Draft script for empty 5
- 1. Script for Empty SCENE 1 INT. CHLOE’S HOUSE, DINING ROOM - DAY Fade in “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” - Incompetech fades in We are in the modest open plan kitchen/dining room area of CHLOE’s house, there is little furniture, apart from an oak table and chairs, the room is very tidy and the focus remains on the Christmas tree in the centre of the room CHLOE, a 10 year old girl who is dressed in jeans and a light coloured cotton jumper, excitedly runs into the room, from the right, towards the Christmas tree where she notices a large present under the tree CHLOE quickly grabs the present and inquisitively opens the present. Smiling, she enthusiastically pulls out the TOY and happily embraces it. PAUL and JACQUI, the parents of CHLOE who are dressed in jeans and wearing festive jumpers, are proudly smiling and PAUL has his arm around JACQUI’s shoulder CHLOE begins to play with the TOY, in an eager manner, in front of the decorated Christmas tree The text EMPTY appears on the screen “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” - Incompetech fades out Fade out SCENE 2 INT. CHLOE’S HOUSE, DINING ROOM – DAY Fade in The furniture is in the same place with the Christmas tree still in the centre of the room, but the Christmas tree, which is undecorated, reveals Christmas is now over. The TOY, positioned to the right of the Christmas tree, looks isolated and alone. CHLOE slowly enters from the right, walking with a deflated stance to the left, PAUL and JACQUI quickly follow behind, acting as though in a rush without acknowledging the TOY’s presence at all. Fade out 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- 2. Scene 3 INT. CHLOE’S HOUSE, OFFICE - NIGHT Fade in PAUL is sat at his desk in the office and is angrily holding a piece of paper. As he reads the letter he begins to look frustrated as he scratches his head in a discouraged manner. PAUL mimes the word “Shit” Paul continues to read the letter. The words ‘it is our greatest regret to inform you…’ are shown on the screen and followed by the words ‘4 weeks’ notice’ and then followed by ‘let go…’ PAUL’s fist begins to clench on the desk and rubs his hand on his chin in a frustrated manner Fade out Scene 4 EXT. CHLOE’S HOUSE, GARDEN - DAY Fade in CHLOE, now dressed in an oversized white coat and denim jeans, is eagerly walking towards her dad’s car (a silver Vauxhall Zafira), with the toy in her arms, through her garden towards the drive. CHLOE opens the car door and delicately places the TOY in the front passenger seat of the car, she then leaves the TOY there and walks away. Fade out Scene 5 Fade in INT. PAUL’S CAR - DAY PAUL hurriedly opens the car door, he is dressed in formal wear with a smart trousers, a shirt and a tie, and when he notices the TOY on the passenger seat he smiles with a content look and then proceeds to get into the car and pats the Toy dog on the head PAUL sits in the driver’s seat and places his coat underneath the TOY on the passenger seat EXT. CHLOE’S HOUSE, GARDERN - DAY The car begins to drive away Fade out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
- 3. Scene 6 INT. PAUL’S CAR - DAY Fade in The car is driving along a quiet and rural road when PAUL’s phone begins to ring so he begins to pull the car, in an irritated manner, over to the side of the road with an anxious look on his face as he rubs his hand over his face in a worried manner EXT. BURELY, FOREST ROAD - DAY PAUL quickly gets out of the car to answer his phone, maintaining his irritated manner, and he grabs his coat without looking at the TOY or the coat. But as he grabs the coat the TOY falls out and PAUL doesn’t realise as he remains focused on the phone call. PAUL quickly puts his coat on and is talking on the phone with a frustrated attitude, and still doesn’t acknowledge the TOY on the floor behind him PAUL hurriedly gets back in the car without realising he has left the TOY. The car pulls away leaving the TOY abandoned. Fade out Scene 7 EXT. BURLEY, FOREST ROAD - DAY Fade in The TOY is still abandoned on the side of the road and it will face many different climates, it appears that it has been isolated for a while. Then BETH’s (an 18 year old teenager dressed in jeans and a green coat) feet appear to the side of the TOY and her hands begin to nervously reach for the TOY. Apprehensively, she picks it up, without revealing her face, she tightly hugs the TOY as she carries it towards her car (a black Vauxhall Viva). INT. BETH’S CAR - DAY BETH carefully places the TOY in her car, she then decisively gets into the car and drives away Fade out 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35+36 37 38+39 40 41 42
- 4. Scene 8 INT. BETH’S HOUSE, UTILITY ROOM – NIGHT Fade in BETH enters her house through the back door, the room is very messy with the worktop covered in cereal boxes and old plastic bags BETH is holding the TOY, and quickly drops all her bags on the floor and perfunctorily kicks off her shoes INT. BETH’S HOUSE, HALLWAY - NIGHT BETH, in the darkly lit hallway with minimum furnishings, carries the TOY upstairs, handling it with maximum care, she quickly opens the door into the bathroom and enters INT. BETH’S HOUSE, BATHROOM – DAY BETH daintily lowers the TOY into the bathtub and carefully picks up the showerhead. She begins to cautiously wash the TOY in the bathtub. Here, it is revealed to the audience that the TOY has been PEPPER (the miniature schnauzer) the whole time. PEPPER’s appearance is battered and mistreated and she looks very despondent as she is being washed. BETH continues to wash PEPPER until the scene finishes. The sound of a dog whining begins to play, while a title appears reading: Dogs are for life, not just for Christmas. Don’t treat them like a gift. Fade out THE END. 43 43+44 45 46 47+48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56