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instructions for stasis.
screenplay by Oliver Lardner. SCENE 1 EXT: black, darkness... sound of fumbling with a heavy dripping in the background.. heavy reverb and a slight echo. after a minute(?) a match is struck, (or a zippo is found and ignited). this reveals a wet, naked young mans face... he looks slightly puzzled, the flame dies. his breathing deepens as he lights it a second time... he then looks around the darkness.. he finds something on the floor and lights it. it flares up all around him (metho or match heads?) and reveals that he is in a bathroom. he stands up in the ring of fire and turns on a light switch, he composes himself and steps into the next room. SCENE 2 EXT: large hall (the adelaide trainstation?), stark contrast from the small dark, dripping bathroom. there are a few people walking in the distance. our hero looks around and starts to walk.. he picks up some boxershorts and puts them on.. continuing he finds the ingredients for a suit and then exits stage left (opposite side of the hall) SCENE 3 EXT: an office, flickering green fluorescent tubes with unnerving buzz and a low hum of an airconditioner. our hero walks to the reception and stares blankly at the pretty assistant. pretty assistant: *long pause, smiling the whole time* "can I... help you?" hero: "...I hope so.... I'm looking for meaning.." pretty assistant: "meaning just left for lunch, would you like to wait?" hero: "well, how long will it take to for meaning to return?" pretty assistant: "...I wont lie to you, meaning quit this morning.." *pauses and looks our hero up and down* "I doubt you will see him again.... what did you say your name was?" hero: "my name is brown.. watson.. brown." pretty assistant: "I'm renee, what do you do, brown?" watson: "....I'm in the business of being" pretty assistant: "wow, I do a bit of that... well.." *looks away* "in my spare time..." watson: "...wheres the bathroom?" pretty assistant: "theres no bathroom on this floor, you have to either go to the basement or the roof.." SCENE 4 EXT: windy roof top (tripod shot) there is a door in the distance, it swings open to reveal watson standing there like a right punce. watson walks across the roof and the camera follows, watson gets to the corner and turns to unzip. SCENE 5 EXT: lavish bathroom. close up of watsons face in absolute relief, it rocks back and he lets out a sigh.. there is a large thud and the sound of shouting, watson hurriedly adjusts himself and turns to the door SCENE 6 EXT: back alley. sound of traffic. there is a youth trying to steal a paper bag from an old man.. youth: "give it up geezer, its my turn to be the boss of everyone" grandfather: "you mean 'its my turn to have authority' and even so, you dont deserve it! you have failed me... you have failed US!" youth: "do you think I give a drack about all that fairyland bulltrosh, give us the clock old man!" grandfather: "you dont know what your getting yourself into" watson: runs forward and holds out two fingers, the youth stops and stares, then drops the paper bag.. the bag falls to the ground and there is a smash which distorts into digital encoding, the youth is running away in the distance.. hero: helps up the old man and gives him back the paper bag. grandfather: "thankyou kind sir, I thought that was the end of it!" watson: "I dont want to be rude, but he does give credence to the rest of us.." grandfather: "FAITH! HA!... dont talk to me about faith.. I AM faith" the old man pulls out a cracked pocket watch and flicks it open. the time is 3:33 watson: smile to a look of shock CUT SCENE 7 EXT: office, renee is out. there is a sign on the desk that reads "back in 5" watson walks through the office.. its empty. he finds a large board room, walks along the large desk and sits at the head of the table. he sees the youth at the opposite side, he has his hood on and is in tears softly crying... watson: startled, "hey are you ok?" the camera follows the boy (dolly?) as he stops crying, pulls his hood off and floats(!?) across the table. as he does he slowly screams out and we are revealed the left side of his face is covered with blisters and his eye is forced shut. watson is so startled he flails his arms and falls backward.. he falls through the floor (ala: pirates of silicon acid sequence) we now see the edge of a ceiling fan and the boy floats in staring downward.. his eyes are glowing white(!?) and he is breathing very deeply, the sound of his breathing carrys a heavy reverb. watson shuts his eyes and screams "god has not given me the spirit of FEAAAAAAAAAR!!!!" he opens his eyes and he is in a field looking up and wheat heads blowing softly in a summer breeze. he shuts his eyes just as a mobile phone rings.. its the crazy frog ring tone. he sits up and answers, annoyed. watson: "hello" watson in office: hiding under a desk, there is paper being thrown around and chairs hurtling past... there is a loud hurricane like noise (doesn't have to be too realistic, perhaps some comic relief) watson in office: "where are you! I need your help~!!!" watson in field: "look, I'm a little busy right now... how did you get this number anyway~!" watson in office: "I still have a little memory left!!! NOW GET THE DRACK DOWN HERE!!!" watson in field: "now look.. you know thats impossible.. I dont exist to drag you all over hells creation! your going to have to use your intuition. now IIIII'm sarray! I'm very busy, write it in the book and I'll pass it on, goodbye..." watson in field: stands, takes one step forward in the field, shrugs his shoulders, smiles.. and falls backward into the wheat, closing his eyes SCENE 8 EXT: office, there is a sound of a toilet flushing and classical music. watson walks out of the office into the foyer. renee has returned and is polishing her nails. watsons suit is shredded and covered in blood.. he has a green medical mask around his neck and his hair is in a catcher. he is out of breath and takes off the catcher, then the mask... (cut of renee smiling as hard as ever) he takes off the suit to reveal that he is dressed in blood splattered scrubs.. he turns to renee and the sound disappears. renee is stands and is instantly caught in a strong breeze, her hair blowing backward.. her smile gives way to an innocent kind of look. she takes off her jacket and top, she floats(!?) toward our hero... our hero does a double take and starts to undress as well, he too is caught in the wind and floats(!?) toward renee. shot from the side, they walk toward each other fully clothed, they embrace each other roughly and start to kiss. the sound of the fluorescent tubes and airconditioner returns... renee steps back, her smile returns and then slaps watson. watson laughs maniacally, falls backward and fades before he hits the ground. END |