"Hands" The Screenplay Project (Pg. 1)
Hello & Welcome my "Hopeless Romantics!"
(Disclaimer: This blog is done in my free time in normally 20 min intervals. Since I don't dedicate much time to revision, there might be many mistakes. I will attempt to "go back and edit" for the sake of achieving a more final draft before hiring a final editor. As with other blogs I have ever worked on, if any character resembles anyone in "real life" that is a mere coincidence as all my fiction writing is strictly fictionalized and my characters are produced by my imagination. Although, I do believe that "maybe" this script will eventually, somehow, make it to the hands of several tall-blonde comedic actors...namely, Will Ferrel...and he might think "wow, this seems like a perfect part for me and the character somewhat fits my description...I would welcome you to play this part).
Without further ado,
I am happy to say, "I'm back!" Obviously, since working as an editor in real life, I don't have "all the time in the world" to write. Although, I know better that you WILL make time for what is important. On my "bucket-list" is not "write a screenplay" per say, I wrote, "make a movie."
Okay, so in true "Hands" fashion, I will attempt to blog out my first screenplay. Why did I choose to "blog out" my work?
It is a long story that involves a psychic telling me that I would be a famous writer (just as my main character in this book meets a psychic that tell him he will be a famous artist). The result, just like the book, I made my attempt at writing a first book.
So, a long while back, I was out of a car crash and still pumped with adrenaline like, "you lived! Now what? Life could be cut short...your goals...bucket-list them."
Since, my system has calmed down a lot. In fact, I reflect at times how discombobulated I must have felt to just plop myself into recording music...So the car crash caused something of a spiritual awakening. The newly "woke" me recognized, there is an "old me" and I'm the "new me." Sometimes, these days, the feelings of the "old me," that prevented me from taking risks, reemerges to fill me with doubt that I cannot attempt these wildly ambitious goals...but I also can't turn back now.
Why write a movie now?
Well, I have interviewed so many "directors" of movies for the magazine that I think, "why not?" Here I am at the San Antonio Film Festival:
I got to meet famous directors, actors, and producers...the list goes on.
I felt "inspired" to create my own film too. The task seemed too daunting at first. I know from experience, that when a person attempts something that seems daunting, like "write a book," that it likely won't happen because of the "daunting-ness" of the project. At least not for people like me. Not without a game plan to chew it up into bite-size pieces until it is done.
I decided to work on my script the same way that I worked on my book. In a series of blogs that I can collect later. (I know, I finally answered that question from the start of this blog--here is why I chose blogging). I was inspired, initially, by a high-school English teacher that made it a point to insist that I should seriously consider becoming a writer for my fiction stories I would submit to her. She would constantly tell me I did have a gift for writing. She wanted me to start a blog way back back when...
Seriously, this was waaaaay back in the day.
She pulled me aside one day and showed me her own blog on the one computer we had in the classroom. She explained to me how blogs work, how I can start writing out short stories, poems, or even start a book project as she was doing.
At the time, I felt I had too much to worry about. She had no idea what my schedule was like as a competitive swimmer. I would swim in the morning, swim in the afternoon, and it would leave only a hour, if any time, for my homework. Writing...for fun...yeah right.
Yet, here we are.
I also was inspired by "Barbra Streisand." How? My mom is a Barbara Streisand fan and would point out that, "You need to be like her; no one wanted to put her in a movie so she made them herself."
Credit: Barbra Streisand's Facebook Page
Okay...and what else inspired me? Don't laugh...a psychic. Not the one that I accidentally saw before my car crash that led to the book (I mentioned earlier). A different one I saw later at a fair in order to tell me, "You were being ridiculous listening to that first psychic. No, I don't see you as a famous writer..."
Well...that's not what she said. Instead of discrediting the first reading, she validated it, and "added" to it. The new psychic said that in her mind she saw me handing out scripts. I looked like I was putting a play together. I was "the big boss" who was handing out the paychecks and directing people...
She also said, "I see you in Hollywood."
Given, at this fair I sold so little art (I was there to sell my paintings) that I was like, "yeah, well, that proves it all wrong. Fat-chance a little itty-bitty me is going to Hollywood and meeting all sorts of directors..."
Me and Film Director Charlie Minn
Not even joking.
It is freaky.
I don't think I will be getting a psychic reading in a while because they have so far been accurate and that freaks me out.
So, here we go. I ordered a ton of copies of my book, "Hands" available online by Amazon searching my author name, 'Z.B. Sanders Hands." Get a copy, start reading, maybe we will learn how to write a screenplay together!
Grab your own copy of "Hands" by searching "Z.B. Sanders Hands" on Amazon
...and now, the screenplay.
********
HANDS
The Story of Art Inside A Story About Art
Written by Zita Barbara
V.O. BLACK SCREEN
Most authors say that the first line makes the book. That it must ask a question. It has to pull the audience in...but I don't feel that way. For me...it is the characters that win over the reader. Especially Benny...Benny is so...different.
INT HOME OFFICE-NIGHT
Close up of hands feverishly type at an old fashioned typewriter complete with bell sound and manually pushing the top back to start on the next line.
EXTREME C.U. - TYPEWRITER KEYS BANGING ON PAPER
Music plays as the credits are typed out. The music lowers as the credits transition into the scene.
(Typed) Chapter 1 - Why Benny Fisher Loses His Job
Paper is pulled out, crumbled...thrown.
(Typed and whispered by the character) Chapter 1 - How Rupert Escapes His Cage
Paper is once again pulled out and crumbled. The writer lets out a noise of frustration and replaces the paper in the typewriter to start over.
(Typed) Chapter 1- Benny Fisher, Rupert's Great Escape, and The Bad Day
A pause indicates that this is the final choice for the chapter's title. The writer claps their hands and rubs them together as if about to roll dice at a casino. Then, the daunting task of selecting "the first sentence" begins.
(Typed sentence) Benny Fisher is a dreamer.
Paper pulled out, wadded up, tossed carelessly at the trash can but ends up on the floor next to several other balls of paper. Upon panning out, the audience sees this character is swimming in wadded papers. Fresh paper is put in the typewriter.
(Typed sentence) Benny Fisher is a winner...
The camera avoids the identity of the typist, but it is apparent by the pause that this sentence meets a moment of contemplation before meeting its fate of being thrown to the trash bin in the corner.
(Typed sentence) Benny Fisher is a loser.
The quieted music stops aburptly and the film officially starts as a narrated voice-over controls the actions of the characters (to give the impression that this is being "written in the mind of the writer").
EXT - OUTSIDE RADIO STATION
Benny Fisher is running late. He hurries from his car to his place of work.
V.O. (In a quick-taking smart female voice)
Benny Fisher is a loser. Be warned, because this is not what he says at dinner parties. Benny doesn't have to work. His grandfather left him a huge trust fund. Having a small fortune is not enough for Benny, or for most women he is interested in for that matter, to overcome the fact he really is a bum. Benny put himself through a period of self discovery, but quickly discovered that he is absolutely good for nothing.
INT. INSIDE THE RADIO STATION
Benny waves ecstatically at a co-worker who could care less. He seems as if he had to much coffee. He is sure to greet people on his path that just don't care about him. By the time he makes it to his "desk" the impression should be that he is invisible.
V.O. (In a quick-talking smart female voice continues to narrorate)
Benny Fisher is also funny looking. His curly blonde hair never does what it is told. He has tried everything. Massive amounts of gel, deadlocks...for a little while he even went bald....
INT. BATHROOM MIRROR (BE SURE IT IS AN ALL WHITE ROOM) BEGIN MONTAGE
QUICK CUTS
-Benny rakes goop into hand and through hair
-Benny wears dreadlocks
-Mullet
-Beatles Haircut
-Classic "Slicked Back"
-Military Crew Cut
-Mohawk
-Pompadour
-Finally end on curls sloppily poking out of a baseball cap
-zoom-in to his mustache wiggling atop his mouth as he inspects and brings to comb with the hair brush used on his hair
V.O. (In a quick-taking smart female voice continues to narrate through the montage)
He has grown accustomed to letting hiding his hair under a baseball cap and letting his curls poke out around his ears. On most days he wears a white polo shirt, khaki pants, and white tennis shoes. The one item that is particularly funny looking is the mustache that he decided to grow out. It looks like a fuzzy caterpillar wiggling on top of his upper lip.
Benny tilts his head upward and moves the comb vertically in a comedic fashion as the narration continues.
V.O. NARRATOR
...it gives him a sense of power and sophistication, and it is the only distinction he makes to set himself apart from prepubescent teenagers. It also makes him unmistakably French.
Benny uses gel and his finger to shape the end of his mustache with a small curl.
INT. CUT BACK TO RADIO STATION
He raises his eyebrows up and down with a French-looking "wee-wee" type of gesture at his boss.
His boss, Elenor, is an older-looking and perpetually annoyed woman. She gets up from a large desk of a main receptionist. It makes the audience suspect that she is getting up for Benny to take a seat at this desk, or possibly approaching to give her directions.
NARRATOR:
At least Benny Fisher has aspirations. He wants more than anything to be an announcer on the local radio station. Currently, he works as an intern, but not in a position that could directly help him accomplish his big radio dream...
Elenor proceeds to plop a heavy stack of papers on a desk adjacent the big desk. This is a laughable small school-like desk not suited for a grown man. A tall, 6ft-something Benny wiggles inside and gets to work.
ELENOR:
I need you to shred these papers...and when you are done let me know. There are always more things around here to do...Did you check the mail yet?
Benny looks over at a small slosh pile of envelopes at the bottom of the door. The distance between the boss and the pile makes one question if she couldn't just do this herself. Benny, reluctantly gets out of his seat to pick up the mail and place on her bigger desk.
ELENOR:
...and when you are done with shredding, I have paperclips for you to count.
BENNY:
(Interrupts) ...but don't the boxes show the count on them?
ELENOR:
(Possibly ignores him) We can't have you just sitting around here...did you make coffee yet? Benny...Benny...what am I going to do with you? Has the coffee even been started yet? You know that is a key function at this office. The radio personalities need the pep."
As we watch Benny preform a Cinderella-like routine of mundane office-work tasks....
INT-HOME OFFICE OF WRITER
A steaming cup of coffee is picked up gingerly with both hands and sipped by a set of contemplative lips. When she pulls the mug away from her lips we witness silent mumbling turned into full blown talking to herself.
V.O. WRITER/NARRATOR:
Benny...is....is...how do I put it? Ahh...como se dice?...Uhmmm...
In another "fuss" over selecting the right word a back-and-forth between "slow" and "clumsy" to finally settle on the Spanish word "Tonto" which is explained by the discription typed onto the close up of the manuscript being written, which blends in a dream-like way to a clip of Benny making coffee at the office.
INT. WORK OFFICE KITCHEN
Benny picks up a post-it note on the coffee written in doodle, "Benny, make coffee" the note is titled, while a sad face points with a drawn arrow to doddle of an empty coffee pot. On the other side of this hand-drawn illustration is a smiley face and arrow pointing to a filled pot drawing. The idea is show just how "slow" the rest of the office deems Benny.
INT. BACK IN THE HOME OFFICE WITH THE WRITER V.O. NARRATOR
Benny Fisher is "Tonto." Tonto is the Spanish word for "slow," and it was Benny's nickname growing up. Benny is smart, don't be fooled. It just takes him a considerable amount of time to figure things out. He is also oafish and clumsy. All things considered, it is hard for him to keep a real job or girlfriend. It is especially hard for him to talk to women...with his...
INT. WORK OFFICE KITCHEN
An attractive media personality approaches Benny-the-intern while making coffee and says hi. Without sound, Benny smiles, attempts to talk, to display his stutter...and look crestfallen at his inability to control it. Like a mime, he opts out of talking to pour a mug of coffee for the attractive lady and smiles. Her eyes wear a look of pity rather than flirtatiousness. His nervously shaking hand passes her the cup and she pitifully pats his arm in a "you didn't have to" and teacherly way, looks into his eyes and overly-expresses "thank you" to him as if he was "slow."
INT. HOME OFFICE
The writer is now leaning against her own kitchen counter and waiting on the coffee-maker. While we never see her face, we see jump cuts of fingers drumming on the counter, coffee dripping, and then back to the typewriter...
R-U-P-E-R-T
NARRATOR:
Meet Rupert...
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