Dream Flyers and Bathroom Singers

DREAM FLYERS AND BATHROOM SINGERS

(a short film)

1) INT. SPARKUS’ BEDROOM – NIGHT

Aerial shot of 26 year old Sparkus’ bedroom. It is bare, with no signature touches. He lies on his bed (dressed in pyjamas); his arms nestled behind his head. He stares at the ceiling, deep in thought.

SPARKUS V.O.

People have always described me as

ordinary. I was never the smartest

kid at school or the best looking.

I never played sport or flourished

in the arts. I’m just Sparkus, Liam’s

younger brother, the guy who hums while

he eats cereal. This has never bothered

me, I’ve never striven to be the best. I

go about my business, living each day as

I did the last, never stepping into the

spotlight, never carving new paths. My

life is fluid and I go with the flow. I

have no aims, no ambitions, no thirst to

prove myself.

The camera which was circling the room zooms in on his face. He flashes the camera a winning smile, then closes his eyes.

2) EXT. SPARKUS’ TERRACE – NIGHT

Sparkus sits on the ledge of the terrace of his apartment building. He wears the same ensemble as before and is the epitome of calm and collectedness. Looking at the camera, he speaks.

SPARKUS

If you saw me, you’d never think I

was a dreamer. For twenty five years -

my entire stint on the planet – I’ve

had a recurring dream every night. It

is unchanging, vivid and in technicolour.

Before I go to bed, I’m prepared for

this. It’s like I’ve rented the same

movie from the video store over and

over again. Every morning I wake up

and it’s as clear as day. I remember

the smallest details, every hint of

colour, every gust of wind.

He stands on the ledge with remarkable ease. He winks at the camera and dives head long into the night sky. The instrumental beginnings of Dave Matthew’s – Dream Girl plays as Sparkus soars through the sky, like an eagle with newly discovered wings. (cut to)

3) EXT. HILL TOPS – NIGHT

Sparkus swerves over hill tops. (cut to)

4) EXT. FIELDS – NIGHT

He glides mere milimetres away from sleeping cattle and drooling shepherds. He runs his hand over dew soaked grass. (cut to)

5) EXT. OCEAN – NIGHT

He flies over water bodies, spinning round and round. The ocean breeze tousles his hair and kisses his neck. (cut to)

6) EXT. CLOUD – NIGHT

He lies on a cloud, his mouth open, ready to taste rain drops so new and unpolluted, you’d believe in the power of creation all over again. (cut to)

7) EXT. CITY – NIGHT

He floats above the city sky line, then dips into by lanes to catch a glimpse of hookers walk up to cars and teenagers vomit into bins. He makes a disgusted expression and flies away with determination. (cut to)

8) EXT. ROOF TOP, TOWN HOUSE – NIGHT

The music fades. He sits cross legged on the roof top.

9) EXT. BATHROOM WINDOW, TOWN HOUSE – NIGHT

You can still see Sparkus but the camera zooms out from the roof top. Below him, a light switches on and you see the silhouette of a girl. The sound of the shower coming on, the girl singing over the shower. She sings Al Greene’s How Can You Mend A Broken Heart. He closes his eyes and listens to her, her song floods his soul.

10) INT. SPARKUS’S BEDROOM – MORNING

He opens his eyes, smiling, satisfied. He stretches and hops out of bed. (cut to)

11) INT. KITCHEN – MORNING

He is dressed in a shirt and pants, he eats a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table. He hums Al Greene’s How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.

SPARKUS V.O.

No one knows about these dreams.

Who would believe me anyway? It’s

comfortable being just another

gawky guy, it’s easy. It’s easy not

caring where your life takes you.

There are no heart breaks that way.

He rinses his bowl, packs his lunch.

SPARKUS V.O. cont’d

In my dreams I have a power that

flows through me like white light. I

have a mission, I’m connected to the

universe. The dreams are my reality,

that’s where I belong, if I do belong

to anything.

Zoom in on his face, looking at the camera, he puts his index finger to his lips.

SPARKUS

Ssshhh!

12) EXT. LIAM’S FRONT DOOR – EVENING

Sparkus wipes his feet on the welcome mat of his brother’s (Liam) front door. He turns to the camera and whispers.

SPARKUS

Liam organises game night every

Friday. I don’t need game nights,

my dreams are enough. But I try

to make my brother happy, he cares

too much. I hope he doesn’t try to

set me up again.

He rings the doorbell. Liam (30) answers the door. He beams at Sparkus.

LIAM

Sparks! (Action: Grabbing Sparks

for a hug, calling over his shoulder)

It’s Sparks!

Off camera hurrahs for Sparkus’ arrival are heard. A woman (also 30) rushes to the door. She goes by the name

‘Liam’s Soul mate’.

LIAM’S SOUL MATE

Glad you could make it. I have

someone I’ve been itching to

introduce you to.

SPARKUS

But she promised!

LIAM

You could humour her for once.

Sparkus sighs in defeat, they walk in. (cut to)

13) INT. LIAM’S LIVING ROOM – EVENING

Liam, his soul mate, a man and two women sit in a circle on the floor, about to start a game of cards. The place is classy and elegantly decorated. Assorted snacks and drinks lie around them. Sparkus stands outside the circle, awkward. Jazz plays in the background.

LIAM’S SOUL MATE

(Action: patting the spot between her

and the woman next to her)

Sparks, say hello to Tamsin. We started

working together last month.

SPARKUS

(Takes a seat between the women)

Hello Tamsin.

TAMSIN

Hi. I’ve heard a great deal about

you.

SPARKUS

Oh, right. So what are we playing?

LIAM
Poker!

The music gets louder, drowning out their voices. The evening unfolds before your eyes. Everyone is entertained, except our protagonist. Tamsin talks to him; he casually dismisses her. He stares at the clock a lot. They continue playing games. The clock strikes midnight. Sparkus stands.

SPARKUS

Alright gang, best be off. Early

start tomorrow.

LIAM

It’s Saturday tomorrow, what’s the

rush?

SPARKUS

Er, I have to go into work. Emergency.

LIAM’S SOUL MATE

(Makes ‘ask her out’ signals with

her eyes)

SPARKUS

Um, Tamsin, would you like to get a

drink sometime?

TAMSIN

I’d love to.

SPARKUS

Great, I’ll get your number off them

soon. Thanks for the fun night. Adios!

14) INT. SPARKUS’ CAR – NIGHT

Sparkus drives home, he thinks aloud to the camera, his only true friend.

SPARKUS

Why do they keep putting me in these

god awful situations? She’s alright I

guess, cute enough. But nothing will

come of it. Why do they even bother?

I hope she’s not looking for some

knight in shining armour. Why do

humans search for love, anyway? I don’t

get it. It’s messy and makes no sense.

I’m above love and that’s a great

feeling. Sex is great, it fulfils a

need, but love… it has no purpose. You

might think I’m heartless but you don’t

have the dreams.

15) INT. SPARKUS’ KITCHEN – DAY

He reads the newspaper in his pyjamas. The phone rings. It’s Liam. You can hear both ends of the conversation.

LIAM

I thought you had work.

SPARKUS

I… uh… it got cancelled.

LIAM

Save it, Sparks. So… we’re dying

to know what you thought of her.

SPARKUS

Alright I guess, nice enough.

LIAM

You’re really hopeless, I want you

to give her a chance.

SPARKUS

Fine.

LIAM

Have you got a pen? You better be

taking this down.

Sparkus scribbles something on a post-it, bored.

16) INT. SPARKUS’ KITCHEN – EVENING

Sparkus (in the same pyjamas) takes out a pot roast from the oven. The phone rings. It’s Liam’s soulmate. This time you can only hear one side of the conversation.

SPARKUS

(His ear drum bursting, pulls the

receiver away from his ear)

I’ll call her now, I promise.

(Hangs up the phone)

God, she’s crazy!

He searches for the post-it, dials.

SPARKUS cont’d

Tamsin?

17) INT. BAR – EVENING

Sparkus enters the bar to find Tamsin seated at a table in the corner. She is fresh and doe eyed. A pitcher of Sangria accompanies her at the table. She hugs him and he is caught off guard but pleasantly surprised. He sits across from her, nervous.

SPARKUS

(Looking around)

Nice place.

TAMSIN

Isn’t it? We come here after work

a lot.

SPARKUS

Cool.

Uncomfortable silence.

TAMSIN

So… the weather’s been great lately.

SPARKUS

Oh yeah, the best.

The passing of hours is shown by the empty pitchers and their much more relaxed countenance. They sit closer now.

TAMSIN

(The beginnings of a slight slur on

her tongue)

They’re going to shut soon. Do

you want to come to mine? I’ve

got a great bottle of Merlot I’ve

been saving.

(cut to)

18) EXT. TAMSIN’S FRONT DOOR – NIGHT

The two kiss outside her front door. Tamsin flushed, pulls away and searches for her keys. He slides his hand up her dress, she doesn’t seem to mind. Eventually she opens the door, they step inside.

19) INT. TAMSIN’S TOWN HOUSE – NIGHT

The place is cosy and artsy. She kisses him, pushes him onto the couch.

TAMSIN

The wine’s in that cupboard over

there. Help yourself. I’m just

hopping in for a shower really

quick.

Sparkus removes the bottle from the cupboard and pours two glasses. He turns on the telly, reclines into the sofa. Then he hears something. But he’s not sure. He stands and walks through the house, glass in hand.

20) INT. BATHROOM DOOR – NIGHT

He stands outside her door, entranced. She’s singing in the shower. She sings We Have Forgotten by Six Pence None the Richer (not Al Greene) but the voice is strangely similar. The feeling of déjà vous washes over him. He stands rooted to the spot, transfixed. The singing stops and the spell is broken. He runs back to the living room, spilling red wine over the carpet. He doesn’t bother to clean it up and rushes out the front door.

21) INT. SPARKUS’ BEDROOM – NIGHT

He sits bolt upright on his bed and chews a finger nail nervously.

SPARKUS

It’s been five hours since I left

her town house and for the first

time in twenty five years, I am

unable to sleep.

Black out, roll credits.