THE CONCLUDING ESCAPADE

The Development

Emma Foster

The Premise
An alone pensioner reminiscences about his life so far when his independence is threatened and he is drawn into an all new adventure which involves a perilous battle with an evil pirate

The Logline
Thomas is all alone after the death of his wife and his children leaving all grown up. He has created a space of his own in the disused cellar of his home, a sort of den to get away from the emptiness and it is here one day that he reminisces about his life adventures so far, hoping that he can still have another just not the so called adventure that is hammering at his door. He falls asleep, finding himself in just the sort of adventure he could want, one that sees young Tom on a pirate voyage which is interrupted by an ensnaring attempt by evil pirate, Captain Deleo. A duel breaks out which results in Deleos defeat by his own grappling hook. The victory takes us back to the cellar where old Thomas has slumped in his chair, departed, happiness radiating from him because he got his adventure.

The Step Outline

INT. THOMAS HOUSE- HALLWAY. DAY Knocking on the front door commences and the voice of a man asking to be let in. A waste paper bin sits beside the door with a care home leaflet inside. The walls of the hallway are lined with memorabilia. The door leading down to the cellar is ajar. INT. THOMAS HOUSE- THOMAS DEN (CELLAR). DAY More memorabilia is on display. An old man sits in an armchair. The mans voice starts up again in the distance. The old man Thomas is annoyed. Thomas looks down and smiles. A glass bottle sits on his lap. The bottle looms closer showing a miniature ship. EXT. THE OPEN WATERS- TOMS PIRATE SHIP. DAY A pirate ship can be seen riding the waves of the sea. A young boy stands atop part of the ships mast. A grappling hook makes contact with the railing of the ship. A foot hits Toms ships deck and is then revealed to be the owner of Captain Deleo with his sword raised Tom is unsheathes his own sword. A duel breaks out, both pirates seem evenly matched unable to harm each other. The fight moves onto Toms ships plank where Deleo manages to disarm Tom. Deleo moves in. A ring of rope is noticed on the plank, Deleo has just so happened put one foot into it. Struck with an idea Tom dodges Deleo. Deleo is taken aback. Tom is standing beside the mast holding the end of a length of rope which when followed leads back to around Deleos leg. Tom pulls and Deleo is thrust into the air. The grappling hook connects with the edge of the mast. Deleo is hanging upside down from the mast. INT. THOMAS HOUSE- THOMAS DEN (CELLAR). DUSK The bottle with the pirate ship is on Thomas knee, a hand resting loosely atop it. Thomas could be asleep but it is known he has passed; a smile rests on his peaceful face. Thomas is shown to still be in his armchair surrounded by his memories and adventures.

It is a gloomy and ordinary boring day made even gloomier by the unlit windowless hallway where our story starts. All as quiet except for the loud knocking that erupts from the front door followed by the muffled condescending voice of a man standing outside. A care home leaflet has been discarded into the waste paper bin which resides beside the door, it didnt get very far while the life of the houses inhabitant is laid out for all to see on the hallway walls. At the end of the hallway the door leading down beneath the house is slightly ajar. The doorway reveals to lead to the cellar of the house. The cellar is even gloomier than the hallway except for the dull yellowish illumination from a lamp sitting on a side table. An old Navy uniform hangs from one of the walls as well as more photographs. A figure is sitting deep into a comfy armchair a neutral unemotional look about him as if he has lost all feeling in him for those moments. The figure is Thomas Hanford a retired Navy officer who has been left behind by all that inhabits the walls of memories. Thomas is now sitting with a look of annoyance about him as the male voice heads into one way discussion again. He decides to ignore the condescending intruder into his day and looks down a smile twitching at the corner of his face. A glass bottle convenes between Thomas hands, on first glance it looks like an empty milk bottle but a closer look shows a miniature ship on display. A highly contrasting scene of day has replaced the gloomy confines of Thomas home. There is a vibrant blue sky and sparkling sea where a pirate ship bobs up and down on its journey. A small child is standing on part of the mast using it as a lookout point; he is of young resemblance of Thomas Hanford which makes sense as he is just that, a young eight year old Tom Hanford. A small clunk sounds and an extravagant looking grappling hook makes contact with the railing of Toms ship. A thud of a strangely pointy boot follows. A large beefy but stumpy pirate stands on deck an evil smirk on his face and his sword drawn. Captain Deleo. Tom has moved onto the deck and a look of pure confidence is about him, he isnt afraid of this pirate and so unsheathes his own sword. Duelling breaks out between the two pirates their swords clink clanking against each other with force. A sword lies on the deck, Captain Deleo has disarmed Tom. A foot connects with the plank of Toms ship, Tom looks down to see he is inches from heading to his doom. Captain Deleo leers closer and in search of help Tom notices a ring of rope that Deleo has happened to stand in. Deleo gets closer still and strikes but ends up hitting the plank as Tom has dodged past him and now stands by the mast a length of hanging rope grasped in his hand. He pulls with all his strength and the ring tightens around Deleos leg. Captain Deleos grappling hook flies through the air and fixes itself to the mast. The creaking of rope can be heard and Deleo is revealed to be swinging upside down by his leg. Our story takes us back to the gloomy factual world of Thomas Hanford and the fake ship in the bottle which is now resting on Thomas knee his hand loosely resting on top. Thomas is still in his armchair, his eyes peacefully closed and a small smile resting upon his lips while he is surrounded tranquilly by his memories.

The Treatment

Biographies

Biographies

Biographies