Willow Creek University

Written By

Tori Bridges and Claire MacDonald

INT/EXT. UNIVERSITY SHOTS INSIDE AND OUT - DAY

JO (V.O.)
Willowcreek University is known for
its successful alumni like the guy who
cured cancer, and the famous director
who has already won 30 Oscars, and 7
U.S. presidents (and counting).
Because of the high level of graduate
success, it is well known that if you
are accepted to Willowcreek, you are
destined to change the world.

The camera follows a letter as it goes out from the college,

through the mail, to a student. She opens the letter and
jumps in excitement because she was accepted. The camera
tilts down to the letter then back up revealing Willowcreek.

INT. COMMON AREA - DAY

Students are sitting studying at tables, chatting in groups

and walking to class. A group walks toward the camera,
parting to reveal a girl, Jo Hartly, handing out posters to
the passersby.

JO
Save the Red Wolf! Only 35 remain in
the wild. 99% of their habitat has
been lost to development. It's time to
change the system and protect innocent
lives.

ELOSIE
Jo, stop! You're making a scene.

Elosie rips the posters out of her hand. Students blankly

stare at Jo.

ELOSIE
This isn't high school. Standing out
is not going to help sway people to
your cause. Promise me you will at
least try to fit in. Please.

Jo stares at Elosie.

JO
I see where you're coming from Elosie,
but no.

Elosie sighs as Jo marches off to class. Elosie follows her.

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 2.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Jo and Elosie walk into class. Students are wandering about,

not talking to each other. They are all wearing grey
clothing, which causes Jo and Elosie, who are in colors, to
stand out. Jo leans over to Elosie.

JO
(Conspiratorially)
Do the people here seem kinda off to
you?

CONNER
Yes! I'm glad someone else noticed.
Everyone is so freaky with their
glazed eyes and funky clothes. Conner,
by the way.

Conner appears behind the girls startling them. He is also

not wearing grey.

JO
Jo. Elosie.

ELOSIE
I don't know, maybe they're just more
mature and cultured than us.

CONNER
No way, this is definitely some freaky
cult that worships Zuckerburg or
something.

Everyone begins rushing to seats as the trio watches. The

professor walks into the room. He eyes the three of them.

PROFESSOR
New students I presume.

JO
Yes, sir. I'm Jo, and this is Elosie
and Conner. We are thrilled to be here
and so ready to make a diff-.

PROFESSOR
That is wonderful Miss uh-Jo. But take
a seat. We are about to begin.

The trio sits down, and the professor takes some note on his
phone. The professor stands up and looks at the class.

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 3.

PROFESSOR
How do you achieve success?

Nobody raises their hand.

PROFESSOR
It is clear you all are destined to
succeed, otherwise you never would
have been accepted to Willowcreek. So,
I ask again how do you achieve
success?

Jo raises her hand, but the professor ignores it and points

to Conner.

CONNER
Pizza, my dude. Makes every night a
success.

The professor rolls his eyes and makes another note on his
phone. Jo waves her hand enthusiastically.

PROFESSOR
Yes, Jo?

JO
You will only achieve success in life
if you work hard. Nothing will ever
change unless we make it.

The room is silent. The professor has a very dark look on his
face.

PROFESSOR
People work hard every day and achieve
nothing. One person has no power to
change anything. Going against the
grain will get you nowhere. Class
dismissed.

The professor walks out, and the other students follow,

except for Elosie and Conner who walk to Jo.

ELOSIE
Hey, are you okay?

JO
Yeah, I just didn't expect him to be
so...

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 4.

CONNER
Insane? Unhinged? Like clearly this
guy doesn't get out much. Well, I'd
like to stay but I just got an email
from my guidance counselor, she's
probably gonna try and brainwash me
like the rest of these weirdos.

Conner walks off. The girls roll their eyes and walk away

INT. COMMON AREA - DAY

Students from Jo's class are sitting at a table having a

study session. Jo walks over to them.

JO
Hey guys, mind if I join you?

She sits down. They all just stare at her.

JO
So, what are you guys up to? Are you
going to the game later?

STUDENT 1
No, we don't have time for such
frivolous activities.

They then all stand up and leave Jo. Confused she stands up
too.

EXT. SIDEWALK - DAY

Jo walks down the sidewalk, bothered by what happened. She

stops a student walking passed her.

JO
Excuse me, but are you going to the
football game tonight?

STUDENT 2
No, I don't have time for such
frivolous activities.

The student walks away but Jo is frozen. She looks down the
sidewalk and notices almost everyone is wearing shades of
grey and are walking in step. Jo runs back inside.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

Freaking out Jo runs into her next class. She breathes a sigh

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 5.

of relief when she sees Conner.

JO
Conner, you were right something weird
is going on here. Everyone is walking
in step and wearing grey clothes
and...

Jo notices that Conner is wearing a grey hoodie.

CONNER
I was wrong, Jo. Nothing is strange
here.

JO
Conner? Do you think you'll go to the
game tonight?

CONNER
Why would I waste my time with such a
frivolous activity?

Jo starts backing away from Conner and looks for Elosie.

JO
Where is Elosie?

CONNER
She'll be back soon; she just went to
see the guidance counselor.

Jo realizes Conner was transformed when he went to the

counselor's office. She turns and runs out the door.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Jo runs down a bright hallway. She stops at a door marked

counselor's office and tries to open it. But the door is
locked. She tries knocking on the door, but to no avail. Jo
leans her head against the door in defeat. Footsteps echo in
the hallway. Jo turns to see Elosie walking towards her.

JO
Elosie, you're okay! We need to get
out of here right now. I don't know
what's happening, but I think Conner
was right, but now he's brainwashed
too, and we need to go before
something happens to us.

Jo tugs Elosie's hand, but Elosie doesn't move.

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 6.

JO
Elosie?

Jo drops Elosie's hand in horror as she takes in Elosie's

blank face realizing her friend has already been brainwashed.

JO
No, no. We can fix this.

ELOSIE
There is nothing to fix. Don't you see
Jo? It's better this way.

Elosie lunges at Jo. Jo turns the door handle and swings

inside the room, slamming the door, which locks again. Jo
turns to see the dark room she's in and freezes. The room is
full of monitors all showing footage of her. Jo eating lunch,
Jo walking through the quad, Jo sitting in class, even her
running through the hallway minutes ago. Jo creeps closer to
the monitors. All the monitors turn to footage of her looking
at the monitors. A voice sounds from the speakers.

ROBOTIC VOICE
Welcome, Josephine Hartly, we are very
pleased to have you join us at
Willowcreek University. Please turn
your attention to the screens as our
training seminar will begin shortly.

Jo turns to the screens and the screen begins flashing

pictures and lights. Jo's eyes widen.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

The professor is standing in front of the class.

PROFESSOR
Now that it has been a few weeks I'd
like to circle back to the question I
posed at the beginning of the
semester. How do you achieve success?

A hand raises in the air. It is Jo, but she too has the blank
stare and gray clothes of her peers.

PROFESSOR
Yes, Miss Josephine.

JOSEPHINE
By working for the system, not against
it.

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 7.

PROFESSOR
Excellently said.

The professor continues teaching his class of brainwashed

students.

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