Narrative Preproduction materials

A Poster for our narrative film

5 Interesting Phrases...

Here are five interesting phrases that I have overheard from conversations and simply jotted down.  I have written one of the phrases into a simple script.

5 Interesting phrases…

1    1)      Weevil-Wobbles but he won’t fall down!!!

2    2)      Like Ducks in a row…

3    3)      Context and Sub-context:  What goes up…(must come down)

4    4)      What’s this country coming too??

5    5)      Sarcasm:  Awe I’m sorry…

6    6)      There’s nothing more I can do…

7    7)      I bet my dad can beat up your dad…

Ideas for a script…

3).  Context and Subcontext:  What goes up…(must come down)

(Synopsis)

1).  A man is laying sprawled out in the street in a fairly nice suit, he looks a little roughed up.  In his head he is thinking of how he got into this situation. The camera is angled overhead with a slow zoom.

The Narration begins John:

Ya know something…theres days I wake up and wonder why I’m about to do any of the shit I actually do.  It’s mainly the reason why I feel like crap.  Today was different though.  Today wasn’t normal.  Today I felt good, which didn’t make sense.  I didn’t care that Sharon was on my ass about bills or getting a real job that matter to her pretentious side of the family. I didn’t care that I owed a couple of loan sharks for some bad bets and got threatened with a stapler to my balls.  Nah….for some reason, I didn’t care…and I knew today was just going to be a bad day….

2).  He recalls listening to his wife yell at him earlier  that morning.  As he was simply getting ready to go to work that morning, during his routine and remaining silent as his wife is berating him in the background.  He looks at himself in the mirror. 

Sharon:

I don’t even know why I stay with you.  My mother was right, MY Father was right!  Why am I even here anymore, you never listen!  What the hell do you plan on doing today, going and gambling all day at the bar again! You know your about useless, I should hook up with that Bobby Reynolds you’re always pissed off and jealous of.

(Narration) John:  (Looking at himself in the mirror)

There wasn’t really much that Sharon could say to me that would really get me angry.  That’s all she ever wanted to do was just argue.  It was her way of making me buy her new shit to keep her happy.  She was just a trophy wife, with a couple of rich loaded old folks who didn’t know what they were really worth.  It wasn’t worth trying to fight with her on any issue.  There isn’t any love in this marriage, she knows it too, it’s just too easy to manipulate the poor girl’s head.  Everyone needs a safety blanket and this was mine.

3). John begins walking down the street and continues his narration.  He is walking through an alley to get to the back door of an old building to play in an illegal card game.  In his wallet he’s got only fifty dollar bill.  Several shady guys are sitting around a table.  A man named Michael speaks first

Mike:

Ah! Johnny Boy!  So nice of you to join us so late!  Hurry in and annie up, first game we’re playin is seven card draw, no looking.  Usual buy in $50. 

John:

Well I’m ready to win some money, get ready to clean out your pockets boys cause I’m taking you all for all you got!

4). Johnny sits right in between two large men who both awkwardly turn to look at him.  A few hours go by and Johnny is sitting with a stack of cash on the table next to him.  He is reluctant and is trying to leave without giving a bad impression, since everyone else at the table appears to be a sore loser.

Mike:

You know Johnny I heard something about a week ago from a bookie friend of mine.  It was the craziest thing.  He said that some scrawny, little polish guy has been going into his place in the evening, right before he’s been trying to close.  This guy apparently has been winning pretty big and has been placing bets that turn out to be duds and roll over

5). Johns eyes begin to dart around the room. 

Mike:

Yea it turns out that this guy owes my buddy about a lil over 5 g in bad bets.  Say John…

6). John knows where this is leading…the men around him are glaring at him, he tries to back his chair up and stand only to be grabbed and forced to the table.  John is screaming for help, but it is useless

Mike:

You know what that is Johnny that’s stealing.  My old man always told me that stealing is wrong and that thieves need to be punished!

7). John is roughed up in the alley and we see the other men walk off in the distance.  John is laying on his back in the same position as before in the same spot in the alley.  He conveys his thoughts on trying to find a way to get rich quick and how he just wants a life like a celebrity and be famous for nothing.

John:

So here we are once again.  All I ever wanted was a way to make a quick buck and be on my own.  I always wanted to be famous for no good reason, I figure my face on the front page of the newspaper tomorrow morning is about all I would get out of this town.  Walked into the biggest gamblers den in the city, with nothing but fifty bucks and came out over 5 grand ahead, just enough to pay the scum bags off I needed to pay…Looks like they got their money and a free ass whooping on top of it.  All in all, did I learn my lesson, (smiles at the camera, same angle from beginning) Nahhh… I figure some days I have my ups and downs.    

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