We decided to turn our script into a screenplay as this is how it would be written when made in the real film industry. Below is our first screenplay. In the film industry, the screenplay can be redrafted around 50 times before the final is written. This is because various participants in the movie, for example the main actors or the costume designer, may feel unhappy with a scene or feel that a different technique would work better. We will have a similar process during the next week as we will print off the screenplay and give it to the actors we have picked. Hopefully they will be happy with the screenplay and no changed will need to be made.
HARD CASH – OPENING SEQUENCE
INT. LUCY’S KITCHEN. EVENING. 1
The first scene is set in the present. We are introduced to EVELYN, an upper-class lady, and JACK, an upper-class detective. Both are dressed well, EVELYN in a red dress to show her Femme Fatal nature and JACK in a detective’s suit but without the tie to show that they are friends and this meeting is casual.
The two characters are sitting at a round table with a white cloth. It has a candle in the middle and we are first introduced to JACK who sits at the table alone, when EVELYN comes in carrying two plates of food. We will use a two shot during the conversation. This section will be in colour to link with the Neo Noir theme we have researched. The flashbacks will be in black and white to link with the more traditional Film Noir.
Therefore, EVELYN and JACK are having a candle lit meal for two. This will reveal the romantic nature of their relationship. Both characters should be happy but an air of tension should come over the pair when they begin to discuss the past.
The scene begins when EVELYN walks into the mid shot holding two plates of food and serving them to JACK and herself before sitting down next to him. The camera will go to a two shot here.
EVELYN
I cooked your favourite, here you go darling.
JACK
It looks lovely, thank you.
Both characters begin to eat and a short silence is heard. During this time a happily in love song will be diegetically heard on the radio. The song should however have lyrics that give clues to the situation that is about to be told.
JACK
So tell me what really happened?
EVELYN
It all started a month ago, I didn’t suspect a thing. I thought that we were really happy …
The scene then fades out here as a voice over begins (sound bridge) this shows that EVELYN is telling a tale from the past.
INT. ROSIE’S HOUSE: DOOR, STAIRS, BEDROOM AND BATHROOM. EVENING. 2
This scene begins with a sound bridge of EVELYN telling JACK her side of the story. We are introduced to JAMES, EVELYN’s husband. He is returning from work and so he is wearing work clothes. EVELYN is wearing a romantic, floral dress to suit the idea of happy romance between the pair. The scene fades in while EVELYN’s voice over is heard. The entire scene is in black and white to suit the Film Noir style that we are trying to create. EVELYN
…It was a completely normal day.
At this point there is a long shot of JAMES coming home through the front door and hanging up his hat on a rack near the door. EVELYN walks into the shot, giving her power, and kisses JAMES on the cheek and gives him a stack of letters that had arrived earlier that day. JAMES takes a quick look at the letter (shot reverse shot, with a close up of the top letter which is a life insurance confirmation letter) before throwing them next to his hat and taking EVELYN’s hand. He leads her upstairs in a loving manner. This will probably be a long tracking shot.
A bedroom scene follows where JAMES and EVELYN are kissing on the bed. We will have close ups e.g. JAMES’ hand on EVELYN's leg. We may also have a close up of the loving facial expressions in the couple.
JAMES then gets up and goes through a side door to the bathroom. This will be a long shot. We are thinking of having a deep shot here in order to link to the Film Noir genre, in the shot we will have EVELYN going to a mirror to sort out her slightly dishevelled hair. We will have a shot here where you can see her in the mirror, again linking to the Film Noir style.
We will jump cut to JAMES in the bathroom splashing his face with water and taking off his wedding ring. We then have a shot of him walking down the stairs and shouting up to his wife before leaving again.
JAMES
Edward wanted to see me; we’re meeting at the pub. I’ll be home for dinner!
EVELYN
Okay see you later
As she says this we will have a shot of her walking into the bathroom and finding his ring next to the sink. She will act surprised but not suspicious.
EVELYN
Oh James wait…
The door will slam at the same time as EVELYN says this, slightly overlapping with her speech to show that JAMES has not heard her.
EXT. URBAN AREA AND DINER. EVENING. 3
This scene will begin with EVELYN leaving the house with the ring and following JAMES. However, JAMES is too far away for her to shout as this is set in the 1950’s and it is evening and so it wouldn’t have been the sociably acceptable thing to do.
We will use tracking shots and over the shoulder shots as EVELYN follows JAMES down the street and towards the pub. When JAMES walks straight past the pub we will have a close up of EVELYN’s confused facial expression. She continues to follow him.
JAMES comes up to a Diner where he is greeted by SARAH, a working-class waitress. She will be wearing her work clothes, perhaps an apron. The pair will go in just as EVELYN comes up to the Diner herself.
EVELYN looks in through the windows, perhaps they will have venetian blinds to link to Film Noir, and we will have an over the shoulder shot of EVELYN looking in and JAMES and SARAH inside kissing.
The scene then fades out after a close up, shocked and angry expression of EVELYN’s face.
INT. DINER: AT TABLE. DAY. 4
This is the scene were EVELYN confronts SARAH about JAMES, perhaps the next day. It will begin with a deep shot of the canteen and EVELYN walking in and sitting down. She will again walk into the shot, giving her the power again. This will clue in the audience that she is our Femme Fatal.
We see SARAH, unaware of the situation, walk out from her post and come up to serve EVELYN. We then jump cut to a 2 shot.
SARAH
Hi there ‘mam, what would you like today?
EVELYN
I’d like to speak to you actually
Here we will have a shot of SARAH’s surprised reaction to this. The contrast between the two women’s upbringing will be very obvious in these shot reverse shots during the conversation. SARAH will be wearing her work clothes from the scene before while EVELYN will be wearing a formal business-like dress. Perhaps with pearls. The contrast between this attire and the previous floral dress EVELYN was wearing will give clues to the audience that EVELYN is no longer happily married.
EVELYN
It’s about my husband… James Harold. I believe you two know each other.
SARAH
Your … your err Husband?!
When SARAH says this, she stutters both in disbelief and anger as she realises she has been betrayed. When EVELYN realises that this has occurs, she smiles tightly and softens her language towards SARAH as she realises JAMES is the only one to blame.
SARAH
He didn’t tell me he was married!
EVELYN
So he tricked up both then? I thought so.
Although SARAH is acting more outraged and in less control of herself than EVELYN, the audience knows that EVELYN is just as angry as SARAH but she has chosen to fume silently. This adds to the dangerous nature of her Femme Fatal character. SARAH then draws attention from a table nearby with extra’s when she bursts with rage.
SARAH
What a bastard!!
EVELYN
Yes well, listen, why don’t we meet another time, this is a little too public don’t you think?
Here we will have a shot of the extras listening on the neighbouring table and SARAH straightening up, realising that she is at work and is not being very professional. EVELYN breaks the tension by taking a little louder and more casually.
EVELYN
Just a coffee please.
SARAH starts as if shocked; she nods curtly and then walks off with a far-away expression on her face. We will have a long shot of SARAH walking off and the neighbouring extra’s turning back to their own conversations.
EVELYN at this point gets a piece of paper and pen from her purse and writes something on it. She gets up and places it with the table decoration (it is a low class Diner and so this will probably be just the menu and salt and pepper). We will then have an extreme close up of the note which will have EVELYN’s address and a time to meet on it.
The scene ends with a long shot of EVELYN walking out of the Diner just as SARAH arrives with a cup of coffee in the background.
INT. ROSIE’S HOUSE: LIVING ROOM. EVENING. 5
We then jump cut to a close up of a clock revealing the time that EVELYN left on the note to SARAH. The door bell rings and we cut to a shot of EVELYN opening the door to SARAH. SARAH is no longer in her work uniform; however, her dress is of a lower class than EVELYN’s outfit. EVELYN ushers SARAH in quickly as she doesn’t want her neighbourhood guessing what is going on.
EVELYN
Quickly, come in.
SARAH
Is he in? I want to slap that man!
SARAH says this as she rushed past EVELYN through the hall and into the living room. We will probably use a tracking shot here. SARAH is clearly aggravated but EVELYN rolls her eyes and retorts coldly.
EVELYN
Oh shut up, he was obviously going to end it with you soon anyway. He wants us to move to Italy!
SARAH reacts shocked to this news and then stutters in disbelief. Both women begin to get even angrier and they begin to really agree with each other.
SARAH
Wh-What? He said that to me! He said he was getting a job there and that he wanted me to come with him! He said he loved me!
EVELYN
That sneaky, two-timing bastard! He deserves to die!
At this point SARAH is so angry and over-emotional that she nods as if to agree with this drastic statement. However, SARAH is still hesitant. EVELYN takes this notion as an agreement and begins to plot out a murderous plan in her mind. She begins to order SARAH about.
SARAH
Too right! But then we’d get put in prison when it’s him who deserves the punishment!
EVELYN
Not if we make it look like suicide…
SARAH
… But how?
At this point EVELYN acts quickly, talking as she plots her murder in greater detail. We will have a shot of a glass and an alcohol set, possibly on a silver tray. This will link to the Film Noir style of drinking and smoking. EVELYN will then go to a cupboard and grab a bottle of poison: probably a small bottle that we will paint black with a skull and cross bones on it (or similar). At this point, omniscient music will begin to add to the drama and tension.
EVELYN
We could use poison. Quick, grab that glass and pour a whiskey for him. He’ll be home soon.
SARAH will then look up from pouring the alcoholic drink, reacting startled to the image of EVELYN with a bottle of poison. Almost as if she hasn’t really thought about what she is doing.
SARAH
Wh-Where did you get that from?
EVELYN
Never you mind. Put ice in that drink, will you?
Here we will have a mid-shot of SARAH adding ice to the drink and then EVELYN pointing to the cupboard, where SARAH goes to hide. SARAH is looking very scared at this point, as she is unsure what is about to happen while EVELYN is looking calm and collected as she arranges herself for her husband’s arrival. She talks to SARAH in a harsh tone as if SARAH is a serving maid.
EVELYN
He’ll be home any minute, don’t make a sound!
INT. ROSIE’S HOUSE: LIVING ROOM. EVENING 6
This scene begins with the front door unlocking and EVELYN turning to the lounge door. EVELYN is a little wound up but JAMES doesn’t notice as he does not see her. JAMES will be in his work clothes as he will have come straight from work. This scene should contrast sharply in the audiences mind to SCENE 2, revealing just how much has changed in each characters life since the beginning. JAMES calls out to his wife, possibly a little surprised that she has not come to great him as she usually does.
JAMES
Honey I’m home! Pour me a drink, will you?
EVELYN voice will come from the hall as JAMES walks towards the lounge. At this point we will jump cut to EVELYN as she pours the poison into the glass of alcohol. She should be wearing gloves whenever handling the poison. Perhaps we will hear a gasp from the cupboard as SARAH watches. A shot reverse shot of EVELYN scowling at the cupboard would be effective here. JAMES will then walk into the lounge and sit in his favourite armchair. JAMES should look a little stressed and occupied with himself, resulting in his misreading of EVELYN’s behaviour as concern for JAMES himself.
EVELYN
In the lounge darling, I’ll pour one for you now!
JAMES
Ah, work was horrible! Edward wasn’t in so I had to do everything.
Give me that drink!
EVELYN will turn around with the drink in her hand and she should smile nervously. JAMES will grab the drink from her and down it in one gulp. EVELYN may look a little shocked here, perhaps hinting that she does have some emotions about killing.
JAMES should then start to choke. We will have close ups and fragmentation here to add to the tension of the scene. JAMES’ face should show clear pain as he dies. We will have a close up, slow motion shot of the glass falling down from JAMES’ hand.
There will then be a long shot of the room with the dead body in the chair, EVELYN standing over it and SARAH coming out of the cupboard. SARAH should be pale and scared. EVELYN should be calm and collected. SARAH will speak slightly hysterical.
SARAH
Oh my god, what do we do now?!
EVELYN
What’s your writing like? We need a suicide note!
EVELYN will then get a paper and pen, she hands it to SARAH, who takes it and writes with shaking hands.
EVELYN
That’s good but make it a bit more manly, and cross some things out!
We will then have an extreme close up of the finished note. It should look convincing and as if JAMES had really written it.
SARAH
Where should we put it?! In his pocket?
EVELYN
Yes, and take the poison and put it in there too. Now hurry!
SARAH does what EVELYN tells her to do while EVELYN walks over to her house phone.
EVELYN
Right. Now I’m going to phone the police.
EVELYN then picks up the phone and dials, we may have a close up here, and a mid shot of EVELYN looking slightly stressed but still in contrast to the ever-increasingly hysterical SARAH.
EVELYN
Yes? Hello. Evelyn Harold speaking. Yes. Police please. Hello? Yes, my friend and I were upstairs getting ready when my husband came home. We’ve just come downstairs and …and he’s … he’s dead on the sofa! …Thank you. Yes. Goodbye.
EVELYN should fake sob throughout this conversation on the phone. There should be pauses between as if to listen to the person on the other side of the phone. She will then put down the phone and turn to SARAH.
EVELYN
Right so that’s our story, OK? You have to tell the police the same thing!
The scene will end here with a dissolve out, almost dissolving the tension as the audience may start to believe that the women will get away with their murder.
INT. LUCY’S KITCHEN. EVENING. 7
This scene will be in colour and will be set directly after SCENE 1/SCENE 2. It will dissolve in, linking it to the story happening in back and white.
JACK
Wait! You lied to me!
EVELYN will react shocked here. As if she hadn’t suspected that JACK would care. Or as if she hadn’t meant to tell him the real truth.
JACK
You little bitch!
At this point, EVELYN reaches for her gun but JACK over powers her. He reaches for her gun and manages to take it from her.
JACK
It was you!
At this point EVELYN still feels safe, so she replies Femme Fatal style with confidence and as if she believes what she is saying.
EVELYN
Oh shut up! You wouldn’t dare shoot me.
In contrast, JACK will put the gun to EVELYN’s head and reply cockily. At this, EVELYN becomes scared and she begins to stutter as she realises JACK is serious. Her pleading increases when JACK cocks the gun.
JACK
Oh yeah?
EVELYN
No… you wouldn’t… Please! No please!
JACK
You’re a murderer Evelyn! You deserve this!
EVELYN struggles to get the gun from JACKS’s hand, in the struggle; JACK pulls the trigger and shoots EVELYN in the chest. There is a dramatic pause. JACK reacts shocked as if he had not meant to actually shoot her. We will have a shot of the gun, JACK’s face and EVELYN’s body. We will then zoom out. This will create a sudden silence, leaving the audience to think about what has just happened. We will have a long shot of JACK collapsing to his knees, and dropping the gun.
JACK
What have I done?
He will stagger to the phone and we will have a shot of him dialling.
JACK
Harry? Come over, I’ve got news.
The scene will then fade out, perhaps leaving the audience in slight confusion: another trait from the Film Noir style.
INT. ROSIE’S HOUSE: LIVING ROOM. EVENING. 8
In this scene DETECTIVE JACK CHANDLER and POLICEMAN HARRY WHITE arrive at the house after receiving the distress call. It is now shot in the point of view of DETECTIVE JACK CHANDLER. They interview the two women and then leave with the body for further analysis. This is the first time that we see POLICEMAN HARRY WHITE and so he should be wearing a 1950’s policeman outfit. DETECTIVE JACK CHANDLER is also working and so he should be wearing much more formal clothing than what he is wearing in the coloured scenes. This scene is in black and white again.
The scene should begin with a fade in. EVELYN should be flirting slightly with JACK as she is being interviewed. To emphasise this we will have close ups of her lips as she talks, and possibly a pan down from face to seductive bare legs.
JACK
What were you and Miss Jones doing here tonight?
EVELYN
We were getting ready to go out, Detective. Can’t you tell by what I’m wearing?
HARRY is interviewing SARAH in a different room. Their conversation is much less flirty and more professional as SARAH is much more upset.
HARRY
Where were you heading to?
SARAH
Rosie’s. Y’know, the bar down town?
JACK
Oh yeah, and when did your husband get back?
It will then jump cut to EVELYN and JACK again. EVELYN will be fake sobbing and JACK will come over to her and comfort her. In contrast when it jump cuts back to SARAH and HARRY because SARAH should be crying for real and HARRY should only comfort her with words.
EVELYN
Well we heard him come in, he shouted about getting a drink. Sarah went down to introduce herself and tell him that we were going to Fanelli’s Café when … when she screamed and I found him like this.
SARAH
I went downstairs first, to … to introduce myself, but he was choking on the sofa so I screamed for Evelyn. It was so scary sir!
HARRY
Calm down ‘mam. You’ve been through a lot tonight. No body should ever witness a suicide like this.
JACK
…And he left this note?
EVELYN
Yes Detective, it was crunched up in his hand.
EVELYN should be looking up at JACK with big puppy eyes. There should be clear romance between the pair. At this point, we will edit the scene to be split screen with mid-shots of JACK and HARRY as they end the interview in the same way.
JACK
Thank you for your time.
HARRY
We’ll get back to you after the post-mortem.
JACK
Try and get an early nights sleep.
The scene will then fade out to black to suggest a real ending to the situation. Again, this will leave the audience thinking.
INT. POLICEMAN’S OFFICE: SCHOOL. EVENING. 9
In this scene JACK and HARRY compare notes from their investigation and JACK realises that the two women’s stories don’t match up.
The scene will start with a long shot of the office, as the two men have a casual conversation about the situation. At this point, neither JACK nor HARRY believe it to be murder, they believe the women.
HARRY
Seems a pretty clear cut case to me. Miss Jones said the two of them were heading to Rosie’s bar down town when she came downstairs to introduce herself and found Mr Harold choking to death. Poor woman.
This is the point that JACK realises something is wrong. We will have a close up of JACK’s face as he thinks about what this could mean and maybe a shot of HARRY’s oblivious face.
JACK
Rosie’s huh?
Just as JACK says this, we will have a diegetic phone ring and Harry will pick it up, after a close up of the phone on the desk.
HARRY
Hello? Yes he’s right here, hang on, one moment.
HARRY will then pass it to JACK, who cautiously takes it and speaks calmly. He is still trying to figure out what is wrong with the situation, so he may have a far-away expression. We will then have a voice over of EVELYN’s voice as she speaks to JACK on the phone.
JACK
Jack Chandler speaking. Hello?
EVELYN
Jack, its Evelyn, I need to speak to you, it’s very important.
JACK
Yes ‘mam, I can come and see you tomorrow, I’m just discussing your case with Harry…
Here JACK will look rather curious, and as if he is calculating in his mind the possibilities. EVELYN will interrupt him in a slightly panicked voice. JACK will reply calmly again.
EVELYN
No, it’s urgent, you must come right away!
JACK
I’ll see you in 10 minutes then Ms Harold.
INT. ROSIE’S LIVING ROOM. EVENING. 10
JACK arrives at EVELYN’s house. EVELYN looks scared and vulnerable and JACK is very protective of her. EVELYN will speak in a small voice, as if upset and frightened while JACK should speak calmly and soothingly. The scene will start in the hallway at the door and move to the Lounge as they talk.
EVELYN
Thank you for coming, I … I don’t think it was suicide Detective.
JACK
What makes you say that ‘mam?
EVELYN
My… my husband was happy, he wouldn’t. Sarah… Sarah and James were having an affair… I know but I didn’t say. That … That little whore poisoned him!
At this point JACK will respond with shock and a little hesitation. As if he doesn’t quite believe her yet. EVELYN should be almost sobbing.
JACK
How do you know? Think about what you’re accusing her of.
EVELYN will stop sobbing abruptly and then talk in a calm, collected and Femme Fatal style way. (Think Regina George in Mean Girls when she’s in the principles office)
EVELYN
I’m sure of it. Check the bottle, you’ll find her fingerprints on that dreadful bottle, I’m sure of it.
EVELYN will then start sobbing again with increased vigour and JACK will put his arm around her again. The sexual tension between them should be quiet clear to the audience. EVELYN should bury her face in JACK’s chest and then put her own arms around him.
JACK
Evelyn doll, calm down, we’ll catch her don’t you worry.
EVELYN
Oh Jack …You’re so lovely to me Jack, unlike James, all he cared about was her.
JACK
Shh now, you deserve better
JACK should then kiss EVELYN on the forehead, EVELYN should turn her head up, kiss JACK on the lips briefly, look deep into his eyes before saying:
EVELYN
Run away with me?
JACK should react shocked to this sudden change in the topic, but he should also feel happy that EVELYN appears to feel the same way about him. At this point romantic music will non-diegetically start playing.
JACK
What?
EVELYN
Can’t you feel it? From the moment you walked through that door…
Jack, I love you. We could get a place in the country;
I’ve got the money, and lots of it, think about it, Jack! We’d be so happy.
The music should contrast with shots of SARAH getting arrested and then a voice over of a news article starts, the music will fade out and the voice over will fade in.
NEWS READER
Waitress Murders!
Young waitress arrested for Murder of Upper class husband to Evelyn Harold.
Detective Jack Chandler and Policeman Harry White named heroes for discovery of the fake suicide plot.
We will then have a shot of SARAH standing in a prison cell, the door will swing shut and we will have a close up of her face through the cell window. The door should shut with a slam. This connotation will tell the reader that the story is over.
We will fade to black here.
INT. LUCY’S KITCHEN. EVENING 11
This scene is in colour again as HARRY arrives to the house that JACK and EVELYN were dining in. The scene will fade in just as HARRY opens the door and walks straight over to JACK. He will help him to sit up and JACK will point to the body before speaking.
HARRY
What’s happened Jack?
JACK
She lied to me, Harry. I got it all wrong. It wasn’t Sarah Jones; it was her!
HARRY will react shocked here as he puts together what has happened. Then he will forcefully ask JACK.
HARRY
Why did you shoot her?
JACK
Didn’t … didn’t mean to. She pulled her gun out on me. I had no choice, it was me or her!
JACK will struggle to get up and HARRY will begin to accuse JACK. HARRY will head towards the phone then JACK begins to plead with HARRY, who shows some curiosity.
HARRY
I have to call the police … this is out of my hands!
JACK
No. Harry. Wait. I’ve got money … you have to help me! I didn’t mean to. I sware!
HARRY
How? Where from? How much?
JACK
Her dead husbands life insurance! Lots Harry. You can have it all, just help me out.
That bitch tricked me.
JACK begins to cry half way through this speech, showing that he really fears the idea of Prison and that he truly didn’t mean to shoot EVELYN. HARRY will realise that he is too close friends with JACK to hand him in to the police, especially when there is money to be won. So he grabs JACK’s arm and hold him in a supportive manner. He then talks in a more soothing voice. We will probably have a two shot here.
HARRY
It’s alright mate, I’ll sort this out. It will be OK, come and get a drink now.
The scene will then fade out to black from a mid-two-shot of JACK and HARRY supporting each other.
In this fade to black, we will edit ‘The End’ to come in and then a large ‘?’ will fade in to represent that although the film is over, the story will still continue and we will leave the audience thinking about whether the two men will get away with their crimes, this links to the Film Noir style of Narrative.
(Loud sound) HARD
(Loud sound) CASH
