Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

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  • Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

    Okay we have 9 entries, I put the titles through random.org for a random sort, so they are:

    App
    The Escape
    Final Year Report
    The Gift
    Every Dog
    Give Generously
    Christmas Beauty
    The Christmas Hat
    The Immaterialist

    If you perceive any errors in your entry, just PM me and I'll correct them ASAP.

    You know the drill, read the entries and pick your 3 favorites. Please PM or email me with your picks in the format:

    1st - title1
    2nd - title2
    3rd - title3

    How about aiming for Sunday 3rd Jan 2016 for voting deadline? If all contestants vote before then, I'll post the results earlier.

    Once the results are posted, feel free to add any comments you made into the results thread, and discuss the entries there.

    Non-contestants are most welcome to read and send your votes also!

    If you don't like the code windows which preserve formatting, then select Thread Tools > Show Printable Version

    For posterity, the discussion thread is here and the results thread is here.
    Last edited by dpaterso; 01-06-2016, 02:58 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

    Code:
    [b]App[/b]
    
    FADE IN
    
                          DANIEL
              Lester, listen, it's very loud there,
              I'm- going-to- make- my- way- across-
              town- to- meet- you. Yeah, yeah, I
              know it very well, a retro bar, used
              to be called "Babes"?
    
    Daniel scans the indices and pies and various red and green
    colored bars bobbing up and down on his screen.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              I said, it's peaceful up here. Okay,
              one hour's time, I'm there.
    
    Take a moment to peruse Daniel's desk: a drama of the self,
    spread out in card-deck-like-order. A temple to narcissism,
    the chaos-order of this life of the prophet Daniel, always
    the man at the center of the action, that group hug there,
    selfie with girl in bikini, selfie with Indian yogi, selfie
    with girls on dance floor, selfie by swimming pool. Selfies
    of selfies, the parachute jump and snow-boarding selfie.On
    the edge of this photo plantation, a much-thumbed photo of
    what appears to be mum: the only smile in the whole ensemble
    which hasn't gone nuclear yet.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              I've downloaded this exciting new
              dating App.
    
    Daniel notices something above his eye line.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              Listen, Simone is here, I'll speak
              to you later, got-to-go-go.
    
    We see a tall slender woman, gorgeous, blond, sophisticated,
    a fellow bond trader dressed in the giveaway expensive suit
    as she begins to weave towards him.
    
    INT. RESTAURANT- LATER
    
    Simone is sipping ice water whilst Daniel is in slumped-back
    mode with his new Iphone.
    
                          SIMONE
              What's so demanding?
    
                          DANIEL
              Lester sent me a new App.
    
                          SIMONE
              Mum and dad would love to see you
              over the holiday.
    
                          DANIEL
              I can't promise anything because
              there's so much going on.
    
    Simone stares down at her glass.
    
                          SIMONE
              Other women for example?
    
                          DANIEL
              Please don't start in on that Simone.
    
                          SIMONE
              Your Iphone keeps beeping.
    
                          DANIEL
              It's uploading old data.
    
    Daniel seems evasive for once.
    
                             SIMONE
              You'll ring?
    
    Daniel is distant.
    
                          DANIEL
              Yeah....... sure.
    
    Simone glances at her watch.
    
                          SIMONE
              I'd better go if I'm to catch my
              connection.
    
    Daniel finally puts his Iphone down.
    
                          DANIEL
              Take care Simone, we'll speak soon.
    
                          SIMONE
              Sure.
    
    They share a moment.
    
                          DANIEL
              Call me from your parents.
    
                          SIMONE
              I will. So long.
    
    Daniel watches here go, as graceful as she entered.   His
    cell phone rings, an annoying sleigh-bells tune.
    
                          DANIEL
              Lester. It was a nice drink. We
              talked, you know?
    
    A bar maid scoops up Daniel's glass and smiles, he smiles
    right back.
    
                           DANIEL (CONT'D)
              Lester.   I've just downloaded that
              App.
    
    The bar maid places a fresh beer down and they lock eyes.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              I don't know, I didn't read the small
              print. It asks for basic details, a
              photo, a few other details and it
              does the rest. Says it will do
              everything - whatever that means?
              I'll work my way up towards you,
              where are you now?
    
    Daniel flips his cell shut. The Iphone has finished
    downloading, a message instantly appears inside the Apps s
    logo.
    
                           DANIEL (CONT'D)
              Whoa?
    
    Screen reads: "your perfect girl will be with you in 5
    seconds"
    
                           TAMARA
              Hi!
    
    Daniel jumps, his beer slops.
    
                          TAMARA (CONT'D)
              Oooh, you should be more careful.
    
                          DANIEL
              Wait... do you know me?
    
                           TAMARA
              Sure.   I've seen all of your photos!
    
                          DANIEL
              All? Where? On this App. I only
              uploaded one.
    
                          TAMARA
              Sure. But then the App looks for
              all of your photos right across the
              web and uploads everything.
              Take me. I uploaded just 3 photos
              but the App found and uploaded 533
              other photos into the "additional
              photo bucket" on the App. I didn't
              even have to request it and it only
              took 5 minutes.
    
                          DANIEL
              That's insane.
    
    Tamara sits down, she's dressed like a bunny rabbit, one
    with boobs pushed up high and out.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              How many "additional" photos did my
              profile hold?
    
                          TAMARA
              Oh, I think it was something like
              843, including that one where you
              had your thing out in Corfu.
    
    Daniel seems confused and ends his sentences in burbling.
    
                          DANIEL
              Wait but I deleted all of those....
              pictures. They were from back in
              the days of the trader apocalypse.
    
                          TAMARA
              Oh it's there alright. That's why I
              responded... trader-what?
    
                          DANIEL
              2007 ring any bells?
    
                          TAMARA
              I don't know about all that. I
              remember that stripping was hard to
              get by in back then, listen, my
              boyfriend is a rigger on World Trade
              Center 1 just now, which is cool but
              if he sees me here he might kind of
              kill you. Want to get a room?
    
                          DANIEL
              Tamara?
    
                          TAMARA
              Daniel?
    
                          DANIEL
              Forgive me, but I've got to go.
    
    EXT. MANHATTAN - STREET SIDE
    
    Daniel piles out of the bar and joins the flow of people on
    the side walk. He's panicking. Sweating even. People are
    looking at him, all about Manhattan is turning into night.
    
                          DANIEL
                     (cell)
              Lester, where are you! Pick up!
    
    Daniel passes a glamorous couple who seem to be watching him
    intensely, especially the girl who has dark eye liner shadow.
    Although he returns a smile he seems very nervous and
    suspicious.
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              Message from Danny. I'll be in
              "Babes" in 30 minutes. I downloaded
              that App and minutes later, some
              chick who was a stripper appears in
              the bar right in front of me, a
              stripper! I don't know. This thing
              has a life of its own, I can't find
              how to turn it off. She knew all
              about me. She knew everything,
              even about Corfu.
    
    Daniel flips his cell phone shut. Beep. The Iphone again:
    
    Message reads: "...hotter than a volcano and walking towards
    you right now - meet Lyra."
    
                          DANIEL (CONT'D)
              Holy mother of god. What-is-this.
              How can they do this, this has to be
              in breach of some Amendm-
    
                          LYRA
              Hi there you bad BAD boy?
    
    Daniel, visibly shaken.
    
                          DANIEL
              Who the heck are you?
    
                          LYRA
              I'm Lyra and I liked your profile.
    
    Daniel notices the eye shadow.
    
                          DANIEL
              Wait, didn't you just pass me just
              now with a guy?
    
                          LYRA
              Oh, that was Larry, but he's not
              into "fun to all hours of the night
              and just love a sauna."
    
                          DANIEL
              That sounds like something I wrote
              on....
    
                          LYRA
              I think it said that it was on
              Craigslist before, the App knows
              everything, so cool. That was you...
              right?
    
                          DANIEL
              Sure, but it was another time, I was
              going through a- ... wait, forget
              it. Whoa, hold the phone, just-a-
              reality-check-moment. How did you
              find me? I'm not in a bar, this is
              state side.
    
                          LYRA
              Okay, well, my friend Lonny, he's an
              IT whizz and so super-clever looked
              at the App and Lonny says it looks
              like some ex-military code that's
              been adapted from tracking people
              for the military and doing other
              stuff to now tracking people and
              doing other stuff that's really useful
              as a dating App. He says it's got
              some really clever algor-somethings
              built into to be able to do that.
              That's how it puts people together,
              it scans your past life, on the web,
              and makes a suitable match. Lonny
              says the triangulation-of-cell-phone-
              tracker is really cool. You only
              get that one you've had it for a
              month and it when it knows you are
              trustworthy, Lonny calls it a weak-
              AI program.
    
    Daniel is running, he sprints past a hot dog seller and rounds
    a corner into an alley. Wheezing with the effort, wiping
    his brow, he's thinking hard. He looks at his cell. It
    rings.
    
                          DANIEL
               Hu---hu--hu--- hello.
    
                          LESTER (O.S.)
               Daniel, is that you, are you okay?
               Where are you man?
    
                           DANIEL
               Lester, listen, I'm being tracked,
               no, I'm being stalked, it's crazy,
               it's dangerous. I'm not that far
               away, listen, I'm turning off my
               cell for a while, it will be safer
               for everyone.
    
    Beep.
    
                           DANIEL (CONT'D)
               Got to go.
    
    Daniel cautiously retrieves the Iphone.
    
    Message:
    Lyra wrote in your profile that she was "disappointed" but
    she promises to forgive you if you invite her to "Elite
    Saunas", a favourite haunt of yours back in the day, she's
    seen those photos. She'd like you to buy a day-ticket which
    includes her best friend Stavros. However, great news,
    Henrietta is waiting for you at the bar at "Babes".
    
    INT. "BABES" RETRO BAR - MOMENTS LATER
    
    Daniel gliding through the bar with a serviette he's grabbed
    covering his mouth. We can only see his eyes darting about.
    
    He chances the cell, a text from Lester, "I'm in the Rest
    Room at Babes". The message was sent seconds ago. Daniel
    steals a glance at the bar. A sophisticated-looking woman
    with pearl ear rings is waiting and keeps checking her Iphone.
    
    INT. REST ROOM - SECONDS LATER
    
    Daniel doing circles. Lester, red hair, taller, keeps wiping
    his hand through his hair.
    
                           LESTER
               You could lick these they're so clean.
    
                           DANIEL
               What are you taking about Lester?
    
                              LESTER
               The urinals.
    
                              DANIEL
                  Listen, Lester, you may think this
                  is funny... hilarious even. But I
                  was nearly a murder victim today and
                  nobody would find you if you were
                  buried under World Trade Center 1.
    
    Lester trails his finger along the top of one of the urinals
    and licks.
    
                              LESTER
                  I reckon I wouldn't even catch a
                  cold.
    
    Daniel scans him.
    
                                 DANIEL
                  You're sick. You know that?
    
                               LESTER
                  It's not so bad, I mean, let's just
                  go out and meet this girl. She might
                  be terrific?
    
    INT - BAR
    
    Daniel sips ice water. Lester, keeping distance down wind
    glances up the bar and nods as he downs a shot. Daniel
    acknowledges him over the shoulder of.... Cynthia... who is
    twirling her hair, red lips, piercing blue eyes, as Daniel
    leans in earnestly and is concentrating furiously.
    
                              CYNTHIA
                  I really would like to circumnavigate.
    
                              DANIEL
                  Do you mean.... to travel?
    
                              CYNTHIA
                  My two puppies are my most precious
                  assets and haven't really been
                  anywhere and I just know that they'd
                  really enjoy it.
    
    Daniel glances nervously at Cynthia's breasts.
    
                              DANIEL
                  I sort of understand that.
    
                              CYNTHIA
                  I was referring to my Cocker Spaniels.
                  They're very intelligent dogs and at
                  home now.
    
    (continued)
    Last edited by dpaterso; 12-27-2015, 03:22 AM.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

      Code:
      [b]App[/b] (continued)
      
      INT. YELLOW TAXI - RUSHING TOWARDS UPPER EAST SIDE
      
      Daniel deleting files from his Iphone. Lester looking
      puzzled, out of the window we see Manhattan flashing by.
      
                             LESTER
                 I mean who cares if you once snow-
                 boarded nude?
      
                             DANIEL
                 I have that Wipeware software at the
                 apartment. It deletes your history
                 from the web.
      
      INT. APARTMENT - CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT
      
      Daniel stares in disbelief at his laptop screen, something
      is running off data from his files like crazy. We recognize
      the blinking icon, it's the App.
      
                             DANIEL
                 What-the-heck-is-it-doing?
      
                             LESTER
                 Oh, it looks like it's transferering
                 your files to the cloud somewhere.
      
      Meanwhile on the table, vibrating on its axis... Daniel's
      Iphone:
      
      Beep.   Beep.   Beep.   Beep.
      
                             DANIEL
                 Listen to this: "...there are several
                 dates tracking you right now, you
                 have interest from
                 Missy....Doreen....O'Hara... Trey...
      
                             LESTER
                 Is that message on your cell too?
      
      Daniel steps back, the screens on his laptop, cell, Iphone
      all look the same, they have become...one. Daniel suddenly
      grabs his cell and dials 911.
      
                             DANIEL
                 This has to end...
      
                             LESTER
                 Look at this...
      
      Lester reads from the screens:
      
                            LESTER (CONT'D)
                You got Felicity... Michelle...
                Babs... and Crazygal en route it
                says.
      
      DING!
      
                            DANIEL
                I think I still have my gun somewhere.
      
                            LESTER
                That little pistol?
      
      Daniel shares a look with Lester.
      
                            WOMAN'S VOICE
                Daniel Mason... is there a Daniel or
                a Danny in there.
      
                            DANIEL
                Wh wants to know?
                              WOMAN'S VOICE
                The NYPD!
      
      Daniel slips the dead bolts and unlocks the apartment door.
      A very tall and attractive NYPD cop steps inside.
      
                            NYPD OFFICER
                Daniel Mason?
      
                              DANIEL
                Yes.    For now.
      
                            NYPD OFFICER
                We got your 911 call sir. But I
                chose to come in person.
      
                            DANIEL
                What do you mean exactly?
      
                            NYPD OFFICER
                I'm Trey, well, not Trey, that's not
                my real name of course, my real name
                is Barbara!
      
      Daniel backs away.
      
                            NYPD OFFICER (CONT'D)
                I love yoga too, I've eaten locusts,
                we've done the same Jungle Creep
                trips in Indonesia.
      
                              DANIEL
                What?
      
                            NYPD OFFICER
                I found you on my new dating App and
                when the 911 call address and the
                address on my App were the same, I
                knew it was a sign.
      
                            NYPD OFFICER (CONT'D)
                I told Joe, that's my NYPD partner,
                to stand down, let me handles and so
                here I am.
      
      Wipes her brow.
      
                            NYPD OFFICER (CONT'D)
                So, do you want to go and get Pizza.
                I know you like pizza...
      
      Sleigh bells plays as we suddenly cut to BLACK.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

        Code:
        [b]The Escape[/b]
        
        FADE IN.
        
        INT/EXT. CAR - DAY
        
        Subtitle:
        New York City
        
        "Empire state of mind" by Jay-Z plays in the car.
        
        Our driver, a thirty something male with a scruffy beard
        hits the breaks. He breathes heavily and observes his
        surroundings. This is JOE.
        
        He looks at his phone, 7:30 AM. December 25th
        
                              JOE
                    What the f*ck?
        
        REVEAL MARGIE (27) on the passenger side. She is dressed
        like a fairy.
        
                              MARGIE
                    What?
        
        Joe is startled!
        
                              JOE
                    AH!
        
                              MARGIE
                    What?
        
                              JOE
                    Who are you?!
        
                              MARGIE
                    What?
        
                              JOE
                    Where am I?
        
                              MARGIE
                    Dude... You... were
                    just... MUTHAF*CKING DRIVING A CAR
                    IN THE HIGHWAY WITH ME IN IT!
        
        Joe gets out of the car, having abruptly stopped in the
        middle of it all traffic starts to build.
        
        Margie gets out as well.
        
                            MARGIE (CON'T)
                  Joe, what the f*ck are you doing?
        
                            JOE
                  I don't know you! And who's Joe?
        
                             MARGIE
                  What? Dude. You okay?
        
        Joe walks down the middle of the street, the cars passing by
        his side just stare at the man.
        
                            JOE
                  DON'T FOLLOW ME!
        
        Margie continues to follow.
        
                            MARGIE
                  Can you stop for a second? Just
                  STOP!
        
        Joe takes his shirt off.
        
                            MARGIE (CON'T)
                  What is wrong with you? STOP!
        
        He takes his pants off and with them his shoes.
        
                               JOE
                  It's hot. So hot!
        
                               MARGIE
                  No it's--
        
        She picks up his shoes and pants.
        
                               MARGIE (CON'T)
                  Joe, STOP!
        
        Joe takes off his underwear, now totally nude in the middle
        of the highway, still walking.
        
                               MARGIE (CON'T)
                  Oh my God!
        
        Joe gets in the middle of one of the moving lanes, stopping
        traffic now on that side. Two out of the 3 lanes are now
        out of commission.
        
                            DRIVER
                  Move *sshole!
        
        The horns begin to sound out of various upset drivers.
        
                            MARGIE (CON'T)
                  Joe! You need to put your clothes
                  back on, you are going to get
                  arrested!
        
                            JOE
                  So hot!
        
        Sure enough, from the only moving lane a cop car shows
        up. In it, Rookie OFFICER MANN (mid 20's).
        
        He stops, closing off the third lane, and gets out of his
        vehicle.
        
        The officer approaches carefully, with his hand by his
        weapon.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                       (to the girl)
                  What's going on?
        
                            MARGIE
                  He just went crazy I--
        
                             DRIVER
                        (to officer)
                  HEY! Can you make this *sshole
                  move?
        
                             OFFICER MANN
                  Calm down!
                       (then to girl)
                  Is he on any medications?
        
                            MARGIE
                  No, not that I'm aware of.
        
        Joe is now dancing on top of the hood of the car, with the
        driver who has been cursing him out.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  What is your relationship to this
                  man?
        
                            MARGIE
                  He is my boyfriend. We were on the
                  way to his ex-wife's house to
                  deliver the gifts for his three
                  kids. Celebrate Christmas.
        
        Randomly, a second man gets out of his car, and takes his
        clothes off. He also starts dancing around.
        
        A third man does the same.
        
        then a fourth.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  What the hell is going on?
                       (to the men)
                  HEY! HEY! You all stop that!
        
        A NEWS HELICOPTER shows up. They are now being recorded and
        transmitted live!
        
                            OFFICER MANN (CON'T)
                  This is getting ugly. Tell you
                  what, that your car there?
        
                            MARGIE
                  Well, our car yes.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  Go in it, and move it out of the
                  road. I have to take these men in
                  before they harm themselves.
        
                            MARGIE
                  And then what?
        
                             OFFICER MANN
                  I don't--
                       (to the men)
                  Hey, STOP THAT! I will have to
                  taser you!
                       (then)
                  Just get if off the road.
        
        The officer proceeds to one by one place the men in the back
        of his car.
        
        He gets in, turns on the sirens and leaves.
        
        They drive for a while, with the four men in the back each
        observing the other. the officer breaks the silence.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  Joe, you didn't tell me you were
                  going to have friends with you?
        
                            JOE
                  I don't know these guys.
        
        The officer SLAMS on his brakes, the car stops.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  WHAT?!
        
                               JOE
                     Why did you guys take off your
                     clothes?
        
                                MAN 1
                     Well... I figured you were getting
                     arrested, and when I saw the
                     helicopter, I figured if my family
                     saw me getting arrested they would
                     understand why I'm not at Christmas
                     with them.
        
                               MAN 2
                     I, kinda figured the same. I don't
                     wanna see my f*cking family. So
                     boring.
        
                               MAN 3
                     Oh. I don't have a family so,
                     figured I could join you guys in
                     jail, have a story to tell.
        
        The officer starts laughing.
        
                               MAN 1
                     Why did you do it?
        
                                JOE
                     I didn't buy any presents, I didn't
                     want to. It's f*cking stupid and
                     gay. Jimmy and I planned this
                     weeks ago.
        
                               OFFICER MANN
                     Yeh, if they saw me arresting him,
                     that means I wouldn't have to go to
                     my family's either.
        
                               MAN 2
                     Oh.
                               MAN 3
                     Guess, we are kinda f*cked up
                     people, huh?
        
        The officer pops open a bottle of eggnog. And a bag of
        plastic cups.
        
        He hands each one of them a cup and serves them.
        
        The officer starts his car again and they head to an empty
        lot.
        
        EMPTY LOT.
        
        A news helicopter lands. the PILOT (male 40's), REPORTER
        (female 20's) and CAMERA MAN (male 20's) come out.
        
                            PILOT
                       (to officer)
                  Hope you got my nog' ready Jimmy!
        
        The 4 naked men step out of the vehicle.
        
                            REPORTER
                  Oh you brought the entertainment
                  too?
        
        The men, now in a more intimate setting, feel a little
        embarrassed and cover their privates with the free
        hand. Cup in the other hand.
        
                            JOE
                  Wait, you got them involved too?
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  Of course! I wasn't going to not
                  share this opportunity with my
                  friends!
        
                            CAMERA MAN
                  That's why I love you Jimmy! Got
                  to do my job, and dodge a bullet.
        
                            JOE
                  We really are ****ed up people.
        
                            OFFICER MANN
                  Guess we are. Merry Christmas?
        
                            JOE
                  Best one I've had.
        
                            EVERYONE
                  Me too/me too/hell yes!
        
                            MAN 2
                  Amen!
        
        They all laugh and drink up.
        
        EXT. SKY - SAME
        
        Santa Claus rides his sleigh, empty toy bag and tired.
        
        He looks down and sees the naked men, cop, and news crew
        celebrating, having a great time, drinking and toasting down
        under.
        
                            SANTA
                       (to reindeers)
                  That's the spirit! Ho, ho, ho!
        
                                         THE END.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

          Code:
          [b]Final Year Report[/b]
          
          INT. MEETING ROOM - NIGHT
          
          A MONTAGE of a series of GRAPHS and CHARTS display on a TV
          monitor. We are watching a presentation.
          
          A new graph with bars fills the screen, showing a slight
          tendency to increase. The last bar is significantly higher.
          A laser pointer scans the bars. A HIGH PITCHED VOICE
          comments.
          
                              HIGH PITCHED VOICE (OS)
                    ... with an increase this year of
                    the number of casualties about 2%.
          
                              DEEP VOICE (OS)
                    Was that the negligence issue in
                    Beijing?
          
                              HIGH PITCHED VOICE (OS)
                         (a bit nervous)
                    Er... well, it-it was an accident,
                    but yes. We lost three men there.
          
                              DEEP VOICE (OS)
                    And we couldn't deliver in time.
                    Continue, please.
          
          PULL BACK to finally reveal a very nervous BERNARD, the
          owner of the high pitched voice. He's near the screen, with
          a MOUSE on one hand and a LASER POINTER on the other. He's
          short, wearing a green costume and a red hat, like an ELF.
          Actually he's an elf. And yes, he has pointy ears. And no,
          he's not jolly happy.
          
          Same as all the other elves seating at the Board meeting
          table. GLORIA seats near Bernard. She nods quickly at him in
          approval and taps the table next to her (finish and sit
          down).
          
                              BERNARD
                         (relieved, quick)
                    And this concludes this final
                    year's report.
          
          The owner of the deep voice claps his big hands thunderously
          at the other end of the table. He's a big man wearing a red
          outfit and probably needs no presentation. His red hat is on
          the table.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Ho, ho, ho! Fantastic report,
                    Bernard. Please, sit down, my
                    little friend.
          
          Bernard slumps on his chair, a huge weight off his
          shoulders. Gloria taps his hand (good job). The rest of the
          elves clap after Santa in a not too enthusiastic manner.
          They all look so tired.
          
          Santa Claus stands, his massive body dwarfing the elves even
          more.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    I'm not going to lie and say I am
                    happy with the decline of quality
                    of service.
          
          Santa scans each of the elves, who shuffle uneasy on their
          chairs. You could call this a dramatic pause.
          
                              GLORIA
                    That was an accident, Santa.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Accidents happen because people are
                    lazy and don't follow procedures.
                    You should know more than anyone,
                    Gloria.
          
          Gloria simply smiles and hides her hurt feelings like a pro.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Children from all over the world
                    expect the most of us and we cannot
                    fail. Specially not in China. Not
                    in these days.
          
          Elves look at each other and frown. They don't approve
          Santa's lack of tact but no one dares to say.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    However! We are in Christmas and
                    the job was done, so I think we all
                    deserve our well earned holiday,
                    ho, ho, ho!
          
          Santa claps once and gathers the papers in front of him. He
          turns and gets ready to leave.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    So, if there's nothing else...
          
          Gloria nudges Bernard.
          
                              BERNARD
                    S-Santa, there's-ss actually
                    something we'd like to...
          
          Santa stops, surprised. This is new. Without losing his
          humor, Santa turns to the meeting table.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Ho, ho! And what is it, my dear
                    Bernard? Do I need to sit?
          
                              BERNARD
                    It might be better, Sir.
          
          Santa frowns slightly. What do these elves want? He slowly
          sits back on his chair. A long silence.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Well?
          
                              BERNARD
                    It's about over... time.
          
          Santa doesn't understand. And he looks scary when he doesn't
          understand. The elves move uneasy on their chairs.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    What overtime, Bernard?
          
          Bernard freezes for a moment, the figure of Santa is a bit
          overwhelming. Gloria moves her chair closer to him, for
          moral support.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    What's this all about, Gloria?
          
                              BERNARD
                         (regaining courage)
                    We-we work too many hours. There
                    are too many kids and we are not
                    enough. Accidents happen.
          
          So that was the problem.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    This is our job, Bernard. I wish I
                    could have more elves but they
                    don't grow on Christmas trees.
          
                              GLORIA
                         (sarcastic)
                    We don't have time to make new
                    elves, if you know what I mean.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Ho, ho, ho! Now, that's funny.
                    Maybe you should stop being a sad
                    widow and find a nice little elf
                    for you.
                         (winks)
                    If you know what I mean.
          
          Gloria flushes, a mix of anger and shame. A disapproving
          murmur fills the table.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    We cannot stop just because we lose
                    some elves, it's part of the
                    business.
          
          Bernard stands up, his face red in anger.
          
                              BERNARD
                    Some elves? Those elves killed in
                    Beijing included two of my cousins,
                    Twinkle and Bluestar!
          
          Santa pauses and messes his white beard, realizing this is
          more personal than it seems.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    I cannot guarantee your safety if
                    you don't follow the procedures.
          
                              BERNARD
                    Twinkle told me they were exhausted
                    wrapping the toys the whole night,
                    they didn't want to go out, but you
                    forced them.
          
          Gloria touches Bernard's arm. Bernard looks at her and calms
          down a little. He sits down. Santa shrugs.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    What can I do?
          
          It's Gloria's turn to stand up. She addresses all the elves
          making sure not to make eye contact with Santa.
          
                              GLORIA
                    We have talked and the Board has
                    decided to propose a vote of no
                    confidence against you, Santa.
          
          Santa Claus pauses for a moment, trying to find the right
          words.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Don't fvck with me, Gloria.
          
          The elves gasp at the swear word. Gloria ignores him.
          
                              GLORIA
                    Who is in favour? Please rise your
                    hand.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Nobody's going to--
          
          One by one all the elves rise their little hesitant hands.
          The last two are Bernard, then Gloria, more confident. Santa
          looks around in shock. Gloria looks at Santa, defiant.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    For Heaven's sake. What do you
                    think you are doing?
          
                              GLORIA
                         (as firm as possible)
                    It's unanimous. Santa, you are no
                    longer part of this company, or the
                    North Pole.
          
          Santa looks at the elves, he cannot believe what's
          happening. He addresses one of them.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Zachary, you too? You rode with me
                    on the sledge. You don't remember?
          
          Zachary's hand trembles a little. He looks at Santa with
          sadness in his eyes but his hand stays up. He knows what's
          he's doing. Gloria smiles.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    This is all your doing, Gloria...
          
                              GLORIA
                    I think you should leave, Santa.
          
          Santa stands up slowly, his head a bit dizzy. The elves
          slowly lower their hands. Santa turns to Bernard.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Bernard, I picked you up when you
                    were a little boy, starving and
                    cold in the snow.
          
          Bernard looks sadly at Santa, painful memories flowing. He
          looks away.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    I gave you shelter and food. I gave
                    you a purpose. To all of you!
          
                              BERNARD
                    We are slaves.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    I should have left you to the
                    wolves.
          
          A long pause. Santa nods, understanding. So this is it. He
          looks at all the elves, as the father of this big family. A
          family that doesn't want him any more.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    All right. All right. If this is
                    what you all want.
          
          Santa turns and walks to the door. Gloria cannot hide her
          triumphant grin. Santa stops at the door frame and turns.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    I only have one question.
          
          The elves sitting at the table, with Gloria standing at the
          head, look up at Santa.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Who is going to replace me?
          
                              GLORIA
                    We haven't decided yet. We will
                    have a vote.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Really? Ho, ho, ho...
          
          Santa turns around and sits back on his chair, which creaks
          under his weight. Bernard looks at Gloria. She shrugs. They
          have no idea what's happening.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                         (to Gloria)
                    It might be better if you take a
                    seat, dear.
          
          Gloria doesn't.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    The regulations state that only a
                    person living on the North Pole can
                    take command of Christmas.
          
                              GLORIA
                    Any of us could do the job. We all
                    live on the North Pole.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Yes, but you are not... persons.
                    Not in a human way at least.
          
                              GLORIA
                    But--
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                         (disgusted)
                    You are just... elves. Many people
                    don't believe you even exist.
          
                              GLORIA
                    Many people don't believe in you
                    either.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Alas! But even those consider me a
                    person, don't they? A human person.
                    You are nobody.
          
          Gloria sits down slowly. She looks down, holding her tiny
          hands. Bernard looks for an answer in her face but Gloria
          doesn't look back at him. The rest of the elves are really
          concerned about the turn of events.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Ho, ho, ho! It seems I'm going to
                    be around a bit more.
          
          Santa claps his knees and stands up. He looks at all of his
          elves. Bernard looks at him. What's gonna happen?
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    However! Don't be so sad. It's
                    Christmas! Ho, ho, ho! Look, this
                    is what we'll do.
          
          Bernard looks at Santa and smiles slightly. The old good
          Santa?
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    All those who want to leave,
                    there's the door. No hard feelings.
                    It's the worst of Winter and you
                    are old and not used to the
                    wilderness... But freedom comes
                    with a price.
          
          Santa looks at Gloria and smiles victorious.
          
                               SANTA CLAUS
                    I'd suggest you, Gloria, take the
                    lead for that group. You will be
                    able to command something, as you
                    always wanted. Maybe not for long
                    but... ho!
          
          Gloria cannot help start weeping softly. Bernard doesn't
          dare to comfort her. Santa looks at Bernard in the eye, his
          blood evaporating from his face.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    To all the others, I want a smile
                    stuck on your rat faces from now on
                    and move your tiny butts to the
                    production line... NOW!
          
                              ZACHARY
                    And the holidays?
          
          Bernard puts a finger to his lips (shut up!). Santa walks to
          the door. He remembers something else.
          
                              SANTA CLAUS
                    Oh, and Merry Christmas to all! Ho,
                    ho, ho!
          
                               END

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

            Code:
            [b]The Gift[/b]
            
            EXT. DESERT - DAY
            
            The SUN. It beats down upon
            
            CALIFORNIA'S INTERSTATE 10.
            
            The heat rises from the road as a Dodge Challenger zooms
            past.
            
            
            INT. DODGE - DAY
            
            MARK, single and self-absorbed, changes channels on his XM
            radio.
            
            The car slowly drifts to the left lane. A loud car horn and
            Mark quickly jerks the wheel. Back in his lane, He watches
            in the rear view as a car goes the opposite way.
            
            Mark shrugs. He goes back to the radio.
            
            
            EXT. DESERT - DAY
            
            A TARANTULA, the typical hairy, big, shivers down your back
            type,scurries across the dusty and arid ground.
            
            It dodges rocks and other debris as it hastily moves across
            the desert floor.
            
            It stops abruptly. A HAWK scouts the desert from atop a
            large rock.
            
            The Tarantula creeps from rock to dead wood to cactus.
            
            Suddenly, traditional Mexican music blares. The Hawk,
            startled, flies away.
            
            The Tarantula hesitates under a barrel cactus.      He scans the
            area. He sees a brightly painted gas station.
            
            The Tarantula moves. His legs are almost a blur as he jukes
            and jives the obstacles in his path.
            
            
            INT. DODGE - DAY
            Mark sees the gas station. He slows down and pulls in.
            
            
            EXT. DESERT - DAY
            
            The Tarantula enters the open back door of the
            
            GAS STATION
            
            It scurries along the floor and takes refuge in the shadow
            of a large table.
            
            It climbs one of the legs.
            
            Mark stands on the other side of the table. He scans the
            many fruit baskets crammed on it.
            
            One of the baskets, in the back row, has a large red and
            green bow on the handle.
            
            Mark picks it up, turns, and walks out the door.
            
            
            INT. / EXT. DODGE - DAY
            
            The GAS ATTENDANT peers in the driver's side window.
            
                                GAS ATTENDANT
                      Forty for the gas and ten for the
                      fruit, Amigo.
            
            Mark hands the man a Fifty, rolls up the window, and dons
            his shades.
            
            
            EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
            
            The dodge blows out of the station and back onto the
            Interstate.
            
            
            INT. / EXT. DODGE - DAY
            
            Mark goes back to fidgeting with his radio. He hits the
            buttons, changes channels, and occasionally looks up at the
            road.
            
            The car drifts once again into the wrong lane. Mark doesn't
            notice the 18-wheeler rushing his way.
            
            The Semi lays on the horn.
            
                                MARK
                      ****!
            
            Mark jerks the wheel. The truck narrowly zooms past. The
            fruit basket flies across the back seat.
            
            Mark regains his composure, laughs, and drives on.
            
            He reaches back with one hand and uprights the basket.
            
            He reaches around for the loose fruit while keeping his eyes
            on the road. He gropes around until he grabs an orange.
            
            He lifts the orange up, revealing the Tarantula, unseen by
            Mark.
            
            Mark tosses the orange toward the basket.
            
            Mark reaches and feels around for more fruit. The Tarantula
            dodging his every move.
            
            Mark's hand is about to clutch the spider. It rears up to
            sink its fangs when the phone rings.
            
            Mark's hand quickly retreats from the back seat. He hits
            the answer button on the radio.
            
                                MOM (O.S)
                      Mark, honey, don't forget your
                      sister and little Beth's gift.
            
            Mark huffs.
            
                                MARK
                      I've got it Mom. I'll drop it off
                      at their place before coming home.
            
                                MOM (O.S)
                      Okay dear. Did you get them
                      something from Vegas?
            
            Mark scratches his head.
            
                                MARK
                      No, I picked something up along the
                      way.
            
            Mom's voice changes from sweet to sour.
            
                                MOM (O.S)
                      Dammit Mark you didnt get them
                      something lame again like a fruit
                      basket did you?
            
            Mark looks shocked.
            
                                MARK
                      Traffic's bad Mom gotta go.
            
            Mark hits the "end call" button.
            
            
            EXT. INTERSTATE 10 - DAY
            
            A Cadillac rolls up next to the Dodge.
            
            
            INT. / EXT. DODGE - DAY
            
            Mark looks over at the old car. An old woman looks back at
            Mark, horrified. An old man screams and points at Mark.
            
            
            INT. / EXT. CADILLAC - DAY CONTINUOUS
            
            The Old Man and Old Woman scream frantically at Mark.
            
            The Tarantula rests on Mark's shoulder.
            
            Mark gives them a funny look.
            
            
            INT. DODGE - DAY
            
                                MARK
                      Crazy old people.
            
            Mark presses the gas pedal. He glances back in his rear
            view as the Dodge zooms ahead.
            
            He sees his exit.
            
            The Tarantula creeps along the top of the head rest. It
            brushes by Mark's hair.
            
            Mark reaches up to scratch his head, narrowly missing the
            spider as it goes over the back of the seat.
            
            The Tarantula goes under the seat.
            
            Mark stops at a red light. His hand on the steering wheel,
            taps to the beat of the music. His right foot taps the gas
            pedal the same way.
            
            The Tarantula emerges from under the seat. It watches
            Mark's tapping foot.
            
            It curiously creeps to it.
            
            Mark presses the gas pedal.
            
            Mark's foot move from one pedal to the next as the spider
            playfully moves his legs at it.
            
            
            EXT. DRIVEWAY - DAY
            
            The Dodge pulls into a driveway.
            
            Mark gets out of the car. He opens the back door.
            
            He gets into
            
            THE BACKSEAT
            
            Mark grabs up the loose fruit, shoves them in the basket.
            He reaches under the driver's seat.
            
            His face turns concerned.
            
                                  MARK
                        What is this?
            
            Mark pulls back his hand, holding a dried up old
            sock. Disgusted he tosses back in the floor.
            
            He shrugs and exits the car.
            
            
            EXT. DRIVEWAY - DAY
            
            Mark walks up to the front door.  He knocks while entering
            
            
            THE HOUSE
            
            His sister Kim and his niece BETH stand waiting. Beth, a
            twelve year-old goth, stares, unimpressed. Mark looks
            uneasy. Beth's eyes burn a hole into Mark's soul.
            
            He nervously extends the basket to Kim. She gives a
            half-hearted smile.
            
            At that moment, the Tarantula crawls over Mark's shoulder.
            
            Kim is aghast.  Beth smiles like never before.
            
                                  BETH
                        Thank you uncle Mark!   It's the
                        best gift ever!
            
            Mark looks confused. The Tarantula crawls down Mark's chest
            as Beth snatches it.
            
            Mark's eyes go wide. He is paralyzed. Kim takes the basket
            and shakes her head.
            
            Beth runs off with her new friend.
            
            Mark is barely able to speak.
            
                                MARK
                      Merry Christmas?!
            
                                   END

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

              Code:
              [b]Every Dog[/b]
              
              FADE IN:
              
              INT/EXT. CAR - MICHIGAN - NIGHT
              
              SUBTITLES APPEARS:
              
                                   DAGGET, MI - 2014
              
              A man drives through an uninhabited neighborhood.
              On and off he looks at himself in the rear-view mirror.
              
              He is wearing thick, dark glasses, and speaks with a THICK
              Russian accent.
              
              This is EROL (50).   He smiles.
              
                                   EROL
                         You vant camera, Dad buy
                         camera. You vant, I get!
              
              We pan to the box on the passenger side from Erol's POV.
              
              It says:
                                   "HD HIDDEN CAMERA GLASSES"
              
              The box has a picture of the glasses Erol is wearing. The
              camera is mounted on the bridge of the glasses.
              
              We view everything from that camera's perspective.
              The smiling man again glances on and off to see himself in
              the rear view mirror.
              
                                   EROL (CON'T)
                         No one can tell! Kid how you like
                         my pretty face now? Number von Dad
                         right?
                              (huge laughter)
                         Aah! That's meee!
              
              He puts his index finger up pointing at his cheesy smile.
              
                                   EROL (CON'T)
                         I see your face already when you
                         see gift! This so great!
              
              
              EXT. EROL'S HOME - SAME
              
              Erol parks in front of his home. It's a poor, almost
              deserted block.
              
              His broken down house is the only one decorated for the
              Christmas season, there is even a faint digital jingle bells
              tune playing from the front yard. He tried.
              
              The man gets out.
              
                                  EROL (CON'T)
                        Look at this! MTV Cribs. Happy
                        lights all over! happy si--
              
                                  MAN (O.S.)
                        YO!
              
              We pan to the right with Erol, it's his only neighbor, JAN
              (40's). A fat, trashy man holding an over-sized can of
              beer. Any other day, you'd mistaken him for homeless.
              
                                  EROL
                        Janny boy! Ey! Happy Christmas.
              
                                  JAN
                        Merry Erol... It's Merry.
              
                                  EROL
                        Same chit.
              
                                  JAN
                        New glasses, eh?
              
                                  EROL
                        For kid.   Look, camera.
              
              Erol's TAPS the lens with his finger, making our view
              Dark/image/dark/image.
              
                                  JAN
                        Ah, yeah. Look at that. F*ckin'
                        gadgets. He's gonna love
                        it. How's the acting?
              
                                  EROL
                        Grade A! My son almost good as
                        Keanu Reeves.
              
                                  JAN
                        That's horrible, don't say that.
              
                                  EROL
                          Why not? American super star!
              
                                  JAN
                          Ah... Sure, as long as he got no
                          lines.
              
              Jan's dog CHASE starts BARKING in the background.
              
                                  JAN (CON'T)
                          ****ing dog. He smells whatever
                          piss those feral dogs leave at
                          night. Makes him crazy.
              
              Erol puts his arms in front of him and grabs Jan's face.
              
                                    EROL
                          It's fine! All happy today. Even
                          wild dogs should have Christmas!
                               (beat)
                          Give me hug you smelly man!
              
              They hug.
              
                                    JAN
                          Ah, you big puss.
              Erol walks towards his front door while speaking to Jan.
              
                                    EROL (CON'T)
                          Say hi to family for me.
                                    JAN (O.S.)
                          Chase is my family.
              
                                    EROL
                          Then say woof for me!
                                    JAN (O.S.)
                          That's funny... Keanu funny.
              
              Erol laughs, he fiddles with his keys.
              
              
              INT. EROL'S HOME - SAME
              
              As we walk in, a glorious Christmas tree lights up Erol's
              living room, but our sight quickly moves to the couch.
              A woman lays in that dirty couch, that's his wife (45).
              
                                   EROL
                               (quietly)
                          Oh, your Mother sleep!
              
              Quick glance at the watch.
              
                                   EROL (CON'T)
                         Only 10 p-m. Ver are youuuu?
              
              Pan up as Erol turns around to shut the door REVEAL masked
              man POINTING GUN directly at him!
              
                                   EROL (CON'T)
                                 (startled)
                         Woah!
              
              BLAM!   The man fires.
              
              We fall over with Erol who amidst some moans and crawling
              ends up facing the inside of the house.
              
              There, around the couch, the legs of his son motionless.
              
              The dog barks outside, Erol crawls towards him but the
              masked man walks in front and block his path. His shoes
              block the view.
              
              BLAM! Another gun shot.
              
              With each gun shot the camera shakes violently.
              
              BLAM! BLAM! Then... Silence.
              
              The camera is lifted.     We are shut off.
              
              
              EXT. OHIO AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
              
              SUBTITLE APPEARS:
              
                                      TERRACE PARK, OH - ONE YEAR LATER
              
              A group of carolers singing joyous Christmas music fill the
              air's sound!
              
              This is a neighborhood of wealth, the houses are
              extravagant, and the front yards spare no expense on their
              seasonal decoration. This is the best Ohio has to offer.
              
              
              INT. VADIM'S HOUSE/BASEMENT - NIGHT
              
              VADIM (55), a bearded man with a mangled face comes to, he
              is tied up in a chair.
              
              A quick examination of the room and he panics!
              
                                  VADIM
                        What the f*ck is this?
              
              In front of his chair is a table, with his son's MATH TOY,
              and a butcher's cleaver.
              
              A man, dressed as SANTA, sits across the table.
              
                                  VADIM (CON'T)
                        Where is my son!?
              
              Santa runs his thumb through his own neck.
              There is a moment of silence, as tears develop is Vadim's
              eyes.
                                  VADIM (CON'T)
                        He was a child.
              
              He tries to move, but can't.
              
                                  VADIM (CON'T)
                        A F*CKING child!
              
              Santa just tilt's his head curiously then turns on the son's
              math toy.
              
              The toy's sound, is a kid friendly female voice.
              
                                   TOY (V.O.)
                        Hello! Ready for some math?
              
              Santa presses "yes"
              
                                   TOY (V.O.)(CON'T)
                        Great! Let's start.
              
                                  VADIM (CON'T)
                        If this is about business, I'm sure
                        we can fix this somehow. Who sent
                        you? Tell me!
                             (beat)
                        Who is the coward? Boris? Huh?
              
              The question on the toy reads: "4+4 = ?"
              
              Santa presses the number "3".
              
                                   TOY (V.O.)
                        Try again!
              
                                   VADIM
                        Vladimir?     That cockroach?
              
                                   TOY (V.O.)
                        Try again!
              
              Vadim tries to kick in anger, but his feet are also tied.
              
                                  VADIM
                        F********CK!
                             (in a calmer tone)
                        Fine! Fine. Whatever they are
                        paying you I-- I can double.
              
                                  TOY (V.O.)
                        Try again!
              
                                  VADIM
                        What is it? Standard? Ten G's?
              
                                     TOY (V.O.)
                        Try again!
              
              Santa picks up the butcher's cleaver and lifts it up in the
              air when--
              
                                  VADIM
                        AH! I can give you Fifty! A
                        hundred! I give you A HUNDRED
                        THOUSAND DOLLARS Just--
              
              Vadim pants as Santa lowers the cleaver.
              
              In a thick Russian accent:
              
                                  SANTA
                        That is same thing I said to man
                        you sent to kill me. Where?
              
              Santa pulls down his beard, it's EROL.
              
                                  VADIM
                        Erol?
              
                                  EROL
                        Don't like the costume? For what I
                        vill do I could also be dressed as
                        Robin Hood if you like.
              
                                   VADIM
                        But... I saw the tape... I saw--
              
                                   EROL
                        You saw what I vanted! Top grade A
                        acting no? My son, he good as
                        Keanu Reeves now... As long as no
                        talk required. Runs in family.
                              (beat)
                        No? Lighten up, It's bad accent
                        joke.
              
              Erol lifts up the meat cleaver again.
              
                                  EROL (CON'T)
                        I have to pay that man. Vere's the
                        money?
              
                                  VADIM
                        Wait, wait! It's upstairs, in my
                        safe. Erol, you have to--
              
                                  EROL
                        Combination?
              
                                  VADIM
                             (nervously)
                        It was the boss, it-- it was not my
                        call Erol. You know me!
              
              Erol GETS UP and SLAMS the cleaver into the table!
              
                                  EROL
                             (screaming)
                        COMBINATION!
              
                                   VADIM
                        Okay! Sh*t Erol! Sh*t! It's my
                        son's birthday. Ten, sixteen,
                        zero-zero.
              
                                  EROL
                        Very Cute. And Don't vory, boss
                        get his. Santa visiting bad boys.
              
                                   VADIM
                        Erol. Please.
              
              Erol cracks his knuckles. `
              
                                  VADIM (CON'T)
                        I just-- I had to... You can't
                        just split from the mafia like that
                        Erol.
              
                                     EROL
                         Vhy not? You are about to.
              
              Erol raises the butcher's cleaver anew. Christmas music
              softly takes us to the next scene as Santa
              
              CHOPS!   CHOPS!   CHOPS!
              
              
              EXT. VADIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT
              
              A child (5) plays outside in the snow.
              
              Erol, coming out of the house still dressed as Santa and
              dragging a huge red bag, hands the child the Math toy.
              
                                   EROL
                         Go inside, vait for your Mother.
              
              The child RUNS inside.
              
              
              INT/EXT. CAR - MICHIGAN - NIGHT
              
              SUBTITLES APPEARS:
              
                                      DAGGET, MI
              
              We drive in same desolate neighborhood we've come to
              know. Christmas music blares out of Erol's car, he sings
              along.
              
                                   EROL
                         Deck the halls
                         with... Fa-la-la-la-la-la...
              
              He comes across the pack of feral dogs in his neighborhood.
              He stops, reaches into his red Santa bag, and throws pieces
              of freshly cut meat to the dogs while yelling:
              
                                   EROL (CON'T)
                         Ho-ho-ho!     Happy Christmas!
              
              REVEAL Jan in the passenger side with Chase on his lap, he
              counts the money.
              
                                   JAN
                         Merry Erol... It's Merry.
              
              Erol smiles.
              
                                      EROL
                         Same chit.
              
                                                                   KONETS.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                Code:
                [b]Give Generously[/b]
                
                FADE IN:
                
                INT. POLICE SQUAD ROOM - DAY
                
                TEN SANTA CLAUSES stand in a line. They carry bells and
                charity boxes.
                
                DETECTIVE JERRY DONNER and LIEUTENANT CLARK KENT face them.
                
                Donner's a rumpled modern-day Columbo with a bad attitude
                who does things his way. Kent's an uptight pr!ck who
                detests the very air Donner breathes.
                
                                       DONNER
                           Gotta say the boys are looking
                           pretty smart, Clark.
                
                                       KENT
                           That's Lieutenant Kent to you,
                           Donner.
                               (to the Santas)
                           We're all clear on the signals?
                           "Sleigh Bells" means they're in
                           motion. When we have positive
                           visual of the perps going into the
                           bank, the signal is "Reindeer."
                
                Donner rolls his eyes, Jesus.
                
                                       KENT (CONT'D)
                           The "go" signal is, "The presents
                           are beneath the Christmas tree."
                           On that signal, you converge on
                           the bank and arrest the perps.
                
                Dumb Santa holds up his hand.
                
                Kent lifts his chin, inviting him to speak.
                
                                       DUMB SANTA
                           Are we allowed to use lethal force?
                
                                       KENT
                           You may use whatever force is
                           appropriate for the situation.
                           The perps will most likely be armed.
                           You will challenge them and demand
                           they surrender their weapons. If
                           they refuse, you may open fire.
                
                                       DONNER
                           These guys are professional crooks,
                           they're gonna be packing heat and
                           they're not gonna give it up.
                
                                       KENT
                           You don't know--
                
                                      DONNER
                          Seriously, you should call SWAT
                          and tell them to set up a death
                          zone, no one comes out alive.
                
                                      KENT
                          Jesus, Donner, will you just--
                
                                      HUGGABLE SANTA
                          We're gonna let them enter the
                          bank?
                
                                      KENT
                          If they don't enter the bank and
                          attempt to rob it, we have nothing!
                          They walk! We have to wait until
                          they go inside and demand money
                          from the bank staff. That's when
                          I'll give the "go" signal.
                
                                      DUMB SANTA
                          The Christmas tree?
                
                                      KENT
                          The presents are beneath the
                          Christmas tree. Beneath the tree.
                
                                      LARCENOUS SANTA
                          Do we get to keep the money they
                          give us?
                
                                      HUGGABLE SANTA
                          That money's for the kids, man.
                
                                      DONNER
                          No, you drop the boxes and the
                          bells and you run into the bank
                          and you shoot those motherfuggers.
                
                                      KENT
                          Jesus Christ, Donner.
                
                                      RELIGIOUS SANTA
                          When you blaspheme at Christmas,
                          it's ten times as bad.
                
                Kent glares, barely able to stop himself from twitching.
                
                                      DONNER
                          You sure the Captain approved this?
                
                                      KENT
                          Of course he did, he gave me total
                          authority.
                              (to the Santas)
                          Saddle up! Let's move out!
                
                INT. RENTAL TRUCK - DAY
                
                Engine noise. TEN BAD SANTAS are crowded inside.   They're
                jostled around by the truck's movement.
                
                These grim-looking felons are led by NIRO, a professional
                heist artist who takes cool to a new level. Niro pulls
                his fake beard down to speak.
                
                                      NIRO
                          Let's go over it one more time.
                          Mister Partridge?
                
                                      MISTER PARTRIDGE
                          I take care of the guard inside
                          the entrance, on the left.
                
                                      NIRO
                          Mister Turtle Doves?
                
                                      MISTER TURTLE DOVES
                          I take care of the guard inside
                          the entrance, on the right, bam.
                
                                      NIRO
                          Nobody told you to bam him. Take
                          his gun and make sure he doesn't
                          cause any trouble. Mister French
                          Hens?
                
                Mister French Hens holds up an electronic gizmo.
                
                                      MISTER FRENCH HENS
                          I got the security cameras and the
                          alarm systems.
                
                                      NIRO
                          Mister Calling Birds?
                
                                      MISTER CALLING BIRDS
                          These names are the stupidest thing
                          I ever fuggin heard. Why can't I
                          be called Mister Blue or something?
                
                                      MISTER PARTRIDGE
                          Mister Blue gets shot by the cops.
                
                                      MISTER CALLING BIRDS
                          The fugg are you talking about?
                
                                      NIRO
                          Maybe we can discuss film
                          appreciation some other time.
                          Mister Calling Birds?
                
                                      MISTER CALLING BIRDS
                          Yeah yeah, I take care of the locks
                          and get us into the vault.
                
                                       NIRO
                          Thank you. Mister Golden Rings?
                
                                      MISTER GOLDEN RINGS
                          I take care of anyone in the vault.
                
                                      NIRO
                          Mister Geese-A-Laying?
                
                Everyone chuckles at this stupid fuggin name. Someone
                makes a "Bwawk!" noise. Mister Geese-A-Laying angrily
                looks for the culprit.
                
                                      NIRO (CONT'D)
                          When you're ready.
                
                                      MISTER GEESE-A-LAYING
                          I jimmy the main vault's time lock
                          and pop the door.
                
                                      NIRO
                          If you can't do it in two minutes,
                          we drop everything and walk.
                
                                       MISTER GEESE-A-LAYING
                          I'll do it in one. This ain't my
                          first rodeo.
                
                                      NIRO
                          I like a man with confidence.
                          Mister Swans-A-Swimming?
                
                                      MISTER SWANS-A-SWIMMING
                          Safety deposit boxes, I pop 'em,
                          me and Mister Golden Rings empty
                          everything into the bags and get
                          the fugg out of there.
                
                                         NIRO
                          Outstanding. Mister Maids-A-
                          Milking?
                
                Chuckles and giggling from the others, this is an even
                stupider nickname to have.
                
                                      MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                              (woman's voice)
                          I ask the bank manager to open the
                          secret safe in his office and give
                          me the bearer bonds inside.
                
                Everyone looks at Miss Maids-A-Milking because it's obvious
                now he ain't a Mister, he's a Miss.
                
                                      NIRO
                          What if he says no?
                
                Miss Maids-A-Milking pulls a syringe from her pocket.
                
                                      MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                          I inject this into his neck, then
                          ask him again in thirty seconds.
                
                                      MISTER GEESE-A-LAYING
                          Why not just inject the fugg right
                          away? Why waste time?
                
                Miss Maids-A-Milking looks away, doesn't answer.
                
                                      NIRO
                          It might kill him.
                
                Everyone looks at Niro.
                
                                      NIRO (CONT'D)
                          We get caught, we do fifteen to
                          twenty for bank robbery. If he
                          dies, she gets a life sentence.
                
                He lets this sink in.
                
                                      NIRO (CONT'D)
                          I think I'd want to ask him nicely
                          first. Wouldn't you?
                
                The truck horn meeps three times.
                
                                        NIRO (CONT'D)
                          Get ready. Let's do this.
                
                Everyone draws their piece and checks it's loaded, except
                for Miss Maids-A-Milking and Nico. They give each other
                another look.
                
                They all jerk as the truck stops. The engine falls silent.
                
                EXT. ALLEYWAY - RENTAL TRUCK - DAY
                
                Snow lies on the ground. The rental truck's back doors
                swing open. A ramp slides out, its end drops, hits the
                ground. The Bad Santas emerge from the back of the truck,
                empty sacks slung over their shoulders.
                
                                      KENT (V.O.)
                          Sleigh Bells, Sleigh Bells.
                
                
                EXT. STORE OPPOSITE BANK - DAY
                
                Nico studies the reflection of the bank entrance in the
                store window. He turns his head to the left, and nods.
                
                The Bad Santas cross the street.
                
                EXT. CHARITY SANTA IN STREET - DAY
                
                Huggable Santa rings his bell.
                
                                     HUGGABLE SANTA
                          Yo ho ho! Give generously, it's
                          Christmas! Yo ho ho!
                
                A PASSER-BY drops change into the box, but Huggable Santa's
                attention is on something further along the street.
                
                
                EXT. DONNER'S CAR - DAY
                
                Donner sits parked some way up the street, his window down,
                smoking. He sees the Bad Santas crossing the street, WTF?
                
                                      KENT (V.O.)
                          Reindeer, I repeat, Reindeer. We
                          have gone to Reindeer.
                
                Donner ditches the cig and snatches up his radio mike.
                
                                      DONNER (INTO RADIO)
                          They're wearing Santa costumes,
                          repeat, they're dressed as Santas,
                          watch out for blue on blue.
                
                Donner gets out, draws his piece, starts running.
                
                
                INT. BANK - DAY
                
                The Bad Santas enter the bank. BANK STAFF and CUSTOMERS
                think it's a joke, until the Bad Santas show their guns.
                
                Mister Partridge and Mister Turtle Doves cover the guards.
                Mister French Hens points his gizmo at a security camera,
                its red light goes out. Mister French Hens smiles.
                
                Nico jumps up onto a desk.
                
                                      NICO
                          Merry Christmas! We're here to
                          rob the bank, not you personally.
                          Stay calm and nobody will get hurt.
                
                Miss Maids-A-Milking goes to the Manager's Office door,
                she knocks politely, enters and closes the door.
                
                The rest of the Bad Santas head for the vault.
                
                EXT. BANK ENTRANCE - DAY
                
                Donner meets up with the converging undercover cop Santas.
                They huddle at the door, peeking inside.
                
                                      HUGGABLE SANTA
                          We haven't heard the "go" signal!
                
                                      DONNER
                          Where the hell is Kent?
                
                
                EXT. ALLEYWAY - RENTAL TRUCK - DAY
                
                The driver's door opens, a black Santa boot steps down.
                
                The Bad Santa truck driver holds a smoking gun.
                
                Kent lies dead, crimson spatter in the snow.
                
                
                INT. BANK MANAGER'S OFFICE - DAY
                
                The BANK MANAGER gapes as Miss Maids-A-Milking pulls her
                beard down and smiles at him.
                
                                       BANK MANAGER
                          Matilda?
                
                                       MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                          Hi, Pops. Got a second?
                
                
                INT. BANK - DAY
                
                Donner leads the undercover cop Santa charge inside. The
                Bad Santas spin and start shooting! The undercover Santas
                shoot back! Staff and customers duck for cover, screaming!
                Guns blaze, Santas go down everywhere!
                
                Nico realizes he's screwed. He runs for a side door, grabs
                a FEMALE HOSTAGE on the way.
                
                Donner sees him making his getaway, and gives chase.
                
                
                INT. LONG CORRIDOR - DAY
                
                Nico sprints like Tom Cruise, dragging the yelping Female
                Hostage. Donner slams through the door, takes aim.
                
                                      DONNER
                          That's far enough, pal!
                
                Nico skids to a stop, his back to Donner. A slow smile.
                
                                      FEMALE HOSTAGE
                          Oh my God please don't kill me.
                
                                      NICO
                          Lucky for you it's Christmas.
                
                Nico pushes her away and spins, shooting! Donner shoots
                back. Nico goes down. Female Hostage screams.
                
                INT. BANK MANAGER'S OFFICE - DAY
                
                Miss Maids-A-Milking holds the syringe needle at the
                terrified Bank Manager's throat.
                
                                       MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                           Last chance, Pops. Open the safe.
                
                The Bank Manager peers over her shoulder. She looks back.
                Donner's in the doorway, gun aimed at her. She puts the
                syringe on the desk, kisses the Bank Manager on the head.
                
                Donner cuffs her and leads her to the door.
                
                                       BANK MANAGER
                           We'll always love you, Matilda.
                
                                       MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                           Say hi to Mom for me.
                
                INT. BANK - DAY
                
                Many Santas lie in various positions of violent death.
                The still-living Bad Santas are cuffed and led away by the
                undercover cop Santas.
                
                INT. DONNER'S CAR - DAY
                
                Miss Maids-A-Milking is in the passenger seat, still cuffed.
                Donner climbs into the driver's seat, pulls his door shut.
                
                                       MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                           Don't I get a ride in a squad car?
                
                                       DONNER
                           How about you come back to my place
                           for the holidays instead? I'll be
                           your daddy.
                
                                       MISS MAIDS-A-MILKING
                           You had me at "come".
                
                Donner makes out with her. She gives as good as she gets.
                
                Cue sleigh bell music, and--
                
                FADE OUT

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                  Code:
                  [b]Christmas Beauty[/b]
                  
                  EXT. ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - EARLY MORNING
                  
                  We're FLYING above mountains, snow covered forests, backwoods
                  America, DESCENDING SLOWLY over a dirt road that cuts through
                  a grove of trees.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            My name is Douglas Pine. This is my
                            neighborhood. This is my road.
                            This... is my life. I'm forty-two
                            years old. In less than a month,
                            I'll be dead.
                  
                  Quiet shot of the woods. A faded, beat up Ford pick-up
                  appears on the mountain road and pulls to a stop.
                  
                                       DOUG (V.O.)
                            Of course, I don't know that yet.
                                (beat)
                            And in a way I already am.
                  
                  An overweight, tired looking middle aged MAN gets out. He
                  grabs binoculars from his truck and wades through knee deep
                  snow to the middle of an open field.
                  
                  The man stares through the field glasses at something in the
                  woods. He talks on a hand held radio but we can't hear him.
                  
                                       DOUG (V.O.)
                            Look at me, standing there.
                                (then)
                            This will be the high point of my
                            day. It's all downhill from here.
                  
                  A large flatbed truck pulls up and parks behind the pick-up.
                  Several BURLY OBNOXIOUS MEN spill out and look over at the
                  man in the field. They SNEER and HOOT.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            Lest you think otherwise, this is
                            not some sappy holiday story. This
                            is a tale of torture and slow
                            death. Mine.
                  
                  The burly men LAUGH as they throw back beer.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            And these are my killers.
                  
                  A cacophony of sound and confusing images SMASH into view
                  before us. Snow FLIES. THWACK. GRUNTS. THWACK. The FLASH of
                  an ax. More snow.
                  
                                      MAN (O.S.)
                            Ouch! Damn, I'm bleeding!
                  
                  Dirty rope. GRUNTS. A silent SCREAM.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            I scratched and fought my attackers
                            with all my might. But in the
                            end... they were stronger.
                  
                  An earth crushing THUMP.
                  
                                       BURLY MAN (O.S.)
                            Quick, grab that limb so he doesn't
                            flip back.
                  
                  A DRAGGING sound.
                  
                  We follow a track in the snow of someone being dragged
                  through it.
                  
                  On the snow next to the drag mark is a trail of crimson blood
                  droplets.
                  
                  Something is hoisted with GRUNTS and drops with a THUD. We
                  see an oily tarp and rope now hide something on the back of
                  the flatbed truck.
                  
                  Doug's POV: Inside the dirty tarp. A truck engine ROARS to
                  life and the tarp bounces as we RUMBLE along a road.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            It was the last time I would see my
                            family. Unable to move in the
                            tightly wrapped tarp I could only
                            focus on the severe sharp pain in
                            my lower limb. I knew I was losing
                            too much fluid and my time was
                            near.
                  
                  
                  EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT
                  
                  A park blanketed in snow glistens in the moonlight. The burly
                  men grunt and drag something in the dark. We can not make out
                  what they are doing as they move around with purpose in the
                  black of night.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            I catch my breath as they remove
                            the tarp but they quickly muzzle me
                            with an electric cord wound tightly
                            around my entire body. They ensured
                            I would not escape in the night by
                            putting my lower limb in metal vice
                            with screws tightened deep into my
                            flesh.
                  
                  A white house is seen a short distance away. A LARGE white
                  house. THE White House. A field of small Christmas trees
                  lights up all at once. And then they shut off just as quick.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            Through that last long night I had
                            countless hooks stabbed into my
                            skin which dangled weights from my
                            broken and painful limbs. They
                            stood me up and left me to die.
                  
                  The men high five each other and laugh as they wander out of
                  the park. The moon shines down creating long shadows, one of
                  which we assume is Doug, tied up and near death.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            Alone in the frozen night with only
                            my thoughts. I suddenly wished I
                            had done more with my life. I
                            should have been a better father,
                            brother, son and friend to all
                            those that stood solidly by in my
                            life and rooted for me...
                  
                  
                  EXT. WHITE HOUSE BACK LAWN - NEXT DAY - DUSK
                  
                  The PRESIDENT walks across the back lawn with his WIFE, two
                  CHILDREN and SECURITY. They exit the White House lawn and
                  cross into the small city park.
                  
                  
                  EXT. CITY PARK - DUSK
                  
                  The First Family meanders through rows of beautiful Christmas
                  trees from every state. The same ones we saw flick on briefly
                  the night before. They stop periodically and admire the
                  ornaments.
                  
                  A large crowd parts to allow the Presidential family through.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            Things were quite fuzzy at this
                            point so I don't know exactly where
                            they came from, but there they
                            were. Hundreds of people all
                            staring at me. I must have been
                            quite a sight. I guess they knew
                            the end was near... maybe they were
                            here to say goodbye.
                  
                  Doug's POV: We see the President and his family eye to eye. A
                  huge crowd gathers behind them. Everyone stares. Suddenly
                  their faces LIGHT UP in a warm glow of Christmas lights.
                  
                  
                               CROWD                        PRESIDENT
                     (in awed whispers)           Wow.
                  Wow.
                  
                  On the President, his family and the crowd. We swing around
                  to see their POV: Meet Doug, or Douglas, the majestic and
                  gorgeous National Christmas Tree.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            I had always heard your entire life
                            flashes in front of your eyes the
                            second before you die.
                  
                                                                    FLASHBACK:
                  
                  
                  EXT. SKY - DAY
                  
                  We are flying across a white blanket of clouds.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            First of all, that one second isn't
                            a second at all, it stretches on
                            forever, like an ocean of time...
                  
                  
                  EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
                  
                  In BLACK & WHITE: Doug's POV, A DOT OF LIGHT falls against an
                  unbelievable starry night.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            For me, it was growing up watching
                            falling stars...
                  
                  
                  EXT. ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - DAY
                  
                  In BLACK & WHITE: Maple trees in autumn. Ghostly LEAVES
                  FLUTTER slowly toward blowing grass.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            And yellow leaves, from the maple
                            trees, that lined our field...
                  
                  
                  EXT. ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - DAY
                  
                  In BLACK & WHITE: CLOSE on two squirrels as they make chase
                  up and around inside a pine tree.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            The first time a squirrel tickled
                            me...
                  
                  
                  EXT. WOODS - DAY
                  
                  In BLACK & WHITE: small pine saplings wave and flap in the
                  wind.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            And my children...
                                (with love)
                            And... my wife.
                  
                                                                   BACK TO:
                  
                  
                  EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT - CONTINUED
                  
                  Kids run and laugh as they chase each other around Doug, the
                  National Christmas Tree. A group of carolers sing
                  O'Tannenbaum in the background.
                  
                                      DOUG (V.O.)
                            I guess I could be pretty pissed
                            off about what happened to me...
                            but it's hard to stay mad, when
                            there's so much beauty in the
                            world. And somehow my insignificant
                            existence has contributed in some
                            small way to the beauty of
                            Christmas for others to enjoy.
                            Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it
                            all at once, and it's too much, my
                            heart fills up like a balloon
                            that's about to burst...
                  
                  
                  EXT. ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - DAY
                  
                  We're FLYING once again over Robin Hood Trail, ASCENDING
                  SLOWLY above a fresh cut tree stump and then the remaining
                  grove of trees from the opening scene.
                  
                                       DOUG (V.O.)
                             ...And then I remember to relax,
                             and stop trying to hold on to it,
                             and then it flows through me like
                             rain and I can't feel anything but
                             gratitude for every single moment
                             of my stupid little life...
                                 (amused)
                             You have no idea what I'm talking
                             about, I'm sure. But don't worry...
                  
                                                              FADE TO BLACK.
                  
                                       DOUG (V.O.)
                             You will someday. Merry Christmas.
                  
                  THE END.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                    Code:
                    [b]The Christmas Hat[/b]
                    
                    FADE IN:
                    
                    INT. GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT- DAY
                    
                    WILLIAM REID (40s, never married, Accountant, loveable
                    guy)is in his living room decorating his Christmas tree.
                    
                    The doorbell rings.
                    
                    William opens the door and a UPS DRIVER is standing at the
                    door with a package.
                    
                                             UPS DRIVER
                                   Package for Mr. Reid.
                    
                                                WILLIAM
                                   Thank you.
                    
                    William takes the package inside and closes the door. He
                    walks over to the kitchen table and sets the package down.
                    It's from EDNA REID (His favorite Aunt).
                    
                    William opens the package and inside is a flannel hat
                    complete with ear flaps. He stares at it completely
                    surprised at its sight. He then sees a Christmas Card
                    inside with a painting of a group of boys sledding down a
                    hill.
                    
                    He opens the card and it reads-
                    
                                             CARD
                                   I found your old hat in the
                                   attic. Thought you might want
                                   to capture your youth again.
                                   Merry Christmas- Aunt Edna.
                    
                    William puts on the hat and walks over to a mirror and
                    begins laughing at himself.
                    
                                             WILLIAM
                                   I can't believe it still fits.
                    
                    EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING- DAY
                    
                    The front door opens and William walks out of his apartment
                    building into the cold air wearing a coat, gloves and the
                    hat Aunt Edna sent him.
                    
                    He is carrying his garbage and is going to take it to the
                    curb for garbage pick-up. William closes the door behind
                    him.
                    
                    William starts to walk to the curb when the wind blows his
                    hat off of his head. He becomes upset as he looks at it
                    lying on the ground a few feet from him.
                    
                    He walks over to it and starts to pick it up, but as soon
                    as he reaches for it the wind blows it away.
                    
                    William becomes frustrated and begins chasing his hat
                    around the yard. The wind just keeps blowing it further
                    away each time he thinks he's about to get it.
                    
                    Now the hat ends up in the street. William starts to go
                    get it when a car comes by and runs over it.
                    
                    William has a horrified look on his face.
                    
                    The hat just lies in the street squashed.
                    
                    William goes over to the hat and picks it up and hurries
                    back out of the busy street.
                    
                    He goes over to a grassy place and puts the hat down. He
                    stares at it hoping it will move. He even tries to move it
                    a few times by pushing on it, but it doesn't move.
                    
                    William begins to cry.
                    
                    EXT. PARK- DAY
                    
                    William is walking in the Park and is carrying a shovel in
                    his right hand and a hat box with his hat inside it tucked
                    under his left arm. He finds a suitable spot, sets the hat
                    box down on the ground and starts digging a hole.
                    
                    A tear runs down his face.
                    
                    After he gets the hole dug deep enough to place the hat box
                    inside he turns to the hat box and gets down onto his knees
                    and opens it up. He takes the squashed hat out. He then
                    tries to puff it up with his hands and he gives it a gentle
                    kiss.
                    
                    William places the hat down on the ground and reaches back
                    into the hole and tosses some small rocks out of it. As he
                    does a gust of wind picks up and the hat begins moving
                    slightly.
                    
                    William quickly looks at the hat, but it's not moving now.
                    
                    William then goes to pick the hat up, but a gust of wind
                    comes by and blows the hat away from him.
                    
                    William is startled and then he smiles. He gets up to go
                    get his hat and the wind blows it from him again.
                    
                    He then begins chasing his wind blown hat through the park
                    having the best time of his life.
                    
                                                                      FADE OUT:
                    
                                             THE END

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                      Code:
                      [b]The Immaterialist[/b]
                      
                      FADE IN:
                      
                      An old colonial house, with weeping gables, a lone raven
                      flaps into flight as a man secures a rickety gate and makes
                      his way up the pathway to the great doorway.
                      
                                             V.O.
                                 I first visited Montgomery Reginald
                                 James, he preferred the full breadth
                                 of that most noble of names, in the
                                 winter of 1885. It was very cold
                                 that year and the fields and bye-
                                 ways had frozen.
                      
                      The man, a reporter for the National Enquirer steps into the
                      porch and pats his hands down.
                      
                                             V.O. (CONT'D)
                                 That was a long time before the
                                 excitement of Einstein's discoveries,
                                 the subsequent publicity of his famous
                                 papers on both the general and special
                                 theory of relativity had not taken
                                 root in the world.
                      
                      The reporter waits, for a moment he looks back at the solemn
                      splendor of creation: the furrowed fields, an old plow
                      abandoned and the great skies above that spot of god's world.
                      
                                             V.O. (CONT'D)
                                 ...you had to see reality through
                                 the eyes of a weary world back then,
                                 Newton had reigned supreme for over
                                 200 years. Imagine if you will what
                                 was understood back then, before
                                 the Great War, before the modern and
                                 the post-modern and before Einstein
                                 to even appreciate the extreme nature
                                 of James's purported discovery.
                                 This age was before what came to be
                                 known as the Quantum Theory and
                                 Relativity.
                      
                      The door opens to reveal a small woman, the maid, with tiny
                      glinting eyes, she barely registers a smile before letting
                      the Reporter in.
                      
                      INT. DRAWING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
                      
                      The Reporter takes a seat and looks about the dark room. A
                      large fire burns in the grate, there are many antique clocks,
                      keeping time, the ominous ticking of each at times
                      overwhelming, including several grandfather clocks which add
                      to the ominous shadows that cast long fingers about the room.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                I was expecting you sooner.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                My train was on time out of Grand
                                Central but I think that they've
                                repaired the tracks.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Nevermind, cold and time will shatter
                                them again.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                It was only later that the inflection
                                that James placed on the word "time"
                                struck me as indicative of his
                                struggles with that concept. He
                                often uttered it like a curse.
                      
                      James moves over to a very old cocktail cabinet and pours
                      himself a finger of whiskey.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Whiskey?
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                I will not say no to that sir.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Very good. I do not trust a man who
                                dislikes whiskey.
                      
                      The Reporter reaches down into his pocket and withdraws a
                      pad. James turns and notes this fact with a hawk's stare.
                      
                                            JAMES (CONT'D)
                                I'll not commit to paper, sir, the
                                papers and the book that I have to
                                show you are always to remain here
                                and secret. You are to be a witness
                                only.
                      
                      The Reporter shuffles in his seat.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                I've spoken to a friend at Princeton.
                                He's a physicist with an interest in
                                the... unusual.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                I have no interest in the school
                                men either, they have scorned my
                                ideas before, and I knew better so
                                chose to pursue my interests alone.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                You were up at Harvard I understand,
                                a very promising physicist and a
                                keen repairer and collector of very
                                rare time pieces.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                That is very old biography. I'm not
                                surprised you turned that part of my
                                past up but it does not exist now.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                James had a very peculiar way of
                                expressing his thoughts at times and
                                on subjects such as these.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                Which brings me to a point.   Why did
                                you choose to deal with me?
                      
                                            JAMES
                                That's very easy to answer, you're a
                                naturally distrusting creature, you
                                have even taken much of the claims
                                of popular science to task, you are
                                not easily convinced, but what I
                                will show you will change all of
                                your beliefs entirely.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                I wondered when he spoke like this
                                whether James really was mad.
                      
                      James turns to stare out of the window. He seems to be
                      looking at something fixed in the air, a hundred meters out
                      but nothing obvious is there, it is just open space and ice-
                      cold air.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Physicists concern themselves with
                                the material, the physical, they
                                excite their cathode tubes, speak of
                                atomic structure, experiment with
                                beams and apply their equations, Mr
                                Maxwell's equations are very
                                impressive I concede.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                What do you propose as an alternative
                                to our new science.
                      
                      James smiles, the edge of his lips curl up giving him a
                      sinister appeal which seems to change his whole face, making
                      it slightly mocking.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Molly, please bring me the volume I
                                laid out in my study.
                      
                                              MAID
                                I will sir.
                      
                      Moments later Molly is back and carrying a large leather
                      bound volume. The leather is new, this is not an antiquarian
                      piece.
                      
                      The Reporter walks forward and reads a title in gold
                      lettering:
                      
                      "The Philosophy of Time, Space and Immaterialism".
                      
                      The Reporter looks at James who is watching him expectantly.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                I am confused sir, I understand the
                                subject at hand but I have never
                                come across that word before, at
                                least... used in that way.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Which word, sir.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                I knew he was playing a parlor game
                                of sorts at this point, it was obvious
                                which "word" I was referring to, if
                                the book was his, and I was assured
                                that it was written and bound by him
                                with great care over thirty years,
                                it didn't change my perception that
                                the word although new felt archaic.
                                And deliberately so.
                      
                      James moved to the fireplace and stoked the embers, with the
                      great chimney above them it made the Reporter shiver as the
                      flames roared for a moment.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Would you like a refill sir.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                I dare not, for sir, I wish to be as
                                clear of head as it is possible to
                                be when I read the volume.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Quite right, quite right and we shall
                                begin soon.
                      
                      The Reporter stands to attention and steps forward.
                      
                                            JAMES (CONT'D)
                                But first sir, I wish to give you a
                                small demonstration. Molly will
                                remain, she is the witness, to my
                                witness, in other words, she will
                                observe that you were alert and
                                understood what you had seen.
                      
                      The Reporter bows and turns to look at his chair.
                      
                                            JAMES (CONT'D)
                                If you remain standing sir, I do not
                                wish you to believe that all this is
                                a trick of the light and the spot on
                                which you stand is shielded from any
                                outside light that might create and
                                adverse optical effect.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                I stood there for a moment, watching
                                James as he stood to attention, he
                                looked like one of those old civil
                                war colonels with the eye patch and
                                beard. If he was attempting to
                                hypnotize me this had been tried
                                before and I was immune. And then
                                it happened, it was only for a few
                                seconds, but he disappeared, one
                                moment, I could see the fire behind
                                him, and the shadows it cast ranged
                                to the side of James and then, he
                                reappeared. I was dizzy, I had to
                                sit down. Molly, throughout did not
                                move, she remained still and impassive
                                and completely unconcerned. I decided
                                she had seen James's trick before.
                      
                      The Reporter remains seated and shakes his head slightly,
                      James meanwhile, seems to be trancelike and then, slowly,
                      recovers.
                      
                      At this point, Molly rushes to steady him and we see a glimmer
                      of affection pass between them, as she steadies him for a
                      moment.
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Immaterialism! Immaterialism, sir,
                                is what the physicists and school
                                men, in their dark and dingy labs
                                and even darker minds forgot to
                                consider, the ability of the mind to
                                philosophize itself to somewhere
                                else, anther time, and in another
                                space, identical and coexistent to
                                this time.
                      
                      The Reporter wipes his brow.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                Are you suggesting that you left
                                this spot, and appeared in another
                                spatial realm, not in our time?
                      
                                            JAMES
                                Appeared, he says, appeared, I was
                                elsewhere, in fact, I went to the
                                year 2015, I was briefly using an
                                App whilst there, a smart-phone, and
                                I glanced at a book, an autobiography,
                                about one Obama, our first African-
                                American president.
                      
                                            REPORTER
                                This is madness, and a little
                                impertinent, if I may say so, if
                                these views were known further afield
                                things might become very dark. I
                                would advise you to keep them to
                                yourself lest violence is visited
                                upon your person.
                      
                      A view of the same fields, the exact same location and
                      colonial house, even more bowed than before, 30 years later
                      and now at the end of a highway.
                      
                                            V.O.
                                I stood before the house. It was
                                here when I was still quite young
                                that the old professor and philosopher
                                of physics and I parted ways for
                                good, we had argued but when I wrote
                                him later, he had forgiven me and
                                seemed upbeat, claiming greater and
                                greater time periods for his
                                experiments in what he was now calling
                                time-displacement. Oh how the
                                language always changes. Your natural
                                philosopher is now a scientist.
                      
                      The Reporter walks up the same pathway, weeds now falling
                      across its tired and fractured paving and stands in the
                      doorway.
                      
                                            V.O. (CONT'D)
                                I stood waiting on such a frosty day
                                on my fist visits, Molly, who I did
                                not recognize at first. answered and
                                bade me enter. She seemed very happy
                                to see me or so it struck me.
                      
                      (continued)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                        Code:
                        [b]The Immaterialist[/b] (continued)
                        
                        The Reporter entered the drawing room, the same room where
                        he had stood and watched James disappear.
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  The last time that I saw Mr James he
                                  stood exactly there, on that same
                                  spot, you can see how many times he
                                  had done so before, the floor boards
                                  are worn.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  And what happened, Molly, what did
                                  you see.
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  It was late one Fall afternoon, the
                                  moon was already in the sky, out
                                  there, across yonder fields, before
                                  he began to concentrate in his typical
                                  way, he turned and smiled at me, he
                                  was very confident, such confidence
                                  I had never seen in him before, or
                                  anybody for that matter sir, and
                                  then he disappeared and unlike on
                                  those occasions before, the many
                                  thousands of times it had not worked
                                  and the many hundreds he had seemed
                                  close to tears, but unlike on those
                                  occasions, he did not return. And
                                  has not returned since.
                        
                        The Reporter turns and looks at the same chair he had
                        collapsed into before, he did the same thing again, older
                        now and grey, he removes his hat, very much in fashion and
                        seen in the 1920s jazz era, and sighed.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  If we had been asked to consider the
                                  Quantum Theory, at that time, or
                                  even Professor Einstein's space-time,
                                  we may have condemned those great
                                  men, the Schrodinger and Planck's of
                                  our world to the lunatic asylums or
                                  at the very least mocked them out of
                                  their ancient seats at the
                                  universities, and so it is with James,
                                  who really knows, even now, if the
                                  Philosophy of Time, Space and
                                  Immaterialism will ever be seen as
                                  anything more than a crank's bible.
                        
                        Molly watched the Reporter, placid.
                        
                                              REPORTER (CONT'D)
                                  You aren't really following me...
                                  are you Molly?
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  Not really sir.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  Just as well, just as well.
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  Are you still a reporter sir?
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  You probably never really followed
                                  James, but you were loyal and never
                                  once asked a question or doubted
                                  him. That is what such men need.
                        
                        The writer stabbing at the air with his finger. Recovering
                        his senses.
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  I would bring the papers to him in
                                  the mornings sir.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  Yes of course, but to answer your
                                  question, I write books, mostly, and
                                  now and again, I do a little
                                  translation, in Medieval German, and
                                  French, and I write on Natural
                                  philosophy.
                        
                                              MOLLY/MAID
                                  Very well sir.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  Molly, may I ask you, do you know
                                  what happened to the professor's
                                  book.
                        
                                               MOLLY/MAID
                                  Why yes sir.... it was the last thing
                                  he ever did, he picked it up and
                                  pressed it to his chest and then he
                                  disappeared.
                        
                                              REPORTER
                                  The Immaterialist.
                        
                                               MOLLY/MAID
                                  Sorry sir.
                        
                                                REPORTER
                                    That's what I will call him in my
                                    article, he'd have liked that.
                        
                                                MOLLY/MAID
                                    Will that be in one of your books.
                        
                                                REPORTER
                                    Oh, ha ha, no, indeed, I will publish
                                    only in a small circulation
                                    publication, under the title of "Weird
                                    Tales". Buried for futurity, that
                                    will have to do I'm afraid... at
                                    least, my dear, until the world wakes
                                    up to such ideas and men.
                        
                        The Reporter stands up and turns to Molly and smiles and
                        then bows. Outside the mansion he is by the old gate once
                        again, where he looks up and sees the raven, they regard one
                        another for a moment before the bird flies away, the Reporter
                        smiles and as his smile fades he begins to disappear. Moments
                        later there is only air where he stood.
                        
                        FADE OUT.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Entries - Xmas/Yule/seasonal contest 2015

                          Just 4 days left to cast your votes, writers.

                          You don't need to have entered the contest to read and vote, all input welcome.

                          Best wishes for 2016 when it comes!

                          Comment

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