Scriptwriting
Client:
Deviant Films Ltd, Southend, Essex
Audience:
Teenagers
Brief:
Change the script from people sitting around talking about events
to something more watchable.
BURN
SO BRIGHT
FADE IN:
1.
INT. MARTIN'S BEDROOM - DUSK OUTSIDE
MARTIN is sitting
on a high stool, putting the finishing touches to a piece of music
he's been multi-tracking. A reel-to-reel deck is operating in the
BG, and there's a PC on the desk in front of him, running mixing software.
A pair of crutches leans against the monitor. The music fades to silence,
and he sits there, looking pleased with himself, until the doorbell
rings and there's a banging on the front door downstairs (OFF SCREEN).
2. EXT. DOVER FERRY TERMINAL - DUSK
A long queue
of cars waits outside the terminal. One is a very battered old-model
Skoda.
3. INT. JAMIE'S SKODA - DUSK
JAMIE taps the
glove compartment door a couple of times, then gives it an almighty
WHACK. It opens. He reaches in, ignoring the different packets of
cigarettes that tumble out onto the passenger seat and the floor.
He checks for his passport. We can see that it belongs to someone
called Jamie. Money? There, too - a roll of notes. Good. A rucksack
lies open on the back seat, clothing heaped around it. He obviously
hasn't had the time to pack.
4. INT. MARTIN'S BEDROOM - DUSK OUTSIDE
The banging on
the front door downstairs (OFF SCREEN) becomes more insistent. MARTIN
switches off the reel-to-reel, pulls a cassette out of the deck next
to him and places it carefully on the desk. He leans back, cursing
quietly to himself, and reaches for his crutches.
5. INT. JAMIE'S SKODA, NOW INSIDE THE FERRY TERMINAL
JAMIE turns the
ignition key once, twice, three times before the engine catches with
a distinctive note, and drives another few feet forward.
6. INT. MARTIN'S FRONT HALL
The letterbox
flap opens and closes, out of time with the knocking, which has now
become a hammering. Two pairs of eyes peer in from the outside. Neither
of them looks very friendly.
7. INT. MARTIN'S STAIRCASE
MARTIN works
his way downstairs, out of sight of the front door.
8. INT. DOVER FERRY TERMINAL
Jamie's Skoda
starts up once more. Its tyres squeal, kicking up smoke. A DOCK OFFICIAL
is visible at the head of the car queue, directing drivers onto the
ferry.
9. INT. MARTIN'S HALLWAY
The hammering
on the door is becoming more and more insistent (OFF SCREEN). Martin's
visitors call through the letterbox.
BLACK VOICE (TAUNTING, OFF SCREEN)
Martin
… Martin … If you don't give us what
we want, we'll have to come in and get it …
WHITE
VOICE (OFF SCREEN)
…
And then we're gonna do ya!
BLACK
VOICE (OFF SCREEN)
Shut
it, Micky.
10. INT. MARTIN'S KITCHEN - DUSK OUTSIDE
MARTIN's shaking
as he unlocks the kitchen door.
MARTIN (TO HIMSELF)
Jesus,
this shouldn't be happening.
11. EXT. MARTIN'S GARDEN - DUSK
The hammering
and calling at the front door can be heard as MARTIN tries to sneak
to the back door of the garage.
12. EXT. OUTSIDE MARTIN'S FRONT DOOR - DUSK
The two very
large blokes banging at the door decide on another angle of attack.
DARREN (The Black voice) THROUGH THE LETTERBOX)
Come
on Martin, we know you're in there, and we
know you've got it. So let us in, OK? Otherwise
we'll just have to come in and get it ourselves.
There's
no reply. DARREN and MICKY look at each other, give the door a couple
of hard shoves each, throw their combined weights against it, but
it won't open.
MICKY (The White Voice)
Right. Round the back, then.
13. EXT. BY MARTIN'S GARDEN WALL - DUSK
DARREN heaves
himself up to look over the wall. MICKY follows. As they watch, Martin's
garage door swings closed. DARREN and MICKY look at each other significantly.
They know Martin's in there, now.
14. INT. JAMIE'S SKODA
There's only
one more car in front of JAMIE, and it's being waved onto the ferry
directly ahead. He pounds a debris-littered dashboard in triumph.
YESYESYES - he's on his way!
15. INT. MARTIN'S GARAGE - DUSK OUTSIDE
There is no light
in the garage, except for what's coming in through the window. It's
enough to show MARTIN at the back, in front of shelves full of paint
and bottles of flammable liquid. He's nearly on his knees, supporting
himself with one crutch while he's pouring the contents of a petrol
can over a sports holdall, onto the floor, and onto himself. As DARREN
and MICKY appear in the doorway, MARTIN pulls out his zippo lighter
and flicks it. The shaking of his hand makes the flame flicker.
DARREN
(pleasantly)
Oh,
you do have it. Good. Nice music, by
the way. Was that you?
MARTIN
(through gritted teeth)
Thanks.
Just 'cause a guy's feet don't work
don't mean he can't dance.
MICKY scratches
his head, trying to work out the significance of that statement.
DARREN
So
it seems. Now - the bag, please, Martin.
MARTIN
No
way. Sorry.
MICKY gives up
on Martin's statement, shakes his head and comes back to the current
situation. He's puzzled.
MICKY (to DARREN)
Dal,
ain't there a light in here?
He sniffs.
MICKY
(cont'd)
And
what's that smell?
MICKEY and DARREN
realize what MARTIN'S up to.
MARTIN
(trying to sound confident, but failing)
One
more step, and it all goes up. Just leave.
Pause.
DARREN breaks
the stalemate.
DARREN
Look,
stop fucking around. Put that lighter out …
MARTIN
shakes his head.
DARREN
(Cont'd)
…
We'll take that, and nobody gets hurt.
MICKY starts
to edge forward. MARTIN looks at him, and then starts to lower the
lighter flame to the bag.
DARREN
(to MICKY)
No,
Mick. Don't even think about it.
MICKY has other
plans.
MICKY
Fuck
that …
MICKY leaps forward.
MARTIN shakes his head, almost sadly, and drops the lighter. The bag
goes up in flames, as does the petrol around it.
DARREN
(to MICKY)
You
stupid bastard!
MICKY grabs at
the burning bag, but the flames beat him back. DARREN tries to roll
MARTIN out of the pool of petrol, but it's too late - his clothes
are on fire, he's flailing around, screaming in agony … and between
them, they knock down the shelves full of inflammable liquid. The
containers break and the fire becomes fiercer. MICKY and DARREN run
out, without the bag.
16.
EXT. MARTIN'S GARDEN - DUSK
MICKY and DARREN
leg it over the garden wall and into the night as the garage lights
up from the inside in the BG. MARTIN is screaming out for help and
then, just before the garage explodes, he shouts out one name, long
and drawn out, as we switch between scenes.
MARTIN (OFF SCREEN)
Jaa
…
17.
INT. FERRY PORT
The DOCK OFFICIAL
looks down into Jamie's Skoda, shaking his head. The ferry's full
up.
MARTIN (OFF SCREEN)
…
aaii …
18. INT. JAMIE'S
CAR
JAMIE slams a
fist into the dashboard, crosses his arms over the steering-wheel,
and buries his face in them.
MARTIN (OFF SCREEN)
…
mie!
Martin's scream
fades into slence.
FADE OUT