Finalised and (hopefully) Improved Script

This was the version i handed in on my "official" last day of uni. Which was the day after Morgs arrived in Brissie the night before... around 12am... ok, maybe i should say EARLY THAT MORNING. In fact, he's sitting behind me, also blogging at the moment.

We were out last night at Family with Amy, Van, Sisco, Daniel, Nad, David, Vinnie, Shaheen, Eric and some girl i've never met before, we left the club around 3.40am, got back by 4am, slept by 5am. Morgs got to sleep til 2pm today, but i only got 4 and a half hrs of sleep, cos i had work at southbank. My feet are killing me... I've been standing more than i've been sitting since Thursday. Work, work, work, dance, dance, dance, work and work.

I must say that Family is a club with terrific interior design, as a second-time "clubber", i was awed. Have to admit that. And Family is a gazillion times better than Fridays. Gazillion. It has three floors... great music, great atmosphere, but the drinks are expensive. But in the end it's all about the people you go with. The good thing about this group is that they make sure everyone doesn't get "lost" and we dance in a group or sometimes 2 groups at most. Amy and Van, Amy in particular, is trying to get me to go again on the 25th, there's supposed to be a "Tie party", which is cool, cos i have those and hardly get to wear em. Haha... but we'll see, i have obligations, plus Daniel will most probably be back in KK by then, and so will Nad, and though Morgs enjoyed himself last night, he will not be able to join me on the 25th cos he's got school the next day. Anyway, that's all for now, working tomorrow, it's almost 12am. Gotta sleep. So read on if you'd like to see the script. If not, you can stop reading now.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

Flying Cars

by

JAMIE CHONG

FIRST DRAFT

JUNE 2007

© JAMIE CHONG, JUNE 2007

2/16 Parkdale Court

Blamey Street, Kelvin Grove

QLD 4059, Australia

Ph: 0432189137

FADE IN:

1. EXT. ALLEYWAY IN A RUN-DOWN PART OF THE CITY. DAY 1

It is a cold winter morning.

CASS, a woman wearing an expensive-looking chequered overcoat around the age of twenty four, walks down a dirty, wet alleyway. She has a sweet face and boyishly short black hair. She stops at a rusted, olive green warehouse door with artistic graffiti on it that reads: Not a Loft.

Unlatching something behind the warehouse door, she pushes it open, walks in and closes it.

2. INT. WAREHOUSE. DAY 2

Modernist paintings hang from the unadorned concrete walls of the warehouse. In the centre of the warehouse, there are two rooms, one behind a black door and the other behind a red one. There is a paint-stained couch to the left of these rooms that sits amongst old newspapers, paintings and blank canvases leant against the wall. An easel in the corner holds an unfinished art piece and scattered around it on the ground are brushes, spray paint cans, paints and palettes.

Cass takes off her coat and tosses it onto the couch. She is dressed casually in jeans and a navy green t-shirt. She walks to the other end of the warehouse where there is a sink, a cheap-looking wooden table and three different coloured stools. Dirty dishes are piled up in the sink. Cass sees this and shakes her head.

After browsing through the paintings against the wall, she walks to the black door and starts knocking. There is no response. Smiling while biting her lower lip, she knocks again but to no avail.

CASS

Donnie… Donnie! Open up!!

She bangs on the door with open palms. Still no response, she stares blankly ahead.

FADE TO WHITE

3. EXT. HIGH-RISE ROOFTOP. NIGHT 3

SUPER – Three Years Earlier

Cass rests her head comfortably on DONNIE’s stomach. She is wearing a jacket too big to be hers. Donnie is approximately twenty years old, has sharp features, messy short hair and appears only slightly underweight.

They are lying on a blanket, stargazing.

CASS

What do you want to do before you die?

DONNIE

Hmm? Why?

He strokes her hair.

CASS

Tell me… I’ve told you!

DONNIE

I don’t know…

CASS

You must’ve at least thought about it.

She turns to face him, her head still on his stomach.

DONNIE

No. Not really.

CASS

Donnie… you bloody liar. Just tell me!

She moves her head closer to his face and looks into his eyes.

CASS (CONT’D)

You can tell me.

DONNIE

Ok. No laughing or I’ll tickle alright?

He smiles and wiggles his fingers close to her stomach. She makes a sour face and kisses him on the cheek.

CASS

Ok. Promise.

Beat.

DONNIE

I want to see flying cars before I die.

Cass starts sniggering.

DONNIE (CONT’D)

Then I’ll be ready to go.

CASS

What?! Flying Cars?

Cass breaks into a giggle, but sees his serious face and stops.

CASS (CONT’D)

Hmm. Do you really think we’ll live that long?

DONNIE

Me? definitely. You… (THINKS) Eh… we’ll see. Maybe not.

Donnie grins.

CASS

Hey!

She smacks his head, and then rubs it as if saying sorry. Donnie sits up and kisses her.

FADE TO WHITE

4. INT. WAREHOUSE. DAY 4

The black door opens to reveal Donnie in his mid twenties with longer hair to his shoulders. A jade ring is visible on his left thumb. He leans his head sleepily against the frame of the door and rubs his eyes. Still facing the floor, he yawns, groans lazily and mumbles something before he turns to look at Cass.

CASS

Hi! Morning! You look like…

DONNIE

Shit. It’s…

He whips his head around to look at the clock in his room.

DONNIE

It’s only 9am, why are you here now?! Why now, Cass? Why?

Cass just smiles.

DONNIE

(comically dramatic)

WHY??!!

He smiles wearily.

DONNIE (CONT’D)

(drawly)

You know me… well enough… Never before 12.

CASS

You know me… well enough… I don’t care.

She tousles his already-messy hair, pats his face, then pushes pass him, walking into his room. Donnie rolls his eyes and closes the door.

FADE TO WHITE

5. INT. CASS’S BEDROOM. DAY 5

SUPER – One Year Earlier

A modernist painting similar to the ones in Donnie’s loft hangs on a wall in the room. Donnie sits at a desk with a blue marker, drawing Cass on a piece of paper, while Cass reads on her bed.

CASS

Why do you think we still… (PAUSES) do this?

Donnie looks puzzled.

CASS (CONT’D)

THIS! This hanging out thing.

She points back and forth between them both.

DONNIE

Why not? (SHRUGS)

CASS

Well… Why do you still hang out with me so much?

Donnie touches Cass’s chin, lifting it up.

DONNIE

Just because we broke up doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy spending time with you.

CASS

Aww… You enjoy sshpendingg time wiff meeee… How sweeeeeeeet!!

She grins.

DONNIE

(GASPS) Did you just make fun of me? If you did, you’d better run!!

He raises the blue marker in his hand as he creeps toward the bed. Cass lets out a playful shriek, leaps from the bed and dashes out of the room. Donnie runs after her with the marker.

FADE TO WHITE

6. INT. DONNIE’S BEDROOM. DAY 6

Cass sits on the two-seater couch opposite the double bed.

CASS

(cheerily)

So! What do you want for your birthday?

Donnie plonks himself back into bed and buries his face in his pillow.

DONNIE

(muffled)

Do we have to do this now?

7. INT. DONNIE’S BEDROOM. DAY 7

Donnie rolls over in bed, rubs his eyes and glances at the clock; it reads 1.30pm.

DONNIE

Shit.

He jumps out of bed, gets dressed and leaves the room.

8. INT. WAREHOUSE. DAY 8

Donnie walks to the unfinished painting on the easel. He turns around looking for red paint and is startled when he sees Cass sitting at the dining table.

DONNIE

Woah, I thought you left.

CASS

(disappointed)

Oh my God.

DONNIE

What?

CASS

I’ve been here the whole time… Waiting!

DONNIE

Okay, didn’t notice.

He picks up a brush and continues looking for paint.

CASS

That’s the problem with you. All you do is notice yourself!

She stands up and walks closer to Donnie.

CASS (CONT’D)

You do things for YOU. Just you! And you NEVER notice anyone else!

DONNIE

Gees… Calm down, I just thought you’d left, that’s all.

(MORE)

DONNIE (CONT’D)

Don’t have to get all upset. Come here.

He walks over to give her a hug, but she steps back.

CASS

Don’t.

Donnie’s cheek twitches. He looks to the floor. He knows what’s coming.

CASS (CONT’D)

Donnie! Sometimes I worry about you. You need a social life! Don’t just stay here all day and paint. Do something. You can ignore me all you want, but just do SOMETHING!

She walks to the couch, grabs her coat and puts it on.

DONNIE

(softly)

What is your problem?

CASS

You have no social life! All you have is Sam…

She points to the red door.

CASS (CONT’D)

And me. And sometimes, gosh… sometimes it’s like you don’t even want me around.

(beat)

I guess that’s it then. You’re just too busy to tell me to leave you alone!

DONNIE

What the! The hell is your problem, Cass?

(beat)

You know what?

He glances at his paintings.

DONNIE (CONT’D)

(calmly)

Ahh… Forget it. Just go, Cass. Go home.

CASS

Never should’ve bought your painting.

DONNIE

Cass…

The warehouse door bangs shut.

Donnie is still for a moment, staring at the kitchen sink where the dirty dishes once were, then he walks back to the easel. He finds a red tube of paint and squeezes it but nothing comes out. Frustrated, he throws it to the ground and starts rummaging through the old newspapers. Nothing. He reaches into his pockets. Nothing. He walks over to the couch and runs his fingers through its interstices, then stops and pulls a twenty dollar bill out. He stuffs it into his pocket as he heads for the door. He stops in his tracks when he hears a scream. It sounds like Cass. He opens the warehouse door, dashing out.

9. EXT. ALLEYWAY OUTSIDE WAREHOUSE. DAY 9

Cass is kicking and screaming at a SKINNY MAN who has his back to her. She persists by throwing weak punches at his waist. The skinny man who is tugging at a WOMAN’s purse, ignores Cass and screams for his friend. Shortly after, a BURLY-LOOKING MAN steps out from behind a dumpster and drags Cass into a corner, keeping her from helping the woman. The woman is dressed in red and is unwilling to let go of her red purse.

DONNIE

Oi!

He lunges at the skinny man, knocking him to the ground. With the purse in hand, the skinny man punches Donnie in the face and runs off. Donnie holds his jaw, still sitting on the ground.

CASS (O/S)

Donnie!

The burly-looking man strikes the back of Donnie’s head with a bludgeon.

10. ON BLACK 10

CASS

I’m sorry about the things I said.

(beat)

You know I didn’t mean them.

INT. HOSPITAL WARD. DUSK

Cass sits at the side of Donnie’s bed, clutching his hand with one hand and running her fingers through his long hair with the other. Donnie, unconscious, has a bruise on his face.

Cass gets off her chair and lies beside him on the hospital bed. A tear rolls down her cheek as she moves his arms and puts them around her.

11. INT. HOSPITAL WARD. DAY 11

A hand with a green ring dangles listlessly from the arm rest of a wheelchair; it belongs to Donnie. Emotionless and expressionless, he gazes blankly out the window.

Cass walks into the ward and stands behind him, also staring out the window; a sombre look on her face. Then she kneels beside him, holds his hand and forces a smile.

CASS

How are you doing today?

Donnie doesn’t respond.

She stands up and wheels him out of the room.

12. INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY. DAY 12

NURSE

You know you ain’t s’pose to take him outta here.

CASS

I know. But today’s a special day.

Cass makes a pleading face, all the while slowly wheeling Donnie away.

NURSE

You know he doesn’t understand nuttin’ no more, right?

Cass nods.

NURSE

Suit yourself. I don’t know why you even bother.

She steps forward, looking up and down the hallway.

NURSE (CONT’D)

If anyone asks, I din’ see nuttin’, got it?

Cass nods again, smiling thankfully, then leaves with Donnie.

13. INT. CASS’S APARTMENT. DAY 13

Cass wheels Donnie straight out of the elevator into her apartment. The place looks different from before and Donnie’s painting hangs in its new spot——the dining room wall.

Cass glances at the painting and smiles.

CASS

You remember the first day we met, don’t you?

She doesn’t expect a response and wheels Donnie down the hall and into the living room.

14. INT. CASS’S APARTMENT LIVING ROOM. DAY 14

Countless toy cars hang from the ceiling by nylon thread, as if flying amidst the walls of the room which were painted to look like a futuristic megalopolis.

Donnie’s cheek twitches, slowly but steadily forming a faint smile.

CASS (O/S)

Happy birthday, Donnie.

Thanks for reading and thanks for caring!