Opus

by
Max Rousseau & Manny Garay

Revised 07-24-09

Polite Productions
14251 NW 22nd Street
Pembroke Pines, FL 33028
954.579.2441
1 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD
1

ANNIKA, age 18 dressed sharp but modestly walks to a 9 foot

concert grand piano in the center of a huge stage. The room
has FIVE FACULTY MEMBERS seated in the front row.

Annika sits down in front of the piano. She puts her right
foot at the ready on the pedal and extends her hands to the
keys. She takes a deep breath then plays the first note of
Jeux D’Eau by Ravel. The song continues through the next
scene.

2 INT. MR. PONTI’S CLASS - DAY 2

Annika walks into the classroom and bumps into LESLIE

CAMPBELL, a disheveled, 16-year-old blonde girl. Annika
thinks nothing of it. TEN STUDENTS are congregating in the
back of the class, clearly off-task.

MR. PONTI, age 52 humble but stern, sits at his desk grading
papers. Annika pulls up a chair. Mr. Ponti notices her.

MR. PONTI
Shouldn’t you be in class?

ANNIKA
Shouldn’t you be teaching your
class?

Mr. Ponti looks at her and to his students. He smirks.

MR. PONTI
Did you practice?

3 INT. MR. PONTI’S CLASS - PRACTICE ROOM - LATER 3

Annika is furiously playing Jeux D’Eau by Ravel. Mr. Ponti

is moved and mesmerized by Annika’s playing. Annika
finishes. Mr. Ponti doesn’t say anything. He goes to his
desk and opens the drawer. He returns with an envelope with
the official seal of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Annika
takes it in shock.

MR. PONTI
Every year they invite 20 pianists
nationwide to play for them in New
York. Of those 20, they select
three-

ANNIKA
Russia? You honestly think I can
make it?
 2.

MR. PONTI
Take this home and fill it out.

ADMINISTRATOR GORDON walks into the room. Mr. Ponti looks

slightly worried when he sees Gordon.

GORDON
I hope I’m not interrupting
anything.

MR. PONTI
No of course not.
(Beat)
Go home Annika. We’ll continue
tomorrow.

4 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - EVENING 4

Annika is sitting at the head of the table with her MOTHER

and FATHER on opposite ends. Nobody speaks or makes eye
contact. Annika’s father simply reads the newspaper.
Annika’s mother gets up and takes Annika’s Father’s plate.
Annika’s father gets up with his newspaper, leaving Annika
alone eating. The sink turns on in the background.

5 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - EVENING 5

Annika is playing the slow part of Jeux D’Eau. Annika’s

father walks out of his study.

ANNIKA’S FATHER
Annika, can you keep it down?

6 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 6

Annika plays a very pensive part of Jeux D’Eau.

7 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 7

Annika turns the corner and sees Administrator Gordon holding

the door open for Leslie Campbell and her MOTHER. Leslie’s
eyes are bloodshot. A DETECTIVE walks out of the office as
well and shakes Gordon’s hand. Annika makes eye contact
briefly with Gordon who closes the door to the office.
 3.

8 INT. MR. PONTI’S CLASS - DAY 8

Annika walks into the classroom. All the students are seated
at the electric keyboards and are practicing scales
uniformly. There is a SUBSTITUTE TEACHER.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Can I help you?

Annika shakes her head and turns back.

9 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY 9

Annika tries to open a classroom door. It’s locked. She

knocks on it. Annika puts a hallway pass on the door window.

ANNIKA
Come on, I have a pass.
(Beat)
Where do you want me to go?

Administrator Gordon turns the corner.

GORDON
And where are you supposed to be,
Ms. Campbell?

Annika sighs.

10 INT. MR. GORDON’S OFFICE - DAY 10

Annika is sitting across the desk from Administrator Gordon.

The contents of Annika’s bag is on his desk. Administrator
Gordon is holding a fresh hallway pass booklet.

GORDON
You’ve been forging hallway passes.

ANNIKA
You have no right to go through my
stuff-

GORDON
Wrong.
(Beat)
I’ve spoken to your teachers. They
tell me that you’re a very smart
girl but you’re rarely in class.
Do you wish to repeat another year?

ANNIKA
Where’s Mr. Ponti?
 4.

GORDON
You will serve two weeks detention.
Starting this afternoon. I’ve
already phoned your parents.
(Beat)
If I were you I wouldn’t worry
about Mr. Ponti.

Gordon takes the sheet music books from her bag.

GORDON (CONT’D)
And you won’t be needing this
anymore.

ANNIKA
Give that back.

GORDON
This is school property.
(Beat)
Now get going.

11 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 11

Annika is angrily sitting in front of the piano. There is a

C-clamp lock on it closing the keyboard cover.

12 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 12

Annika flips through the phone book and searches under “P”
and finds - Michael Ponti. She picks up the phone and dials.

MR. PONTI (OVER PHONE)

Hello.

ANNIKA
Ponti- it’s me, Annika. Hello?

The line goes dead. Annika dials again. This time it rings
without an answer.

13 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 13

The Answering machine kicks in: “This party is not accepting

messages at this time”. Annika puts down the phone.
 5.

14 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT 14

Annika is eating dinner with her mother and father, again no

interaction. The phone rings. Annika’s mother gets up and
answers.

ANNIKA’S MOTHER
Hello.

Annika’s mother hands the phone to Annika.

ANNIKA’S MOTHER (CONT’D)

It’s for you.

Annika takes it.

ANNIKA
Hello.

Annika’s eyes widen with excitement, she runs away from the
table.

15 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 15

Mr. Ponti stands by the window looking at Annika who is

walking up to the house.

ANNIKA (O.S.)
Ponti, I need you.
(Beat, Laughs pleading)
I’m a wreck.

Mr. Ponti’s yard is unkept and looks somewhat condemned.

Annika notices a broken window in the front of the house.

MR. PONTI (O.S.)

Fine.
(Beat)
You can come to my house tomorrow.
Under one condition. We talk about
the piano and only the piano.
Nothing else.

ANNIKA (O.S.)
Yea. Sure.

16 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 16

Annika finishes up Jeux D’Eau. At the final note we cut to:

 6.

17 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 17

Annika rings the door bell.

18 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD

18

Annika prepares for another song. She begins to play

Rachmaninoff’s Etude Tableaux Op. 39 No. 5.

MR. PONTI (O.S.)

- Stop, stop-

19 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 19

MR. PONTI
STOP!

Annika looks up at him from the piano.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

I didn’t feel a second of that.
You’re just hitting the keys.
You’re not playing. You’re not
telling me a story.

ANNIKA
What would you like me to change?

MR. PONTI
Change EVERYTHING!

Annika remains quiet. Mr. Ponti sits back in his arm chair
and looks away.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

Again.

The following scenes are a montage to the Etude Tableaux.

20 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY - LATER 20

Annika is playing again. Mr. Ponti is pacing.

MR. PONTI
Everything you do affects the way
play. The way you sit, your
posture, the way you breath.
 7.

21 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY - LATER 21

Annika is playing a very intense part of the piece.

MR. PONTI
These chords are monstrous! Stop
using your wrist! Let the power
come from your shoulders and down
into the keys.

He demonstrates.

22 INT. SCIENCE CLASS ROOM - DAY 22

Annika is making numerous notes on the sheet music.

MR. PONTI (O.S.)

You will play the Ravel to show
your impressionism. You will play
the Rachmaninoff to show your
virtuosity and Raindrop Prelude by
Chopin to show your command of the
melody.

23 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 23

Annika is still at the piano, playing as Ponti lectures.

ANNIKA
But that’s such a simple piece.

MR. PONTI
Exactly. There’s beauty in
simplicity. And that’s what you
will leave them with.

24 INT. ANNIKA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 24

Montage of Annika waking up tossing and turning in bed,

unable to sleep. Sheet music is scattered all over her bed
and floor. Annika begins to make notes on the sheet music.
There are quick flashes of her playing.

25 INT. DETENTION ROOM - DAY 25

Annika is the only person in the room seated in the middle of

a sea of desks. She has her head on the desk and is
practicing fingering with her right hand, we only hear the
right hand playing.
 8.

26 EXT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 26

Annika is walking against a CROWD of High School students.

She looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks. Students who see
her are whispering to each other - Annika seems somewhat
paranoid, focusing in on everybody’s whispers.

Annika walks past a section of lockers and sees a piece of

sheet music taped to her locker with scribbled out in red
marker. Annika rips it off angrily and realizes the locker
as been broken into with all her sheet music ripped up.

27 EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY 27

Annika is sitting in isolation making rapid notes on the

sheet music. She sees Leslie sitting by herself under a
tree. Annika gives her a resentful look.

28 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 28

Annika is playing a difficult part of the Etude Tableaux.

MR. PONTI
There are two melodies fighting to
be heard! You musn’t neglect
either of them. I want to hear
every note speak it’s mind.

Annika tackles the most difficult part of the piece where

each hand has separate melodies that intertwine beautifully.

29 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - FLASHFORWARD

29

Annika is playing the same song explosively on the piano.

30 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 30

Mr. Ponti sits on his arm chair with his eyes closed, deeply
moved by the music, almost in a trance.

31 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 31

Annika rides her bike over to the house with a folder bulging
with sheet music. Mr. Ponti is angrily scrubbing a giant red
“X” that was spray painted on his door.

ANNIKA
Hey Ponti-
 9.

Mr. Ponti is startled, but calms once he sees Annika.

MR. PONTI
Go inside, I’ll be right in-

32 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - DAY 32

Annika finishes up Jeux D’Eau by Ravel. She looks frustrated.

ANNIKA
That was terrible. I’m sorry.
(Beat)
Notes?

Mr. Ponti isn’t maintaining eye contact, and seems somewhat

distant throughout. Annika picks up on this more and more.

MR. PONTI
It was fine.

ANNIKA
What? You can’t be serious.

MR. PONTI
Well, Yes.

ANNIKA
You don’t have any notes?

MR. PONTI
It sounded good.

ANNIKA
No it didn’t. I could tell, I was
playing it. There was no feeling,
it was over-pedaled and muddy-

MR. PONTI
Ravel’s supposed to have long pedal
points-

ANNIKA
I’m going to start from the top.

MR. PONTI
Annika, take it easy-

ANNIKA
(Hysterical)
Take it easy!? The recital is in
two weeks! If I play like that,
the judges are going to laugh me
out of the place!
 10.

She begins to cry, overwhelmed. Ponti approaches her.

PONTI
Ok, that’s enough for today. You
need a break.

Annika sucks it up and begins to play again. Ponti stands by

awkwardly.

33 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - EVENING 33

Annika walks out of the house. She exchanges glances with a

NEIGHBOR down the street who is watching her, awkwardly as
she takes out the trash. Annika just turns the opposite way
and gets on her bike.

34 INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 34

Annika is wiping off “HOAR” written in red from her locker.

A few GUYS walk by jeering. Annika glares.

35 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 35

Annika is playing Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28 No. 15. Fragments

of the following scene appear as she plays.

35A EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY - FLASHBACK 35A

Leslie is sitting under a tree far from anybody, eating her

lunch in quiet. Annika approaches her.

ANNIKA
You mind if I sit?

LESLIE
Sure.

Annika’s playing becomes more intense.

ANNIKA
You knew Mr. Ponti.

Leslie looks at Annika, eyes filled with tears and face

stricken with horror at the memories she’s holding.
 11.

35B INT. PRACTICE ROOM - FLASHBACK 35B

We see quick flashes of: Leslie sitting by the piano with

Ponti leaning over discussing sheet music in the practice
room. Leslie is obviously a beginner, Mr. Ponti positions
her hands. They keep making eye contact. Leslie is trying
to pry Ponti off as he forces himself on her.

35C EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY - FLASHBACK 35C

ANNIKA
That’s a lie.

LESLIE
What?

ANNIKA
That’s a lie.

Annika stops playing. Almost as if she’s forgotten the notes

or can’t continue.

36 INT. ANNIKA’S HOUSE - ANNIKA’S BEDROOM 36

Annika sits on the side of her bed, extremely pensive. There

are quick flashes of Mr. Ponti forcing himself on Leslie and
Leslie trying to push him off.

Annika looks over at the folder for the St. Petersburg

conservatory.

37 EXT. MR. PONTI’S NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT 37

Annika walks up to Ponti’s house. She is disheveled. She

knocks on the door. Ponti opens up.

PONTI
Annika it’s late.

ANNIKA
Can I come in?

PONTI
Sure-

Ponti lets her in and cautiously looks out to the street as

he closes the door.
 12.

38 INT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS 38

Annika is playing Rachmaninov’s Etude Tableaux Op. 39 No. 5

in the background. Mr. Ponti walks over to the sink with the
kettle in hand. He pours water into the kettle. Mr. Ponti
stops filling the kettle, leaving the sink running.

MR. PONTI
Stop. Stop!

Annika stops playing. He scoffs to himself.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

I can’t even listen to music-

Annika stops playing and studies him.

ANNIKA
Ponti, you need to stop worrying.
It’s gunna be fine. Listen, I’ve
heard everything and I even talked
to Leslie, you know what? It’s all
bullshit-

Mr. Ponti looks at Annika in horror.

MR. PONTI
Everything you heard is true.

Annika sits deep in thought.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

Everybody is watching me. Legally,
you’re not even supposed to be
here.

Annika gets up and begins to walk towards him.

ANNIKA
But I still need you.

MR. PONTI
You don’t need anybody.
(Beat)
Annika, You’re going to be great.

ANNIKA
Not without you.

MR. PONTI
Annika, I’m capable of horrible
things -
 13.

Annika moves in dangerously close to him, with fire in her

eyes. She grabs his shoulders.

ANNIKA
I can be that.
(Beat)
I can be that for you.

Mr. Ponti looks at her, almost as if a part of him wants

this. He snaps out of it and quickly backs away from her,
disgusted.

MR. PONTI
NO, NO, NO, ANNIKA. NO!

Annika cries, almost ashamed of what she just said. There is

a long silence.

MR. PONTI (CONT’D)

You can no longer see me.
(Long Beat)
Please go.

Annika gathers her stuff and leaves.

39 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 39

Annika is in a daze at the recital. She’s not playing, just

staring. One of the judges taps the glass for her to
continue. Annika repositions herself. Her eyes are watery
but resolute. She continues to play Chopin’s Raindrop
Prelude in D flat.

40 EXT. MR. PONTI’S HOUSE - NIGHT 40

Annika walks from the house in tears. Mr. Ponti looks out
the window at her riding away - in tears as well. Annika
looks over at the same Neighbor who was watching her
directing Two POLICE CARS to Mr. Ponti’s lawn. Annika
remains frozen. Mr. Ponti stays by the window, awaiting his
comeuppance.

41 INT. ST. PETERSBURG CONSERVATORY CONCERT HALL - DAY 41

Annika continues to play the piece. Every note speaks its

mind.

FADE OUT: