Christine, Edward, and the Cube
Hippopotamus Migration in Africa
Rosa (rosierose2@hotmail.com)
Quintin (icenine81@hotmail.com)
Happiness Comes Back in a Car
Treatment
A peek at the underlying meaning and importance of happiness in life and society through his/her own eyes. Happiness, him/her self, driving in a car begins to vent about himself and his purpose and his troubles. Paired with the images displaying the importance of happiness and unhappiness in our lives, the piece takes on an abstract and rhythmic feel. That feel holds even after the image sequence as Happiness almost dreamily stops his car and asksa young couple to join him. The piece has a dynamic abrupt ending as nameless people on the side of the street foretell what will come of the couple taking a ride with Happiness.
Cast list-
Happiness- A very large man. Not necessarily over weight, just large. Happiness has a very naturally caring face. He is wearing clothes that don’t put him in any particular category of any particular social class. Normal jeans, normal T-shirt, normal hair.
Phillis- Young woman in her early twenties. She is pretty of a sort but more important that pretty she looks fitting with you partner Rob.
Rob- Good or reasonable looking young man, comparable age to Phillis. The couple has a glow about them that shows they are newly in love or madly in love or something of the sort.
First- Soccer mom, on her way to her car from the store.
Second- Young kid, 10 years old, or there abouts.
Third- Old man with a cane. Beard if possible.
Screenplay
Happiness drives on the stage in a 1975 orange Volvo station wagon.
Happiness
If I come riding in a car, with the time, conceive me as a force, you escaped from that theoretical
Naturalism that has encapsulated you for so long.
My destructiveness
The playwright tries to control, but he cannot match it quite, it
Overwhelms him. I can see
Past and into you souls, you live too much without me
Because you are afraid. I don’t
Blame you. I am Happiness
Of a certain sort, that many will travel thousands of
Miles to see. Then they try to manage to forget me
And go about forgetful until they are old;
Chancy it is if you can find me,
Lucky if you can keep me for long.
Happiness speaks to a certain couple walking down the street.
Happiness
You. Hello. Would you like to ride in my car?
Phillis
Yes?
Rob
All right.
The two pedestrians get in the car with Happiness and start to drive off. Random people on the sidewalk begin to comment.
First
Soon to be wed.
Second
Soon dead?
Third
Who knows?
Continuity Script-
1. MS: Looking into the front window of car , framing the outline of the windshield, while Happiness starts to speak.
HAPPINESS: If I come riding in a car, with the time, conceive me as a force.
2. A shot of a woman in labor.
(These images laid over audio, continuing the flow of the line.)
HAPPINESS: (continued) You escaped from that theoretical. Naturalism that has encapsulated you for so long. My Destructiveness!!!!
3.A shot of a volcanic eruption preferably not Mt. St. Helen’s.
HAPPINESS: The playwright tries to control, but he cannot match it quite, it overwhelms him.
4.CU: Shot of hand writing those exact words as he says them.
HAPPINESS: I can see past and into your souls, you live too much without me because you are afraid. I don’t blame you. I am Happiness.
5.Shots of old black and white family photos and footage.
HAPPINESS: Of a certain sort, that many will travel thousands of miles to see. Then try to manage to forget me.
6.MS: Plains taking off and landing. Traffic, during rush hour.
HAPPINESS: And go about forgetful until they are old; Chancy it is if you can find me, lucky if you can keep me for long.
7.Shots of death, any where you can find them, battle fields, funerals, etc. (fade to white)
8. (fade up from white) LS: Couple walking down street from opposite side of street, happiness drives on screen from the left and calls to the couple.
HAPPINESS: You. Hello. Would you like to ride on my car?
9. CU: Phillis.
PHILLIS: Yes?
10. CU: Rob.
ROB: All right.
11. Back to the first shot from the hood looking in to the car framing the windshield and the couple enters and sits in the back.
12. (The previous shot should be interrupted with) MS: The three people walking down the street, in different directions having nothing to do with each other, halting, and looking in the direction of the couple entering the car.
13.(Back to shot 11 as they finish getting in car and driving away)
14. LS: of the three persons which are now standing side my side, in order from left to right.
FIRST: Soon to be wed?
15. MS: of second and third, cutting off the first that already spoke.
SECOND: Soon dead?
16. CU: Third’s face.
THIRD: Who Knows?
17. XCU: Third’s eye.
The End
