The Party

Eric Grandy (accident.prone@brokenheart.co.uk)

Ryan Miyake (miyrya30@elwha.evergreen.edu)

"The Party"

Treatment

The story takes place mainly in front of a door in a dark, rainy alley at night, and revolves around The Author’s attempts to get into a party where The Host refuses to let him enter. The mood will be dark and ominous, with tension building as the story unfolds. Long shots from above will show the author diminished as his attempts to enter the party fail, while various close ups and medium shots will depict these attempts. In the climatic scene, stylized, exciting shots of The Party will flash in between scenes of The Host violently beating The Author, with a final, more sober shot of the party following this scene. The film ends with The Author, on the ground, beaten, rolling over and smiling then laughing as the camera blurs out of focus.

Cast of Characters

The Author — the film’s protagonist: a smart, well dressed young man of average to smaller build.

The Host — a smartly dressed man, taller, tougher, and slightly older than The Author, but still sophisticated.

The Party Guests (several) — one couple, and several other guests: all young, attractive people, dressed up for the occasion.

Screenplay

Ext. An Alley — Night

(A rainy alleyway, in which a closed door stands, shut beneath a streetlight. The only sound is rain or the occasional passing car. The Author approaches the door and knocks. The door opens a crack to partially reveal The Host inside.)

Author

Is this the cast party?

Host

Yes, who are you?

Author

I’m the author.

Host

If you’re the author, you can’t come in. (Slams door shut)

(The Author knocks again. The door opens a crack, and the Host appears from within.)

Author

I only said I was the author.

Host

No. Go away, you can’t come in. (Slams door shut)

(The Author paces nervously. A couple Party Guests approach the door, turn the doorknob, and let themselves in, while the author looks on from only feet away. After they close the door behind them, The Author tries the knob only to find it locked. He knocks again, pounding this time, and the host opens the door a crack once more.)

Host

Good work follows good work. You can’t come in. (Slams door)

(The Author pauses, then leans in towards the door crack.)

Author (whispering through door)

What about bad work following good?

(The Host opens the door a crack)

Host

Good work follows bad work. You can’t come in.

Author (screaming)

What about bad work following good?

Host

Sometimes bad work follows bad work. If you’re the author, you can’t come in. (Slams door shut.)

(The Author pounds on the door again, and this time the door opens completely. The Host emerges and approaches The Author menacingly. The Host begins punching and beating The Author.)

Host (while punching)

Good work follows good work.

Int. The Party-Night

(Inside the party, Guests are laughing, drinking, smoking, and having a good time. Energetic music is playing loudly.)

Ext. The Alley-Night

Host (still beating The Author)

And good work follows bad work.

Int. The Party-Night

(Inside the party, Guests are laughing, drinking, smoking, and having a good time. Energetic music is playing loudly.)

Ext. The Alley-Night

Host (still beating The Author)

Sometimes bad work follows bad work.

Int. The Party-Night

(Inside the party, Guests are laughing, drinking, smoking, and having a good time. The walls are hung with streamers and balloons. Energetic music is playing loudly.)

Ext. The Alley-Night

(The Author now lies beaten, on the ground.)

Author

I only said I was the author.

(The Host kicks the author, still on the ground.)

Host

Only the Author would say that. You can’t come in.

(The Host walks through the door, closing it behind him.)

Int. The Party-Night

(This time, there are only three Guests in the party, and they are standing dead still and silent. The walls are decorated exactly as before, but there is no music is playing.)

Ext. The Alley-Night

(The Host, badly beaten, rolls onto his back and smiles, and then laughs.)

The End

Continuity Script

1) Medium front shot from eye level

We see a dark, rainy alley with a "cast party tonight" sign next to a metal door; we see a man, the author, step into the frame and up to the door.

2) CU shot

We see a hand knock on the door, as if from the Author’s perspective.

3) Medium front shot from eye level

We see the author waiting for a response.

4) CU shot we see the author’s hand knock as if from the door’s perspective.

5) CU Shot eye level

We see the door opening just a crack. We see a man’s face, the host, just barley visible through the opening.

6) CU shot from Host’s perspective through the door.

AUTHOR-Is this the cast party?

7) CU shot we see the door cracked up just a bit from Author’s perspective

HOST-Yes who are you?

8) Eye level, Medium shot from the side so we see both the door and the author

AUTHOR- I’m the author

HOST-If you’re the author you can’t come in.

Door Slams abruptly.

9)High angle long shot.

We see the author standing in the ally, wondering what to do next he starts to knock, the door opens

10) CU shot; we see the back of the Author’s head with the open door in sharp focus.

11) Medium shot. We see the profile of the Author, with bottom of the frame, starting from about he shoulders

AUTHOR- I only said I was the author

12) CU shot we see the author from the host’s perspective

HOST-No go away you can’t come in.

Door shuts abruptly

13). Eye level long shot from, looking from down the ally.

We watch the author pondering what to do next. We then see a very nicely dressed couple walking towards the door. They walk pass the author and let themselves in by simply turning the doorknob.

14) Medium shot, of the couple as they enter party. The door shuts behind them

15) Eye level long shot, we see the author try to open the door himself.

16) Medium side shot. He finds that he cannot open the door.

17) CU shot; we see the back the author’s head. Over his right shoulder, we see his hand pounding at the door once again.

18) CU shot, of the door opening up a crack. We see the host’s face from the Author’s perspective.

HOST-Good work follows good work. You can’t come in.

Door shuts.

19) High angle long shot of the ally. Again we see the author pondering what to do next. He then leans towards the door, to whisper through it.

20) CU shot; we see a profile shot of the author’s lips

AUTHOR (whispering) -What about bad work following good?

21) Medium shot, from Author’s perspective; we see the door open just a crack.

22) Medium shot over right shoulder of author.

HOST- Good work follows bad work. You can’t come in.

AUTHOR (screams)-What about bad work following good?

HOST-Sometimes bad work follows bad work. If you’re the author you can’t come in.

Door slams shut.

23) Medium shot from side. We see the Author pound the door in frustration.

We then see the door open completely.

As the door opens music and noise from party explode into clarity.

The host emerges violently from the door; he approaches the author and cocks his arm back getting ready to punch the author.

24) CU shot. The Host throws two punches to the Author’s stomach

HOST-Good work follows good work

Scene change: we are now inside the party.

25) long shot. Using wide angle/telephoto lens, to get huge depth of field. We are looking through a martini glass, to see the couple that the author saw entering the party. They are smoking.

Scene change: back to the alley.

26) Medium shot. We see the Host outside delivering two more punches to the author. They are more downward hits, because the author is falling towards the ground.

HOST-And good work follows bad work.

Scene change: we are back inside the party.

27) Medium low angle shot. The bottom of the frame should start at just hip level with part of a wine glass on the left side of the frame. We are looking upward towards two other party members, smoking and drinking. They faces should have way too much make up. They should look plastic, distortedly beautiful.

Scene change: back to the alley.

28) Medium shot. We are looking at the author, who is on his knees, from behind the Host.

29) Low Medium shot from behind author.

HOST- Sometimes, bad work follows bad work.

Host punches the author in the face. The author falls to the ground.

As the punch makes contact with the author cut to next shot.

Scene change: we are back inside the party.

30) The camera is spinning rapidly showing crowds of people blurring together inside the party.

Scene change: back to the alley.

31) Medium shot. From Host’s perspective, we see the Author lying on the ground, with a trickle of blood coming from the side of his lower lip.

AUTHOR-I only said I was the author.

32) Wide medium shot from the side. We see the Host kick the author.

33) CU shot. Host turning away

HOST-Only the author would say that. You can’t come in.

Then he starts to enter the party room.

Scene change: we are back inside the party.

34) Medium shot. From inside the party room, we see the host enter.
35) Wide shot. This is a pan shot, as from the Host’s perspective.The part room is almost completely empty. Streamers and balloons hang limply from the ceiling. In the background there a table with punch and maybe a DJ set up as well. The only people we see are the couple that the Author saw entering the party. And three other people nicely dressed who are placed sporadically through out the room. The room is dead silent and the people are frozen. There is no action.

Scene change: back to the alley.

36) Medium overhead shot. We see the author roll over and smile. As he starts to laugh, the focus goes from sharp to very soft focus. Cut to black.

THE END.