More than a feeling first draft (1)
- 1. MORE THAN A FEELING- DANIEL HOPKINS INT. A NORMAL SUBURBAN HOUSE Establishing tracking shot of some of the rooms within the house. The camera is clearly from from the P.O.V of something as it weaves it’s way through the house and up the stairs. Dramatic music (possibly the Jaws theme) builds in intensity as the thing moves past a growling dog and into a room where it is greeted by a hand and slapped to the ground. The ’sinister’ being is revealed to be no more than a fly as it looks up at a teenage boy before it and buzzes. The boy brings his foot down on the fly. GIRL (ON PHONE) What was that? JAMES Oh it was just a fly. What were you saying? The boy moves over to and sits on his bed. GIRL (ON PHONE) Oh, I was just saying about how terrible college is. JAMES It is pretty terrible. I don’t even get out of the house anymore. GIRL (ON PHONE) I know, me neither. What do you think about us two finally getting out of the house this weekend? Do you fancy going out for a meal? JAMES A meal? GIRL (ON PHONE) Yes, a meal! JAMES Like... Like a date? GIRL (ON PHONE) Yeah. What do you think about it? The boy looks horrified and stares silently ahead with the phone in his hand. (CONTINUED)
- 2. CONTINUED: 2. GIRL (ON PHONE) James? James? Are you still there? The camera moves closer to and ’into’ James’ head. The girl’s voice can still be heard as it moves into a room where a person looking exactly like James walks over to and answers a ringing phone. It relays the same message that James just head moments earlier: Do you fancy going out for a meal? The person looks shocked and slams down the phone. COMMON SENSE Oh god guys, it’s a big one. We’re going to need all of you. The camera cuts to a mid shot of lookalikes of James sat on a sofa, each with slight clothing differences. HAPPINESS What is it? COMMON SENSE It’s an offer of a date HAPPINESS Oh wow. SADNESS I can’t handle the pressure... Sadness begins crying while Happiness looks up at Common Sense COMMON SENSE Oh for god’s sake. Right well we all seem to be here. Wait a minute... where’s femininity. Common Sense looks around and so do a couple of the other present emotions. INTELLIGENCE Femininity is in the deeper pits of the brain. COMMON SENSE Deeper pits? What’s that? The scene quickly cuts to an in-drag version of James parading in front of a mirror. Diana Ross’ ’I’m Coming Out’ is playing in the background. The scene cuts back to intelligence who shakes his head. (CONTINUED)
- 3. CONTINUED: 3. INTELLIGENCE Don’t ask. Common Sense sighs and moves onto anger. COMMON SENSE Okay, anger, what’s your opinion? ANGER I think sloth should stop eating them damn biscuits. SLOTH Hey man, it’s a free country. ANGER You will get crumbs everywhere, which attracts bacteria, which attracts viruses. So if you don’t stop eating them I will stick them up up your... COMMON SENSE AS the leader of this little band of misfits, I think that you SHOULD stop eating the biscuits, so I shall take them. Common Sense reaches down and grabs the biscuits. SLOTH Hey man, those belong to me, you’re abusing your power dude, this brain is like a police state. COMMON SENSE Yeah, take it elsewhere, hippy. Common sense throws the biscuits away. SLOTH Aww man, i’ll get ’em later. Sloth lies down and goes to sleep. LIBIDO Hey, y’all didn’t forget about me did you? The camera pans from bottom to top of LIBIDO, an emotion dressed in a suit with a 1970’s style afro and moustache. Marvin Gaye’s ’Let’s Get It On’ Plays during this segment. (CONTINUED)
- 4. CONTINUED: 4. COMMON SENSE Unfortunately not, Libido. LIBIDO I think it’s about time a lovely lady was in Daniel’s life, one to cuddle, one to hold, one to make sweet, sweet l... COMMON SENSE Can you just calm down please? LIBIDO You know you want it. COMMON SENSE Regardless of whether I want it or not, you need to calm down. LIBIDO Who put you in charge? COMMON SENSE I’m common sense I’m always in charge. If you were in charge the poor lad would have the clap by the end of the day, 10 kids by the end of the year and a spot on the do not admit list on every brothel this side of Manchester for the rest of his life! Now you stay there and don’t bloody move. LIBIDO I can’t go anywhere. Not with this anyway. Libido gestures to a handcuff which is keeping him attached to a table. COMMON SENSE That was put there to restrain you in your teenage years. It’s for your own good. LIBIDO Oh no, I, er, kinda like it... COMMON SENSE Oh christ. Right happiness, sadness, anger I need answer. (CONTINUED)
- 5. CONTINUED: 5. HAPPINESS YES! SADNESS NO! She’ll only break his heart... Sadness begins crying again. ANGER May I ask what the track record for dating is? Common Sense picks up and opens a book. He thumbs through the blank pages. COMMON SENSE Ahh, very interesting. ANGER What is it? COMMON SENSE Sod all. Common Sense smiles mockingly and throws the book away. ANGER Well my answer is no. COMMON SENSE Right, that’s two yeses from libido and happiness, two no’s from sadness and anger. I’ll assume femininity said no and sloth said yes so that is a tie. So we go to you... Intelligence. Intelligence is sat in an armchair reading a newspaper. INTELLIGENCE I don’t want to get involved. COMMON SENSE You have to get involved. I can’t break the tie you have too. INTELLIGENCE I just don’t want too. COMMON SENSE You never bloody want to do anything! Where were you for the motion graphics assignment? (CONTINUED)
- 6. CONTINUED: 6. INTELLIGENCE I was busy. COMMON SENSE Doing what? Reading the paper? It’s the bloody Daily Star, what intelligent person reads that. INTELLIGENCE Oh, I get all the information I need from it. The camera goes to an over the shoulder shot of Intelligence looking at scantily clad ladies in the newspaper. The camera then goes back to the front where he is gleefully chuckling. COMMON SENSE Still need an answer you waste of a brain. INTELLIGENCE Fine, fine, whatever, I vote yes. HAPPINESS OH yes! SADNESS Oh no! ANGER Oh bollocks! LIBIDO Oh yeahhh. INTELLIGENCE Oh will you lot shut up, I’m trying to read the paper here. Everyone falls silent. Sloth sits up with all the commotion. SLOTH Hey, what’s going on? Intelligence throws his newspaper at him, which pushes Sloth back over. He then sits back and sighs. COMMON SENSE Right, I’ll give the message back. Common sense begins talking into a phone and the scene cuts back to James still sat on the bed, phone in hand. (CONTINUED)
- 7. CONTINUED: 7. GIRL (ON PHONE) Are you still there? James? JAMES Oh yeah, yep, I’m still here. GIRL (ON PHONE) So what do you think? JAMES I think it would be great. GIRL (ON PHONE) Good, I think it would be great to meet you and get to know you more. I’ve got a special feeling. JAMES Oh yeah, I’ve got a good feeling too. In fact, it’s more than a feeling. James looks directly into the camera and winks, which is accompanied by a cartoon winking sound. JAMES I’ll pick you up at 7 on Saturday. James throws the phone down and walks out of his room. A shot shows him walking out, with Boston’s ’More Than A Feeling’ playing in the background.