EXT. ROOFTOP, OVERLOOKING THE CITY – DUSK
Jamie is finishing setting up a couple of lights/softboxes on stands – pointing them towards the sunset over the city skyline.
AMBER (O.S.)
Oh Wow! That’s really pretty!
Jamie turns to look.
Amber stands by the roof access door:
She now has stylized makeup, and is wearing something balletic – floaty and trailing…
Jamie steps into the shot to get a closer look…
JAMIE
So are you!
(realizing…)
I mean, ummm ….
Entirely unfazed, Amber smiles.
AMBER
(mock modesty)
What? This old thing?
(turning)
Could you get the zip for me?
I can’t reach it.
JAMIE
Sure! There you… oh!
We see the shoes – Battered, old, brightly-colored sneakers.
Not exactly graceful.
JAMIE
Crap! I’m sorry, I thought I’d said, I was hoping to get some full body shots of you…
jumping.. and…
They inelegantly mime a jeté
AMBER
(nodding)
No, you did.
JAMIE
I’m not sure if erm…
Amber smiles, and holds up a zippered pouch.
She opens it to reveal: Ballet slippers.
INT. RESTAURANT, DINING ROOM – EVENING
Dodie is seating an elderly couple, handing them menus etc.
DODIE
Can I get you started with some drinks?
CARDIGAN
Just two soups please dear,
we’re off to the play.
DODIE
(Checking her watch)
We could do three courses for you, and still have you there in plenty of time, if you’d like?
PEARLS
Just the soups love.
Dodie flashes an extremely professional smile.
PRELAP: CLING! We hear the front door opening.
CUT TO:
Charles Alexander – walking in like he owns the place.
A distracted looking girl, definitely too young to be his date, hangs off his arm. Her name is certainly not actually Candy.
DODIE
Good Evening Mr Alexander,
Good evening Miss…
CHARLES ALEXANDER
(not stopping)
Table for Two.
DODIE
Certainly – if you’d like to follow…
But Charles Alexander has already chosen a different table
(a four-top at that) and sat down. Candy takes off her coat, and drapes it over one of the ‘extra’ chairs.
Dodie takes a breath – turns on the smile,
and heads towards them.
CANDY
(Not looking at Dodie)
I’ll take a mojito.
PRELAP: We hear the kitchen door.
CUT TO:
Toto bringing out plates of food. Following him, we find Dodie clearing plates from a different table.
RED WINE AND STEAK
So, it’s just you and your husband?
DODIE
Oh no – Toto’s my Brother.
CHARDONNAY AND CHICKEN
(embarrassed)
Oh! we didn’t….
DODIE
No, no – easy mistake – we took the place over from our parents.
RED WINE AND STEAK
Ah! Enjoying their retirement?
DODIE
I’m afraid they both passed a few years back…
CHARDONNAY AND CHICKEN
(even more embarrassed)
Oh…!
DODIE
(entirely professional)
Can I bring you a dessert menu?
INT. CAR – EVENING
Parked on a quiet street, Jake sits.
The overhead light is on and he is completely engrossed
in the Romance novel he is reading.
Bzzzzzt!! He holds his place on the page with his finger while he reaches down to look at his phone….
Dismisses the notification, puts the phone down.
Picks up a bookmark – slips it carefully into the book.
Tucks that inside his jacket, then turns the ignition.
Outside, two people are approaching.
He flashes the head lights.
The back doors open – in climb MEL and DONOVAN.
INT. RESTAURANT, KITCHEN – EVENING
Toto is attempting to start the dishwasher.
The dishwasher isn’t cooperating.
Dodie brings in some empty soup bowls.
DODIE
Did you speak to Mom recently?
TOTO
Few days – why?
She does something simple and the dishwasher starts.
DODIE
I need to ask her what Dad wants for his birthday.
She picks up two slices of cheesecake and leaves the kitchen.
INT. RESTAURANT, DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Charles Alexander has one arm around Candy, and a glass of liquor in the other hand. He drains the glass, and stands.
Dodie brings him his change – a few coins.
He glances to confirm the amount, then pockets it.
No tip. Of course.
As he walks past the bar, he places a cigar in his mouth,
and removes a gold lighter from his pocket.
DODIE
(Calling over to him)
You can’t smoke in here
Mr Alexander!
CHARLES ALEXANDER
(glances around)
There’s nobody here.
He turns dismissively, and flicks the lighter…
It doesn’t light. Irritated, he shakes it, and tries again.
Still no. Glaring, he ushers Candy out of the restaurant.
Dodie flips him off with both hands, then walks over and rests her head on the bar.
Toto comes to get water. Decides he wants olives from the bar too – reaching over to scoop some out onto a saucer.
DODIE
(looking up – exhausted)
You wanna call it?
Start closing up?
Their POV: we scan around the deserted room…
TOTO
No, we should wait a bit,
its not that late…
Dodie just looks at him.
Toto slowly eats another olive – Dodie continues staring.
Toto considers his empty olive dish.
TOTO
Screw it – you’re right.
Lets close up. No one’s coming.
(looks out window)
…and it looks like there’s gonna be a storm.
Toto heads back to the kitchen.
Dodie starts putting away things on the bar.
CLING! She looks up when she hears the door open!
EXT. RESTAURANT, ALLEYWAY – NIGHT
Toto pitches a bag of trash into a dumpster,
and heads back inside.
INT. RESTAURANT, KITCHEN – MOMENTS LATER
Dodie is waiting in the kitchen as Toto enters.
Seeing her, he freezes in the doorway, half in and half out.
TOTO
How many?
DODIE
Twelve….
TOTO
Twelve!?
DODIE
(nodding)
…Twelve
Toto angrily throws his cloth into the sink.
TOTO
(resigned to it)
Twelve.
He starts re-setting his station.
INT. CAR / EXT. ANTIQUE SHOP – NIGHT
Through the car windshield we see Charles Alexander approaching the Gallery with his arm around CANDY.
DONOVAN
There he is – lets go.
They get out the car.
INT. ANTIQUE SHOP – NIGHT
CANDY looks around, steps forward and stumbles a little.
She giggles – evidently more than one mojito with dinner!
CHARLES ALEXANDER
Just that way,
I’m right behind you.
He smacks her ass – propelling her forward.
She giggles again. Does it sound a little practiced?
He doesn’t notice; He’s watching her walk.
When he should have been locking the door…
Cling! We hear the bell as the door re-opens.
CHARLES ALEXANDER
(turning to look. Annoyed)
No thank you – the shop is closed – you’ll have to come back tomorr… oh!
VOICE (O.S)
This’ll just take a moment.
CUT TO:
The Three Amigos – Backlit by street lights through the window. Masked: A Lion. A Tiger. A Bear. (Oh My!!!)
Hold that hero/trailer shot for a beat…
KRRRING!! the moment is shattered by a phone going off!
JAKE
Shit…!
He fumbles with zip of his pocket to get to the phone.
DONOVAN
Come on man…
MEL
Seriously?
JAKE
It’s not mine!!
DONOVAN
If it’s not yours,
why is it in your jacket…?
A sheepish shrug from Jake.
DONOVAN
You stopped to lift someone’s phone on the way here?
JAKE
I can’t help it! It’s a compulsive thing… I just take stuff! Like… a reflex… or something?
DONOVAN
You didn’t wanna maybe, try and keep that in check tonight…?
CHARLES ALEXANDER
Excuse Me!
They all turn back to him,
MEL pulls a gun and points it.
MEL
Shut Up!
DONOVAN
Now – you’re going to run along, and open up your safe for us.
And I don’t mean the little one under your counter – I mean the actual safe – out back.
CHARLES ALEXANDER
I most certainly am not!
DONOVAN
(grabbing CANDY)
You abso-fucking-lutely are!
Or, “Sugar Baby” here isn’t going to like what happens next.
Beat.
CHARLES ALEXANDER
If you think, that you can just waltz in here…
DONOVAN
That’s how you wanna play it? Ok.
(To CANDY)
Sorry sweetheart – looks like he’s had his fill of ‘The Girlfriend Experience’, so we’ll be doing this the easy way.
CANDY
(Thinks a moment)
The easy way…?
WHACK!! Out of nowhere, Donovan turns and punches CA.
CA hits the floor – out cold.
JAKE
I thought you said we needed him – for the… biometric thing…?
MEL
We do.
DONOVAN
I never said he had to be awake.
(To Jake)
Watch the girl.
He lifts CA’s unconscious body by the lapels, and dumps him into a wheelie office chair.
EXT. ROOFTOP, OVERLOOKING THE CITY – NIGHT
Jamie is finishing packing up gear, crouched over a large zippered case. Amber hands them a tube light.
JAMIE
(taking it)
Thanks for making time to come shoot with me tonight!
AMBER
Absolutely! That was super fun!! Can I see some of the pictures?
JAMIE
Of course! – I’ll send you copies soon as I’ve edited them.
AMBER
No… I mean, thank you – yes please – but I meant can I take a look now…?
JAMIE
Oh… uhmmm…
(zipping the case and standing)
Don’t judge them based on what you can see on the screen here, they’ll look much better…
AMBER
(Shoving them playfully)
I know!! You need to be more confident in your work – your pictures are amazing!
JAMIE
(Sheepish)
Thanks…!
They gather together looking at the back of the camera…
VOICE (O.S.)
Hey!
They both look up
A SECURITY GUARD is making his way towards them, from the roof access door.
SECURITY GUARD
You can’t be up here! No party guests are allowed on the roof!
JAMIE
(handing camera to Amber, and stepping forward)
Hi! No, we’re good – I rent one of the studios downstairs, and I cleared it with the building manager…
SECURITY GUARD
(Interrupting)
Nobody told me anything about anybody allowed up here tonight.
Jamie and the Security Guard are now face to face.
Amber, between them in the background, has stopped looking at the camera, and is looking up at the sky…
JAMIE
I appreciate that, but I’m telling you – this was approved. Look, I can show you her email…
(reaches into jacket)
… wait, where did I…?
(checking other pockets, with increasing intensity)
Goddamnit! Ok, so turns out I can’t show you the email because apparently I’ve lost my phone…
AMBER
(quietly, still staring at the sky)
Uhm…. Guys….?
SECURITY GUARD
Oh – well isn’t that convenient? Come on, you’ve gotta come inside…
AMBER
(more insistently)
Guys…..
JAMIE
Look, we’re done anyway, just give me a second to finish packing up…
AMBER
Look!!
SLOW PULL BACK
Jamie and the Security guard look first at Amber,
then turn to see what she is looking at…
Hold on their expressions of shock, confusion, and fear
for half a beat, then,
CUT TO:
INT. RESTAURANT, KITCHEN – NIGHT
Toto washing dishes – Dodie brings more in.
TOTO
We can’t keep doing this just the two of us – We’ve gotta hire people to help us.
DODIE
See, you need money to hire people…
TOTO
You need to be able to serve customers to make money.
DODIE
Ah, but first you need to actually *have * customers regularly…
TOTO
I don’t understand why we were so dead all night…
Dodie shrugs.
TOTO
…and literally no-one for lunch…
DODIE
What do you want me to say…?
She exits back to the dining room.
INT. ANTIQUE SHOP – NIGHT
CANDY sitting in corner – Bored.
Jake stands a way off, with his book.
CANDY leans her head against the window, loudly chewing gum.
She lazily blows a bubble… ssssssss….
It bursts. pop.
ssssss…… pop.
CUT TO JAKE:>
ssssss……. … …
Noticing she has stopped, Jake looks up.
CANDY is staring out of the window,
deflated bubble hanging from her open mouth.
CANDY
What is that?!
JAKE
Yeah, right. Nice try.
CANDY
Look!!
Jake glances out of the window, then a double take!
JAKE
Wait… what…?!
He looks again, pulling off his mask to see more clearly.
JAKE
What. The. Actual….?
(yelling to the others)
Hey! Guys….?!
PUSH IN AND THROUGH THE WINDOW:>
EXT. RESTAURANT – NIGHT
Hovering low over the building…
a huge FLYING SAUCER SPACESHIP!!
Like, really big. Ginormous.
Several people have gathered, staring up at it – dumbfounded.