Post by Derek Nahigyan on Feb 3, 2009 22:21:43 GMT -5
We Are Mad Men
Camera zooms through window to
INT. café, two men sit at a round table. Horis (23) and Adam (25) are dressed in business suits. Horis in a tan suit with a red and black striped tie and Adam in a navy blue suit with a blue and white checkered tie. Adam has a coffee; steam still rolling off. Horis has OJ and vodka.
Camera cuts to a typical Californian woman entering the café, she walks briskly in skin-tight pajama bottoms that reveal her black g-string; black wind breaker, roofed by a furry hood. Her earring jingles with the door.
Mid-shot of Adam and Horis, we see Adam’s back and Horis’s toes pointed down; he’s holding his OJ.
HORIS
Where did the gene pool hit a dead end?
Close-up. Adam’s face—restless. He looks down and leans forward.
ADAM
(through his lips)
Couldn’t tell ya.
HORIS
It’s like a vat of nitro glycerin—
Slow zoom into Horis—very animated.
HORIS
—someone just (shakes) shook it and it exploded.
Mid-shot of Adam looking towards the girl. He laughs.
ADAM
Well I don’t particularly mind.
Cut to California girl holding herself like a rag doll as she passes money to the employee and blabs on the phone.
HORIS
Look at this once, beautiful baby, tainted by her teens, exploited to bring a walking corpse, rotting beneath the tumultuous fashion sense of an idealist 50’s man.
Profile of our two boys.
ADAM
Let’s not cross hairs, that woman is not classy enough for fifty’s; she’s more suited for curbside departments.
HORIS
Do you not see this pool of filth marauding the streets of California? This isn’t pornography; this isn’t a fantasy; this is real!
Cut to OTS shot to Adam
ADAM
Oh it’s not that extreme. Women dress as we envisioned them: mostly bare, thin… easy. And men dress to look… (Pause)
Cut to the store’s door again but a boy walks in with a beanie, ring piercings in his nose and ears, and chewing gum. He’s wearing a largely over-sized white and black zip up hoodie and pants seemingly down around his ankles, walking, like a duck. The camera slides away from the boy to Adam’s back, having witnessed this.
ADAM
…smart.
HORIS
Adam, I’m serious, how did we miss the curve?
Cut to both of them, profile. Searches his coat pocket.
ADAM
I don’t think we did.
HORIS
I feel nauseous.
ADAM
(Puts cigarette in mouth)
Drink your tonic.
HORIS
(Lifts glass)
OJ.
ADAM
(Lights up)
Whatever.
Cut to OTS of Horis.
HORIS
Could you put that out?
ADAM
(Inhales)
I’m sorry?
Cut to full front of Horis
HORIS
When you smoke, it makes me feel like there’s something you’d rather be doing.
Cut to full front of Adam
ADAM
Horis, there’s always something I’d rather be doing.
Both of them, profile
HORIS
Please?
Pause with Adam’s hand still frozen in air.
ADAM
Alright.
(He puts out cigarette)
But I hope you know what I’m giving up.
(Points)
That’s a full, wasted cigarette there.
OTS of Adam, Horis is looking at register.
HORIS
Maybe you’ll have to quit.
OTS of Horis. Adam is putting his lighter away.
ADAM
If this economy keeps up, I might have to.
Mid-shot of them both, Adam ¾ back, Horis ¾ front.
HORIS
It’d be good for you.
ADAM
Nothing’s good for me!
Slight pause then cut to OTS of Adam, now animated—slow zoom in on him.
ADAM
Yes, we live in ****ty times, with ****ty ideas, and ****ty people. Yes, we live in an era where the nobel peace prize is awarded to the i-pod nano. (slight pause) But there is nothing you—or I—can do about it except hope that the descendants of our generation give birth to a power with a vision. We can only guess that we’re doing something right.
Cut to the beanie boy and pajama girl walking out of the store holding each others’ butts. Slow slide to center on the two boys—staring. Horis slowly turns around.
Cut to profile.
ADAM
Or, that, both of them are sterile.
Cut to OTS of Adam
HORIS
Alright, I agree with you there, but I say we need a power with direction.
Cut to OTS of Horis. Adam looks over to wandering waitress and lifts his finger to signal for the check.
Cut to OTS of Adam.
HORIS
We need a person who knows what their next move is; an unwavering protector.
ADAM
(Reaches into back pocket)
Yeah.
HORIS
What are you doing?
Cut to OTS of Horis
ADAM
(Throws down bills)
Leaving money for tip.
Camera raises up—long shot—and pivots following Adam, briefcase in hand, to the door.
HORIS
(In reference to the bill)
What am I supposed to do with this?
Cut to OTS of vacated chair. Adam is holding the door open.
ADAM
Um, tell you what, if that question is still on your mind, I’ll pick you up here after work.
(Exits)
Cut to profile of Horis with the empty seat. He turns around and slumps into chair.
HORIS
(Reminding himself consequently)
I do enjoy the company.
Camera zooms through window to
INT. café, two men sit at a round table. Horis (23) and Adam (25) are dressed in business suits. Horis in a tan suit with a red and black striped tie and Adam in a navy blue suit with a blue and white checkered tie. Adam has a coffee; steam still rolling off. Horis has OJ and vodka.
Camera cuts to a typical Californian woman entering the café, she walks briskly in skin-tight pajama bottoms that reveal her black g-string; black wind breaker, roofed by a furry hood. Her earring jingles with the door.
Mid-shot of Adam and Horis, we see Adam’s back and Horis’s toes pointed down; he’s holding his OJ.
HORIS
Where did the gene pool hit a dead end?
Close-up. Adam’s face—restless. He looks down and leans forward.
ADAM
(through his lips)
Couldn’t tell ya.
HORIS
It’s like a vat of nitro glycerin—
Slow zoom into Horis—very animated.
HORIS
—someone just (shakes) shook it and it exploded.
Mid-shot of Adam looking towards the girl. He laughs.
ADAM
Well I don’t particularly mind.
Cut to California girl holding herself like a rag doll as she passes money to the employee and blabs on the phone.
HORIS
Look at this once, beautiful baby, tainted by her teens, exploited to bring a walking corpse, rotting beneath the tumultuous fashion sense of an idealist 50’s man.
Profile of our two boys.
ADAM
Let’s not cross hairs, that woman is not classy enough for fifty’s; she’s more suited for curbside departments.
HORIS
Do you not see this pool of filth marauding the streets of California? This isn’t pornography; this isn’t a fantasy; this is real!
Cut to OTS shot to Adam
ADAM
Oh it’s not that extreme. Women dress as we envisioned them: mostly bare, thin… easy. And men dress to look… (Pause)
Cut to the store’s door again but a boy walks in with a beanie, ring piercings in his nose and ears, and chewing gum. He’s wearing a largely over-sized white and black zip up hoodie and pants seemingly down around his ankles, walking, like a duck. The camera slides away from the boy to Adam’s back, having witnessed this.
ADAM
…smart.
HORIS
Adam, I’m serious, how did we miss the curve?
Cut to both of them, profile. Searches his coat pocket.
ADAM
I don’t think we did.
HORIS
I feel nauseous.
ADAM
(Puts cigarette in mouth)
Drink your tonic.
HORIS
(Lifts glass)
OJ.
ADAM
(Lights up)
Whatever.
Cut to OTS of Horis.
HORIS
Could you put that out?
ADAM
(Inhales)
I’m sorry?
Cut to full front of Horis
HORIS
When you smoke, it makes me feel like there’s something you’d rather be doing.
Cut to full front of Adam
ADAM
Horis, there’s always something I’d rather be doing.
Both of them, profile
HORIS
Please?
Pause with Adam’s hand still frozen in air.
ADAM
Alright.
(He puts out cigarette)
But I hope you know what I’m giving up.
(Points)
That’s a full, wasted cigarette there.
OTS of Adam, Horis is looking at register.
HORIS
Maybe you’ll have to quit.
OTS of Horis. Adam is putting his lighter away.
ADAM
If this economy keeps up, I might have to.
Mid-shot of them both, Adam ¾ back, Horis ¾ front.
HORIS
It’d be good for you.
ADAM
Nothing’s good for me!
Slight pause then cut to OTS of Adam, now animated—slow zoom in on him.
ADAM
Yes, we live in ****ty times, with ****ty ideas, and ****ty people. Yes, we live in an era where the nobel peace prize is awarded to the i-pod nano. (slight pause) But there is nothing you—or I—can do about it except hope that the descendants of our generation give birth to a power with a vision. We can only guess that we’re doing something right.
Cut to the beanie boy and pajama girl walking out of the store holding each others’ butts. Slow slide to center on the two boys—staring. Horis slowly turns around.
Cut to profile.
ADAM
Or, that, both of them are sterile.
Cut to OTS of Adam
HORIS
Alright, I agree with you there, but I say we need a power with direction.
Cut to OTS of Horis. Adam looks over to wandering waitress and lifts his finger to signal for the check.
Cut to OTS of Adam.
HORIS
We need a person who knows what their next move is; an unwavering protector.
ADAM
(Reaches into back pocket)
Yeah.
HORIS
What are you doing?
Cut to OTS of Horis
ADAM
(Throws down bills)
Leaving money for tip.
Camera raises up—long shot—and pivots following Adam, briefcase in hand, to the door.
HORIS
(In reference to the bill)
What am I supposed to do with this?
Cut to OTS of vacated chair. Adam is holding the door open.
ADAM
Um, tell you what, if that question is still on your mind, I’ll pick you up here after work.
(Exits)
Cut to profile of Horis with the empty seat. He turns around and slumps into chair.
HORIS
(Reminding himself consequently)
I do enjoy the company.