Beginning of a Script

I'm taking a class called Story Theory which is an introduction to script writing class. It's been interesting to know the process of writing a script from beginning to end. It's a long and tedious process but fascinating nonetheless. I have included the first few pages of my final assignment. I couldn't figure out how to upload file from Final Draft so I had to copy and paste it which is why it looks the way it does. Who knows, maybe in the future I'll finish the script...

EXT. DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON DC - MORNING

START OF WORK DAY

We see crowds of people talking on their phones and walking to work. The camera pans through the busy streets as it lands on a federal building.

INT. FEDERAL BUILDING - MORNING

We see people gathered in the huge lobby of the building. Looking down from the high ceiling, the people look like busy ants moving about in their daily routine. We start following a young blond woman as she makes her way around the hallways. She enters an office.

SUSAN HILLS

Hi mom.

BRENDA MASON

Looks up from the computer.

Good morning sweetie. How are you today?

SUSAN HILLS

(walking around the office)

Oh, you know, the usual. Struggled to get out of bed this morning.

BRENDA MASON

Have you thought about what I told you?

SUSAN HILLS

Mom, I don’t think seeing a therapist is going to help. I’m not going to talk to a stranger about my personal life.

BRENDA MASON

Isolating yourself is not doing you any good. I know you still think about Michael but you have to move on.

SUSAN HILLS

I have. I’ve met someone recently, here at work actually. His name is Richard and he’s quite handsome.

BRENDA MASON

OH. It’s not like you to not tell me.

SUSAN HILLS

Fidgets with an ornament from the book shelf.

It’s not like I neglected to tell you. I just met him last week.

BRENDA MASON

Well, do tell....

SUSAN HILLS (V.O.)

(flashback to a week prior)

We see Susan walking the hallway on her way to lunch when a guy bumps into her.

I was going about my day and as I was going to lunch, this guy bumps into me, spilling my coffee. He apologized and introduced himself, Robert Clark. He insists on making it up to me by buying me lunch. Of course I accepted as I never pass up a free meal.

BRENDA HILLS

Looks up from her computer on occasion while Susan talks.

That was nice of him. Where is he from?

SUSAN HILLS

Not sure, he didn’t specify, just that he worked at some field office and recently moved to DC.

Robert Clark

(flashback)

Robert and Susan talk while they have their lunch.

Have you worked here long?

SUSAN HILLS

Around ten years. And yourself?

ROBERT CLARK

I started working at the field office 15 years ago, at a desk job. Real boring stuff.

AS ROBERT TELLS HIS START AT THE FIELD OFFICE, WE SEE A FLASHBACK OF ROBERT FOLLOWING SOMEONE THROUGH THE CROWD.

ROBERT CLARK (V.O.)

I’d get into the office real early as there was always mountains of paperwork to file.

(flashback)

THE MAN REALIZES HE’S BEING FOLLOWED AND STARTS PUSHING THROUGH THE CROWD. ROBERT FOLLOWS CLOSELY AND AFTER A SEVERAL BLOCK CHASE, THEY END UP AT A TRAIN STATION.

ROBERT CLARK (V.O.)

I’d have to sit through these long meetings all the while trying to stay awake.

(flashback)

THE MAN LOOKS AROUND AND DOESN’T SEE ROBERT. HE THINKS HE LOST HIM. HE HEARS THE TRAIN APPROACH AND GETS ON IT AS SOON AS HE CAN. AS PEOPLE ARE TAKING THEIR SEATS, THE MAN IS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE IF HE IS STILL BEING FOLLOWED. DISTARCTED, HE DOESN’T SEE ROBERT SEAT NEXT TO HIM.

ROBERT CLARK (V.O.)

I got tired of it and worked my way up. And here I am, a field agent.

(flashback)

THE TRAIN STOPS AT THE NEXT STATION AND PEOPLE START TO DEPART AND BOARD THE TRAIN. WE SEE THE MAN SEATING BY HIMSELF AS A LADY SEATS NEXT TO HIM. AT FIRST SHE THINKS HE’S SLEEPING ONLY TO REALIZE HE’S DEAD AND SCREAMS.

SUSAN HILLS

Oh geez, that does sound like a boring job. Glad you joined us here.

ROBERT CLARK

Yeah, me too. More interesting people here. Maybe you’d like to go to dinner next Friday?

SUSAN HILLS

I don’t do much these days...but I can make an exception for you.

BACK IN THE PRESENT WITH SUSAN IN HER MOM’S OFFICE.

BRENDA MASON

He seems nice. Hope you have a good time on the date.

SUSAN HILLS

Oh mom, please stop. (smirks)

EXT. ROBERT’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

WE SEE ROBERT BACK AT HIS HOUSE LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. IT’S A BIG FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE FROM THE 60’S WITH A LONG DRIVEWAY AND GATES. HE GOES TO HIS OFFICE AND SITS AT HIS DESK.

INT. ROBERT’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Richard powers up his computer. Logs in to what looks like a high security website. We see him navigate through the website and opens up an email. He picks up the phone and makes a call.

ROBERT CLARK

I’m in. I’ll get back to you when I have more information.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Flash forward a week. Susan is having lunch with Mark Summers(early 50’s). He’s been there for her since her father left when she was a child and is like a father figure.

MARK SUMMERS

So, how did it go?

SUSAN HILLS

Not too bad. He’s quite the charmer. He wants to go on a second date. I just don’t know if I can handle a relationship now.

MARK SUMMERS

Oh come on. Give the poor guy a chance. He’s obviously into you.

SUSAN HILLS

I don’t know. I’m just busy with work.

MARK SUMMERS

Susan, I’ve known you since you were little. You have never been one to shy away from people. Since Michael died, you’ve gone on dates but always found an excuse to not to pursue a relationship.

SUSAN HILLS

That’s not true. They were legitimate reasons.

MARK SUMMERS

Look, what’s the worst that can happen, that it doesn’t work out? It’s not going to kill you.

Sighs.

SUSAN HILLS

Alright, alright. I’ll go.

MARK SUMMERS

At a girl!

FADE OUT.

INT. RICHARDS SISTER’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

FADE IN:

RICHARD IS WITH HIS SISTER, PATRICIA(40), IN THE LIVING ROOM. THEY SIT DOWN TO HAVE DINNER.

PATRICIA EMERSON

How has work been?

ROBERT CLARK

Oh, it’s alright. Nothing exciting yet. But I did meet this girl.

PATRICIA EMERSON

Oh you did? Anyone special?

ROBERT CLARK

I do hope so. Took her on a date and things do look promising. Promising indeed.

PATRICIA EMERSON

I’m surprised. You bury yourself in your work that you haven’t made time for a relationship in a long while.

ROBERT CLARK

Well, she’s special. It’s like I have been looking for someone like her and boom, I find her.

PATRICIA EMERSON

I hope it works out Robert.

FADE TO:

INT. FEDERAL BUILDING - MORNING

Robert is walking down a busy hallway. Brenda is busy working on her computer with paperwork strewn about her desk. The fire alarm goes off and Brenda looks away from her computer. She hears a pre-recorded message to evacuate the building. She quickly gathers some papers and puts them in her briefcase that she takes with her.

Susan is making her way down the hallway to the nearest stairwell. Robert is walking with his close co-worker, Frank(40’s).

FRANK

Isn’t this something. In my twenty years working here, the fire alarm has never gone off.

ROBERT CLARK

Yup. I hope it’s not something serious. I was in a middle of a project.

FRANK

Don’t worry, it’ll be just fine.

EXT. FEDERAL BUILDING - MID-MORNING.

ROBERT CLARK

Hey Frank, we’ve become good buddies the last couple of months. What can you tell me about Susan Hills?

FRANK

Oh, Susan, sweet girl. She’s been working here for about ten years. Her mother works here too, for far longer than I have. Shame what happened to her husband. She’s never been quite the same.

ROBERT CLARK

What happened?

FRANK

He was out on the field for an assignment. Got hit by a train. Poor fellow, must have tripped. Susan didn’t take the news well. She became withdrawn and isolated.

ROBERT CLARK

What was his assignment?

FRANK

Not exactly sure but I do know he was following some leads on this big case he was working on.

ROBERT CLARK

I see....

(nods)

FADE TO:

SUSAN ARRIVES AT THE PRE-PLANNED MEETING SPACE OUTSIDE. SHE PULLS OUT HER PHONE AND CALLS HER MOTHER. PHONE RINGS BUT NO ANSWER. SHE LOOKS AROUND NERVOUSLY AS SHE MAKES HER WAY THROUGH THE CROWD.

INT. SUSAN’S LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

SUSAN IS PACING BACK AND FORTH WAITING TO HEAR FROM HER MOTHER. THE PHONE RINGS...

SUSAN HILLS

Mom?

OFFICER

May I speak to Susan Hills please?

SUSAN HILLS

Yes, speaking...

OFFICER

Ms. Hills, I’m sorry to inform you, your mother Brenda didn’t make it out of the building alive.

(Officer’s voice becomes distant)

Firefighters found her in a back stairwell. It appears she fell down a flight of steps and hit her head. We won’t know more until the medical examiner announces the results.

SUSAN DROPS HER PHONE AND FALLS ON HER KNEES. SHE’S SOBBING IN DISBELIEF.

FADE OUT.

EXT. CEMENTARY - NOON

SUSAN IS SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALONG WITH MARK.

MARK SUMMERS

I’m sorry about Brenda. She was a remarkable woman.

SUSAN HILLS

She was my world. She was always there for me. Now what am I supposed to do?

MARK SUMMERS

I’ve known your mom for a very long time and she wouldn’t want you to mourn her. Instead she would want you to make her proud.

Susan lays her head on mark’s shoulder as she cries.

FADE TO:

INT. SUSAN’S OFFICE - MORNING

Phone rings.

SUSAN HILLS

Susan Hills speaking.

MEDICAL EXAMINER

Hello Ms. Hills. This is the Washington medical examiner and I’m just calling about what I found out from your mom’s autopsy.

SUSAN HILLS

Oh yes, what did you find out?

MEDICAL EXAMINER

I found some scrapes and abrasions consistent with a fall. She also had a medium sized gash on the back of her head. It could have come from the fall but I can’t be certain. For now, I’m writing her cause of death as undetermined.

SUSAN HILLS

What else could have caused it?

MEDICAL EXAMINER

Without further testing, I can’t say for sure.

SUSAN HILLS

Please let me know if you find out anything else. Thank you.

FADE TO:

INT. BRENDA’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Susan walks around her mom’s old Victorian house, admiring her art collection and old objects she had collected on her travels. She makes her way into her work den and starts rummaging through the desk drawers.

SUSAN HILLS

Oh, what’s this?

Pulls out Brenda’s notebook.

BRENDA MASON (V.O.)

I was working this big case with Michael. We were trying to track down someone with ties to foreign governments and dark money. Michael was following a lead when he died. I always found the timing of his death suspicious so I’ve been doing some investigating on my free time. I found a possible witness by the name of Edward Collins. He’s a hard guy to find but I think I narrowed down his whereabouts. I’m going to see If I can find him in a couple days. He must know some information...

SUSAN HILLS (V.O.)

What was my mom and Michael working on?

FADE OUT.

INT. ROBERT’S OFFICE - MID-DAY

WE SEE ROBERT SITTING AT HIS DESK FROM ACCROSS THE ROOM, FACE BURIED IN HIS COMPUTER MONITOR. CAMERA PANS BEHIND HIM AND WE SEE HE IS WATCHING CCTV, FOLLOWING SUSAN THROUGH THE HALLWAYS AS SHE PASSES BY EACH CAMERA. HE EVENTUALLY TURNS OFF HIS COMPUTER AND HEADS BY FRANK’S OFFICE.

ROBERT CLARK

(peaks in Frank’s door)

Hey Frank, I’m off to lunch. Want anything?

FRANK

No, I’m good. The wifey packed me some lunch.

ROBERT CLARK

Alright, I’ll catch you later.