A Snippet of a Script

Thought I'd share with you all (well, you, anyway) a short opening scene I wrote for my Scriptwriting seminar. We were asked to come up with something akin to the morning scene in Jaws i.e. a short scene that sets up main characters and shows their world in balance. Anyway, here it is sans title as I haven't come up with one yet. P.s. Excuse the eschew formatting, I'll blame Word.

1.      EXT. GRAYSON BACK GARDEN – EARLY MORNING

It is a bright summer’s morning and two young children are cheerily playing and running around together in a nicely kept garden behind a pleasant detached house. Our focus is with these children – one boy, one girl, both dressed in school clothes – the main sound we hear is their laughter with perhaps some birdsong in the background.

                       Ben

               Ha! I won. My turn again.

                   Maisie (V.O)

    What? That’s not fair. If you won I should g-

As we hear the children’s playful arguing the shot pans further down the garden to where another child – a boy – is sitting alone by a small garden pond. He, also dressed in school clothes, seems smaller and more fragile than the other two. Unlike the other children’s cheery expressions, he is visibly more sombre, engrossed in the pond. Shot changes to the other children who have stopped their play to look at the boy, in that way that children do when they see something they don’t understand.

2.      INT. GRAYSON HOUSE – KITCHEN – EARLY MORNING

A woman circa thirty is busy fixing lunches and fiddling with school bags. She is rushing around and going back and forth but she doesn’t break into a sweat. She’s a mother, she’s used to it. Suddenly, the phone rings and she hurriedly picks it from the hook.

                      SARAH

  Hello. Oh, hi Jennifer. Yeah, he’s settling in fine.

Mother walks over to window and we see from her point of view as she watches the boy still sitting alone by the pond. The other two are buzzing around, out of focus.

 He’s quiet, of course. But so is everyone around new people. I’m sure he’ll come out of his shell once he gets to know us better.

3.      INT. SOCIAL WORKER OFFICE – EARLY MORNING

A kindly woman in her forties is sitting at her desk whilst on the phone.

                        JENNIFER

I’m glad to hear that. Robert always is a bit reserved in his first few days. (She suddenly changes tack as if she has let something slip) It was so nice of you to take him in after all he’s been through; especially as you already had kids of your own. Are they getting along OK?

4.      INT. GRAYSON HOUSE – KITCHEN – EARLY MORNING

Mother is still observing children through window. In between their play the children are glancing at Robert with peculiar looks. Mother stares at this for few seconds before snapping back.

                           SARAH

Er, yes. Brilliantly. Sorry, I’d better go now. Things to do. Thanks for calling.

           Sarah puts the phone down and steps outside.

            Kids. Why aren’t you playing all together?

Ben looks and Maisie, looks back to his mother and shrugs in an exaggerated fashion.         Sarah goes over to Robert and stoops down to his level. She speaks quietly to him.

      Do you want to play games with Ben and Maisie, Robert?

 Robert doesn’t turn to look at her. He scrunches up his mouth a little as if debating the    question with himself. Then he firmly shakes his head.

    No? Ok. She stands up and resumes her louder voice. Kids, go play with Robert by the pond.

         Ben and Maisie start to moan, talking both at once, saying they don’t want to because the pond is boring. The Mother is about to protest when Sam comes to the patio doors. He is dressed in a suit with a briefcase. He flashes a warm smile and a wave to his family.

                             SAM

                     Bye Ben! Bye Maisie!

They call and wave back.

                     Bye Robert.

   No reply. We see Sarah looking worried.

  Sam goes back in kitchen and Sarah follows.

5.       INT. GRAYSON HOUSE – KITCHEN  - EARLY MORNING

           Sam is leaving but Sarah grabs him by the arm. She looks at him, biting her lip for a moment before she speaks.

                              SARAH

                   Are we doing the right thing?

                               SAM

 Takes her hand.  Oh. Not this again. Of course we are! How could taking a troubled boy under our wing be the wrong thing?

                         SARAH

         I know. I know. I just worry that–

                          SAM
There’s nothing to worry about! It’ll all come together soon I promise.

    They hug quickly but lovingly. He kisses her on the forehead.

                               Bye.

                              SARAH

                               Bye.

 Sarah turns away and lets out a quick breath as if to symbolise the relieving of her worries. She walks to the patio doors.

                 Kids, It’s time to –

She stops and gasps. We then see it from her eyes. In the pond, spluttering and flaying about, is Robert. Ben and Maisie are standing around it, watching.

6.       EXT. GRAYSON BACK GARDEN – EARLY MORNING

 Sarah runs towards the scene.

                         SARAH

        What the hell happened? Did you push him in?!

Sarah picks up Robert from in the pond; he is breathing heavily and quietly sobbing.

              You pushed him in, didn’t you?

                          BEN

              We didn’t push him. We didn’t –

                        SARAH

You did! I can’t believe you’d do something like this, Ben! Especially in front of your younger sister.  She is cradling Robert and looking at Ben. Apologise to Robert now!

                         BEN

       I didn’t push him! I didn’t push him!

                        SARAH

                      Apologise!
 

                         BEN

                         NO!

                       SARAH

Right. If you’re not going to apologise then you’re gonna get punished.

We start to hear Ben protesting and Sarah shouting back but this fades away as the camera focuses on Robert’s face in his foster mother’s arms. He is no longer sobbing or shivering but simply wearing the same passive expression we have seen on his face in all the way through.