Script to what-will-eventually-be-the-coursework

Scene 1: Int. Nick’s bedroom Early morning
Fade in. Throughout this scene, all we can hear is typing and clicking. First look outside the window, concealed by blinds; you can see the 6 am sun shining through. Within the same shot, camera moves to reveal the room’s contents (Yes, like the opening to Back to the Future). The room is messy: energy drink cans, magazines and clothes are littering the room. Camera moves to the floor of the desk, revealing Nick’s feet at the chair, the camera moves up higher. A pause as the camera rises to the keyboards level. In this frame, a phone is next to the keyboard, closer to the camera. We see Nick’s hands typing at the keyboard for a short while, clicks, scrolls, and then pauses; another long pause, just seeing the hands rest on the keyboard. The left hand picks up the phone, and we hear key tones. The left hand moves upward, suggesting Nick is calling someone. We hear the dial tone.

NICK: Hey Paul, it’s me…. Sorry, I know…. This couldn’t wait….

Cut to a shot from behind the computer, rising to reveal Nick’s face, as if the tiniest crane in existence was being used.
Nick is a late teen boy, his general style (from clothes to hair) is punk-influence; hooded shirt, band t-shirt, messy hair and trendy shoes are essential.
Nick is staring with anticipation at what he’s found on the computer.

NICK: I think I’ve got it. It’s damn near-perfect. Alright, I’ll talk to you later.

Nick hangs up, content with himself. He raises an energy drink, and toasts the computer.

NICK: Cheers.

Nick sips the drink, and then moves out of the frame to reveal ONE LAST THING behind him. Upbeat rock music begins. The camera follows Nick, now carrying a bag, as he walks out of his room, down the stairs (where he puts on headphones), and out of the house. Motivated cuts as he walks to school, showing different terrain he walks through (street, park, entrance), but still tightly behind him and using the same angles. Final motivated cut as he walks in the library (pulling out his headphones), and takes a seat. The library is fairly quiet, as he’s quite early, one or two people are in the background, working.

Scene 2: Paul’s bedroom Morning
Cut to another bedroom. Sun already shining through without blinds or curtains, white and dark blue colours for this room, has to modern and fairly cool. The first shot is going to be Paul in bed, we see a close-up of his back first, until he rolls over and we see his face, eyes wide open; Paul needs to be a good-looking boy, around Nick’s age. He rolls back over and moves out of the bed, revealing he is only in his boxer shorts. He stands up, and moves out of the frame. Cut to an establishing shot of his room, camera moving from left to right, without Paul; has to be much neater than Nick’s. Paul returns to the room in the same shot, as the camera reaches right, to put on a scarf and coat; he needs a trendy look to go with his looks.
Cut a motivated cut of Paul sat in a kitchen, on his own, but clearly not fussed. He is eating a bowl of cereal, decreasing in every cut. Cut to him walking into college, which has noticeably grown since Nick had arrived. Camera stops at gates as Paul turns and walks into college (Perhaps a crane shot here, showing the amount of cars/students are at the college?).

Scene 3: The library Morning
The library is packed now, and quite noisy. Nick is surrounded by books, but clearly not interested, instead day-dreaming. Paul comes up behind up him and taps him on the shoulder. Paul grabs a chair and sits next to Nick. Nick speaks but still stares into nothingness.
PAUL: Alright?

NICK: Hey, Paul.

PAUL: Well, what’s this thing you want to show me?

Nick breaks out of his daydream.

NICK: Oh yeah! You’re going to love it.

Nick delves into his bag and pulls out 2 or 3 magazines, searches through them and leans back when he sees them. Paul leans forward and views it. We see it’s a few images of the same car, not particularly flash, but Nick has a real passion for it.

NICK: Epic, isn’t it! She’s finally decided to splash out and get me a sodding car! No power steering, mind, but I reckon I can take the challenge!

PAUL: You’re going to stop asking me for lifts? Shock shock horror!

NICK: I’ve only asked you for a lift twice! And both times you deliberately stopped for petrol so I could fork out! Dick!

PAUL: (Laughs) (Patronisingly) I’m happy for you, though, you’ve earned it!

NICK: I’m not a dog!

PAUL: No, that would be your mum.

NICK: (Deadpan face) Time is it?

PAUL: Time for psychology!

NICK: That makes it time for History! With the lovely Kathy Willis!

PAUL: (laughs) Absolute babe! I’ll see you later!

NICK: Alright, see you!
Paul leaves, as Nick packs his bags away. As Nick packs his bags, we cut straight to a close two-shot of Nick and an empty seat in a classroom.

The use of jump cuts is partly inspired by a segment from Kill Bill, over a montage as O-Ren Ishii moves towards The House of the Blue Leaves (0:18-0:20) in the following clip:



Another inspiration was from Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, during an interview scene:



Phillip DeFranco (AKA sxephil) is one of the most subscribed "vloggers" on YouTube (His videos amount to 1,000,000 views each), and generates an income from "vlogging" by using the YouTube partner program. Providing subscribers with news-based content 3-4 times a week. A signature technique he uses is the jump cut, which provides a comedic, fast-paced show, aiding to a more satisfactory video.

This technique of jump cuts may prove simple yet effective when editing the opening to OLT


I've been suggested to add more impact to the opening scene, as I've suspended tension, only for the end result to be a car. Ergo, I'm currently brainstorming ways of adding more impact to it, probably integrating something with more oomf than a car, so watch this space.

Next blog, I'll be talking about location shots that I've been taking, with a view to use them in this opening scene.