Scriptwriting

1. BLACK SCREEN

TITLE CARD: PHANTASMIC ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS

TITLE CARD: An E. M. Franklin Film

Once the titles disappear, a small shape appears in the centre. It comes further and further towards us. We recognise it as a TRIANGLE. Within the the TRIANGLE, we see an EYE with a BLUE AND GREEN colour filter. The EYE is that of the LUNATIC.

The LUNATIC looks nervous. His EYE constantly look about him. Every time it blinks, a new colour filter is presented. He seems to be in solitary, not being able to move.

Above the triangle,

TITLE CARD: SPEAK TO ME/

Below the triangle,

TITLE CARD: BRAIN DAMAGE

CUT TO:

2. INT. CLOCK ROOM - NIGHT

A DARK ROOM. We slowly zoom into A DALIESQUE CLOCK until it fills the frame. It is lit by a CHEAP TORCHLIGHT. We hear the clock tick-tick-ticking. The screen splits into more clocks. The MINUTE HANDS go with the different tick-tick-tickings.

FADE TO:

3. INT. THERAPY - DAY

We slowly FADE to see the THERAPIST, sitting on an ARMCHAIR. He wears a tattered suit and round glasses. He looks too happy, to the point of hyperbole. Bits of RED PAINT seem to be scattered on his face. His smile seems to be painted on ... Literally.

We see the LUNATIC, lying down on a LARGE SOFA. He looks up at the ceiling and not at the THERAPIST. A CAMCORDER films him as he speaks. But we float separate from that camera. He seems to be ANGRY and UPSET but hides it behind an emotional barrier. There is a a long line of coins and notes surrounding him, almost like a barrier.

LUNATIC

          I've been mad for fucking years. Absolutely years. I've been over the edge for yonks.
          Been working with bands so long, I think crikey.

SUPERIMPOSE:

4. INT. GREYSCALE ROOM - GRIM DAY

CASH REGISTER operating on its own. Whenever there's a close-up of the THERAPIST from here on, it will be superimposed with this visual.

BACK TO:

5. INT. THERAPY - DAY

The LUNATIC now sits in the centre of the sofa. He wags his finger toward the THERAPIST in argumentative frustration.

LUNATIC

        I've always been mad. I know I've been mad like most of    us are. They have to explain why you're mad ... Even if you're not mad...

CUT TO:

6. INT. THE LAUGHING MAN - NIGHT

ANOTHER DARK ROOM. THE LAUGHING MAN stands far down in the centre. We move quickly toward him. We can see that he's laughing through his body language. We get to him. He wears a VENETIAN MASK. He face eventually fills the entire frame, to the point where the film looks amateur.


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This is the first page-and-a-half of my script for "SPEAK TO ME/BRAIN DAMAGE" by Pink Floyd. I wanted to place the protagonist in a therapy session because - as well as establish what tone the music video is taking - it is likely that Syd Barrett, the person who the song is about, had to undergo therapy for his schizophrenia. The introduction, which is the SPEAK TO ME section, is largely concept-based. It is full of abstract images to suit Pink Floyd's style and to display the vast illogical chasm that is a schizophrenic's mind.

The triangle at the beginning is to mark the protagonist's secluded mind - and his claustrophobia that comes with it. It is also a reference to the 'Dark Side of the Moon' album cover, which SPEAK TO ME and BRAIN DAMAGE are on. The blue and the green are used because they are colours used in diagrams of chlorpromazine - a drug used to treat schizophrenia.

The character of the THERAPIST is created out of the LUNATIC's mind. To him there is no emotional attachment - and so the THERAPIST doesn't show any real feeling for him. It is a literal displaying of the famous phrase 'their smiles seem like they're painted on'.

The LAUGHING MAN represents the embodiment of the protagonist's schizophrenia. His mask, like the Therapist's smile, hides himself away from any emotional attachment. But the LAUGHING MAN is truly evil. None of his face can be seen - and he only laughs at the Lunatic as he tortues him with the illness.

The main props - the cash register and the clocks - are used to keep in time with the song. Since there are specific moments when these objects are used in the songs, I had to try to fit these in the script.