Author: Jacob Andrew Bower

Pilot Scene 7

Scene time: 1.12

David goes and meets Peter in a restaurant, he sits down with the studio head and the waitress comes over. Silent conversation as David orders.

Peter:
A salad is a bit light isn’t it.

David:
Mark usually grabs us all something greasy when he comes back from the studio. I’m looking forward to it.

Peter:
That stuff will kill you.

Peter stops as David looks down.

Peter:
I’m Sorry. How is Abby?

David:
She’s responding well to the treatment, the nights are still tough but I think she will get through it.

Peter nods.

Peter:
How are things going with the show?

David:
We are getting there slowly The last few pieces are fitting into place. Once we get the script finalised, we should be ready to start

Peter:
I’ve got studio heads chomping at the bit for this adaptation.

David looks up excitedly

Peter:
Not to mention the media hype that Mark’s working on the project.

David:
Anyone made us an offer yet?

Peter:
No. News keeps getting out about delays and casting troubles. People think we are dead in the water already.

David:
Daniel and Mark are putting together an amazing pilot and the books a best seller.

Peter shrugs

Peter:
A point we could get across if we had a media manager.

David:
 No-one wants the role.

Peter:
Why?

David:
We keep making very public mistakes.

Peter:
Someone told me about a line in the book about children or something. Is it going to be an issue?

David:
Mark doesn’t think so

Peter:
What about everyone else?

David:
They think it’s going to be an issue. Only if it gets out though.

Peter:
Mark might be loved for his sharp wit and smile by teenage girls but the intellectuals hate him.

David:
That’s what you get for being a genius.

Peter:
It will get out and if It’s in the show it will re-surface in six months time.

David:
 I know. But try telling that to a writer

Peter shrugs

Peter:
Send him to me, I will have a talk with him.


David:
 You might be the only one who can get into him.

End Scene.

Pilot Scene 6

Daniel walks in where his assistant Louise was waiting for him.

Louise:
Good morning. Seen the news?

Daniel:
Let’s not go there.

Louise stands up and walks around to stand by Daniel.

Louise:
 What does Mark thin8k?

Daniel:
That it won’t be an issue.

Louise:
It shouldn’t be. It’s not Mark’s fault that this stuff happens.

Daniel:
He doesn’t help though.

Louise sits down and smiles, pulling out a notebook.

Louise:
David ask you to work on an alternative scene?

Daniel sits down and looks nervous. Daniel:
Yeah.

Louise:
Where do we start?
Daniel:
We don’t.

Louise looks confused.

Louise:
Why not?

Daniel sighs.


Daniel:
I don’t know. It’s Mark’s scene. His favourite scene I think, I don’t want to tread on his toes.

Louise:
You are the writer you know.

Daniel:
So are you, would you want to do it?

Louise smiles.

Louise:
Change that scene? Hell no.

Daniel:
Then you know what I mean.

Louise:
So what are we working on?Daniel:
The confrontation for episode three.

Louise:
Mark wants us to write the confrontation?

Daniel:
So he says.

Louise:
I will print the pages.

Daniel:
Also print the two pages before.

Louise:
Why?

Daniel:
I want to work on the scene before first.

Louise:
The build-up scene, there is a full day of work in that.

Daniel:
We can’t write the confrontation without the scene before.

Louise:
We have the chance to work on a big scene. At Mark’s request might I add and you want to focus on the small scene before, that Mark would have you writing anyway. Why not get this scene done before he comes and does it all himself anyway instead of wasting our time on a build up scene.

Daniel:
One, we are paid to write the build up scenes and two, well Mark’s having a rough time with this on the news. He might not admit it but he is and I want to make sure this is perfect so we are going to work on the build up, get our setting and our frame of mind in the right place so that when I hand it to him, he isn’t going to want to change everything.

Louise stands up.

Louise:
I’m going to print those pages.

Daniel:
Can you print off Mark’s notes for this scene as well please. He will kill me if I don’t use them.

Louise shakes her head.

Louise:
Whatever you say boss.

 

 

 

Pilot Scene 5


Mark walks back into the office. Hugo and Beth have gone, Daniel and David are left seated.

David:
 What was it?

Mark places the folder down on the table.

Mark:
New concept art for the warehouse.

Daniel:
Any good?

Mark sits down.

Mark:
I haven’t looked yet.

David:
Get someone to take them down to the studio today and give them to Sarah.

Mark:
I can do it.

David:
Send Anni, or one of the aids.

Mark:
It’s fine.  I need to go see what they have done for the pub to see if I have all my ques sorted.

Daniel:
I thought we were going to look at the confrontation for Episode three?

Mark shrugs

Mark:
You can handle it.

Daniel looks startled.

David:
You are going to let him write it on his own?

Mark:
Don’t look so horrified, that’s what we hire script writers for.

Daniel:
This is a first.

David:
If you are sure

Mark:
What are you doing?

David:
I’m going to see Peter.

Mark:
After more money?

David:
I want to make sure we are still able to do our jobs.

Daniel:
Give him our best

David:
If that’s all gentleman then I think we better get to work.

David leaves the office. Daniel grabs his things and Mark stands up and opens up the folder.

Daniel:
Mark, thanks for letting me do this on my own.

Mark taps him on the shoulder.

Mark:
No worries its about time you did some things solo.

Daniel smiles.

Daniel:
Is there anything specific you want in it?

Mark:
No I trust you. *pause* You have book everything is in there.

Daniel:
So nothing?

Mark:
Nothing.

Mark goes off screen then hastily re-appears.

Mark:
Remember to put notes down for the choreographers they will try and do it all themselves but work with what is in the book.

Daniel nods. Mark turns to leave but turns back.

Mark:
Also don’t forget about the line for the scar.

Daniel:
Got it.

Mark:
And I want to see an advanced copy before it goes anywhere near David.

Daniel:
Alright.

Mark:
Yeah you got this.

Mark leaves, image fades. End scene

End scene

Pilot- scene 4


Andrew is asleep in the chair, betting channel is on the TV. Suddenly the door opens and Grace walks in with a coffee.

Grace:
Really?

Andrew is startled awake.

Grace:
I thought you were done with this?

Grace grabs the remote and turns off the Tv.

Andrew:
I wasn’t gambling, I was just watching the racing.

Grace looks at him in disbelief.

Grace:
For an actor you really are a bad liar

Andrew stands up and starts to rub his face, he takes the coffee that Grace offers him.

Grace:
You need to see this.

Grace turns the tv back on and changes it to the news. Andrew watches it show the hostage situation.

Andrew:
God dammit.

Grace:
Sound familiar

Grace comes up to him and starts hugging him.

Grace:
This is your chance to get back to where you were before that disgusting habit knocked you down. Don’t let anything ruin it.

Andrew Smiles.

Andrew:
Mark’s a good guy. If he keeps a level head then we go up together. You just wait and see.

Grace:
I need to go to work but I will be here when you get back movie star. *Flirtatious*

Grace releases him.

Andrew:
Soon.

Grace gives Andrew a peck on the cheek before leaving. Andrew runs a hand through his hair before turning the Tv back onto the betting channel.

End Scene

Pilot- Scene 3

Mark walks into his office. Anni is waiting for him.

Anni:
It’s going to be an issue

Mark stops dead and looks at her.

Mark:
Since when did you become an expert in media journalism?

Anni:
When I studied for four years doing my degree.

Mark gives her a cheeky smile

Mark:
Oh yeah. Why are you working for me again?

Anni:
Because you wouldn’t know where you left your head if you didn’t have someone to tell you.

Mark:
No I remember it’s because your rubbish at media journalism and since your like a sister to me, I gave you a job.

Anni looks at him confused.

Anni:
I am your sister.

Mark:
Yeah but not sure adopted really counts.

Anni looks desperately hurt

Anni:
That may be the worst thing you’ve ever said to me.

Mark puts his hand on Anni’s shoulders.

Mark:
I’m sorry. You know I love you.

Anni wrinkles her nose up.Anni:
You look terrible and you stink of alcohol.

Mark sags.

Mark:
Yeah I had a few too many last night.

Anni:
Didn’t know press could drink so well.

Mark:
They can’t, it’s just having to listen to them drove me to drink.

Anni smiles cheekily.

Anni:
Why don’t you ever take me with you?

Mark looks horrified.

Anni:
Are you worried I will cramp your style?

Mark:
Anni I am a best-selling author, a well-known political analyst and executive producer of my own Tv series. I do that just by turning up.

Anni smiles

Anni:
I have the new artwork by the way.

Mark gets all excited.

Mark:
Can I see it now?

Anni goes to hand him the folder and then takes it away.

Anni:
Umm no, you have a staff meeting.

Mark looks confused.

Mark:
I’ve just had a staff meeting?

Anni:
That was an emergency staff meeting, now you have schedule planning meeting.

Mark turns around.

Mark:
So what am I doing here?

Anni gives him a cheeky smile.

Anni:
 I honestly have no idea.

Mark looks down.

Mark:
I better go.

Anni hands him the pictures.

Anni:
I told you. useless.

Mark walks away.

Anni:
It’s going to be an issue.

Mark turns around.

Mark:
I know.

End scene

Pilot – Scene 2

Daniel and David walk into the office. Mark has his head on the desk.

David:
If you ask me if I’ve seen the news, we will wall fall out.

Mark doesn’t lift his head.

Mark:
*Grunt*

David sits opposite Mark and Daniel sits next to him.

David:
What’s wrong with him?

Daniel:
Our illustrious Author was out with who last night? Oh that’s right the press association.

Mark finally lifts his head.

Mark:
I was networking.

David:
So what are we going to do?

Mark seems bemused

Mark:
It’s not going to be an issue.

The door opens. Hugo and Beth walk in and take seats at the table.

Hugo:
There is going to be one hell of a media storm.

Mark looks frustrated.

Daniel:
Any more news?

Beth:
They are trying to get demands to him, but they haven’t explained a motive.

Hugo:
They’ve released a picture and I’m telling you now if we casting for the role of a…

David:
Let’s leave jokes until its resolved. So what’s going to be our issue.

Mark:
There won’t be one.

David:
We aren’t all geniuses Mark so let’s assume there is.

Mark puts his head down.

Hugo:
If they link it to the book or the show, we could be looking at a massive media backlash. They will be expecting Mark to come out against it like he did before but that could make things worse.

David:
Why?

Mark:
Because last time I used it as a campaign against Incel’s. If I came out against this kid now, they would say I was fuelling the fire and using the incident to make the show controversial before release.

David nods.

Beth:
we could be looking at actors pulling out, not wanting to ruin their career.

David:
That would be an issue if we had any high profile actors.

Daniel:
We still need a network, if we don’t handle this well then we may be dead in the water.

David:
How do we handle it?

Hugo:
If we had a media director we could run a co-ordinated campaign, push the other aspects of the show. Without one these media organisation are going to tear through us.

Beth:
Didn’t we have a media director?

Daniel:
We did until Mark split up with her.

Mark:
Technically she split up with me.

David looks around the room, frustration on his face.

David:
People. What do we do?

Mark:
It’s not going to be an issue and if it is then we will deal with it but it’s nothing. The media are done with my witch hunt. Some kid is holding up a school and its terrible but it’s not my fault, it’s not your fault and its certainly not the shows fault and If I have to go on every media outlet and say it then fine but I won’t because it won’t be an issue.

David:
Beth, Hugo. Start talking to any media people you know. Mark, Daniel, I want you to work on an alternative scene.

Mark:
There can’t be an alternative scene. This is the scene; it sets up everything else that happens in the series. If we change that then we will have to change a hundred scenes after.

David:
Look into it.

Mark:
 We are two weeks away from shooting the pilot. With this very scene. The actors have it

David:
Look at it.

Mark:
Okay.

Mark checks his phone and then stands up.

Mark:
I’m going to go see Anni, she has something for me.

David:
Okay. Beth I want you to work with some our focus groups and see what they reckon to casting choices for next week’s auditions.

Mark leaves the room – end scene

Pilot- scene 1



David walks into the office and is approached by Sophie.

Sophie:
Good morning.

David picks up a paper.

David:
Morning.

Sophie:
Did you read the news this morning?

David:
You are in control of my schedule. You know that as a director in a fledgling television company I had two meetings after nine o’clock last night with studio executives and already this morning I have had to take my wife to a hospital appointment. Please do tell me, bane of my life, when I would have had time to read the news?

Sophie raises her eyebrows at him.

Sophie:
No need to be sarcastic about it.

David smiles at her.

David:
Since when did you watch the news?

Sophie:
I watch the news every morning *Pause* thank you very much.

David:
You need to hurry up and get married.

Sophie:
I know, about the news.

David looks frustrated.

David:
What have I got on this morning?

Sophie looks down at her notebook.

Sophie:
Daniel’s called an emergency meeting in the office opposite Hugo’s.

David:
Why?

Sophie Smiles.

Sophie:
You should have read the news.

David:
I’m going you cruel woman.

David leaves the office and says hello to a few people as he walks down the hallway suddenly Daniel catches up with him.

Daniel:
Have you seen the news this morning?

David looks back at him.

David:
 Why does everybody keep asking me that?

Josh walks passed.

Josh:
It’s going to cause trouble.

Daniel turns back.

Daniel:
We are working on it.

David:
Working on what?

Daniel:
There’s a situation at a school in Birmingham. Former pupil with a couple of shotguns is holding it hostage.

David stops dead.


David:
You’re joking?

Daniel:
Sadly not.

David:
But we are just about to film. Mark just finished writing the scene… They know it’s in the book.

David shakes his head.

David:
Is it going to be an issue?

David keeps on walking. Daniel follows him.

Daniel:
I don’t know but it was controversial when the book first came out, if people find out it’s in the show then they are sure to ask questions.

David:
It’s one story line right at the beginning.Daniel:
technically it’s not the scene that’s going to be an issue.

David nods

David:
I know it’s that stupid line.

David nods in frustration

David:
I told him, I told him not to add it into the show… You know back in my day you could write a show and you wouldn’t have to worry about what was happening in the world, people would just enjoy it. God damn snowflakes.

Daniel:
Make sure you don’t tell that to Mark.

David:
It’s going to be one hell of a day.

End Scene – Opening Credits