Okay, for some reason I'm sending a scene into ABC for a competition, and I'd like to get some response to it, if possible. This would be the opening.
FADE IN:
EXT. ROOFTOP PATIO - NIGHT
Overlooking the Los Angeles basin. Millions of glittering lights rival the stars for beauty.
CURRAN (O.S.)
(sings, Gregorian Chant)
In paradisum deducant te Angeli. In
tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres et
perducant te in civitatem sanctam
Jerusalem.
CURRAN is 30, fair, attractive, athletic, well-dressed, and a bit drunk. He leans against the railing to gaze out over the City of Angeles, overwhelmed at the endless, endless blanket of light.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Angelorum te suscipiat et cum Lazaro
quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.
HIP HOP MUSIC BLASTS. He jolts.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
(British)
Bloody hell.
He climbs onto the bannister’s corner, gains a careful balance. The ground twenty floors below; above him, only sky. He unzips his pants, whips himself out and pisses into oblivion.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
(sings)
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old
man is snoring.
An elevator DINGS. Doors open. Out comes GERI ISHAM-TOPHER, lovely, dark, in a sleek dress, a professional camera hanging from one shoulder. She stops, at seeing him.
He keeps pissing.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
It's not my intention to jump, if that's
your concern.
GERI
Y'know, there’s a men's room's by the
elevator.
CURRAN
This was more convenient.
He motions out over the basin.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Bloody awful sight, eh?
GERI
What? L-A? I think it's lovely.
CURRAN
How can it be, when each light so
far below represents a human being?
Millions upon millions of them, each
wrapped in his own little world, lost
to all others in the fullest sense.
FADE IN:
EXT. ROOFTOP PATIO - NIGHT
Overlooking the Los Angeles basin. Millions of glittering lights rival the stars for beauty.
CURRAN (O.S.)
(sings, Gregorian Chant)
In paradisum deducant te Angeli. In
tuo adventu suscipiant te Martyres et
perducant te in civitatem sanctam
Jerusalem.
CURRAN is 30, fair, attractive, athletic, well-dressed, and a bit drunk. He leans against the railing to gaze out over the City of Angeles, overwhelmed at the endless, endless blanket of light.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Angelorum te suscipiat et cum Lazaro
quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.
HIP HOP MUSIC BLASTS. He jolts.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
(British)
Bloody hell.
He climbs onto the bannister’s corner, gains a careful balance. The ground twenty floors below; above him, only sky. He unzips his pants, whips himself out and pisses into oblivion.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
(sings)
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old
man is snoring.
An elevator DINGS. Doors open. Out comes GERI ISHAM-TOPHER, lovely, dark, in a sleek dress, a professional camera hanging from one shoulder. She stops, at seeing him.
He keeps pissing.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
It's not my intention to jump, if that's
your concern.
GERI
Y'know, there’s a men's room's by the
elevator.
CURRAN
This was more convenient.
He motions out over the basin.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Bloody awful sight, eh?
GERI
What? L-A? I think it's lovely.
CURRAN
How can it be, when each light so
far below represents a human being?
Millions upon millions of them, each
wrapped in his own little world, lost
to all others in the fullest sense.
GERI
...That's one way of looking at it.
CURRAN
How do you look at it?
GERI
A sea of gold.
CURRAN
It doesn't overwhelm you, knowing how
easy it'd be to drown in?
GERI
I know how to swim.
CURRAN
Ah...but beneath this bright surface of
loveliness lies a cruel undertow of
loneliness, waiting to carry you straight
to oblivion.
GERI
If you hate it so much, why you looking
at it?
CURRAN
Because, I'm a bloody idiot.
He zips up and jumps back to land neatly on his feet.
Geri whips her camera up and snaps a photo -- catches Curran seeming to look out in awe at the glistening lights.
He turns to her.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Oh, Christ...you're paparazzi. Take
another, for scandal's sake?
He hold up a beer.
GERI
How many of those have you had?
CURRAN
I've lost count. The beer in this
country is pathetic. By the time I
have enough in me to matter, I have
to piss it all out. Ergo...”
(motions over the balcony)
I should stick to whiskey or wine.
GERI
Or water?
CURRAN
Ahh...the Mother Hen sort, are we?
Likes to keep track of moonstruck
chickies? Word of caution -- mad dogs
devour hens.
GERI
You're a mad dog?
CURRAN
One of my many monikers. What's one
of yours?
GERI
Geri.
CURRAN
A pleasure to make your acquaintance,
Geri. I’m --
GERI
Curran Llewellyn. They’re lookin’ for
you, inside.
CURRAN
Let ‘em. Exercise is good for cats who
are fat.
GERI
But you’re guest of honor.
CURRAN
Honor? Merely the newest acquisition
for the football team.
GERI
Soccer.
CURRAN
Not in England.
GERI
You’re not in England, now.
CURRAN
Bloody fucking obvious. Why’d you come
up here, anyway? Sent to drag the spoiled
child back to his duties?
GERI
I just wanted some fresh air.
CURRAN
You hate this party as much as I.
(draws close to her)
Yes, I can see that, now. What fascinating
eyes you have, Geri, deep and dark with
shadows hiding pain and --
GERI
Don’t...you talk to me, like that.
CURRAN
...Sorry. I was just being an arsehole.
Another of my many monikers. You may now
lead me back to the lions, little one.
Parade me before the heathens so they may
witness what good their dollars have wrought.
I go as a lamb to the slaughter.
GERI
Take yourself; I’m not your mother.
CURRAN
Then why do you sound so disappointed in me?
He starts away. Stops.
...That's one way of looking at it.
CURRAN
How do you look at it?
GERI
A sea of gold.
CURRAN
It doesn't overwhelm you, knowing how
easy it'd be to drown in?
GERI
I know how to swim.
CURRAN
Ah...but beneath this bright surface of
loveliness lies a cruel undertow of
loneliness, waiting to carry you straight
to oblivion.
GERI
If you hate it so much, why you looking
at it?
CURRAN
Because, I'm a bloody idiot.
He zips up and jumps back to land neatly on his feet.
Geri whips her camera up and snaps a photo -- catches Curran seeming to look out in awe at the glistening lights.
He turns to her.
CURRAN (CONT’D)
Oh, Christ...you're paparazzi. Take
another, for scandal's sake?
He hold up a beer.
GERI
How many of those have you had?
CURRAN
I've lost count. The beer in this
country is pathetic. By the time I
have enough in me to matter, I have
to piss it all out. Ergo...”
(motions over the balcony)
I should stick to whiskey or wine.
GERI
Or water?
CURRAN
Ahh...the Mother Hen sort, are we?
Likes to keep track of moonstruck
chickies? Word of caution -- mad dogs
devour hens.
GERI
You're a mad dog?
CURRAN
One of my many monikers. What's one
of yours?
GERI
Geri.
CURRAN
A pleasure to make your acquaintance,
Geri. I’m --
GERI
Curran Llewellyn. They’re lookin’ for
you, inside.
CURRAN
Let ‘em. Exercise is good for cats who
are fat.
GERI
But you’re guest of honor.
CURRAN
Honor? Merely the newest acquisition
for the football team.
GERI
Soccer.
CURRAN
Not in England.
GERI
You’re not in England, now.
CURRAN
Bloody fucking obvious. Why’d you come
up here, anyway? Sent to drag the spoiled
child back to his duties?
GERI
I just wanted some fresh air.
CURRAN
You hate this party as much as I.
(draws close to her)
Yes, I can see that, now. What fascinating
eyes you have, Geri, deep and dark with
shadows hiding pain and --
GERI
Don’t...you talk to me, like that.
CURRAN
...Sorry. I was just being an arsehole.
Another of my many monikers. You may now
lead me back to the lions, little one.
Parade me before the heathens so they may
witness what good their dollars have wrought.
I go as a lamb to the slaughter.
GERI
Take yourself; I’m not your mother.
CURRAN
Then why do you sound so disappointed in me?
He starts away. Stops.
CURRAN (CONT'D)
Geri, I am sorry for --
GERI
For what? You haven’t done anything.
CURRAN
...Night’s still young. Enjoy your
golden sea.
He goes.
She takes a photo of him getting in the elevator. Looks back over the basin...starts to take a photo...but she stops...and she cannot move.
FADE OUT.
Geri, I am sorry for --
GERI
For what? You haven’t done anything.
CURRAN
...Night’s still young. Enjoy your
golden sea.
He goes.
She takes a photo of him getting in the elevator. Looks back over the basin...starts to take a photo...but she stops...and she cannot move.
FADE OUT.
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