2 minute short - Bugs Are Just Like Us

COLORFUL blurry background 

SUPERIMPOSE: What would be left of our tragedies if an insect were to present us his?

Emil Cioran

The letters start to disintegrate, like dozen of ants scooting across the screen. One of the letters transitions in an actual insect. 

INT.THIRD WORLD HUT'S FLOOR - DAY

A little insect BUG looks up at a window beckoning in a relative  distance. The rainbow colored curtain lazily flows in a gentle breeze revealing greenery that stands in contrast to dark interior of the hut.   

Bug uses its 6 spidery legs to maneuver between two barefoot human feet. Bug freezes for a moment when a stomping feet casts a shadow over it. One of its legs is marginally stuck under the heel of the feet, but Bug keeps pulling until it is free.  

Bug moves from the mud floor to a relative safety of a spread out crimson red fabric. It continues its climb through the peaks and valleys of the material. At some point it even slides down on its back only to climb up and repeat the joyful ride down once again.

Suddenly, Bug lands in some sticky substance. It manages to escape, but then lands into yet another puddle of strawberry jam like goo. It pauses.

After gathering its strength, it attempts a successful lounge from the trap. Bug is catapulted onto a dark brown surface that is revealed to be a young WOMAN's face. 

Bug slowly crawls around her half open barely breathing lips and positions itself near her eye.

Despite her eye blinking quickly, having detected an unwanted sensation, Bug remains in its spot, waiting.

Suddenly, the woman's eyes roll, blink and close in peace. 

It's Bug's cue to keep moving. It is now relatively close to the window. Bug climbs up the curtain, hanging on to the fabric's threads Tarzan-style. 

It manages to do a final lounge into the air and towards the light outside. Bug continues a free style somersault only to land outside on something feathery.

It is indeed a hen. The hen's head turns around, spots Bug and lounges towards the insect, its open peak first.

Bug rolls over the hen's back completing  a final somersault. Once on a ground, it quickly picks up speed and disappears between leaves covering the area. 

FADE OUT

THE END

Life Aquatic-review, inspiration, general thoughts

Life Aquatic

Script by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach

Wes Anderson appears to enjoy the PROCESS of creating the movie more than the actual OUTCOME. One could wonder if it could be him, sitting outside “Loquasto International Film Festival” not too much concerned whether the audience got it.

Even the very name of the festival (thank you internet) makes a reference to a figure probably known to the director and few of his friends; doubtful that   a viewer gets a message. It’s a care of a director winking not to the audience but to himself.

I have to admit that I can understand that urge. I myself often approach a story as something that is not intended to be consumed by others. However, Wes Anderson script highlights that there are times when such an approach can work as a fresh quirky device and when it can sink (pun intended) the story.

Life Aquatic is a self-contained world; a cinematic terrarium packed with unique characters, not unlike the rare aquatic species we see throughout the movie.  It is especially evident when Wes Anderson employs one of his trademarks: a tour of a cut in half doll house-like ship. This world operates by its own rules. Can one imagine a pirate attack feature to ever play out the way it did in any other movie, including in real life? The unique approach to this midpoint adventure results in decreasing audience’s investment in the story; “Why should we care whether main characters get hurt?”

Life Aquatic is concerned with images; it is especially evident in the story where the protagonist is trying to control the narrative. No wonder; Steve Zissou made his career creating stories that captured people’s imaginations and created this larger of life character. I loved a scene in which a fan brings those vintage posters of his voyages to sign; it’s a great way to face the protagonist with his high days AND explain a bit of back story to the audience.

I think the structure of the story leads us to not so clear climax because we are never sure what Zissou ultimately wanted. Even through his team is united and stronger than ever at the end the audience cannot say with a 100% accuracy that Zissou is transformed. He reminds me of much stronger character of Life Lessons’ Lionel Dobie, who like Zissou, is ultimately doomed to repeat the pattern he might have been fighting to escape.

The reading of the script (combined with actually watching the movie) is helping me understand the value of visual aspect of a screenplay AND the importance of following a structure (if only to know HOW/WHEN to break its rules).

It is also to show that creating unique characters can draw viewers in, but without clear stakes those characters can turn from lovable kooks into unbelievable self-indulgent underdeveloped forgettable creatures (e.g. possessed mothers turning into werewolves; reference to my previous story).

Land of Better Screen Writing, ho!

What Got Into You - opening of 10 min short

FADE IN:

MALE TEEN'S ROOM

Five 15 year olds: three girls and two boys sit on a floor in a humble room of a teenager filled with mismatched furniture. The room is dark, filled with lingering smoke; there are many mismatched candles, from "Over the Hill" birthday candle through "Air purifier" to "Yankee House". Their hands are on Ouija board, passing a joint.

GIRL I

Are you sure about it?

TOM

Look, I downloaded instructions from the internet. This is exactly how you summon demons. No, really…let's get it rolling. We have to be done before my mom gets home.

GIRL II

Well, I, for one, do not want to meet her. She is a bit intense...The last time she came to school and shouted at that teacher…

TOM

It should be fine. She has been quiet lately..with the divorce and all…

They put their hands on the dart.

TOM

If you are here, manifest yourself.

They wait. Suddenly one of the boys passes gas.

GIRLS

Awwwwww!

TOM

Come on. Concentrate.

The dart starts to move slowly. The wide eyed kids follow the dart. It starts to spell...A...D..A..M

GIRL II

Adam? Is it ...

TOM

It must be the substitute teacher who...

BOY I

Are you Adam Venter who hanged himself last year?

The dart comes to 'YES'.

GIRL I

What do you want?

The dart starts to spin and jerk around.

GIRL II

(panicked)

Are you coming in peace?

Suddenly door opens and Tom's mother GINA comes in. Her clothes and manner suggests a larger than life person. The dart falls to the ground and the board cracks. Gina grabs her throat and starts coughing.

GINA

What the hell is this? Are you smoking here?

KIDS

No!

GINA notices the candles.

GINA

Oh, it's even worse...candles. Do you want to burn this house down???

Gina opens the window curtains; daylight floods the room.
Teenagers start to scramble and leave. Tom stays on the floor.

TOM

I am sorry, mom.

GINA

Since when is our house a AWOL Inn?  And I told you million gazillion times that candles are only for the times they cut off the electricity...

TOM

What are you doing in so early anyway?

GINA

Shift was done earlier, thanks god. I went and did grocery shopping. And anyway, why do YOU question ME?

TOM

I will help you unload. 

GINA

You better! I'm so tired, I am telling you. On my way here, I thought of just driving...leaving all of this behind. But no, I came home, hoping to see you doing homework. Instead I see a Skip School Central...

CUT TO

KITCHEN

They are unloading groceries onto the shelves of a small pantry. 

TOM

Why don't you work less?

GINA

Please...and how do we pay bills? I  am still paying off your father's rehab. And that car you scratched? 

She remembers to take a lottery scratch card. It's not a winning ticket. She sighs.

GINA

And did it have to be a brand new Mercedes belonging to YOUR motherfucking principle???

TOM

Come on, mom calm down. I will pay you back.

Gina smashes a jar of pesto sauce on a shelf; the jar breaks sending the contents all over Gina. She SQUEALS.  

TOM

Mom, why don't you lie down. I will clean up.

Gina grunts with anger, but leaves the kitchen dripping with green goo. 

GINA

I was working for this poor paralyzed guy. His tv was always set to those old horror movies...I look like them possessed girls.

She turns around, growls at Tom in a fake manner and laughs. 

Tom raises his eyebrows, but it is clear that he is used to a behavior of that kind. He begins to clean up.

KITCHEN - NIGHT

Tom eats in a kitchen. Mother moves slowly, dragging her feet.

TOM

Are you ok mom?

Mother rolls her red eyes and grunts. 

TOM

I am sorry about it. Really. It's just that..

Mother walks warily around the place where the soup was spilled. 

GINA

Where in hell are crackers?

Suddenly, a box of crackers levitate into Gina's hands. She shuffles back to her bedroom. 

Tom follows her. He sees her laying down on a bed, only to lift her head and throw up.  

TOM

Crackers did not help?

The door shots behind him. Tom tries to unsuccessfully open the door.

TOM

Mom, I gotta go... do homework. 

The Door opens and Tom, still struggling with the knob, falls into the hall.

TRANSLATOR

TRANSLATOR

2-minute short

A film by Madison Morris

PREMISE: 

In an Indian rural hospital, a young American tourist MARCUS recovers from a train crash. When he has a brief and mystical encounter with a beautiful paralyzed WOMAN, Marcus has to decide whether there is a possibility for two different worlds to stay connected.

SYNOPSIS:

A twenty something blond MAN with severe injuries to his head, ears and a left part of his body writes in his notebook, taking breaks to look at a train crash broadcasted on an old TV set in a packed Indian hospital room. Tags on his messenger bag and the open notebook indicate that his name is MARCUS; he’s from USA, likes weed and has started travelling through Asia after suffering some personal setbacks back home. Despite lots of notes and checklists, his adventure appears not to have a goal or finish line, just like an ant like INSECT that wanders across the pages.   Marcus’ physical appearance stands in contrast to other victims’; the hearing loss further separates him from the crowd.

His writing is continuously interrupted by a fellow patient who keeps leaning on his injured shoulder. When he finally attempts to intervene he finds the personal space intruder to be a beautiful seemingly uninjured WOMAN who yet appears to have been paralyzed in the accident.

Marcus notices that the woman has a wet rag under her chin, a primitive hybrid of a bib and a neck brace. Hesitant and initially disgusted with her state and the surroundings in general, Marcus begins to gently clean saliva and tears off the woman’s face. He overcomes the revulsion, but lets a small cry when the evidently omnipresent insect runs off the note book’s page through his hand and onto the woman’s stained sari. A LITTLE BOY on his other side laughs at Marcus ‘squeamishness. 

Challenged by the little boy’s reaction Marcus picks up the bug and triumphantly puts it back on the open notebook. . The insect is now stubbornly parked on the page. After gentle propping, it slowly starts wandering around in a manner eerily reminiscent of an Ouija board dart. 

Marcus’ eyes follow its path in search of recognizable pattern. He looks at the woman as if looking for a confirmation. The bug continues its slow march to rest on a word ‘yes’.

The little boy looks with astonishment as Marcus alternates between talking at the woman and looking down at his notebook.

Suddenly, an arriving group of agitated people breaks into the crowd of reconvalescents and throws Marcus off his makeshift post.  As he struggles to recover his balance, the woman is wheeled away by intruders who seem to be her relatives.

Eventually Marcus composes himself enough to notice that the insect got squashed between words ‘thank’ and ‘you’ in a sentence that Marcus had previously written.

Marcus, sans bandages but with unattractive bruises, awaits boarding on an Indian airport. He prepares his boarding pass when he notices the now familiar type of insect. He places the ticket flat and allows the insect to start its ‘interpretative dance’ as he looks intensively trying to decipher a message. But the insect stops by the name of the city Marcus is about to leave and simply rolls away only to land at the man’s feet and march away.

Marcus stands up with an intense look on his face, looks around trying to locate the exit. He grabs his bag ready to leave the departure lounge.

minute screen play exercise

INT. INDIAN HOSPITAL -  DAY

A Big hospital door opens violently and a tsunami of patients with various states of injuries fills out a humble area.

The room has one barely functioning tv set inside a barred cage that is chained to the wall.

TV shows breaking news of a train crash. All the info is in Hindu.

At the beginning, we don’t hear any sounds; slowly the echoes of commotion filter through, muffled.

A young American tourist MARCUS rubs his ears uncomfortably; bloody bandages covering them surely bother him. His blond hair healthy posture and all American if badly bruise face all stand out in contrast to the rest of natives crowding the place.

MARCUS pulls out a broken laptop out of his cross body bag (we see his address tag on the bag that shows his name and US address) and places in his lap. MARCUS props a tattered notebook on the useless gadget and starts to write with his still functioning hand, trying to capture his emotions & describe the situation. He is clearly angry and his writing reflects it. He vows never to return to India.

At this point, the room starts to really exceed the capacity. MARCUS feels someone’s body resting against his hurt shoulder. A cloth covering the personal space intruder’s upper body unravels.

MARCUS is taken with a strikingly beautiful WOMAN who appears to have no injuries either on her face or her body. It’s only when her inexpertly propped body keeps on sloping in an uncontrollably & inevitably manner that MARCUS realizes she must have become paralyzed.

WOMAN has a dirty rag tagged under her chin; the humiliating bib soaks up WOMAN’s tears and saliva.

With some hesitation, MARCUS reaches out awkwardly and gently cleans her cheek with his functioning hand. Once WOMAN appears to be comfortable for a moment, MARCUS leans back in his spot, his notebook open in his lap. Suddenly, he sees an ant that ventures on the page and starts to go in circles around the sentence he wrote ‘I thank God I am alive’. It finally lands on the word ‘thank’

MARCUS looks at the WOMAN, uncertain

The ant goes to the word ‘ME’.

MARCUS moves WOMAN’s wheelchair to face him. He starts to write an alphabet on a page, along with common words like ‘family’, ‘pain’.

The ant begins to run between words as MARCUS starts talking at WOMAN. We don’t hear his voice; instead the noise of the room seems to going up, drowning the conversation, just as if someone turned the volume up higher and higher till it goes back to halt.

MARCUS rubs his eyes and adjusts his bandages. He realizes that WOMAN is gone. Rubbing his forehead MARCUS opens the notebook, but there are no signs of the ant.

CUT TO:

INT. AIRPORT

MARCUS looks visibly better, his leg awkwardly curved under the seat, one of his arms leaning to the side. Waiting for boarding, MARCUS flips through pages of his notebook, reflecting on his adventure.

An ant appears on his note book’s page and goes between words ‘Don’t’ and ‘leave’. MARCUS gently pushes the ant away of the page, but the insect rolls back and sets up camp by the word ‘ME’. MARCUS realizes he has unfinished business to do. MARCUS gets up and looks at the exit door.  

FADE OUT:

THE END

Food for thought...

Pawel Kuczynski

What's REALLY is under the White House? I could also see the Monument to be a tip of a light saber, even though I do dislike the seemingly never ending Star Wars references...

FOX NYTVF Comedy Contest 2012

I have submitted my sitcom spec for 2012 Fox - NYTVF  Comedy Contest. The script is titled 'Tails of Everyday Wonder' and yes, it is about the beauty of everyday and yes, it involves animals.

The premise of the series: a mother-daughter duo runs a small vet office when an animal psychic moves into the space upstairs.

Will not go into details, but I do hope to be one of the lucky 1000 applicants to go and pitch it in NYC. By that time, I hope to write up couple more jokes about NY rats occupying the local police K9 quarters or my characters dreaming that they turned into bed bugs living on Mayor Bloomberg's bed.