We all need to make decisions in life. Sometimes, they are a little darker than we realise. But it's always under the same guise, what's it all worth?
"To be successful," he'll certainly tell you, "is to live for yourself without any borders."
But what if you didn't want it anymore. What if you'd lost so much in the midst of finally achieving your goal, that you wanted to just say, "F*ck off" to everything and everyone, because it just wasn't worth it anymore? Would you give it all up?
DRAFT 1 - KRYLON NO.56
"To be successful," he'll certainly tell you, "is to live for yourself without any borders."
But what if you didn't want it anymore. What if you'd lost so much in the midst of finally achieving your goal, that you wanted to just say, "F*ck off" to everything and everyone, because it just wasn't worth it anymore? Would you give it all up?
---
SETTING: JEWELS' CRAPPY MESSY APARTMENT
OPENING SHOT: reverse medium shot of Jewels on a telephone conversation held between he and an old friend.
*Jewels
Sorry, mate. Not, not tonight. No, no, I know. I never came to his birthday dinner last month, but you know how it is.
CUT TO OPENING CREDITS
*Jewels (High treble AO on "Seneca College Presents")
I've just been, just really busy Pomphill.
CUT TO CLOSE UP OF JEWELS' FACE, PROFILE
*Jewels
I'll make sure to come out next time. I promise.
CUT TO OPENING CREDITS
CUT TO MESSY DESK: Jewels' hands are rummaging through a messy pile of papers, DRAWINGS, magazines, ART SUPPLIES, to find a remote control. *CM* 9FLD track on hands from 9FLD-C to 9FLD 3W3S. Jewels finds the remote.
**LAST CUT TO OPENING CREDITS**
CUT TO A TELEVISION SET THAT IS ALREADY ON: Three or so channel flips. The first two are gibberish. The last is a news reporter talking about an event somehow shaped by dictatorial oppression. perhaps a report on unjust imprisonment.
CUT TO JEWELS FACE, MEDIUM 3/4: Jewels stares at the screen with a slowly moving tooth brush that comes to a stop, mildly concerned.
CUT TO BLACK SCREEN - INSIDE CLOSET POV: (TV SFX ARE MUFFLED AND LOWERED) Medium shot of Jewels opening the closet, rummaging for the right shirt. Throws a few items of clothing behind him, as if they will be used at a later time.
*Ziq (AO)
What are you doing?
Jewels turns to look. H/U SHOT BEHIND Ziq to reveal Ziq sitting in a chair, eating a red hot apple.
CUT TO ZIQ'S FACE, MEDIUM:
*Ziq
You can't be serious, Jewels (faint rude grin on his face) *Slurp.* (this is the only time Jewels' name is mentioned in the film. Ziq's, however, never is).
CUT TO JEWELS: Looks at Ziq and says "I'm leaving. Tonight."
CUT TO BACK TO ZIQ: His eyes trail, hinting that Jewels is walking away.
CUT TO A WASHROOM SINK: Jewels picks up his razor (old fashioned one). Staring in the mirror right back at him is Ziq, creeping up from behind. As he brings the blade to his lathered face, he responds to Ziq's ridicule.
*Ziq
But why would you do that? We're having so much fun!
*Jewels (starting to shave)
Ya, maybe you, but..no. No. It was never supposed to be us. It was me. It was just supposed to be me.
CUT TO OPEN WINDOW: Wind SFX + Curtains fluttering. Blows some papers off the nearby table.
CUT & SLOW T/I - OPEN PHOTO ALBUM: Reveals old pictures of Jewels and his family. As the wind blows the pages of the album, the pictures progressively reveal less and less people in the photos. By the last three pages or so, Jewels is in many different places, but all alone, with barely a smile on his face.
*Jewels (AO)
(Increasingly getting aggravated) You think I asked for any of this? If I knew what you were into, I would have never ever listened to you!
*Ziq (AO)
(Keeping slick and calm) What do you mean? I've stuck my neck out for you. Every time. They all turned their backs on you, but not me. Uh uuunnnnn (this sound is made in sync with the last photo reveal).
CUT TO MIRROR: Jewels is crouched over the sink. All that is in view is the top of his head, and the reflection that shows Ziq. Jewels rises with a clean face. Strokes his hand down his face slowly and just stares in the mirror.
*Ziq (whispers in Jewels' ear)
This is what you've always wanted.
Jewels' eyes, without moving his head, looks at Ziq's reflection for the first time in the mirror and slightly shakes his head in disagreement and closes his eyes (The head shake is important to the scene because it's more like "this is such a freakin' mess," as opposed to a simple head shake in relation to what Ziq just said).
CUT TO HALLWAY CORRIDOR, MEDIUM WIDE: SFX of washroom light switch being turned off. Jewels leaves the washroom, walks away from cam. After him comes the sneaky Ziq, only partially coming out from the washroom, but just enough to put Jewels in the camera's blind spot.
CUT TO JEWELS' ROOM: Jewels has a DUFFEL BAG in his hands, rummaging through the room for things to put in it. Shirt, pants, etc. Every time he lands his hands upon a piece of art equipment (ie. Brush, pen) he takes a slight pause and throws it aside without care. Jewels finally lands on a pocket watch.
CUT TO CLOSE UP OF POCKET WATCH: (AO) Jewels: I know ma.
CUT TO JEWELS' FACE, CLOSE UP: (AO) Jewels: I know. It's okay, really.
CUT TO MEDIUM OF JEWELS SITTING AT A TABLE WITH A PHONE: This is a flashback of Jewels on the phone with his mum.
*Jewels
I'm okay. I'll be home next week. I promise.
CUT: Same shot, same camera angle, different outfit.
*Jewels
(hesitating to talk, but has a nervous/guilty smile) I..I promise, next time, ma. We'll spend the whole day with Muniq and her kids.
CUT: Same shot, same camera angle, different outfit, slightly older.
*Jewels
(Long pause) Well, what do you mean? It was just..
CUT TO JEWELS' FACE: With a hard look on his face, and tears streaming down his cheeks, and something casting a lot of light on his face.
*Jewels' Father's voice (High treble AO)
(With sincerity in his voice) Son, your mum's na doin' so well. She..
CUT TO JEWELS' MUM: Reveal that it is a funeral, and her body is being burned.
*Jewels' Father's voice (High treble AO)
She..*sigh*, just come home, will ya? She wants to see you.
In the background, to the far left are some trees, and under one of those trees is Ziq. We are too far from the trees to notice it as of yet.
CUT TO ZIQ UNDER TREE, WIDE.
CUT TO ZIQ UNDER TREE, CLOSE: Ziq's expression is slightly twisted. This is the first indication that he is sinister. Before he was just odd and quirky, but now, he seems like he's up to something.
CUT TO REAL TIME, JEWEL'S FACE, CLOSE UP: Closes his eyes one last time and we CUT TO HIS POCKET, CLOSE UP, to feature him putting the watch in the pocket hastily.
*Ziq
What, are you cryin' boy?
*Jewels
No.. My eyes dried up long time ago.
*Ziq
So what now? You gonna leave? Gonna leave this all behind? (Camera cuts to surroundings: displayed pieces of art work) *ZIQ CONTINUES WITH AN AO.
*Ziq
All this pretty art work? Hell, if I were a bettin' man, and I am, I would bet that you got some gold in this apartment.
CUT TO JEWELS
*Jewels (in a low tone says to himself)
I need to go back. I can still fix this. I can still fix my life.
Jewels moves about the room gathering the last of his things.
*Ziq
Fix? Boy you are so close to hittin' it big. You gotta be jokin' me!
*Jewels, Getting increasingly agitated
Hitting it big? That was never it. You! You know that I just wanted to be free. All of us. we..we can't live like this anymore (as we hit the line "You know.." we cut to surroundings and feature article clippings related to wrongful imprisonment and dictatorial leadership regimes).
Finally, Ziq's character design changes. His hair grows longer, his skin more pale, and his eyes become yellowish-orange.
*Ziq
(a bit more serious in tone, Cracks neck and slowly opens his eyes)
For them? Remember why you did this Jewels. Remember why you spent all those cold nights away from home, in this dank mess of a shack. It's cus no one was gonna support you. No one wanted you to be successful. Not even your best mate (Ziq transforms his face into Bogdan, Jewels' best and only real friend).
CUT TO JEWELS' FACE: Jewels stares at Camera (towards Ziq o/s), and we hear a faint fading in AO of a muffled argument.
CUT TO FLASH BACK 1 - JEWELS AND BOGDAN, MOSCOW ALLEY WAY, 4 YEARS AGO: Jewels has a spray can in his hand and is ignoring Bogdan's words.
*Bogdan (aggravated, but whispers)
You are so frigging lucky that I found you first! If any other patrol officers were out right now, you'd be dead meat Jewels!
CUT TO JEWELS: Continues spraying the wall slowly, without acknowledging Bogdan's advice.
*Bogdan
So that's how it's going to be, huh? After 14 years, that's it?
*Jewels
............(after a long pause) Listen Bogdan, we stopped being friends the second you decided to join the army like a dog! We were a team, man! We were the freedom fighters. Our art was supposed to make the people stand with their fists held high, instead of bow like slaves! Like you..
CUT TO JEWELS FACE: REAL TIME (Camera head on, CLOSE UP)
*Bogdan (AO)
You know you're like a crazy brother to me Jewels, really. You got the right heart, but you gotta start thinking straight.
CUT TO ZIQ'S FACE (who looks like Bogdan, but with an evil smile)
*Bogdan (AO)
Stop thinking like a kid; you can't have it all (Voice, fade out to a whisper).
CUT TO JEWELS: smiling to himself.
*Jewels
Heh..he wasn't a dog.
*Ziq
What was that, I didn't catch that one?
Jewels walks away from Ziq, not paying any attention to his face or his words. To this, Ziq starts getting frustrated.
*Ziq
So you just gonna leave now? Just gonna quit? After all (Voice deepens) that I did for you? What're you gonna go back to, boy?! Your mama? Huh?! Your girl?! This pretty little face (face turns to Jewels' x-girlfriend) that took your pretty little heart and broke it to itty bitty peices?! (Encircles Jewels and is now behind him staring and pointing to a painting of his x-girlfriend). She even know she was the inspiration for that? HUH? Don't matter now, boy, she ain't never gonna see it!
*Jewels
I -
*Ziq (interrupts)
YOU, need to get your head on right, son.
*Jewels (with an assaulted, yet calm look)
I..I don't want this no more. I don't need this no more.
*Ziq (who finally knows he's won, has a creepy smile on)
Oh really? Then why, can you tell me, is there two bags on your way out. (CUT TO BAGS, ZIQ AO) Ain't no way you gonna need them both, right?
*Jewels
But -
*Ziq (Mocking Jewels)
Bu-bu..bu-bu-bu-but NOTHIN'! Your foolishness is ruining everything!
CUT TO JEWELS FACE - PROFILE: Ziq's scary, and real form (something evil, profile) comes darting out of the darkness, right in front of Jewels' face and is twitching and shaking and jittering irregularly (as if he has a seizure)
*Ziq - SCARY SNAKE-LIKE VOICE, rumbling SFX in BG
Forget about ssssssself boy...We together now....
Jewels doesn't quiver in fear in this scene, but does inch back just a bit, as if worried/repulsed. After this final line delivered by Ziq, Jewels closes his eyes. As he reopens them, his apartment is the original mess it was, and Ziq is gone. This is a moment of silence.
CUT TO JEWELS READYING TO LEAVE: Jewels puts on his scarf, puts on a hat. Takes one last look around his apartment and leaves. He slams an abandoned sticker on the front of his door, throws away the key, and proceeds to the camera.
*Jewels (AO)
I guess it took me a little too long to figure it out, that my life was out of control. For what it`s worth, not tonight. Tonight, is mine.
CUT TO CREDITS: As the credits roll we HEAR three different news casters, all telling the same story, but in a different way.
*CASTER 1 (AO)
Trouble is ensuing in downtown Moscow tonight as thousands are gathering around the parliament doors, to what seems like a grand public act of vandalism.
*CASTER 2 (AO)
Tonight, local citizens gather around the doors of parliament to a public rally held by only one man. The identity of the lobbyist is unknown at this time, but experts are calling this one of the greatest public statements in our nations history.
*CASTER 3 (AO)
We are live on the scene at Bolgav avenue, in front of the Parliament head gates, where thousands are gathering in opposition to President Muliari's regime. Local media reports say that this protest was instigated by one man. At 11:16 tonight, the unknown lobbyist managed to bypass military officials and lock them out. His identity remains unknown, but everyone agrees that after tonight, his face will never be forgotten.
CUT FROM CREDITS - FINAL SEQUENCE: We reveal a firing squad cocking their guns and readying a spot light BEHIND Parliament gates. We cut to a black screen which is illuminated with the spotlight and reveals Jewels standing in front of a wall with a spray can, Krylon Red, no.56. He turns 3/4 to look over his shoulder with a faint grin. As he turns, we have a hook up shot that is 20 ft away. This is our big reveal; Jewels' masterpiece, tagged right on Parliament's main doors. Cut back to firing squad (profile), aiming to fire. Cut back to Jewels (profile) with his hands to his side (like a "Jesus" or "I am the champ" pose) and he looks up and closes his eyes. This is where we hear Ziq's final words as a whispered AO.
*Ziq
Remember, tonight you either become a loser or a legend!
End.
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