Category: Episode 2

David is at home with Abi who looks ill.

David: I’m telling you now, it couldn’t have gone any better. They were practically eating out of my lap.

Abi: I knew you could do it.

David: We will start shooting in a few months’ time and then have the pilot ready for circulation.

Abi: I told you this time it would work out.

Abi coughs.

David: What did the doctors say?

Abi: They have taken some blood and they want me to have a scan next week. They think my Thyroid is swollen. They have given me some tablets

David: I will make sure I come with you next time. Network meeting or not.

David looks up as the doorbell rings. He stands up and answers it to Elizabeth. Her eyes are red and her mascara is down her cheeks.

David: What’s wrong, do you want to come in?

Elizabeth: No I need to get back to my apartment but I didn’t want to do this on the phone.

David: Do what?

Elizabeth: I can’t work on this show anymore

David: Why? Its Mark isn’t it. I will talk to him I will.

Elizabeth: No David, for my sanity you won’t. He has no place for me in his life and you don’t need me now either.

David: That’s not true

Elizabeth: I need to do this David. Please

Suddenly Abi coughs more violently. Elizabeth looks in.

Elizabeth: Is everything okay?

David: It’s fine. There is nothing I can do to talk you out of it?

Elizabeth: I’m sorry David. I just can’t.

David: I get it Kid. You need to look after yourself

He looks behind him.

David: projects like these have a way of giving you tunnel vision. That’s what Mark’s got at the moment, but the project is only a fleeting thing. Those around you are what’s important. I’m going to miss the hell out of you Liz, but you go make the best out of your life while you can.

Elizabeth puts her hand on David’s shoulder.

Elizabeth: David are you sure everything is okay?

David: I’m positive.

Elizabeth: I will send some notes to the team, make sure you still have some cover.

David: I will miss you kid.

Elizabeth gently kisses David on the cheek. David looks out the door as Elizabeth walks away.

End scene  

Mark is sat in the kitchen working, Elizabeth walks in and places a bag on the floor.

Elizabeth: Mark?

Mark places the sheet down

Mark: Yeah

Elizabeth: I can’t do this anymore.

Mark looks confused and starts walking slowly towards her.

Mark: Do what?

Elizabeth: This? She shrugs, we work together we don’t speak, we come here, and we don’t speak. It’s not what I imagined when we first got together.

Mark: Where has this come from?

Elizabeth: It’s been building for weeks Mark.

Elizabeth reaches her hand out and strokes at Mark’s face.

Elizabeth: You have the world inside your head Mark. At the moment you are focusing on this thing, you don’t have the place for me or for anyone. You need to do this.

Mark: What, we go to work and pretend we never happened? that isn’t going to work Liz.

Elizabeth: No, I couldn’t do that. I love this job Mark I really do and I appreciate you letting me come on this journey with you but for my sanity, I’m going to have to leave.

Mark: You can’t leave now we are this close to getting things going.

Elizabeth’s hands shoot in the air.

Elizabeth: This, this is what I mean. God show some humanity Mark, I just said I’m leaving you and your calm. The bit you get angry about is that I’m leaving the show. This is exactly what I mean.

Mark: I care about…

Elizabeth: You care about your ego and your work Mark. That’s all it ever was. You were with me because I smiled and giggled over every word you said, now I don’t boost your self-esteem you don’t talk to me. Pretty sure that’s all Daniel is as well, just someone else to tell you how good you are.  You’re right there is more to you than just being a genius, you’re a workaholic, un-feeling recluse.

Mark nods.

Mark: Yeah

Elizabeth shakes her head slowly, tears welling up in her eyes

Elizabeth: I loved you Mark.

Mark’s jaw tightens

Mark: You’re right, I can’t work with this.

Elizabeth nods and walks away, grabbing her bag she walks towards the door and slams it. Camera focuses on Mark as he breathes rapidly.

Mark: Dammit.

End scene with Mark picking up his laptop and going back to writing.

Beth, David and Hugo are sat in an office.

Beth: Did Mark say who he had hired?

David: Some kid who wrote a fan fiction of his work.

Beth: Seriously?

Hugo: David, don’t you think you are giving Mark a bit too much free reign on this project?

David: It was one of the agreements when he took it over and let’s be honest do you really think he is just going to let this kid write?

Beth: Exactly it’s a stunt so Mark can keep control of the writing. No good will come of it.

David: I’ve read some of the kids work, it’s not bad and with a bit of training he might make something

There is a knock at the door and mark and Daniel walk. Mark walks up to the desk and looks at some sheets that Hugo hands him. Daniel hangs back.

Mark: Everyone this is Daniel, he is going to be working on our screen writing team.

Daniel: Pleasure.

Mark: When did these come through?

Hugo: Last night.

Mark: I will get Anni to send them over to the studio.

David: We need to discuss shooting locations when you have a free minute, the shopping area isn’t going to work

Mark: Why not?

Beth: Because everyone will be shopping for Christmas by then.

Hugo: They don’t look to comfortably on being shut around that time.

Mark: We will sort something.

Daniel steps forward.

Daniel: I’m sorry is there something I should be doing.

David: Right yeah. Mark take him to go and see Louise, get the pair of them working on scene 23 for the pilot, we need the first draft done for casting next week.

Mark: Yeah.

Mark leaves

Mark: Follow me

Daniel timidly follows him out. They walk downstairs towards the writer’s office. Talking as they walk.

Mark: Strange thing about this place is you need to be ready to have meetings in the hallways. When you are in your office you will want that to be a meeting free zone. People never come and see you when you’re in your office. Well apart from me probably.

Daniel: Right.

They stop at the office and Mark opens the door. Louise looks up.

Mark: This is Louise, she is going to be your writing partner.

Daniel: Hi

Louise: Yeah we spoke the other day.

Mark: Of course.

Daniel: So do you have any notes for me for scene 23?

Mark: yeah don’t worry about that I will be in to work with you through that later. Why don’t you two get to know eachother, work on some small things and get the juices flowing.

Daniel taps at the desk.

Daniel: Okay yeah, sounds good.

Mark: Your desk is there, if you need me my assistant Anni is just next door. Welcome to the team.

Mark leaves. Suddenly Elizabeth grabs him.

Elizabeth: Hey

Mark: Hi

Elizabeth: I’m just going to get some lunch fancy it.

Mark: What for?

Elizabeth: To eat Mark. come on.

Mark: Oh I can’t I need to finish this work.

Elizabeth: I meant you know me and you go and have something to eat together, like boyfriend and girlfriend.

Mark: Yeah I know what you mean it’s just I can’t leave this stuff now. Tonight though.

Elizabeth looks down sadly as Mark disappears.

Elizabeth: yeah tonight.

Scene changes back to Daniel.

Daniel sits down at his desk and smiles nervously at Louise.

Louise: build up scenes.

Daniel: Excuse me?

Louise: That’s all we ever write here. Scenes that build up to something else. The stuff most likely to get cut.

Daniel: Then who writes the rest?

Louise: Mark and then we get the fun of editing it.

Daniel: If you don’t like it, why are you here?

Louise: Because no matter what, my names going to be on the credits as a screen writer and if that isn’t great for the CV, then nothing will be am I right?

Daniel: Yeah *he sighs* your right.

End scene  

Daniel is sat behind a desk answering phone calls.

Daniel: Yes, don’t worry we cover all of that for you *Pause* Trust me you won’t find better coverage than us.

Nicola walks over and stops at Daniel’s desk, leaning over towards him.

Daniel: I will just pass you over to another member of our sales team.

Daniel presses a button on his phone and then turns towards Nicola.

Daniel: What do you need?

Nicola looks shocked.

Nicola: Mark Wilson, the author, he is in my office and he wants to speak to you.

Daniel looks shocked.

Daniel: What? Why?

Nicola: He wouldn’t say

Daniel: I think I know why.

Daniel looks gutted. He stands up and walks between a few desks and stops by Chloe’s, she turns around to look at him.

Daniel: Mark Wilson wants to see me

Chloe: Who?

Daniel: The author, the one I wrote the fan fiction about

Chloe: Ah.

Daniel: Why would he want to see me?

Chloe: Probably upset that you are a better writer than he is.

Daniel: I better go and see him.

Daniel walks away from Chloe and opens a door into an office. Mark is stood in there flicking through some sheets.
Daniel: Mr Wilson.

Mark turns around and quickly shakes Daniel’s hand

Mark: You are Daniel Hart, author of this fan fiction?

Daniel: Yeah, listen I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t plagiarise your work.

Mark puts his hand out and smiles.

Mark: Its fanfiction you are meant to plagiarise. You know I started writing Fanfictions.

Daniel: Really? How old were you?

Mark: Twelve.

Daniel nods nervously.

Daniel: I’m sorry to be rude Mr Wilson but what are you here for?

Mark: As you know I’m working on a television series.

Daniel: yeah it’s been all over the news.

Mark laughs slightly.

Mark: yeah it has, well I’m moving up and becoming a producer and I need a screen writer who understands my work.

The realisation seems to dawn on Daniel.

Daniel: Mr Wilson, I’m no screen writer.

Mark: Not yet but you have potential.

Daniel: seriously, this would be like a serious thing and I only write fan fiction.

Mark: Exactly, what do you think this show is but fan fiction of my novel. You will be perfect for it.

Daniel: No.

Mark: Listen this is like some cliché movie thing going on here, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You have a chance here to help me write and I’m going to be honest not every average joe gets that chance but I did once so I’m offering it to you.

Pause as Daniel thinks.

Daniel: I have a job, a life, I can’t just run away from it. I mean I will have to speak to my girlfriend.

Mark: you have two seconds. Come on, when you were writing didn’t you at least dream for a second that you would be able to work on something like this?

Daniel: Yeah but that’s a game.

Mark: now its reality.

Daniel looks horrified but finally he smiles.

End scene

Mark is sat at his desk, tapping his fingers while Louise continues to write her book. Suddenly Anni comes in.

Anni: They are done.

Mark stands up.

Mark: Really?

Anni: Yeah just finished.

Mark quickly walks out of the room. Camera follows him as he walks down the hallway and walks into the meeting room. Elizabeth is sat reading while David paces the other side of the table.

Mark: How did it go?

David walks over to the Mark

David: it looks like a done deal kid.

Mark quickly shakes his hand

Mark: Great. What did they ask for?

Elizabeth: Andrew not to be in it.

Marks face drops.

Mark: But you talked him down right?

Elizabeth: We had to sell our souls though

David: But it will all be worth it when we get his money.

David suddenly looks around at Elizabeth.

David: Liz can you give me a minute.

Elizabeth stands up

Elizabeth: Sure, I need to work on leaking some points of this meeting. I will see you at home Mark.

Mark: Actually I need to go and see Andrew tonight, I will see you in the morning.

Elizabeth looks sad and nods and walks away.

David: Listen, I need you to hire another writer.

Mark: I’ve just met with Louise, I’ve only read some of her stuff but she seems like a bright kid.

David: You need someone else?

Mark: Why?

David: I’m promoting you.

Mark: What?

David: Executive producer.

Mark: what about Hugo?

David: Hugo is heading our editing team, I want you on the ground. Keeping an eye on Andrew and making sure this product is as close to your book as everyone will want it to be.

Mark: I get the choice of writer though?

David: If you insist

David suddenly looks down like he’s worried.

Mark: Are you okay, you don’t seem yourself?

David: Yeah *pause* no but it’s nothing, just the stress of the meeting.

Mark nods and goes to walk away but he turns quickly.

Mark: We got them.

David: yes we did.

Camera follows Mark as he goes back to his office. Louise has stopped writing.

Mark: Done

Louise: Yeah I think so, if I had more time I could make it better.

Mark grabs the script and skim reads it.

Mark: This is good, very good.

Louise: Thank you.

Louise stands up.

Mark: I’m going to read this but I think you have what it takes. Anni will ring you in the next couple of days.

Louise smiles and leaves. Anni walks in.

Anni: Was that one of those real I will ring her later or a fake one?

Mark: Real, she’s good. Can you do me a favour and pull up some fan fictions of my book?

Anni: Why?

Mark: I need someone who writes like me.

End scene

Back in the meeting. David is rubbing his eyes. Elizabeth is tapping at the notebook.

Elizabeth: So really your only concern is Andrew?

Mr Hartwell: He’s a risk to take on a project like this, especially in such a substantive role.

David: It was Mark’s choice and it got him along for the ride.

Mr Hartwell: Trust me, I understand loyalty but I’m sure there are other roles for him instead banking everything on a guy who nobody trusts or knows. We have a lot of very good actors in our network and if you’re worried about money, we will front the bill.

David: Money isn’t our concern. I’ve seen Andrew act out these scenes that Mark is writing. The pair of them, they are like to cogs in the machine. They understand eachother and the audience will pick up on that.

Elizabeth: How about this. We get Andrew on TV and in the papers. He does a full tell it all spread on everything that’s happened since Cooper Street. He’s extremely sorry for the hurt he’s caused but he’s turning his life around. Then he says how grateful he is to yourself for giving him this chance when no other network would.

David: Imagine it. Andrew has the charm, the wit and the talent to be an A lister and he will be forever grateful to you and so for that matter will Mark Wilson.

Mr Hartwell: If it wasn’t for the fact that I love the book and see money to be made, I would have laughed you out of the room but I need other assurances.

David: thirty percent merchandising.

Mr Hartwell: Seventy.

David: The property belongs to Mark’s estate, I only have so much I can offer. Let’s say forty.

Mr Hartwell: Sixty.

Elizabeth rights on a piece of paper and slides it over to David who nods.

David: Forty plus you keep ninety percent of advertisement money made during the show.

Mr Hartwell smiles.

Mr Hartwell: I will get the lawyers to work out an agreement.

End scene

Mark is pacing around the office.

Mark: I should be in there.

Anni: They have it sorted.

Mark: I should be in there.

Anni: would you sit down

Mark: I can’t sit down. Right now, in the room just across the hall, our future is being decided and I can’t be there because I am taking interviews.

Anni: Actually you are walking around the office pacing.

Mark slumps into his chair.

Mark: Don’t you reckon I could find an excuse to sneak in there?

Anni: I think David would actually kill you.

Mark: You do it.

Anni looks shocked

Anni: I can’t go in there.

Mark: Why not?

Anni: Because I’m just your assistant.

Mark: Exactly, go in there and tell them I need to speak to them about something and then when you are in there, get a look at their notebooks.

Anni: You really are not very clever.

There is a timid knock at the door where Louise is stood.

Louise: Hi I’m looking for Mark Wilson.

Anni stands up

Anni: I’m going to get some water.

Mark stands up.

Mark: You are Louise right, after an assistant writing role?

Louise: That’s right.

Mark: Have you worked on anything before?

Louise: Only things at university.

Mark: Okay. Listen I’m having a bit of mental episode and I think if I start interviewing you I may ask you do something completely stupid and walk into a private meeting with a very large network Mr Hartwell to get the job so why don’t we focus on the writing.

Louise: Sounds good.

Mark offers her a seat and she gingerly takes it. He then chucks a notebook in front of her and offers her a piece of paper.

Mark: This scene leads up to a conflict, I need you to write me a script with no fewer than forty character interactions and you need to slowly ramp up the tension, when your done I will read it.

Louise: I don’t have a pen

Mark hands her a pen
Louise: This is a nice pen.

Mark: it was given to me by the Royal poet laureate

Louise: There are bite marks in it

Mark: ignore that

Anni walks back in with some bottles of water.

Mark: Well?

Anni: What?

Mark: I thought you were going to sneak into the meeting.

Anni: I went to get water,

Mark: I NEED INFORMATION!

He looks timidly at Louise

Mark: Sorry.                                                      

End scene

David and Elizabeth are in a meeting with a network Mr Hartwell, who is sat across the table from him.

Elizabeth: I’m telling you now it’s a dream sell.

David: We can have the pilot filmed in a few months. Leak out a few reals.

Elizabeth: And we can give you full press coverage. Let you run the table on trailers.

Mr Hartwell taps at the table and looks between them

Mr Hartwell: I can’t say I’m not intrigued, I am a big fan of the book and it has been dying for an adaptation.

David: And what a better adaptation than having the author himself working on it. I can tell you now, the feeling behind the project it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

Mr Hartwell: You have to understand my concerns though.

David: We understand them

Elizabeth looks around then pulls her attention back onto the Mr Hartwell.

Elizabeth: Actually I don’t. This is a once in a lifetime show. You’ve got Mark Wilson working on adapting his bestselling novel. That alone buys you huge viewing figures.

Mr Hartwell: But it won’t be Mark they will be seeing on their TV’s

David: We’ve seen Mark act, trust me you don’t want to see that.

Elizabeth: Forget about Mark for a second. Don’t believe everything you read in the paper, I’ve worked on a fair few shows and I’ve never seen a Director better than David here, and the production team are incredible.

Mr Hartwell: I appreciate that. I just need to make sure that my concerns are properly expressed.

David: Then list them and we will see what we can do.

End scene

Camera fades into Mark’s apartment he is on his laptop. Elizabeth walks in with a glass of wine.

Elizabeth: Is there any point me being here if you are going to be working all night

Mark sighs.

Mark: I thought you were watching the soaps on TV?

Elizabeth: Mark its ten o’clock

Mark looks at his watch in amazement. He quickly shuts the laptop.

Mark: Is it. I don’t know where the time goes.

He spins around to face Elizabeth

Elizabeth: Are you coming to watch something with me then?

Mark: yeah I just need to

Elizabeth: need to?

Mark: There is just one more thing.

Elizabeth: Your pissed at me?

Mark: No I’m not.

Elizabeth: Yes you are, you only ever act this distant when you are angry with me. I can’t believe it.

Mark: I wish you would get off my back about this scene.

Elizabeth: I thought we decided that we will leave work at work.

Mark grabs his laptop.

Mark: This is my work, look around you, all of this is my work.

Elizabeth: Then take a break and forget about it.

Mark: Why don’t you ever back me up? It seems like every time I make a decision; I have to go twelve rounds with you. I’m your boss.

Mark stops and looks down. Elizabeth wipes away a tear.

Elizabeth: And there I was, thinking I was your girlfriend.

Mark: I’m sorry, we shouldn’t do this now.

Elizabeth: No, I think we should. I argue with you Mark because you’re an amateur playing at being pro. You think you know everything and as soon as anyone else tells you otherwise you get defensive and threaten to quit. Does all this mean so little to you?

Mark: This means everything to me.

Elizabeth: Then start acting like it and for god sake act like I mean something to you as well.

Mark: Liz?

Elizabeth: leave it Mark, I’m tired I’m going up to bed.

Elizabeth walks off camera. Mark turns around slowly and opens his laptop. Slight pause as he looks at the screen. Suddenly he shuts it again and walks towards the bedroom, the camera follows him Elizabeth is in the bathroom running the tap. Mark walks in muted conversation and then they hug. Camera fades. End scene

David is at home on the phone.

David: No listen, we need to push forward *Pause* I don’t care how much it costs I’m not filming every scene inside a studio. *Pause* Listen just get the scouts out there.

David hangs up. A voice shouts from the kitchen in a raspy voice.

Abi: What was that about?

David: Hugo is worried about scouting locations. He’s afraid we won’t be able to afford multiple real-life sets.

Abi: if you film everything in a studio, everyone will be able to tell.

David: I know that, and you know that, even Hugo knows that but he is so worried about money.

Abi appears in the doorway.

Abi: Any luck with a network?

David: me and Elizabeth are sweetening the deal tomorrow.

Abi: You will get it sorted.

Abi disappears. David begins writing suddenly he can hear coughing coming from the kitchen. He stands up and runs into the kitchen. Abi is bent over the sink coughing profusely David quickly runs her a glass of water.

David: That’s its Abi.

Abi: *Gasping* I’m fine.

David: You are not fine, look at you. This isn’t a cold Abi. I’m booking you in for an appointment and I’m taking you myself.

Abi shakes her head.

Abi: No. You have your meeting tomorrow.

David: It can wait.

Abi: No, it can’t. I will make the appointment just to prove to you that it is just a cold.

David looks unsure.

David: Okay then. Let’s get you into bed, the dishes can wait.

End scene