misteravid: SIMBANG GABI (a short film script exercise from this workshop I took)    SEQ.1 EXT. LOYOLA HEIGHTS ,  DECEMBER 17,  LATE EVENINGJose Marie Chan’s “Christmas in our hearts” begins playing. Whenever I see girls and boys Selling lanterns on the street. We see different houses fully decorated for Christmas. We see electronic parols & Nativity scenes in different lawns & rooftops. A Ford Ranger parks & housemaids bring down wrapped gifts & food baskets. The Guards at the entrance of the subdivision are wearing Santa hats & they say “Merry Christmas” as they salute every car that passes through.SEQ.2 INT. LOYOLA CHAPELThe song continues as we see people busy inside the church. Altar boys are prepping the pulpit & the choir is practicing.   SEQ.3 EXT. SANTOS RESIDENCE We see a house, just as decorated as the other houses. “Christmas in our hearts” continues playing. Where nations are at peace, And all are one in God SEQ.4 INT. SANTOS RESIDENCEThe song continues but this time it is coming from an old transistor radio that says “I Love Baguio”. Next to the radio is a black & white PMA graduation photo inside a newly polished frame. Let’s sing Merry Christmas and a happy holi…BANG! The song is cut as the transistor radio is shot. We see a man, Lt. Col. Andreo Santos (50), sitting on a wheel chair holding a gun with a scowl on his face. He looks like the guy in the grad photo except 30 years older, but in decent shape, despite being in a wheel chair. His hair is still cut short, his collared shirt & pants have no creases.  He is on the opposite side of the room from the radio.  The room is full of trophies, medals & certificates. Guns are on display on another wall. Emily Santos (40) hurriedly enters the room from the door that is just behind Andreo. She is pretty & very sharply dressed, like a page out of Preview Magazine. EMILYAno yun!? ANDREONakakairita yung kanta, bagong kasal pa lang tayo yan na yung pinapatugtog ‘pag pasko. We see their reflection on a framed wedding picture dated 1990. Andreo is handsome in his white uniform & Emily is wearing glasses. Next to it is a candid photo of them in Mines View Park in casual clothes. Emily is in regular early 90s clothing, big shorts & a loose blouse. EMILY (Exasperated)Buti na lang nasa states yung kapitbahay natin, baka napatawag na ng pulis yun AT hwag mo sabihing kilala mo rin naman ang ipapadala dito. Haaay. We see a younger Andreo in military uniform smiling next to a guy his age wearing a police uniform, behind them is a PMA graduating class. In an adjacent photo he is middle aged, smiling & on a mountain bike. ANDREO (looking at the wall he shot)Patitibagin mo din naman na ‘yan, para magkasya dito yung treadmill mo. Emily kisses the top of Andreo’s head & he doesn’t react. EMILYSi Karen na lang kasama mo mamaya. Kailangan ko mag supervise ng OT kasi sabi ng accounts ko tagilid pa din yung creative’s ko sa pitch. Bye. Emily leaves the room & we hear a car pull out the driveway. Andreo gets his phone from his chest pocket. SEQ.5 EXT. KATIPUNAN HIGHWAYWe see Emily look at her reflection in the rearview mirror as she drives. She lets her hair down. She stops & parks behind White Plaines Star Bucks. She takes off her blazer & goes inside. She walks with much confidence, typical of a career woman at the top of her game.  She orders a Grand Macchiato. When she turns around she sees Joey (33), a good-looking Chinoy in hipster clothing. EMILYOh, bakit wala ka sa office? The pitch is due tomorrow! JOEY (Laughs)I’m covered! I have one hell of a creative director who can sweet-talk any client.  Sexy pa! Emily smiles, she looks around. Joey leaves Star Bucks first & Emily follows. As Emily walks out she almost bumps in to a guy wearing a black denim jacket, she quickly apologizes & continues to the basement parking. She gets in to a red BMW Z3. Joey is sitting inside with a cocky smile. SEQ.6 EXT. LOYOLA CHAPELThe chapel is brimming with Simbang Gabi activity. A HI Ace van pulls over and Karen Santos (18) brings out a wheel chair, she tries to help Andreo on to it but he refuses & manages to do it on his own. He motions to wheel himself when Karen begins pushing him, she smiles at him & he gives up his scowl for a smirk. He checks his phone, switches it to silent & puts it back in his chest pocket. Seated next to where Andreo is about to park, is a buxom woman; he peeks in to her cleavage. Just as Andreo & Karen settle in, the choir starts singing “Christmas in our Hearts”. Andreo’s face crumples, he motions to wheel himself out but mass goers already surround him. He looks over to Karen who is looking at a cute boy. He frowns. He sinks into his chair & clasps his hands in front of his face. We see that many people are attending mass. SEQ.7 EXT. STARDUST, QUEZON AVE.Cars are parked with red plate numbers. One of them is Andreo’s van. Lights are flashing around pictures of “Tonight’s Performers”. SEQ. 8 INT. STARDUSTWe see many women gyrating on stage in various states of undress. Andreo is with 5 other guys his age. He is the center of their attention. Their table is filled with beer & hard drinks. They smoke, drink & talk while GROs sit on their laps. SEQ.9 EXT. VICTORIA COURT, PASIG.Joey’s car is pulling out of Victoria Court. His window is down as he smokes. A black Honda Civic with no plate number trails them as he drives away. SEQ.10 EXT. A STREET IN GREEN MEADOWSJoey is driving along this short cut to get back to Star Bucks in White Plaines. All that you see on this street are 2 huge houses with no lights & an empty lot. The black car suddenly blocks them. At first he gets mad & motions to get down but Emily is alarmed & tells Joey to quickly back up. But another car immediately pulls up behind them. A total of 6 men wearing balaclavas & black jump suits come down from the cars. They run towards them while expertly pointing automatic guns. Emily & Joey are frozen. They hit Joeys face with the butt of an Armalite & quickly put a black bag over Emily’s face & drag her out of the car.  One of the men drives away with the BMW. Joey & Emily are taken into separate cars.  SEQ.11 EXT. SOMEWHERE IN ANTIPOLO 3 AMThe carjackers leave Emily at an isolated cliff. She just stands there for a while, shaking, before she realizes she can take off the bag of her head. Other than her ruffled clothes, bruised neck & wrists, she is relatively unharmed. SEQ.12 EXT. STAR BUCKS, WHITE PLAINES 5 AMEmily gets off a cab & slowly walks like it’s her first time wearing heels. She gets in to her car, ties up her hair & puts on her blazer. She cries. SEQ. 13 EXT. PNP CAR IMPOUND, 5 AMThe BMW drives into the pound. There are all sorts of luxury cars. The guy who Emily almost bumped into earlier is at the entrance. He acknowledges the driver with a salute then pulls out his phone. SEQ. 14 INT. SANTOS RESIDENCE 6 AMAt the dining room, Andreo is sitting by the table, his phone visible at his chest. The housemaid serves breakfast; eggs, garlic rice, vigan longanisa & coffee. On the widescreen television, a morning show is covering Simbang Gabi delicacies. Andreo asks the maid to turn it off because the hosts have begun singing “Christmas in our hearts”.  The maid leaves the room & Emily enters. She slowly sits across Andreo. ANDREO (With a straight face)Oh kamusta OT?   THE END.

misteravid:


SIMBANG GABI
(a short film script exercise from this workshop I took)
  

SEQ.1 EXT. LOYOLA HEIGHTS ,  DECEMBER 17,  LATE EVENING
Jose Marie Chan’s “Christmas in our hearts” begins playing. Whenever I see girls and boys Selling lanterns on the street. We see different houses fully decorated for Christmas. We see electronic parols & Nativity scenes in different lawns & rooftops. A Ford Ranger parks & housemaids bring down wrapped gifts & food baskets. The Guards at the entrance of the subdivision are wearing Santa hats & they say “Merry Christmas” as they salute every car that passes through.


SEQ.2 INT. LOYOLA CHAPEL
The song continues as we see people busy inside the church. Altar boys are prepping the pulpit & the choir is practicing.

 

SEQ.3 EXT. SANTOS RESIDENCE
We see a house, just as decorated as the other houses. “Christmas in our hearts” continues playing. Where nations are at peace, And all are one in God

SEQ.4 INT. SANTOS RESIDENCE
The song continues but this time it is coming from an old transistor radio that says “I Love Baguio”. Next to the radio is a black & white PMA graduation photo inside a newly polished frame. Let’s sing Merry Christmas and a happy holi…BANG! The song is cut as the transistor radio is shot. We see a man, Lt. Col. Andreo Santos (50), sitting on a wheel chair holding a gun with a scowl on his face. He looks like the guy in the grad photo except 30 years older, but in decent shape, despite being in a wheel chair. His hair is still cut short, his collared shirt & pants have no creases.  He is on the opposite side of the room from the radio.  The room is full of trophies, medals & certificates. Guns are on display on another wall. Emily Santos (40) hurriedly enters the room from the door that is just behind Andreo. She is pretty & very sharply dressed, like a page out of Preview Magazine.

EMILY
Ano yun!?

ANDREO
Nakakairita yung kanta, bagong kasal pa lang tayo yan na yung pinapatugtog ‘pag pasko.

We see their reflection on a framed wedding picture dated 1990. Andreo is handsome in his white uniform & Emily is wearing glasses. Next to it is a candid photo of them in Mines View Park in casual clothes. Emily is in regular early 90s clothing, big shorts & a loose blouse.

EMILY (Exasperated)
Buti na lang nasa states yung kapitbahay natin, baka napatawag na ng pulis yun AT hwag mo sabihing kilala mo rin naman ang ipapadala dito. Haaay.

We see a younger Andreo in military uniform smiling next to a guy his age wearing a police uniform, behind them is a PMA graduating class. In an adjacent photo he is middle aged, smiling & on a mountain bike.

ANDREO (looking at the wall he shot)
Patitibagin mo din naman na ‘yan, para magkasya dito yung treadmill mo.

Emily kisses the top of Andreo’s head & he doesn’t react.

EMILY
Si Karen na lang kasama mo mamaya. Kailangan ko mag supervise ng OT kasi sabi ng accounts ko tagilid pa din yung creative’s ko sa pitch. Bye.

Emily leaves the room & we hear a car pull out the driveway. Andreo gets his phone from his chest pocket.

SEQ.5 EXT. KATIPUNAN HIGHWAY
We see Emily look at her reflection in the rearview mirror as she drives. She lets her hair down. She stops & parks behind White Plaines Star Bucks. She takes off her blazer & goes inside. She walks with much confidence, typical of a career woman at the top of her game.  She orders a Grand Macchiato. When she turns around she sees Joey (33), a good-looking Chinoy in hipster clothing.

EMILY
Oh, bakit wala ka sa office? The pitch is due tomorrow!

JOEY (Laughs)
I’m covered! I have one hell of a creative director who can sweet-talk any client.  Sexy pa!

Emily smiles, she looks around. Joey leaves Star Bucks first & Emily follows. As Emily walks out she almost bumps in to a guy wearing a black denim jacket, she quickly apologizes & continues to the basement parking. She gets in to a red BMW Z3. Joey is sitting inside with a cocky smile.

SEQ.6 EXT. LOYOLA CHAPEL
The chapel is brimming with Simbang Gabi activity. A HI Ace van pulls over and Karen Santos (18) brings out a wheel chair, she tries to help Andreo on to it but he refuses & manages to do it on his own. He motions to wheel himself when Karen begins pushing him, she smiles at him & he gives up his scowl for a smirk. He checks his phone, switches it to silent & puts it back in his chest pocket. Seated next to where Andreo is about to park, is a buxom woman; he peeks in to her cleavage. Just as Andreo & Karen settle in, the choir starts singing “Christmas in our Hearts”. Andreo’s face crumples, he motions to wheel himself out but mass goers already surround him. He looks over to Karen who is looking at a cute boy. He frowns. He sinks into his chair & clasps his hands in front of his face. We see that many people are attending mass.

SEQ.7 EXT. STARDUST, QUEZON AVE.
Cars are parked with red plate numbers. One of them is Andreo’s van. Lights are flashing around pictures of “Tonight’s Performers”.

SEQ. 8 INT. STARDUST
We see many women gyrating on stage in various states of undress. Andreo is with 5 other guys his age. He is the center of their attention. Their table is filled with beer & hard drinks. They smoke, drink & talk while GROs sit on their laps.

SEQ.9 EXT. VICTORIA COURT, PASIG.
Joey’s car is pulling out of Victoria Court. His window is down as he smokes. A black Honda Civic with no plate number trails them as he drives away.

SEQ.10 EXT. A STREET IN GREEN MEADOWS
Joey is driving along this short cut to get back to Star Bucks in White Plaines. All that you see on this street are 2 huge houses with no lights & an empty lot. The black car suddenly blocks them. At first he gets mad & motions to get down but Emily is alarmed & tells Joey to quickly back up. But another car immediately pulls up behind them. A total of 6 men wearing balaclavas & black jump suits come down from the cars. They run towards them while expertly pointing automatic guns. Emily & Joey are frozen. They hit Joeys face with the butt of an Armalite & quickly put a black bag over Emily’s face & drag her out of the car.  One of the men drives away with the BMW. Joey & Emily are taken into separate cars. 

SEQ.11 EXT. SOMEWHERE IN ANTIPOLO 3 AM
The carjackers leave Emily at an isolated cliff. She just stands there for a while, shaking, before she realizes she can take off the bag of her head. Other than her ruffled clothes, bruised neck & wrists, she is relatively unharmed.

SEQ.12 EXT. STAR BUCKS, WHITE PLAINES 5 AM
Emily gets off a cab & slowly walks like it’s her first time wearing heels. She gets in to her car, ties up her hair & puts on her blazer. She cries.

SEQ. 13 EXT. PNP CAR IMPOUND, 5 AM
The BMW drives into the pound. There are all sorts of luxury cars. The guy who Emily almost bumped into earlier is at the entrance. He acknowledges the driver with a salute then pulls out his phone.

SEQ. 14 INT. SANTOS RESIDENCE 6 AM
At the dining room, Andreo is sitting by the table, his phone visible at his chest. The housemaid serves breakfast; eggs, garlic rice, vigan longanisa & coffee. On the widescreen television, a morning show is covering Simbang Gabi delicacies. Andreo asks the maid to turn it off because the hosts have begun singing “Christmas in our hearts”.  The maid leaves the room & Emily enters. She slowly sits across Andreo.

ANDREO (With a straight face)
Oh kamusta OT?

 

THE END.

posted : Sunday, December 18th, 2011

tags : reblog

reblogged from : Mister Avid Draws