FADE IN:
1. INT. DANIEL’S BEDROOM – DAY
Camera pans over a bed as the alarm sounds and DANIEL reaches over to turn it off. He swings his legs out of bed and checks his phone before reaching over and grabbing the remote. Turning on the TV. CHLOE stirs beside him.
Chloe
What is it?
Daniel
Elizabeth just messaged me, apparently, we are in the news again.
Chloe
Don’t worry about it. It will only stress you out.
Daniel
I’m already stressed out.
Daniel leans over and pecks Chloe on the cheek before standing up and walking out to the living room. Camera follows him as he turns on the TV in the lounge.
Reporter
The economy is set to show growth this quarter of 0.3% avoiding a recession that had been predicted by some financial experts… In other news the controversy surrounding Mark Wilson’s television adaptation of Beware the Dark desire doesn’t seem to be going away. Recently Mark Wilson’s comments have sparked outrage and condemnation by mental health groups who believe his works may have contributed to the death of Harry Brooker last week.
Daniel turns off the TV.
Daniel
Here we go.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
2. INT. OFFICE FOYEY – DAY.
Daniel walks into the office and takes a second to breath. Suddenly SARAH appears with some artwork.
Sarah
Great, I was hoping to catch you before I went over to the studio, can you look at these for me?
Daniel
What are they?
Sarah
Set plans for two apartments and an office building. I need to make sure they co-ordinate with your scripts so we can set to work building them.
Daniel quickly scans them as Sarah leaves but he turns around to call her back.
Daniel
Sarah these are pilot scene’s, I’m working on episode two at the moment.
Sarah
Mark said you would look at them. Can you get that back to me today?
Daniel looks tired.
Daniel
Sure thing.
Daniel begins to walk towards the stairs as he scans the artwork but stops as ELIZABETH comes charging down the stairs. She stops in front of him.
Elizabeth
Just the writer I’ve been looking for.
Daniel
Really?
Elizabeth
Listen, I think I’ve found a way to keep the heat off our back but it means I’m going to be busy for part of the day. Do you mind doing an interview for me, it’s for a magazine? They’ve emailed me all the questions, I just need someone on the writing staff to do it.
Daniel
You want Louise, she is better at that sort of thing.
Elizabeth
I would but Louise is over with Beth working through some casting choices so it’s onto you.
Daniel
No worries.
Elizabeth walks passed him.
Elizabeth
I will email you the questions.
Daniel
Thank you.
Daniel continues to walk up to his office.
CUT TO:
INT. MARK’S OFFICE.
Daniel stops at Mark’s and peers in. Mark is sat at his desk working.
Daniel
Mark?
Mark looks up smiles and stands up. He grabs from his desk several sheets and walks over to hand them to Daniel.
Mark
I’ve just finished my notes for scene five and nine for episode two. How long till you can get them done?
Daniel shrugs.
Daniel
Friday.
Mark
I was more thinking Wednesday.
Daniel smiles.
Daniel
No problem.
Daniel turns to leave.
Daniel
Hey. Sarah just gave me set plans.
Mark
For the pilot?
Daniel
Yeah I thought we agreed that you were…
Mark
Elizabeth has cut everything from my schedule today and Sarah has the team in building the set. You don’t mind, do you?
Daniel pauses.
Daniel
Not at all.
Mark
Thanks.
Daniel leaves the office just as ANNIE walks in.
Daniel
Morning Annie.
Annie
Hey. You look terrible.
Daniel
Living the dream.
CUT TO:
INT. SCREEN WRITER’S OFFICE.
Daniel walks into his office and sits at his desk. His hands come up to rub at his face. Then he picks up the sheets and begins reading them. SOPHIE walks into shot and stands in the doorway.
Sophie
Daniel.
Daniel
Yeah?
Sophie
David wants to see you.
Daniel looks down.
Daniel
Yep.
Daniel stands up.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
3. INT. DAVID’S OFFICE – DAY.
Daniel walks into David’s office. DAVID is stood by the long table.
Daniel
Hey, Sophie said you wanted to see me.
David
Everyone will be coming up in a minute, but I wanted to see you first. How are you coming on with those alternative scenes?
Daniel looks dejected.
Daniel
I’m getting there.
David
I wanted them three days ago.
Daniel
Yeah I know but it’s hard to work on something I don’t agree with.
David
We are in a rut of our own making and we need to find a way out of the hole the news has put us into.
Daniel
That’s fine but I only have so often to work on them. Now Mark’s letting me write episode two, he is expecting certain things completed in a reasonable amount of time. If I start missing my deadlines, he’s going to get suspicious and ask what else I’m working on.
David
Then you tell him that I’ve got you working out alternative scenes.
Daniel
Yeah using your name really doesn’t hold that much weight with Mark.
David looks at Daniel sternly.
David
By the end of tomorrow. I want options discussed at next week’s table reads. Hell, I wanted them for tomorrows but that will have to wait now.
Daniel
I swear David, I’m working on it.
There is a knock on the door and Sophie walks in.
Sophie
Everyone is here to see you.
David
Send them in.
Sophie disappears. Mark, LOUISE and Elizabeth walk in. Mark stops and looks at Daniel.
Mark
I was looking for you. Didn’t know you were already up here.
Daniel
Yeah, I had some stuff to show David.
Everyone sits down.
David
I called you all here since for the last week we have been in a bit of a PR meltdown and a lot of the more important issues are being swept aside to try and extinguish the fire. Every day that we are not filming loses us money.
Mark
(Coyly)
And we didn’t have much of that to begin with.
David points at Mark.
David
You need to get us filming.
Mark looks at Elizabeth.
Mark
I would but someone had me cancel my entire day for some unknown reason.
David
Liz?
Elizabeth
I think I have a solution to at least get the conversation back onto the show and away from the incident. Once I’ve got it all confirmed, I will come and let you know.
David
Alright then, Louise, Daniel. How are we getting on with Episode two?
Louise
Good, yeah really good.
Elizabeth
Don’t say it too loud or Mark will have to take it off of you.
Mark
You know what Liz?
Elizabeth gives him a warm smile.
David
Louise you are working with Beth today right?
Louise
Yeah. She has someone to play Rebecca I think.
Elizabeth
That’s great, we are looking for a press release to follow my plan for today. If we can announce tomorrow that we have our Rebecca, then that completely changes the news cycle in our favour.
David
And that helps how?
Beth
It shows we are closer to filming.
Elizabeth
For my office, the best thing we can do at this stage of the process is release casting information.
Mark
Louise, I need to know the moment Beth gives the go ahead.
David
For the table read?
Mark nods.
Mark
We want to film the pilot, why not get right to it?
There is a pause. Camera focusses on Daniel as he looks through some notes on his notepad.
David
Right then get to work.
FADE OUT:
Knights of Earth Publications 