The Boys From 210 Act 1

A facebook photo album. A young man and young woman in each other’s arms. They are very much in love. Random pictures of them at dances, school, seminary, etc. A picture of him opening his mission call. The pictures are now just of him at the MTC, on his mission with random companions in random areas in the field. His homecoming. At BYU-Idaho as an RM. We see the album he’s tagged in. “The Boys from 210”. His facebook profile. We see his relationship status. “Single”.

A pound on the door as the laptop slams shut. We move closer to the door and open it. It’s Darrin, the new roommate for the semester. He’s carrying a lot of stuff into the apartment, almost dropping what he has in his arms. A pair of hands reach out to catch the stuff. Kyle pops out from the hall. He helps out. We pulls back to see who’s eyes we’re looking through. It’s Shawn, the young man from the pictures. He and Kyle welcome Darrin to Somerset 210 and help him with his stuff.

On the way to Darrin’s car, Shawn asks what he’s got planned for the night. He’s not sure. Shawn then tells him of a party going on that night at the Mountain Pines lounge. Darrin smiles and thinks that would be fun, especially since he doesn’t know anyone and plans to date as many girls as he can out here.

They enter the apartment again as another guy enters for the semester. It’s Matthew. Shawn groans to himself. They don’t like each other and Shawn starts wondering why Matthew is back. He quickly brushes it off. He wants to focus on having fun tonight. Ivan pops out of the hall. He heard about a party and gets really excited. Shawn calls him a “typical pre-mi”. He pokes his head into a room across from his. He sees Sam, his nose buried in a thousand page novel. Shawn asks if he wants to go to the party. He declines.

At the party, Shawn and Kyle try to hook up with different girls. Matthew tries and fails with many girls. Darrin spots Erika and pulls Shawn aside to see if he knows her. He doesn’t and tells him to go for it. He does and sets up a date with her.

Back at the apartment, all but Matthew are celebrating Darrin’s date with one of the hotter girls at the party. Matthew remains cynical. It wasn’t a successful night for him.

The next night, Darrin leaves on his date with Erika. Shawn decides to do some investigating and looks her up on facebook. She has a boyfriend, but he’s on a mission. There may be a chance that Darrin may steal her away from the missionary. Matthew asks why Shawn isn’t out himself. Ignoring the question, he asks Matthew if he knows anything about Erika. What he says isn’t comforting, but it’s Matthew.

Meanwhile, on Darrin and Erika’s date, things are going really well. At least, they seem like it. Darrin walks her to her apartment. They hug. They linger. They kiss. She walks in. Darrin rushes back to his apartment singing “We Are The Champions”.

Darrin bursts into the apartment. Shawn and Kyle ask how it went. Darrin tells them. Shawn tells him the info he has about Erika. This makes him even more excited since the date went so well. They even have a second date lined up after she gets back from visiting her family in Wyoming. It looks like she may write off her missionary after all.

A few days later, Darrin sits at his laptop in the living room. He gets a text from Erika. He shows it to Shawn. She wants to talk to him after she gets back from Wyoming. Neither Shawn or Darrin have a good feeling about this. Shawn devises a plan.

In the Manwaring Center, Darrin and Erika sit in the comfy chairs near the entrance. She explains that she has a boyfriend on a mission. Shawn, Kyle and Matthew huddle around a cell-phone on speaker. They can hear everything that Darrin and Erika are saying.

Back at the MC, Erika explains that she can’t date anyone because of a promise she had made to her boyfriend. Shawn nearly blows the cover by yelling out loud over Darrin’s cell speaker.

Matthew smacks Shawn across the head for yelling. He almost blew the cover. The call disconnects.

Moments later, Darrin walks in heartbroken. Shawn’s pissed. There’s too many girls who do this kind of thing. It must be stopped. He devises a plan to split as many girls from their missionary boyfriends as possible. The plan is to seek out girls with either pre-mi boyfriends or missionary boyfriends, date them until they drop the boys and then drop them soon after. Kyle seems to be as enthusiastic as Shawn. Darrin just seems to go with it. Ivan asks what he should do. Shawn tells him that he should get as many girls as he can to write him when he goes on his mission and then drop them in the MTC. Matthew doesn’t like this and devises a counter-scheme to stop Shawn from winning.

The Vanilla Theory

This is the original story for a film we did in the BYU-Idaho Film Workshop. We ended up not using this story, even though I got it copyrighted.

Roger sits in the MC observing couples as they pass by. He muses about how they all met. Were they soul mates? Was it destiny? He’s convinced that people are in the right place and the right time when they meet “the one”. He leaves the MC to go to class.

In the Taylor. Roger checks out a lot of the girls in class. He’s shallow. Class ends and nothing happens. He leaves, feeling like he failed. He passes Trenna as she enters the classroom. He doesn’t notice her.

That night, Trenna practices an instrument in the Snow for open Mic Night at the Box Club. Roger tags the side of a building in Rexburg. They stop for a moment because they “feel” each other, but brush it off.

The next night, Roger’s still in a funk. Nothing seems to be working. Brad, his roommate, walks out, ready to go on a date with Rachel, Trenna’s roommate. Rachel knocks on the door. He looks out and sees Trenna with another guy. Their eyes meet and Roger sees sparks fly. She has gotta be it. They all leave as Roger starts to think about his roommate and then about Trenna. He grabs his tagging stuff and leaves.

The Box Club. Trenna gets on stage and begins to play. Roger passes by as she starts playing. He’s still depressed. He climbs to the roof to begin his own work.

A few days later in the Benson’s “Jungle Room”. Roger is studying as Trenna rushes in to water the plants. This is his chance. He musters the courage and asks her out. She tentatively agrees.

Craigo’s. Roger and Trenna sit in a booth getting to know each other a little bit. Roger asks if she wants to be exclusive. She turns him down flat. Roger’s shocked and crushed. His system failed.

Roger lays in his bed one night mulling over what Trenna told him. He sends her a text, asking what she’s up to the next night. She’s busy. Brad walks in doe-eyed. He just proposed to Rachel. Roger asks how he knew that Rachel was supposed to marry Brad. Brad explains the “Vanilla Theory”. Roger has a hard time accepting it.

A few days later, Roger gets a call from Trenna. She asks if he’s busy that night. He gets excited. Maybe his theory works after all.

He knocks on Trenna’s door. She answers, but looks like she’s more ready for bed than a date. She calls Emily out. The classic “Bait ‘N Switch”. Roger’s disappointed, but goes with her anyway.

He walks into his apartment. He just had a blast with Emily. He even has another date with her. He comes to terms with the “Vanilla Theory”.

Roger sits in the Crossroads pondering this recent revelation. He scans over the crowd and sees plenty of eligible girls, new prospects. He spots one, approaches her and starts talking to her, setting up a date with her.

The End

Opposition In All Things - Act One

I'm hoping to make this in Rexburg while I'm up there. Now I just need the right cast and crew. Any takers?

White. Nothing but save for Mike Bries in white sitting with his knees to his chest. He’s alone and knows it. An explosion in the distance. His head shoots up. Nothing. His head lowers as another sounds, closer. He jumps to his feet and searches frantically. Nothing. He sees a girl in the distance that looks just like Jessica Hart. He starts running toward her, calling her name. Another explosion. It’s even closer. Mike continues running. Another explosion knocks him back.
Mike looks forward to see a pillar of fire. It laughs and insults him. He doesn’t take this. He charges at it and braces for impact. Nothing. It’s gone. He’s alone again. He falls to his knees in despair. A voice tells him to look up. He does and move in time before the pillar crashes down. It disappears again. He looks around. He’s told to look up again. No time. The pillar crashes down. Mike raises his hands to brace for impact.

Mike’s bedroom. He shoots straight up in his bed with a start. He looks at the clock. Not even 6 in the morning. He looks at the empty bare bed at the other end of the room. He grabs his phone and calls Jessica. He gets the voicemail and leaves a message about his dream. He goes back to bed.

Streets of Rexburg, ID. The streets are busy. It’s the start of a new semester at BYU-Idaho. David Coleman drives along Main Street. He drives into Somerset’s parking lot. Looks at the line leading to the main office and grabs a backpack before getting in line.

Colonial House Apartments. Mike walks up the stairs and knocks on a door. Ashley Carlisle opens and embraces him. She invites Mike in. He declines. He asks where Jessica is. Ashely doesn’t know and suggests that he talks to Will. Mike turns to leave and bumps into Amy Jordan who is moving into Ashley’s apartment. They share an awkward moment. Mike leaves for the Manwaring Center as she goes into the apartment.

Inside, Amy sets her things on the table and talks with the roommates, one of whom is attracted to Mike.

MC Viking Center. Mike walks down the stairs and past the bookstore through the bustling crowd. Many of whom are buying books while others are getting food. Mike heads for the China Bowl and is stopped by Will Gavins, his cousin. He’s coming from Tommasito’s. He tells Mike to get some food and leaves to grab a table.

Mike gets his food and pays as the area gets quiet. No one but Mike notices. The hall and rooms fill with smoke. Again, only Mike notices this. A figure in a black-hooded robe stands in the middle of the crowd. The smoke is coming from that. Someone passes in front. It’s gone. Mike gets a tap on his shoulder. The smoke is gone and the sound returns.

Mike makes his way to Will and sits down. Will mentions David and Mike starts freaking out. Will then asks about Jessica. He hasn’t heard from her since last semester. Will goes silent and looks like he knows something. He looks at the time and rushes off. Mike’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He looks at the caller-ID and leaves for a quieter place.

Ashley and Amy’s apartment. The four roommates are talking about everything under the sun. Ashley’s cell rings. She answers and talks to whoever is on the other end while the girls talk. She hangs up and leaves quickly for Mike’s apartment.

Ashley knocks on Mike’s door. He opens the door and hands her his phone, instructing her to call his voicemail. Mike goes to the kitchen sink and runs his hand under some cold water to nurse a burn. Ashley listens to a voicemail left by a man who is using Jessica’s number. The man explains that he has her and to call him back. Mike comes in and notices something on the table and steps in front of it. Ashley doesn’t notice, she’s still caught up in the voicemail. It ends and she hands the phone back to Mike. He explains that he called back and the man said his name was Jared. Ashley tells him to go to the police.

The door then bursts open with David carrying a trunk. He chuckles and puts his things in the bedroom. Mike starts freaking out. Ashley asks what’s going on. Mike explains that he and David served in the same mission. David was a District Leader and made sure that the transfer he was around Mike was hell for him and his companion. David walks back out and starts to taunt Mike. Mike gets ready to strike. Ashley stops him. Mike storms out.

Outside the Benson building. Mike makes his way toward the Gardens. The dark-robed figure stands on top of Biddulph Hall staring at Mike. It laughs and disappears in a whiff of smoke.
Mike almost makes it to the Gardens when he hears his name. It’s Jessica. They embrace and kiss. They start to reconnect as the building explodes. Glass and debris fly everywhere. Mike and Jessica lay on the ground. He gets up and touches his arm. Its scraped badly. Jessica doesn’t move. Mike moves her to her back. She’s dead with a large piece of glass sticking out of her chest. Mike looks stoic. He stands as a drop of blood falls to the ground.

When the drop touches the ground, the entire surrounding area turns into the white world from Mike’s dream. The dream replays in fast-forward.

Mike and David’s bedroom. Mike wakes up the next day with a start. David’s still asleep. Mike looks at his cell phone. Nothing new. He throws on some clean clothes and walks out to the front room.

Mike sees a new message on the land line. He pushes play. It’s Ashley pleading that Mike not kill David. Mike looks over at the table to see a bad burn the size of his cell phone.

YSA "Homecoming (Pilot)" Act One

This is mainly going to be done in treatment form. What? you didn't actually think I was gonna post the actual script up here did you? Geez.... Amateurs....

A typical day at Lindbergh Field. People busily buying/retrieving tickets, impatiently trying to get through NSA, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary. A family of four, whom we'll come to know as Scott, Dawn, Makenzie, and Eric Petersen, stand at the bottom of the stairs waiting for a plane from Chicago to arrive. They hold home-made signs welcoming home "Elder Petersen". Makenzie's heart isn't in this, making the remark that her RM brother won't want to spend much time with them. Scott shushes his daughter as the passengers from Chicago arrive in San Diego.

Lance Petersen arrives and hugs his family, while confronting Makenzie about letters she had written but never sent. She defends herself by saying that she's "mailbox retarded". Before they can go any further, Scott ushers his family out, eager to leave the chaos that is a normal day for an international airport.

Meanwhile, across the county, Sydney Walker primps herself in her room as loud music pierces the tranquility. She's not the only one home. She leaves her room and pounds on a door at the opposite end of the hall. Her brother, Reid, swings it open. Sydney yells at him about the music. Reid doesn't care, but notices his sister's efforts to look at least semi-nice. She informs him about an activity at the Church building. He declines, slams the door, and pumps the music even louder.

That Sunday, the Petersens are in Church while Lance is giving a speech on his mission. Makenzie texts back and forth with Sydney about Rachel Adam's baptism. Steve gets a text message from his sister, Beth Hartley, that her daughter, Bailey, has gone missing. Again. He leaves and calls Beth.

After the meeting, Lance approaches his dad about leaving during his speech. Steve admits that Beth contacted him, but says nothing about Bailey.

Sacrament meeting has just ended at the Helix Ward as well. Sydney, along with her friends Charlotte "Charlie" Porter and Rachel Adams, walk out of the chapel together. Sydney receives a text from Makenzie saying that she and Lance will be at Rachel's baptism. Sydney's surprised at this. Charlie can't resist teasing her about it, since she knows that Sydney is in a relationship with a guy who is on a mission in Brooklyn, New York.

Brayton Cole overhears their conversation. He tries laying it on thick with them. The girls aren't buying it. After learning that Lance is home, Brayton gets both excited and worried. He's about to have some more competition in the Ward.