Stubborn Script - My notes

 Audio equipment needed:

·         Zoom H4N

·         XLR Cable

·         Rode boompole

·         Shock Mount

·         Rode shotgun mic

·         SD Card 16g

·         Batteries AAA x2

Sound recorder script notes

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‘Stubborn’

By

Connor Fieldsend

Pre-Title Scene (No sound for this but ambient sound for Post)

INT. Multistory car park

The man walks up a flight of stairs.

Post-Titles

EXT. Park bench (location depends on availability)

[Revise script for recording. Only one Zoom H4N will be used and I will need to get the best quality audio I can for post-production. The script will be revised so I will know where to move the shotgun mic at what time This is one location.]

Man no.1 enters the frame from the right after the camera tracks towards the park bench and halts at a wide shot, the man sits down.

Man no.2 enters from the left a few seconds later, sits down on the left of the bench. He lights a cigarette and taps his foot anxiously as he looks toward the house he’s just walked from. Mumbled chitchat is heard in the background.

Man no.1

What’s wrong? Nobody’s looking

Man no.2 turns back to Man no.1 and slowly offers him a cigarette.

Man no.1

You know I can’t smoke, that escaped your memory?

Man no.2 breathes out a puff of smoke, heavily.

Speaking softly

Man no.2

You’re such a stubborn shit.

Ignoring his remarks, Man no.1 carries on.

Man no.1

So what got you smoking again after vowing so much last time not to?

Man no.2 pauses, looks at him in wonder.

Man no.2

You did! And all this funeral bollocks!

Man no.1

Shit reason. Next.

Man no.1 shakes his head.

Man no.1 (CONT’D)

Why would I make you smoke again? Your own brother?

Man no.2 frowns and leans towards him.

Man no.2

Are you serious… Because you’re leaving us all behind. Your family.  

Man no.2 regains his posture.

Man no.2 (CONT’D)

You’re at least coming with us to the funeral before you go.

Man no.1 turns away from him, looks at the house. Quiet.

Pauses. Apologizes bluntly.

Man no.1

Sorry.

Man no.2 turns away from him. Has a puff of his cigarette.

Man no.2

No you’re not.

He turns to man no.1.

Man no.2 (CONT’D)

You have it all now. No troubles, plights, enemies… parents. You don’t even have a life.

Man no.1 lowers his head and grins.

Man no.1

Very funny… Christ, you smell like an ashtray!

Wafts the smoke dramatically.

Man no.2

Yeah? Like I give a shit what you think. You didn’t even wanna be here.

Man no.1 looks amused.

Man no.1

Remember when we were younger and you used to run up to nan and steal her fags then snap them in two, calling ‘em ‘nasty-cigs!’

Man no.2 laughs under his breath. Taps the cigarette ash.

Man no.2

Not as funny as when you were 8… eyeing up Arnie’s arse cheeks on The Terminator, proper leaning towards the telly. Gay boy.

Man no.1 replies swiftly.

Man no.1

Yeah well, that phase never stopped.

They both laugh.

Man no.2

I can remember seeing you playing Terminator when you were in year three and shouting, “bring me Sarah Connor!” I tried to tell people you weren’t my brother ‘cause you were embarrassing me so much.

  Man no.1 smiles.

Man no.1

Christ, those were the days. I always shouted to Mr. Daniels that ‘I’ll be back’ every time I went for a piss.

He remembers something; smiles widely.

Man no.1 (CONT’D)

Remember how Mum used to always love parents evening because Mr. Daniels would be there. She basically cheated on dad with her mind.

Man no.2 shows a small grin.

Man no.2

I can’t remember that as much, we were three years apart in school. Remember?

Man no.1 shrugs.

Man no.1

Ohhh yeah. I guess time’s not a big part of my life anymore… you could say.

Man no.1 looks down. Man no.2 lets out a deep, shaking breath out of sudden frustration and anger. Man no.1 looks up and notices, but doesn’t say anything; he just looks at him.

Man no.2

Can you not just tell me why you’re not coming to the funeral, please?

Man no.1 replies quickly.

Man no.1

I’m scared how they’re gonna react, alright?

He wipes his eyes. Man no.2 shakes his head in more frustration; says nothing. He puffs the last bit of smoke from his cigarette, stubs it out, and quickly produces a new one from his packet. His hands are trembling as he lights it up. He finally replies to man no.1 in a quiet, vicious tone.

Man no.2

You didn’t see mum and dad during the few days after it happened; they were crying, I mean really. Fucking. Distraught, Ben.

The camera focuses on Ben’s (man no.1) pale skin.

Man no.1

Whole truth?

Man no.2 gives a stubborn reply.

Man no.2

Yes. Yes.

Man no.1 stays silent for a brief moment.

Man no.1

Fine, I guess I’ll go. But only if you promise that I’ll see how regretful mum and dad are when they treated me like that. To them, I was like the Antichrist for liking men. They never believed in what choices I made; only in that twat with sandals in the sky.

Man no.2

But they were speechless when they found you. And so was I, you selfish prick.

Man no.1 looks down. Man no.2 softens up and closes his hand over man no.1’s shoulder. Man no.2 lets out a deep breath. Man no.1 nods and says nothing; he’s agreed to go to the funeral. Man no.2 smiles wanly, his head is down.

Man no.2 (CONT’D)

I love you, Ben.

Brief Cutaway (flashback)

Man no.1 steps up onto the ledge of the building.

Return to the main scene

Man no.1 speaks in a silent and soft tone of voice.

Man

I’ll always be there for ya.

After the camera switches to a wide shot opposite the two characters on the table (different to the regular wide shot seen beforehand), another man, wearing all black, approaches the bench/table. He’s silent and walking slowly until he reaches the two people. He speaks in a low voice to man no.2; ignoring man no.1 completely.

Man no.3 (Man no.2’s best friend)

You ready, mate?

Man no.2 finishes and stubs out his cigarette.

Man no.2

Yeah.

Man no.2 gets up from the table and walks away with his friend (man no.3), leaving man no.1 behind at the bench/table. He doesn’t look bothered at all.

Brief cutaway (flashback)

Man no.1 jumps off the ledge.

Return to the main scene

Man no.2 continues to walk away from the table. The camera looks back at the table and shows that there’s nobody sat there, despite man no.1 being there moments ago.

Fade into black; credits role (the end)

Revelation: Throughout the film, the shoes that man no.1 is wearing are the same ones as the man who commits suicide in the flashbacks (wearing the same clothes). The person that man no.2 has been talking to throughout the film was dead, and he knew he was dead because they’re siblings and man no.2 loved him the most even when he came out to his religious parents and they partially and indirectly resulted in his suicide.

Extra Note: the cutaways for the build-up to the suicide don’t have to be implying the jumping off of a ledge, as this was the first idea. There could be other cutaway scenes depicting a different suicide instead, with possibly a bottle of pills or a bloody razor, just to allow for interior shots in the flashbacks (cutaways).