Our finished screenplay...

Here is our finished screenplay. We coloured coded certain elements of the screenplay to make it easier for both us and the actors to work with. The colour coding is as follows:

Red- Editing
Black- Speech
Green- Camera
Italics- Stage directions
Bold- Setting the scene

Shadow Play

1

This scene has Sheldon Rex at a desk typing up a story inside his study, as he is typing there a cross cuts between him and a flashback to the final scene; the execution of Sheldon and Sylvia at the springs.

INT – Journalist’s office – Evening

Camera over the shoulder shot of Sheldon looking at the typewriter.

Sheldon Rex is typing at the typewriter.

Flash Forward

Sheldon Rex(unknown) kneels down in the water.

Flash Back

Sheldon still typing

Flash Forward

Gun being cocked

Close up of gun

Flash Back

Sheldon typing

Gun lowered to Rex’s head and as he is about to pull the trigger

Flash Forward

Diegetic sound of typewriter being smacked back. Rex then blows out candle and exits the door.

2

Journalist’s boss telling Sheldon Rex to follow the politician after a tip off that there is a drug importation tonight at ‘The Manor’. Setting is a dimly lit office room (venetian blinds covering boss’ face)

Man seen leaving boss’ room, Sheldon walks in.

Boss: Ahh, Rex just the man I wanted to see. Take a seat.

[Boss pours a glass of (something) in to a small glass and drops ice in it)

Rex: Thanks boss, who was that fella leaving the office, is he the new guy?

Barnacles: No Rex, [puffs cigar] he’s one of my… sources and he has just given me and interesting tip off about Reece Freeman, one of the candidates in the runnin’ for the Governor.

Rex: I’m planning to vote for that guy,

Barnacles: Well this might change your mind my …friend just told me that there is a large shipment of drugs coming in to the city tonight.

Rex: Ok, and what’s this got to do with Mr Freeman

Boss: Well, here’s where it gets interesting. Apparently Mr. WannaBeGovernor is involved and will be there tonight at the drop off. Get on it.

3.

Long shot of a car arriving outside location, lights are dimly lit by the car. Car lights are turned off and only light seen if through the window of the country estate house. Jump cut into kitchen of house where Sylvia is reassuring Reece about the deal.

Rex’s car enters, car lights turn off.

Shot of window with Sylvia giving Reece a back rub

Rex(talking to himself): Looking anxious Reece

Shot of Rex’s face from the side with the window next to him

Rex lights a cigarette

Jump cut to kitchen

Sylvia, pouring a glass of Bailey’s, spots Rex’s in the car because of glow of cigarette.

Reece: Something bothering you?

Sylvia: Nothing, just hoping tonight goes smoothly.

Reece: Same doll face.

Car arrives outside house, diegetic sound of two doors slamming simultaneously, knock on the door. Reece begins to walk to the door. Rex’s gets out of car and hides in bushes.

Reece opens door to two burly men, they silently walk into the living room with a brief case.

Man1 opens briefly case and reveals cocaine. Reece pulls out a knife. Non diegetic screech of violin. Reece slits packet of packet of coke and tastes it. Rex Gets the shot, only Sylvia sees him. Anxious faces all rounds as Reece turns to Bodyguard/burly man. Bodyguard walks forward with suitcase and opens it revealing loads of dollars

Man2: B-e-a-utiful

Bodyguard leaves room.

Reece: Glad we could do business

Shake hands and is shown the door by Sylvia

Two Body guards seen entering back of vehicle, DD’s leave house and seen entering the same car.

Body guards pop up and proceed to strangle both men with rope, shot from the dashboard. Cut to shot of side of the car, diegetic sound of fumbling and gasps. Car door opens as mans body is dragged away.

Close up shot of Rex’s scared face.

Sylvia: Who are you and what is your business?

Rex: Me? Errm I’m Calvin Brodus, I can’t find my dog? He answers to the name of Fenton, have you seen him

Sylvia: takes a puff of her cigarette, I haven’t seen one around goodbye Mr. Rex

Rex walks to car, with a puzzled face.

Voice over (Rex); how did she know my name. Why where those men murdered. All I knew is that I had to get out and fast.

4.

 Rex returns to his office to talk to his boss about what he witnessed the previous night. He enters the boss’s office and sits down. The boss pours him a drink and they begin talking.

V.J.J. Barnacles:  What the hell happened last night Rex? We have two dead people and a large amount of cocaine…and that’s just the office party, BUT now is no time for jokes. This is clearly going deeper than we thought. I want you to take a back seat on this.

Rex:  OK, but let me at least figure out how I fit in to all of this.

Barnacles: What’d you mean?

Rex: Well last night Mrs Freeman knew my name, but I don’t know how.

Barnacles: In that case I want you to stay as far away from the Freeman story as possible. I don’t want you getting yourself involved with something that might not just end your career but also your life.

Rex: Fine then 

5.

The scene opens with a phone ringing on a table, phone conversation starts. Shot of women talking into classic phone-box, only see her lips(red).

Sheldon is slowly waking up because of phone ringing.

Rex: Hello?  

Sylvia: Hello there detective,

Rex: Who is this?

Sylvia: I know you’re working on the biggest case of your life and I have information that would certainly be of use.

Rex: I have no idea what you are talking about?

Sylvia: Well if you’re interested, it’s quarter past 11 tomorrow night at my out of town house, 93 Groseover Lane, Kiltern, Goodnight Sheldon.

Rex has a confused face, scribbles down details on notebook.

6.

Scene opens with a car pulling up outside some houses.  Rex finishes a cigarette checks his watch and slowly get out of the car. He begins to walk towards his location. His walk is shortened by jumps cuts in editing. When he reaches the bridge Sylvia is there waiting with her back to the camera (or possibly side on under the light).

Camera slowly pans up from the woman’s legs to her head.

Rex: Sorry I’m late; I had to make sure I wasn’t followed.

Sylvia:  [Turning around] Good, what I have to tell you will make you famous. You wanna be famous…Mr. Rex?   }

Close up of Sylvia’s face.

Rex:  [Hesitant] Yeah, sure.

Sylvia: My husband, [said mockingly] and soon to be governor, Reece Freeman has been up to no good.

Rex: No good eh?

Sylvia: Yeah, drugs, prostitution, racketeering, you name it he’s involved with it.

Rex: I knew something was up with him, I saw the deal the other night.

Sylvia: [suddenly taking interest] Oh really? Get any proof?

Rex: I got a couple of pictures.

Sylvia: Well I have some proof of my own, maybe you can come come visit me sometime and let me see them. Show me yours, I’ll show you mine [winks]. Gimme a call…

Sylvia turns and walks off brushing against Rex as she goes. The camera zooms in on Rex’s face as he lights up another cigarette. Sylvia can be seen walking off as the screen fades to black.

Low angle shot of Sylvia walking away all we can see are her high heels.

7.

Barnacles is sitting in Rex’s front room to confront him about his interest in Mrs.Freeman, the debate gets heated as Rex has been drinking. Rex gets mad and smashes his glass on the floor and storms out.

Enter Rex through front door, diegetic sound of his fumbling with his keys and failing to get it the door because of his drunken state. After many attempts he succeeds. He walks over to his bar and pours a drink and as he switches on his lamp, the light illuminates on Barnacles face.

Barnacles: Sit down Rex we need to have a chat.

Rex sits down with a confused face.

Rex: I’m sorry sir but can I ask why you are in my house?

Barnacles: I’ve been following you for the past two nights to make sure you’d dropped the Freeman case

Close up of Rex’s hand and knuckles as he grips the arm of the chair in anger.

Rex stands up in anger.  

Close up of Rex’s angry face.

Barnacles: and I saw you and Sylvia at the bridge, I said drop the case, you didn’t listen.

Rex starts to pace around the room, the light hiding him as he walks one way and revealing him as he walks back.

Barnacles: Please have a seat Rex

Rex: No I won’t, why have you been stalking me you have been invading my privacy; this is totally out of line.

Barnacles: Stop mixing your social life with business; this could cost you the biggest story of your life.

Rex puts his coat on and is preparing to leave the house.

Barnacles: Don’t let some women ruin your life Rex.

Rex leaves and slams the door, diegetic sound of Barnacle’s breathing.

8. In this scene it is Rex’s doing a voiceover and talking about the times that they have met up and how he is starting to develop emotions.

Rex: As times passed, me and Mrs.Freeman met up more frequently it was a weekly thing. We’d go all over ________ different bars and restaurants, you could say we were dating but no-one knew about it, in the dark, in the shadows and I craved the danger.

9. This scene has Reece in his office writing up documents and thinking over his discovery of finding his wife with the journalist and recalling all the times she was disappeared. He is thinking through and revisits the times she has left the house.

Flash Back

INT. The Kitchen of the Freeman Manor

Sylvia: I’m just off to the florist to pick up some roses.

Camera pans and follows Sylvia as she leaves and there are a vase of new roses by the door

Flash Forward

Reece shaking his head and dismissing it under his breath.

Flash Back

INT. The Living Room of Freeman Manor

Sylvia picks up letters and opens one and reads it smiling and giggling.

Reece: What’s that love?

Sylvia looks up worried. (close up of eyes)

Sylvia: Oh this it’s err nothing, just a letter from an old friend from school.

Shot of letter with kisses at the end.

Flash Forward

Reece puts down his paperwork and takes his glasses off.

Flash Back

Sylvia walking holding hands with Rex.

Flash Back

Sylvia in bed with Rex smoking after sex.

Flash Forward

Reece picks up a bottle of gin and takes a large swig.

Fade to black

Reece picks up phone

Reece: I’d like to ask a favour, I need your assistance with some business…

10. Failed drive-by killing of Sheldon Rex

EXT. Of a busy high-street and an establishing shot of a coffee shop Sylvia and Rex are clearly seen positioned near the window.

A gun is poked out of the top of the window of a car and gun fire is heard.

Diegetic screams of passers-by.

Cut to later on as a police officer is telling Rex how lucky he is to be alive and asking him whether he has any enemies.

Policemen: Sorry to bother you at a time like his Mr.Rex, but do you have any ideas who might try and do this to you?

Rex: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

Policemen: Try me?

Rex: Reece Freeman.

Policemen: Are you seriously trying to tell me that our soon to be Governor tried to assassinate you, even though I just saw him at a rally on 3^rd street about 20 minutes ago the same time of the shooting?

Rex: You said try me.

11. This scene is when Sylvia is going to kill Rex but Reece walks in and spoils the dinner date.

Rex is putting down his cutlery after his main course and wipes his mouth with his napkin.

Rex: A delicious meal, I’m going to freshen up.

Sylvia: Oh alright, I’ll serve desert

Rex, gets up, tucks in his chair.

Sylvia also gets up and heads to the kitchen

Medium shot of empty table

Cross cut to a car driving

Cross cut to Sylvia

Sylvia pulls out a gun and puts it under a napkin on her chair

Rex reappears as the desert is served  on the table by Sylvia

Sylvia has the gun in her hand and is pointing at Rex under the table, he is unaware

Rex: This is delicious, did you make this yourself

Sylvia: Oh yes, so you plan to ruin my husband’s political career.

Rex: Erm, (long pause) well hopefully yes it’s the biggest story of my career, I hope you’re ok with that, I won’t mention your involvement?

Sylvia grip the gun tighter with her legs crossed.

Sylvia: Oh, yeah it’s fine I can’t wait to get rid of that disgusting man and then it can just be me and you.

On the word ‘you’ Reece bursts in.

Reece: What the fuck is this?

Sylvia hides the gun behind her back

Behind shot of Sylvia with gun and the men front on in front of her (they cannot see the gun)

Sylvia: It’s not what it looks like he was pestering me for the drug story, I wouldn’t tell him a thing.

Sylvia slowly puts the gun under the napkin (neither men notice)

Rex: I should probably be leaving now

Rex beginning to stand-up. Reece pulls out a pistol and tells him to sit back down gesturing with the gun towards the chair.

Reece: You’re going nowhere you little rat sit back down.

Reece is pacing up and down the kitchen waving the gun around. Sylvia and Rex keep glancing at each other.

Reece: You marriage wrecker, you dirty deceitful man, how could you do this to me. Journalists are bastards as it but you take it to another level.

Reece starting to well up

And you, you, you dirty whore, behind my back I can’t believe you, 7 years of marriage and this is how you repay me.

Sylvia: Reece, please darling it’s not like that

Sylvia walks forward to hug Reece she knocks the hidden gun of the table. Reece points the gun at her and gestures at both of them to walk through the door.

Reece: Move.

Sylvia: Reece plea…

Reece: MOVE!

                        

Exit kitchen door.

Shot of them leaving through the back door leading to the garden

12. Reece is killing Rex and Sylvia. Setting is the springs(the back yard)

Reece is leading the two down the steps. Rex doesn’t look back but Sylvia keeps turning around and crying.

Reece:  That’s right, keep moving.

Reece has a determined face.

Low angle worm shot of them walking down the cobble steps.

Reece has the pair standing next to each other on the grass and gestures for them to get in the water.

Sylvia: Reece this is ridiculous, I was going to kill him not you, I’m faithful I wouldn’t do this do you. I love you Reece.

Rex’s faces the ground throughout and shows no emotion.

Sylvia: Look at him, he has got nothing on you.

Reece gestures to Rex to move and Rex turns and walks into shallow water.

Reece: Beg me for mercy

Rex: No.

Reece shoots Rex as he falls face first into water.

Sylvia looks terrified but doesn’t say anything

Reece: Your turn.

Sylvia: Please Reece I beg you I have done nothing wrong, he was going to ruin your campaign if you kill me now you will lose everything, me, the campaign and you freedom.

Reece is Welling up

Reece: Get on your knees

Sylvia gets on her knees

Reece lowers the gun to her head.

Reece: It’s just politics.

[END]