Tuesday, 10/5/10 - Balance (screenplay for the opening scene)

Note: this screenplay is an extension of a story that I wrote back on 8/6 called Balance.



The screen is black.

Headlights, small and distant, appear in the upper left-hand corner of the screen appearing to wink on and off as they pass under trees while winding down a narrow mountain road. The car's engine can be heard faintly in the background.

The sound of a party (voices talking, laughing, glasses clinking) rises up alongside the sound of the motor. The image of headlights moving down a mountain road fades and is replaced by a view of steps from ground level. A pair of high-heeled women's dress shoes descends the steps followed by a polished pair of men's shoes. The sound of walking is heard over the sound of the engine.

As they pass, the camera pans with them and the scene fades back to the car descending the mountain road. Party sounds fade, motor sounds rise. The camera is moving in on the car. It is still far away but there is now separation in the headlights as seen from above. It is more obvious that what appeared to be winking before is overhanging trees blocking the view.

The car moves onto a bridge. It's winding path through trees is now straight and unobstructed. The engine can be heard speeding up as the scene fades back to the party. The woman's shoes are raised up off of the street as she lifts them into the car. The gentleman's shoes move into the frame. "Buckle up," he says just before the sound of a closing car door. The scene fades back to the car on the mountain road.

The view of the car is much closer. View is of the whole car with headlights on the road in front. Gravel sounds as the car drifts onto the shoulder then back to the road. Camera hovers above the center of the road keeping pace with the car as it drifts across the line, onto the shoulder and back.

Scene fades back to the people leaving the party. Walking sounds are mixed with the engine sound and road sounds of the car moving down the mountain. Camera, still at ground level, follows the gentleman's shoes around the car, pauses as he opens the door then camera zooms in as he lifts his feet into the car.

The sound of the car door closing coincides with the car leaving the road and hitting a pine tree branch. The car swerves back onto the road. Camera is much closer. Reflections can be seen on the windshield. Only half of the car is visible in the frame.

Engine revs up. Sounds are louder, closer as the scene changes back to the party. Camera moves up from ground level, zoomed in, revealing details of the car door then up to the driver's window, inside past the gentleman's jacket and tie and over to where his hand is clipping in the seat belt.

As the belt is clicked into place, the sound is both a click and a crash. In three quick flashes the car can be seen leaving the road, flipping over (dirt flying out beneath it), and moving down the side of the mountain.

The scene is black. The sound of the clicking seat belt and the crash echo into silence.

As light slowly returns to the scene. Small scraping sounds can be heard along with a soft creaking and the sound of the breeze.

Camera angle is from down the mountain looking up at the underside of the car and the stars beyond. The car is balanced but rocking. A tire spins slowly. A small amount of dirt slips from beneath the car and covers the camera lens plunging the screen back into darkness.

Fade in on glass fragments on the floor of the car before zooming out to show more of the interior then panning to the driver buckled in and slumped over the steering wheel. The camera continues around to show the woman in the back by the open hatchback.