Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Script writing - DREAMT

Since I have a huge love for films and writing, I have been taking a script writing class this semester. I have already written two plays, a comedy and a drama. Now, I am writing for film. Because of this I have been intrigued in reading the scripts of some of my favorite films. It is a new, fresh view of the story. Like the movie is playing in your mind. I've been getting new insight into some of my favorite characters and noticing things about the film I wouldn't have picked up on be it not the script. For class we were directed to write a short SHORT script using no dialogue. Only action. Since I was in the Christmas mood I wrote this script, based on my cute little cousin Kate, about a little girl and some magical toys. This is just my first draft and its written in script format. If you enjoyed it or had any suggestions please let me know. I love feedback on my work.



DREAMT

WRITTEN BY JACQUELINE MCKEON



FADE IN:

INT. CHILDS BEDROOM -  NIGHT.

Soft bell like music is airily playing.

A YOUNG MOTHER in a fuzzy lavender robe is kneeling besides a child's bed.  The room is lit dimly by twinkling stars, projected from a night-light, slowly rotating around the small room

The room has rose stained walls are tattooed with sayings like, "pretty in pink" and "Paris is always a good idea".  Very girly. Also, on the walls are drawings, taped up half hazardless, showing images or giant flowers, castles and ponies.

The mother is showing KATE a picture book. Easing her into sleep. Kate is six years old, blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  Kate's eyes are fluttering, fighting against her sleepiness. Her lashes finally come to a close.  At last she is sleeping.

The young mother kisses Kate's forehead, pulling the down comforter up close to Kate's face and walks across the room slowly, tip-toeing, trying not to make a sound. She opens the door and a flood of light from the hallway comes into the room. Kate stirs a little, but as the light fades as the door closes she’s falls back into slumber.

EXT. SNOW COVERED HOUSE - NIGHT

Thick, fluffy snow is falling, frosting a thick layer on top of the roof and lawn. We see the windows are covered in a web of frost. Barley visible through the ice-tinted window is the dancing star lights, coming from Kate’s room.

EXT. WINDOW - NIGHT

A tiny hand is moving in a circle motion, clearing away the foggy window. A toy soldier looks through the portal, out into the white covered streets. He puts his wooden fingers into his mouth and makes a whistling noise.

INT. KATES BEDROOM FLOOR - NIGHT.

Music changes to an upbeat orchestra song, like the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies.

The book is lying open on the floor, turned to a page with scenery of a toy room. The toys are moving off the pages and climbing out onto the carpeted floor. The soldiers come out first, and then help a DOLL, a TEDDY BEAR, and a WOODEN ROCKING HORSE get out of the book. The last toy helped out is a beautiful ballerina.

SOFIA the ballerina wears a soft pink tutu with light brown hair pulled into a bun. Her rosy cheeks redden as she holds tightly to a soldiers arm, finding her balance on her gold ballet point shoes.

Her bright blue eyes flash like diamonds, as she smiles and lets go of the soldier. She dances around in a marvelous routine.  All the toys stop and watch Sofia, moving as delicately as a snowflake.

Teddy bear memorized by Sofia, doesn’t watch where he is going and tumbles backwards into a stack of building blocks. Blocks fly everywhere. The toys all scatter into the shadows of the room.

INT. KATES BEDROOM - NIGHT.

Kate wakes with a start, looking around the room. Her eye catches a hurdle of shaking toys, hiding in a corner as a star light spotlight passes over them. Kate slowly gets out of bed, inching towards the toys. Her eyes are wide and filled with curiosity.

She kneels down and places her small dimpled hand open, towards the toys. The wounded Teddy bear hobbles over to her and places his paw in hers. Kate picks him up gently, rocking him like a baby.

She goes to her playhouse, setting Teddy bear down on a baby doll bed and takes out a play nurse kit. She reveals a bandage, wraps it around Teddy bears leg and seals it with a kiss. Teddy bear and her smile at each other as she picks him up and walks back toward his toy friends.

Teddy bear is let down and motions for his friends to join them. One by one the toys reveal themselves from the shadows. Kate sits in the light coming from her window, as silhouettes of falling snow cascade down across her.

Kate smiles at the toys and they return the gesture. The toy soldiers march together, forming a perfect line and salute Kate. Kate salutes back, giggling. The doll skips over and hugs Kate’s leg. Kate picks up the doll and hugs her tenderly then places her pack down. The wooden rocking horse lets out a loud neigh. Kate jumps to her knees and put her hands on the ground, mimicking the noise. The toys and Kate are all laughing with each other, when Sofia walks into the center of their circle.

The music changes to a light and beautiful orchestra.
Sofia dances in the moonlight, here gold slippers casting reflected light with each graceful step. When she is done with her performance she plies deeply, bowing for her small audience.
She extends her arm out toward Kate, nodding and smiling, encouraging Kate to dance. Kate shyly stands up, looking down to her bare feet. Frowning at her lack of dance attire.

Sofia twirls over to her and shakes her head smiling. She does a small, graceful turn then looks to Kate. Kate does a clumsy turn, tying to mimic her. Together they dance one after the other learning a simple, yet beautiful routine. The other toys watch in adoration.

Kate’s eyes light up, and she runs to her closet. Pulling out raincoats, shoes and shirts, cluttering the ground till finally a bright sparkly purple tutu is produced. Held up high in acclamation by Kate.

She puts it on, over her long-john type pajamas. She looks around the room, brow furrowed, till her eyes get big and a giant smile appears.

EXT. WINDOW - NIGHT

The window to Kate’s room bursts open. Snow is sucked into the room. Kate and the toys are visible, standing by the window, snow twirling around them.

INT. KATES BEDROOM - NIGHT  

Kate and the toys put on a spectacular ballet performance, with many twirls in the snow, leaving child and toy sizes footprints. Kate picks up all the toys and dancing around her frosted room, as more and more snow comes in.

Soon a foot of snow covers the floor and Kate and the toys make snow angles and small snowmen.

The fun and excitement of the night is starting to get to Kate and we see her start to yawn and the music starts to slow down.
Kate climbs into the bed, shaking off the fine layer of sparkling snow. She waves a goodbye to her toy friends and drifts of into a sudden sleep.

The toy friends jump into action creating a conveyer line, using shoes, plastic teacups and toy buckets to remove all the snow from her room.

EXT. SNOW COVERED HOUSE - DAWN

Kate’s window is seen getting closed and the sun gets brighter and brighter.

INT. KATES BEDROOM - MORNING

A young mother opens the door slightly, peering into the room. Kate is still asleep in her bed. Her mother walks into the pristinely clean room and gently awakens Kate.

Kate’s eyes open slowly, and then a burst of life and excitement comes to them. She sits up straight and looks around the room. Kate jumps out of bed checking under it, in her closet, in her playhouse but her toy friends are gone.

Kate opens the picture book to find all the toys back in the page, but instead of a toy room they are now seen playing in the snow.

Kate smiles at the book, as something shiny catches her eye. Hanging of the knob of her dresser are a pair of beautiful golden ballet point shoes. She holds them tight in her arms, as she dances around, showing her newly created dance routine to her mother.

THE END

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