DIVERS 1&2: Yes ma’am!

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, SCRAMBLING ONTO SIDE OF BOAT

DIVE MASTER: Remember to take a three-minute safety

iiiiii stop at fifteen metres, okay? I will be in
iiiiiii touch. Regulators working?

DIVER 1: Yes, got it.

DIVER MASTER: Safe journey.

SOUND: SPLASHES AS THE DIVERS JUMP IN, BREATHING

I
SOUNDS THROUGH REGULATOR, BUBBLES

MUSIC: SUBMARINE UNDERWATER CALMING MUSIC, FADES

I
OUT
 One last breath
2.

SCENE TWO: EXT. SHIP AT SEA – DUSK

SOUND: GENTLE WIND BLOWING, WAVES LAPPING, ENGINE

I HUM, BOOK PAGES TURNING

MUSIC: 80s JAZZ MUSIC

HEATHER: Is it always this clear out here? It’s

iiiiiiii spectacular!

CAPTAIN: You know what they say… calm before the

iiiiii. storm. (UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE)
Iiiiiiiii. Just messing! Unless it changes path, we
iiiiiiiiiii. should be very much in the clear.

RICHARD: (SLIGHT GIGGLE) Hope for a smooth sailing,

iiiiiiii. didn’t pay this price for nothing!

HEATHER: No money talk Richard! (QUIETLY) Not in

iiiiiii. front of Margret.

RICHARD: Oh, come on Heather, it’s just a joke. I am

iiiiiiii. just making conversation.

CAPTAIN: No need for an argument you two, enjoy your

iiiiiiiii. journey!

HEATHER: (SIGHS)(BEAT) Margaret, honey, are you

iiiiiii hungry at all?

MARGRET: No mother, I’m fine thank you.

CAPTAIN: Might have spoken too soon, big grey

iiiiiiii cloud’s moving ahead of us.

RICHARD: Have you ever been caught in a storm out

iiiiiiii here?

CAPTAIN: Never one looking like that! I wouldn’t

iiiiiii. worry though most of the time they smooth
iiiiiiiiiiii. out by the time we get there.

SOUND: STEERING WHEEL SPINNING

MARGRET: Are we nearly there yet?

 One last breath
3.

HEATHER: We didn’t leave that long ago!

MUSIC: 80s POP MUSIC FADES IN

CAPTAIN: Do you know this one? My favourite!

MUSIC: MUSIC GETS LOUDER

CAPTAIN: (STARTS SINGING BADLY)

RICHARD: Gosh, you’re hardly a singer! (CHUCKLES)

iiiiiiiii. Margret, you like this one!

CAPTAIN: (CHUCKLES)

MARGRET: (GRUMPILY) No I don’t, father. That was last

iiiiiiiiiii. year.

SOUND: WIND HOWLS AND RAIN BEGINS PATTERING

HEATHER: Margret shall we head inside? I don’t want

iiiiiiii. you ruining your new coat.

MARGRET: Ugh. Do I have to? It’s pretty out here!

RICHARD: Listen to your mother, darling.

MARGRET: (RELUCATANTLY) Fine.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING, DOOR OPENING AND

iiiiiiiii.
CLOSING, MURMUR OF VOICES, RAIN PATTERING ON

ROOF

MARGRET: Mother, are we in danger?

HEATHER: Why do you say that, honey?

MARGRET: The captain said it was going to be a bad

iiiiii. storm.

HEATHER: When did he say that? There’s no need of

iiiiiiii. worry, we will be fine. We will be there
iiiiiiiiiii. soon. Why don’t you have some quiet time.

MARGRET: He said that this is the worst storm that he

ii. has seen…
 One last breath
4.

SOUND: CREAKING WOOD, LOUD RAIN HITTING, THUNDER

CAPTAIN: (SHOUTING) We are going to need all life

oiiiiiii. jackets on please!

MARGRET: Are we going to be okay?

CAPTAIN: We are going to be just fine, just crossing

iiiiiii. a rough patch.

MUSIC: MUSIC CUTTING OUT, RAIN GROWS LOUDER

CAPTAIN: (SHOUTING) They say that ‘after a storm the

iiiii sun will smile’, every storm runs out of
iiii. rain eventually.

HEATHER: (SHOUTING) No amount of shouting will stop

iiiiii. the rain, please, be quiet.

MARGRET: You’re not helping!

SOUND: STORMY SOUNDS, WOOD CREAKING, TABLES MOVING,

iiiiiii.
OBJECTS CLATTERING, WIND HOWLING

CAPTAIN ON RADIO: Secure all loose gear and batten

iiiiiii down the hatches. Close all portholes and
iiiiiii watertight doors immediately.

ALL: (SCREAMING) Woah!

CAPTAIN: (SHOUTING) Hold on tight! Come on!

SOUND: STORM GROWING MORE INTENSE, BOTTLES

SMASHING, SCREAMS, PAINTINGS FALLING

MUSIC: TENSE/EMOTIONAL MUSIC

MARGRET: (PANICKED) Mother! What is happening?

HEATHER: We are going to be fine.

MARGRET: Do you promise?

HEATHER: Hold my hand.

SOUND: GENTLE CRIES, LOUD CRASH, SCREAMS

 One Last Breath
5.

MARGRET: (SHOUTING) Father!

SOUND: DOOR SLAMS, SHIP CREAKING AND GROANING,

iiiiii
FALLING NOISE GETTING LOUDER

CAPTAIN ON RADIO: We are going down!

SOUND: UNDERWATER NOISES, STRUGGLING FOR AIR

MUSIC: STORM NOISES AND MUSIC FADES OUT

SCENE THREE: EXT. MIDDLE OF SEA - DAY

SOUND: A BEAT, SEAGULLS SQUARKING

MARGRET: (DROWSILY) Mother. (BEAT) Mama.

MARGRET CONT’D: (CONFUSED) Mother? Father?

SOUND: BIG GASP, DISTANT VOICES, BOAT ENGINE

MAN: (DISTANT) Hello? Are you in need of help?

SOUND: ENGINE GETTING CLOSER

THE END