THE SCRIPT:

Symphony for the Kettle

By George Allan

SCENE 1 “THE BREAK IN”:

EXT: A road of semi-detached houses.

EST. SHOT of the house in the centre of the shot. The sky is dark and moody, the camera tracks forward to the house, which has no lights on and looks empty. The camera tracks slowly across the brickwork. Melancholy music is playing, the music creates a calm atmosphere with hidden tensions lying beneath.

INT: MEDIUM SHOT of the dining room of the semi-detached house is occupied by Jim, a teenage boy, who is sat at a computer. The camera pans across the table which is full of dirty cups and plates, and then cuts to Jim’s hands which are clicking the mouse pad on his laptop. The camera tracks up to Jim’s face revealing how tired he is. He hands shake while he takes a sip of a cup of coffee, which he spills slightly on his laptop. The boy is reading a recent article of how a gang invaded a family’s house and hospitalises them.

VOICE IN JIM’S HEAD

[SHOUTING AND ECHOING]:

We’ve got your address! You’re dead meat!

Jim inhales shakily. He takes out a cigarette and tries lighting it, however the lighter is broken. He angrily throws it across the room and spits his cigarette out which lands in his coffee (CLOSE UP of Coffee Cup). He sighs angrily and goes fills his kettle (CLOSE UP OF TAP), turns on the gas (CLOSE UP OF FLAMES HIGH FRAME RATE) and then places his kettle on the hob.

A loud knocking is heard at the door. The music transitions to a song called “Glass Realms” by This Will Destroy You plays with the sounds of Jim’s heart beat playing over the top.

LEADER OF GANG

[SHOUTING]:

Oi Jim!

MEDIUM SHOT of Jim as he turns to the door shuddering and steps backwards tripping over the wire attached to his laptop. He stares up at the kettle in his dining room and it begins to whistle. The knocking on the door changes to banging, as it sounds like a gang are trying to break in. INSERT SHOT of Jim’s phones, which starts to ring, his ring tone is “Three little birds” by Bob Marley.

JIM

[ANSWERING PHONE, HISSING DEPERATALEY]:

Liam! They’re here!

LIAM

[YOU CAN HERE IS VOICE FAINTLY]:

What?! What you on about?

JIM

[STUTTERING]:

Th-those people that were on that bridge mate, th-th-they’re breaking into my house!

LIAM:

Oh shit! Jim what you gonna -

The door is heard broken open, three figures step in sillouted by bright blue light behind them enter Jim’s house, the shot should appear incredibly surreal due to un natural colours and lighting. The diegetic sound of the kettle being boiled increases the tension. CLOSE UP (TRACKS SLOWLY FORWARD) of Jim whose mouth is wide open as he hangs up on Liam.

All non-diegetic sounds stop. Jim stares at the screaming kettle as it has almost boiled, steam is rising angrily out of it. The scene cuts to the words “2 DAYS EARLIER” accompanied by the sound of a huge bang and then cuts to SCENE 2.

SCENE 2 “JIM IS LATE”:

EXT: Jim’s house.

EST. SHOT: It is the morning, the sky is grey, many cars drive past Jim’s house. You can hear an alarm ringing.

INT: MEDIUM CLOSEUP: Jim is asleep in bed, as his alarm continues to ring his eyes slowly open, he gently turns the alarm off.

INT: MEDIUM SHOT: Jim comes down the stairs into his dining room, which is occupied by his house mate Bill. He is munching noisily on a bowl of cereal. He looks up at Jim.

BILL

[DOPEY]:

Alreyt sleeping beauty.

JIM

[QUIETLY]:

Morning Bill.

WIDE SHOT: Jim puts the kettle on boil, and while he waits for it too boil Jim reads an article on his phone, which outlines an incident where a gang murdered an elderly man with a baseball bat. The article shows that there are disturbing images below. The audience never see the actual images however they can see that the images are deeply disturbing to Jim (CAMERA TRACKS FORWARD INTO JIM’S FACE). As Jim reads through the words, which describe the gory details, CLOSE UP OF THE WORD “HEAD”, CLOSE UP OF BILL CRUNCHING HIS CEREAL, CLOSE UP OF THE WORD “WAS”, CLOSE UP OF BILL CRUNCHING HIS CEREAL, CLOSE UP OF THE WORD “CRUSHED”, EXTREME CLOSE UP OF BILL CRUNCHING HIS CEREAL. Jim’s heart beat grow louder. The scene then quickly shows Jim making a cup of tea. He then takes the first sip.

BILL

[STILL DOPEY]:

Aren’t you late for your film thing?

CLOSEUP/INSERTSHOT TRACKS FORWARD: The scene shows a Cat clock ticking quickly revealing that he’s late. Jim brushes his teeth, gets dressed and puts his shoes on.

Jim grabs his film gear and leaves.

EXT: Jim’s street.

Jim runs desperately towards the camera as aggressive rock music plays for comical effect.

SCENE 3 “JIM IS EVEN LATER”:

EXT: Malin Bridge Tram Stop

WIDE SHOT/OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT/LOW ANGLE: The sign, which shows when the tram arrives, reads “29 MINUTES”. Jim stares at the sign despairingly. Jim receives a call and answers.

TYLER

[ANGRILY, MUFFLED]:

Jim, this is ridiculous, where are you?

The scene then changes to a time lapse of the timer counting down (MEDIUM CLOSE UP), until the tram arrives (WIDE SHOT).

Scene 4 “UNRELIABLE JIM”:

INT: Super tram

MEDIUM SHOT: Jim is holding a boom mic in his hand. A girl sat diagonally from him is giving him dirty looks. He receives multiple notifications making his phone buzz noisily. They are all complaints:

Liam: You were supposed to be here ages ago!

Sophie: 10 hours later!

Scene 5 “JIM THE FILM MAKER”:

EXT: Train station tram stop.

LONG SHOT: The train drives away leaving Jim standing there with all his equipment. He runs up the stairs, which lead to the amp theatre behind the train station. He slips and falls, checks if his camera is ok, and then proceeds to run up the stairs.

Liam is waiting, sat noisily eating an apple. Tyler, who is dressed as a zombie is sat with him along with Sophie, they are both actors. A digital compact camera has been set up on a tripod, with a tripod lying on the floor.

LIAM

[IRRITATED]:

You took your time.

JIM

[SHEEPISHLY]:

Ah, sorry everyone.

He sets his camera up on his tripod.

JIM:

Everyone ready to shoot?

TYLER

[ROLLING HIS EYES]:

We were ready an hour ago.

The scene changes into a montage of Jim and Liam unsuccessfully trying to create a zombie horror film. In one shoot Sophie runs from Billy (the zombie) who appears from a bush. He runs away terrified staring back while she runs. She then bumps into a junkie, who is almost zombie like himself. The scene changes so that it is filmed from the compact cameras they are using.

JUNKIE

[SLURRING]:

Aw sorry ‘bout that love.

The Junkie looks at the camera in the same manner that Gollum looks at his ring.

Junkie: Oh! That’s a nice camera, can aye have it?

Scene 6 “JIM HAS AN IDEA”:

EXT: Coffee Shop in the city centre, calm music is playing.

INT: Liam is slurping a coffee while Jim is smoking a bent cigarette.

LIAM

[OPTIMISTICALLY]:

I think that went quite well!

JIM

[RETORTING]:

I couldn’t have been worse.

LIAM:

You figured out this film’s ending yet –

JIM

[FRUSTRATED]:

Nope.

LIAM

[SARCASTICALLY]:

Alreyt then, what’s up with you?

JIM

[SIGHING]:

I just feel like this film isn’t getting anywhere, I gotta step it up a little!

LIAM:

You what?

Jim [DETERMINED AND WITH ENERGY]: Never mind, listen! There’s this place I went past on the bus the other night, I think it would the perfect place for a creepy zombie encounter.

LIAM

[EXCITED STANDING UP]:

Sick! Let’s go!

JIM:

Wait-wait-wait! Hold on, we gotta go [SLOWS DOWN] at night!

TRANSITION: SCENE CUTS TO BLACK SCREEN WITH THE WORDS “AT NIGHT” DISPLAYED WITH THE NON-DIEGETIC SOUND OF A BANG.

Scene 7 “THE ENCOUNTEUR”:

EXT: The bridge which goes over the River Don by Upper Don Walk.

EST SHOT. Wide shot of The bridge. Cut to MEDIUM SHOT OF Sophie and Tyler staring into the water. The sounds of cars and traffic lights are audible.

JIM

[ARMS SPREAD OUT, APPROACHING CAST]:

Not too bad, eh?

SOPHIE

[UNENTHUSIASTIC]:

I dunno, why are we here again?

JIM

[ANNOYED]:

Because it’s a creepy bridge? Right?

TYLER

[RUDLEY]:

I don’t even give a shit, I’m just fed up of wearing this stupid Zombie costume, I feel like a reyt mug.

JIM

[TO LIAM, WHO IS CONCENTRATING ON SETTING UP THE CAMERA]:

You think it’s a good location right?

LIAM

[BLANKLEY]

Yeah, be reyt.

JIM:

[SARCASTICALLY]

I appreciate your enthusiasm!

SOPHIE

[ALSO BEING RUDE]:

How are we meant to be enthusiastic about this?

JIM

[QUICKLY]:

You know what, it’s fine, be as sassy as you like, you’re about to be eaten alive by a flesh eating zombie, I doubt that’s something you’d be enthusiastic about.

CLOSE UP OF LIGHTING BEIG TURNED ON WITH NONE DIETETIC NOISE OF A LOUD BANG TO REPRESENT THE LIGHTS BEING SWITCHED ON. The soundtrack “Glass Realms” by This Will Destroy is played again increasing the locations atmosphere and tension. WIDE SHOT of cast on the bridge, lit up by the un natural lighting. The music increases the tension of the scene.

LIAM:

[CALM]

Ok! Everyone ready?

Sophie and Tyler nod at Liam. Liam then nods at Jim. When the scene is ready Jim and Liam both press the record button on their cameras.

JIM:

[LIGHTING A CIGARETTE]

Action!

The scene plays out, Sophie runs onto the bridge apparently injured, and collapses onto the floor. Tyler (the zombie) creeps slowly onto the bridge and moans zombie like.

SOPHIE

[UNCONVINCINGLY DESPERATE]:

Please! No! I’m too young to die!

Tyler growls and pounces on him, apparently about to feast on Sophie’s flesh, however instead breaking out of character he looks up, his confused face is illuminated by the lighting. The camera tracks in on Jim’s horrified face. HIGH FRAME RATE the cigarette drops out of Jim’s mouth and drops to the ground INSERT SHOT the sound of the cigarette dropping is dramatized with a loud banging noise.

LEADER OF GANG

[ANGRILY]:

Oi! Are you filming us?

A gang of three dressed in dark hoodies approach the crew on the bridge. The leader in the middle is holding a baseball bat. The one to his right has a knife, and the to his left is holding a hammer. The audience can not see their faces due to the scene’s lighting, therefore they are silhouetted.

LEADER OF GANG

[LOUDER AND MORE FRIGHTENING, BECOMING MORE VISIBLE, HIS FACE ALONE IS INTIMIDATING]:

I said, are you fucking filming us?

Jim’s face is also illuminated by the lighting.

JIM

[STUTTERING]:

No, we wern’t, [JIM HESITATES] we’re just making a video.

The leader of the gang approaches Jim intimidating him, he is much taller than Jim, and gets close to his face.

LEADER OF GANG:

Who do you think your calling mate?

JIM

[HYPERVENTILATING]:

No one.

The leader of the gang takes his jumper of and passes it to one of his goons.

LEADER OF GANG

[EXCITED]:

Hold this, [LOOKING AT JIM WITH HIS EYES GLOWING] I don’t wanna get blood on me hoodie.

He holds the baseball bat close to Jim’s head whilst sneering. Jim freezes with fear and stares at the baseball bat with wide eyes. The leader of the gang then swings the bat slowly backwards while Jim closes his eyes, preparing himself for the pain. Suddenly Liam smacks the leader in face with the boom mic, knocking him over screaming. He then drops the boom mic and stares at Jim desperately.

LIAM

[SHOUTING]:

C’mon let’s go!

The crew run away from the bridge, while the gang pic up the boom mic and chase them.

LEADER OF GANG

[RAGING, GETTING HELPED UP BY GOONS]:

I’m gonna kill ‘em!

The crew run across a busy road while the traffic lights are red, however when they cross the lights change, meaning the gang can’t chase them across the road. As the cars pass by the gang stand there defeated, while the crew have a chance to run further away. The leader glances at the boom mic CLOSE UP which has written on it: “PLEASE RETURN TO JIM SCOTT AT 40 BROOM ROAD S74RL”. CLOSE UP OF GANG LEADERS FACE.

LEADER OF GANG

[SHOUTING]:

We’ve got your address! You’re fucking dead mate!

The screen fades to black with another non-diegetic loud bang.

Scene 8 “THAT NIGHT”:

INT: Jim’s room, the lights are of, however a TV is playing an animation. Jim is lying in his bed asleep, with an axe by  his side. The camera zooms into him.

The scene cuts to Scene 9, which is Jim’s dream.

Scene 9 “JIM’S NIGHTMARE”:

EXT: Jim is walking along a street at night in the cold on his own. Non-diegetic tense music is playing in the background. Jim’s breathing is loud and each step he takes is loud and crunchy sounding. He approaches an old looking bus stop, with the shelter covered from view. However when he walks past the bus stop the gang are stood waiting for him. They all pull out their weapons. CLOSE UP of Bat Dripping with blood, CLOSE UP of Hammer dripping with blood, ClOSE UP of knife dripping with blood. EXTREME CLOSE UP of Jim’s eyes.

The scene cuts to Scene 10, in which Jim awakes.

Scene 10 “D-DAY”:

INT: Jim’s room, the same as Scene 8, however it is now day time. Jim’s annoying alarm is ringing. Jim wakes up, takes an axe out of his bed and smashes the alarm up with it angrily.

Scene 11 “AN EXCHANGE”:

EXT: Inside the same coffee shop as Scene 6. The diegetic music is the relaxing type of thing you would expect to hear inside an elevator however Liam and Jim are sat upright instead of relaxing.

Medium shot of a man reading a news paper which reads: I ACCIDENTLY STRANGLED MY WIFE WITH DENTAL FLOSS. Jim is zoned out with confusion as he stairs at this.

LIAM

[REPEATEDLY]:

Jim?

JIM

[SURPRISED, ZONING BACK INTO REALITY]:

Huh?

LIAM

[CONCERNED LOOKING]:

You’ve got the footage, right?

JIM

[QUIETLY]:

Oh! Here [Jim places the camera on the table], all the footage is on there.

LIAM

[TAKING THE CAMERA]:

Great.

[LIAM NOTICES THAT JIM IS READING SOMETHING DISTRESSING ON HIS PHONE, THE CAMERA SHOWS THAT HE IS READING THE SAME ARTICLE AS THE ONE HE IS READING IN SCENE 2]

Is everything OK with you?

JIM

[SHOWING LIAM HIS PHONE]:

You see this?

Liam is shocked by what Jim shows him, he spits out his coffee in Jim’s face in shock.

JIM

[WIPING THE COFFEE OF HIS FACE]:

Those people yesterday, they did this.

Liam is speechless. He looks around avoiding eye contact with Jim.

LIAM

[TRYING TO BE COMFORTING]:

Man, don’t worry about it.

[HESITATING]

You could call the police?

JIM:

Man, what the fuck is with you? Y-y-you think this guy [SHOWS LIAM THE PHONE AGAIN] called the police? Huh? That didn’t stop them from fucking his face up. [SHUDDERING] I’m gotta go.

Jim stands up and walks out of the scene quickly. Leaving Liam looking worried.

Scene 12 “TRAMWAY TO HELL”:

INT: Super tram. Jim is on his way home.

Jim’s phone buzzes. He receives a text from Liam which reads: “yo man, I forgot to say my hard drives are corrupted so could I come and back up the footage at yours?”. Jim replies saying with a blunt “sure”. The tram then proceeds to go into a dark tunnel, the sound of the kettle whistling slowly fades in until the scene changes to  scene one.

Scene 13 “SYMPHONY FOR THE KETTLE”:

A shot of the kettle being put on boil is shown again, however played quicker, followed by the surreal shot of the three figures stepping inside Jim’s house followed by a shot of the cat clock ticking quickly.

INT: Jim’s house.

Jim is aware that the gang are in his living room, moments away from coming into the dining room and attacking Jim. You can hear footsteps creep on the carpet.

Jim grabs the kettle and charges screaming into the living room. MEDIUM SHOT Jim pouring the kettle’s contents out with a look of terror and anger on his face. CLOSE UP of the water being poured out then tracks down to Bills forehead, which then tracks out on Bill screaming in horror. He raises his hands in fright and pain.

BILL

[IN GREAT PAIN]:

ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

CLOSE UP of Jim’s face as he stops in horror as he realises that the gang haven’t broken in. Bill’s face is red and steaming his eyes are wide open.

BILL

[SEETHING]:

You bloody idiot! [GRABBING JIM] Is thou thick or what?

JIM

[DESPERATE, PATRONISING]:

Now now Bill! Calm down! You’ve been drinking!

BILL:

[RAGING]

BEEN DRINKING HAVE I?

[BILL GRABS JIMS AXE]

I’LL SHOW YOU DRINKING BOY!

JIM RUNS OUT OF HIS HOUSE TERRIFIED AND SCREAMING.

Scene 14 “THE END OF JIM’S FILM”:

EXT: The street Jim lives on.

Jim runs down the street away from angry Bill, onto the bridge, whilst running he looks behind him at angry Bill who is pursuit. Suddenly Jim runs into Liam, who has the camera’s, which both fly up into the air in slow motion. Jim and Liam watch in horror as the camera’s with all the footage on falls into river. Jim and Liam both stare over bridge into the water as two faint polops are heard. Bill runs into the shot with his axe held upwards, with his face scared and blistered, appearing zombie like. Jim and Liam try running. The scene ends by zooming out of the street, where you can still see Jim and Liam being chased by angry Bill. The credits roll.

2017-21-11

WATERISBADFORYOU