BRING ME THE SUN pilot script! scenes 1-5

12 Sep, 2024

I first got the idea of this story in the spring of 2018 during an early cinema history class. I wrote the title crawl you're about to read in the summer of 2019, but did not start writing the rest until spring 2021. The initial first draft was completed the following year in spring 2022.

FADE IN:

THOMAS EDISON INVENTED CINEMA -- ACCORDING TO THE MYTH.

HE PATENTED ALL HIS CAMERAS AND TECHNOLOGY, MEANING ANYONE (IN THE U.S.A.) WHO DESIRED TO PRODUCE A MOVING PICTURE MUST PAY MR. EDISON TO DO SO. FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD RESULT IN CONSEQUENCES OF ALL KINDS, WHICH WE SHALL SOON SEE.

IN THIS THE CON-MEN AND ARTISTS WERE ALIKE IN THEIR DISLIKE. BUT, PERHAPS, ARTISTS AND CON-MEN ARE ONE AND THE SAME.

THE STORY BEFORE YOU SHALL FOLLOW ONE SUCH EARLY FILMMAKER AND HIS PURSUIT FROM THAT MR. THOMAS EDISON. WHICH IS TO SAY,

THIS IS THE ORIGIN MYTH OF AMERICAN CINEMA AND THEIR MANIFEST DESTINY TOWARD THE "HAVEN" KNOWN AS HOLLYWOODLAND.

EXT. NEW JERSEY - DRY MEADOW - DAY

• The SUN burns high up in the blue sky. Not a cloud in sight.. until now. From right of frame the gentle, long arm of a big RAIN CLOUD begins to upstage the bright yellow.

• KABILI, 20, the first to observe the changing weather, shields his eyes with his dark hands.

• The buzz of the Sun gives way to the buzz of CICADAS. Kabili looks left towards another sound:

KABILI
Uhh, Adam?

• ADAM, 29, ginger, dressed in tan trousers and a white button-up (with the sleeves rolled high enough so as to not get tobacco / ash stains), is currently preoccupied yelling.

ADAM
I mean, what the hell's the matter with you three? I am paying you to act out a simple romance! Meanwhile you two act as if you're related and YOU look more miserable that Mary Todd on a Friday night.

• His victims are a couple of VAUDEVILLE ACTORS standing in a cheap, three-wall BEDROOM SET. A large FILM CAMERA blocks the middle of our frame. Left of the camera, VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1 stands not quite upright and waving his prop revolver around, quite unsure of how to properly hold it.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
My tummy huuurts.

ADAM (OFF CAMERA)
That's actually not my problem.

• Right of the camera: VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3, dressed in a nightgown, attempts to fan the high noon sweat off herself. VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2, equally sweaty and dressed in thin, red flannel pajamas, peeks out from behind the camera.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
Um, yeah, she's my sister?

ADAM
Jesus Christ.

ELEANOR (O.C)
Adam.

ADAM
WHAT?

• He snaps to his immediate left and looks down on Eleanor, 29, dressed in pastel Victorian clothing, wearing an enormous hat decorated with sunflowers and a one foot long hat pin. She's too busy sitting comfortably in her chair reading the yellow papers to look up, so she merely points to her right.

• And Kabili tries to get a word in before--.

ADAM
Billy, God damn it, I told you to keep an eye out for the goons. Now go back up the hill or go home before I--.

• Kabili points to the sky. Adam anxiously looks up: the clouds are minutes away from eclipsing the Sun.

ADAM
Jesus CHRIST.

• Now we can see the whole chaotic scene from afar: the bedroom set in the middle of a dry meadow surrounded by OAK TREES, Kabili running up the hill, Adam frantically yelling--

ADAM
Places! Get to your places! Before we lose sunlight!

• Vaudeville Actor #1 running and tripping behind the THIN DOOR, #2 and #3 jumping back into the wooden BED.

ADAM
Elly, come on, get up.

• Eleanor throws her head back and sighs.

ELEANOR
Do I have to?

• He slowly tips the back of her chair forward until she is forced to stand up.

ADAM
Yes, get up. Get up. Get UP.

• She stomps, stands, whips around, and points in his face.

ELEANOR
Don't touch my chair.

ADAM
(taken aback)
I'm sorry.

• Meanwhile, under some blankets:

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
I.. goodness, I can hardly breathe!

ELEANOR
Girl, just get out of bed. Like, those are wool blankets.

ADAM
Stay there! We're gonna star shooting.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3 May I have some water?

ELEANOR
Of course!-

ADAM
(at the same time as "of course")
Absolutely not.

ELEANOR CONT'D
-Just a sec: hey, hi, what is wrong with you?

ADAM
Nothing in particular, El, but it would be nice to prioritize our problems in the correct order and at the moment I see an awfully big cloud eclipsing God.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
I'm freaking out.

• Eleanor, with a slight head tilt and hand gesture towards the actor, maintains her glare strictly on Adam.

ADAM
Jesus.
(pulls out FLASK)
Here, gin.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
(finally sitting up)
Are you crazy!?

• Adam chucks his worn, leather flask into a bush.

ADAM
KABILI!

• Up the hill, with a view of the rickety TRAIN STATION:

KABILI
No sign of them yet!

ADAM
No, idiot, get down here!

• Kabili quickly and clumsily descends the hill.

VAUDEVILLE #1
My tum tum really hurts.

ADAM
Ok, so I don't want to hear that ever again. You're 30 years old.
(Kabili arrives)
Fetch some water for that broad.

• The "broad" is currently sitting up wide eyed, blinking rhythmically slow and moments away from fainting.

KABILI
But I don't have water.

• Just before Adam blows up, Eleanor grabs half of a metal REEL CASE off the ground and taps him on the shoulder. Adam turns around, grabs it, then shoves it into Kabili's chest.

ADAM
(livid)
The stream. Go.

• Kabili darts into the tree-line. Adam watches, then pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a long sigh.

• Vaudeville Actor #1 quietly practices his part between stomach clutched wincing. Somehow during the sweating and screaming, #2 fell asleep. Eleanor stares blankly.

ELEANOR
I need a drink.

• And with that she heads towards Adam's flask.

EXT. NEW JERSEY - FOREST STREAM - MOMENTS LATER

• The STREAM runs lazily over some rocks and down a gently slope. In the distance, we see Kabili sprinting our way.

• Now he holds the reel case under the rocks and gathers the fastest flowing water. Across the stream and closest to us a big, green, friendly FROG hops into frame.

• Kabili smiles. He doesn't notice (or seemingly care) about the shallow reel case overflowing again and again. Just frog.

EXT. NEW JERSEY - DRY MEADOW - MEANWHILE

• The clouds continue their steady march towards the Sun.

• Adam looks up helplessly, crouched and sighing. To his left, Vaudeville Actor #3 sits in Eleanor's chair wearing her hat. Eleanor kneels just in front of her, drinking from the flask.

ELEANOR
See? Didn't kill me.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
Yes, but...
(looks at Adam nervously then whispers)
It turns them into wife beaters.

ELEANOR
Would you beat your wife?

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
Well, at the moment I -- no, I would not.

ELEANOR
Good!

• Eleanor forces the flask into #3's hand. She takes a sip, scrunches her face, and covers her mouth.

ELEANOR
(pointing and smiling)
Swallow it. Right now.

• She does.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #3
I did it!

ELEANOR
You did it.

• #3, exhausted, manages to raise a fist as a joke. Eleanor playfully slaps the bill of the hat down over #3's face.

• On set, Vaudeville Actor #1 and #2 rehearse their parts: #1 knocks on the door, #2 jolts up. #1 bursts into the room and points the gun, #2 jumps out of bed.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
Wait, you aim at me? Or,

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
Oh, I don't know.

• #1 groans in pain.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
My thinking is my sister is your wife, so you'd be mad at her.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
That makes sense. You're the one who slept with her, though, so I could be mad at you.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
True, true...

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
Oh! What if I point it at myself?

• He positions the barrel against his temple, then winces and clutches his stomach.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
I see. Man versus self. Brilliant.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
Adam, can I point the gun at myself?

ADAM
No.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
Oh, ok. W-who do I point it at?

ADAM
HIM!

#1 nods, then aims at #2 again.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1
...What now?

ADAM
Ok, you know what?

• Adam jumps up and starts walking towards the women.

ADAM
(to #1 and #2)
You got your parts down. Really! Keep it up.
(to #3)
I'll take that. You're welcome, by the way.
(grabs flask)
El, can you get on the camera, please? You three, places... NOW!?

• The actors run to their places. Eleanor strolls.

ADAM
I swear, if we don't shoot this scene in the next TWO minutes all fired. Hell, I'll get some actors from that other stupid theater.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
Now the Lumpy Lady!?

ADAM
PLACES!

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2
SORRY!

• #2 hops in bed next to his sister, #3, who's still pale and fanning herself. #1 stands just behind the door, clutching his stomach and groaning. Adam watches hopelessly.

ADAM
(under his breath)
Christ in heaven.

• He takes a swig from his flask.

ADAM
We rolling?

ELEANOR
(cranking camera lever)
Uh-huh.

ADAM
Ok. Go!

• Camera POV: #2 and #3 sleep soundly. Left of frame, a visible bang on the door. #2 jolts upright. #3 (still wearing Eleanor's hat) sits up too quickly and holds her head in a daze. Now the door bursts open: #1 trips and falls flat on the floor.

ADAM
Oh, GOD DAMN IT, stop! Christ!

• Adam storms onto set and starts lifting #1.

ADAM
Get UP. C'mon, we still have-

• He looks up: behind Eleanor, marching down the hill from the train station, are three buff men. Specifically, two well dressed GOONS and Adam's SET BUILDER, who wears striped pajama bottoms and a wrinkly dress shirt.

ADAM
Great.

• Adam drops #1 and heads towards the men.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #1 (O.C.)
Oof, my tum tum!

• Eleanor takes notice of who's behind her and steps well away from the camera.

ADAM
Well, gentlemen, it's nice to see you again. Shall we resume the destruction of my livelihood?

• Goon #1 shoulder checks him out of the way. Goon #2 drops the set builder off with Adam and follows #1.

ADAM
Fantastic, I'll take that as a yes.

• In the background: Vaudeville Actor #1 sits up, sees goons, then crawls back until he hits the wall. #2 and #3 have yet to get out of bed. Eleanor stands by #3.

• In the foreground: Goon #1 screws the camera off the tripod, removes the reel, passes the camera to the other goon, and yanks the film out, exposing Adam's entire movie to the soon-to-be-eclipsed Sun. Goon #2 smashes the camera.

ADAM
Wonderful, Thanks, boys! That was probably for the best.

• The goons walk over to the ladies. #3 behins to stand up- Eleanor pushes #3 back down by the shoulder and unsheathes her enormous and sharp hat pin.

• The goons understandably shift their focus to the men.

VAUDEVILLE ACTOR #2 (O.C.) Now just one minute, good sirs! I happen to be performing as Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice next week and I- no, wait! Achh!!

• The set builder looks on helplessly.

ADAM
No yeah, that's good. Slap 'em around a bit. Do whatever you want!

SET BUILDER
Adam, I don't know what to say. They dragged me out of bed! Said they'd shut down my business if I didn't show 'em where I built your lil house.

ADAM
It's not a "house" you nincompoop!

SET BUILDER
But the other day you said--.

ADAM
Never mind what I said! How did they FIND OUT?

SET BUILDER
Well, when me and the boys rode back to the city the other day, there they were at the station asking where we came from and what we were doing.

ADAM
And what did you tell them, hmm?

SET BUILDER
I thought they wanted to do business wiht us! Y'know, free pub-lickity?

ADAM
(throws arms up)
YOUR MISTAKES TRANSCEND TIME!

• The goons walk past.

GOON #1
Mr. Edison sends his regards.

ADAM
Eddy can choke on a fat one.

GOON #2
(stops, turns round)
Oh and uh, don't follow us next train out. Last time was awkward.

ADAM
Gosh, boys, I'm sorry. You know what's awkward? Waking up one day and finding myself an outlaw in my own career!
(lowers voice)
Fucking pigs.

• Eleanor stands by Adam's side watching the goons leave.

ELEANOR
FUCKING PIGS!!

ADAM
Thanks, Elly.

• Behind them, we see Kabili emerge from the woods carefully balancing a reel case full of water.

• Vaudeville Actor #3 stumbles off the set and finally faints.

• At the sound of her body thumping, Adam and Eleanor turn around and survey the carnage.

• And with that, it begins to pour rain.

• Adam chucks his flask again. Eleanor follows its trajectory, deciding it's time for more bush diving and gin.

INT. TRAIN TO NYC - WHITE PASSENGER CAR - LATER

• We're onboard a nearly full but spacious passenger car.

• Our soaking wet gang takes up three rows on the left. In the first row, Eleanor bandages Vaudeville Actor #1 then waves to #3 to drink more from her glass of water. #3 does, then goes back to bandaging her brother. Both #1 and #2 got beat up pretty bad.

• In row three, Adam's set builder looks nervously out the window, pretending to watch the rain. Adam sits right next to him, glaring into the back of his head.

INT. TRAIN TO NYC - COLORED PASSENGER CAR - MEANWHILE

• Now we're onboard a completely full, cramped passenger car.

• While everyone is conversing, yelling, laughing, and generally having a good time with each other, Kabili keeps the window, the rain, and the passing landscape for company.

• He's drenched too, but he's smiling.

• Just a few rows ahead a well dressed, BEAUTIFUL WOMAN stands up. She playfully smacks one of her friends, then makes her way down the aisle.

• Kabili's eyes pull from the window and land on her - an unintentional spell. She continues her walk down the aisle and he's just there: looking up, not blinking, mouth agape.

• She passes. For a moment or two he frowns, then continues his window gazing.