This Is Punk!

By
Corey Pentland
Second draft
2014
pentland.corey@gmail.com
FADE IN
We see a middle aged woman. Mouth moving but we can not hear
anything. She is professionally dressed and standing in
front of a chalkboard. She looks around the classroom as she
silently speaks.
ALEX, 16, an average looking teenage girl with a sadness
that is way beyond her years, dully sits at her desk. Her
mind is somewhere else. We slowly move towards her as time
starts to slow down. As Alexs eyelids blink in SLOW MOTION
her eyes start to well up.
CUT TO
MONTAGE
Montage in SLOW MOTION:
- Alexs mother screaming at her while her father carelessly
reads the newspaper.
- Alex eating lunch alone in a cafeteria full of students.
- Alex looking out of a school bus window with an
expressionless face. Life passes her by in the windows
reflection. Her eyes dont move. (Day)
MONTAGE ABRUPTLY ENDS.
IMMEDIATE CUT TO
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
TEACHER
Alexandra?
Alex looks up at the teacher. She freezes. She tries to
think of what she was just asked. The students around her
start whispering. Her lips try to form a sentence but
everything around her is beginning to close in. She grabs
her things and runs out of the room. The door CLICKS shut.
CUT TO BLACK
FADE IN
A brick wall fills the screen. The title is written in
vibrant graffiti. Pan up and dolly as we are transported
into a high school hallway within the same one shot...
2.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
The camera is floating graciously down the hall as lockers
fly past. We see Alex crouched against the wall at the end
of the hallway. Her head in her hands. We hear faint talking
coming off screen.
J-CUT TO
Close up on a door handle. As it turns and the door swings
open, we dolly back revealing a teacher reprimanding a
student. The student is EDDIE, 18, and he is dressed in
typical 80s punk attire: Dirty dilapidated converses,
battered jeans, T-shirt and a green army jacket. The teacher
has Eddie by his collar and ruthlessly releases him into the
hallway.
TEACHER
Go to Principal Phillips office.
If you dont want to do the work,
you can not do it in there. And if
you ever do that again, so help me
God, you will be suspended.
She closes the door and resumes her class. Eddie ferociously
conjures up saliva in his mouth and spits at the door. He
turns around, pops his jacket collar and starts to walk down
the hall. He then turns around to face Alex while continuing
to walk backwards.
EDDIE
Aw, did your old man have to sell
the family yacht?
Alex raises her head up, eyes red. She gives Eddie a
disgusted look.
EDDIE
You know, you might wanna follow me
to the principals office...
ALEX
Why would I do that?
EDDIE
Youre in the hallway. Which means
youre skipping class. Which means
youre breaking the rules. ...Which
means you should follow me to the
principals office.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
ALEX
You oughta know all about breaking
the rules.
EDDIE
Whats that supposed to mean?
(beat)
Alex puts her head back into her hands. Eddie turns around
and starts to walk down the hall again. He quickly pauses
and turns back around, now obviously insulted.
EDDIE
So youre saying because I dont
look like you, you think Im a bad
person? Youre out here in the hall
just like me.
Alexs head perks up again.
ALEX
And what do I look like?
EDDIE
Like everybody else.
ALEX
Then why do I feel so alone?
EDDIE
(Sarcastically) Youre not right
now.
For the first time in a long time Alex smiles.
ALEX
How do you not care about what
people think?
EDDIE
Why would I?
ALEX
A lot of people do.
EDDIE
Ill tell you in the principals
office
ALEX
Im not gonna follow you.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
EDDIE
Fine. Guess ya like being alone...
Eddie turns around and continues to walk down the hall.
(beat)
ALEX
Wait.
Alex stands up and walks with Eddie.
TWO SHOT - START TRACKING SHOT.
Alex is blatantly glancing Eddie up and down like he is some
sort of art piece. He notices.
EDDIE
What are you looking at?
ALEX
I see you around a lot. You never
listen to the teachers. You never
do what anyone says. How doesnt
that bother you?
EDDIE
Its part of my image.
Alex gets a mix of confusion and intrigue over her face.
ALEX
And whats that?
EDDIE
Really? Come on, look at me!
Alex looks him up and down and is silent.
EDDIE
Whats your name?
ALEX
Alexandra.
EDDIE
Alex, Im Eddie. And Im a punk.
She still does not comprehend.
ALEX
So you do as you please and dress
funny?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
EDDIE
(Laughs) Theres more to it than
that.
ALEX
Like what?
EDDIE
How bout you meet me at the
drive-in tonight and Ill teach
you.
Alex gets embarrassed.
ALEX
I dont know...
Shes hesitant on the idea. Eddie walks past the principals
office and towards the school entrance. Alex stops.
ALEX
You passed the office.
Eddie kicks open the door to the outside and throws up his
arms.
EDDIE
Thats punk.
The door slowly closes and we push in on Alexs face. She
seems intrigued. we start to hear a faint RIPPING sound.
J-CUT TO
MONTAGE
INT. BATHROOM - EVENING
- Ripping sound continues. Two hands tear apart a pair of
jeans.
- A comb running through a strand of hair. Black dye follows
changing the hair color.
- Dark tall boots being pulled up a foot.
- Close up of an eye. A tiny brush slowly runs eyeliner
underneath. A faint SLAM as the eyelid closes.
END MONTAGE
FADE IN
6.
EXT. DRIVE IN - DUSK
Time lapse of the sun setting over the drive in theater.
CUT TO
BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT FILLS THE SCREEN.
CRANE DOWN as the beam of light from the projector leaves
the lens. The camera glides over the top of the cars and
once it reaches the end we swoop by the backs of the cars
and move towards a figure appearing from behind the
concessions. The camera starts at the boots that come into
frame and we truck up revealing a new Alex. She starts
strutting behind the row of vehicles and we follow in front.
As she passes each vehicle, she tries to see which one could
be Eddies. As she gets to the end, she passes a beat up
rusted car. She makes her way to the passenger side and
looks in. Eddie is looking at the mirror spiking up his
Mohawk.
They make eye contact and it takes a second for him to make
the connection.
EDDIE
Alex?
She enters his car and sits in the passenger seat. All the
while Eddie has a look of confusion come across his face.
EDDIE
What did you do?
ALEX
I changed. Im a punk now.
Eddie laughs.
EDDIE
No. No youre not. Thats not how
it happens.
ALEX
What do you mean?
EDDIE
Its more than the look. Take this
dude for instance....
Eddie points to the movie screen.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
EDDIE
Hes just got a costume on. Take
that away and at the end of the day
hes just an actor. And thats
exactly what youre doing. Acting
the part.
ALEX
Then how do you become punk?
EDDIE
The same way you become anything.
Experience.
Alex lets her head fall into the headrest and she sinks into
the seat. She focuses on the movie.
ALEX
Im never going to be a part of
anything.
(beat)
EDDIE
Why were you in the hall before?
ALEX
Why were you?
Eddie smiles.
EDDIE
You ever notice how Ms. Kelly has
an apple sitting on her desk?
ALEX
Yeah, she always takes a bite at
the same time every day...
ALEX AND EDDIE
Ten Oclock.
Alex laughs.
EDDIE
Yeah well, I replaced it with a
rotten one. And I spray painted it
nice and red so she wouldnt
notice. As you know, ten oclock,
right on the dot she takes a big
old bite and you can just see her
stupid expression change. I think
she swallowed a maggot.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
Eddie laughs at the thought of it.
ALEX
I could never do something like
that.
EDDIE
No one said you had to. Why were
you in the hall?
She looks out the window.
ALEX
Im scared of people. Im scared of
everyone judging me. I got called
on in class and everyone started
staring at me and so I ran out.
EDDIE
Thats kinda punk.
Alex looks at him.
ALEX
Really?
EDDIE
Yeah. You did the opposite of what
the teacher wanted. Being punk is
being yourself, no matter what any
other piece of shit says. Its
about being an individual and
standing out from the flawed norms
of society.
Alex turns her attention back to the movie. A small smile
appears on her face.
EDDIE
I have an idea.
He turns the key in the ignition. The cars engine REVS to
life.
EXT. PUNK CLUB - NIGHT
Very low angle dolly across a wet road. We follow Alex and
Eddie as they walk down the sidewalk towards an old building
with a lit up marque. Hundreds of flyers showcasing bands
fill the windows and doors.
9.
INT. PUNK CLUB - NIGHT
Eddie and Alex walk into the club. Its very dark, everybody
is wearing either gray or black. A metal fence barricades
the rowdy crowd between the performer on stage.
Close up of a microphone.
Another close up shot of fingers strumming a guitar. We then
track back revealing a band and we fly over the crowd and
land behind Alex. She turns around to say something to Eddie
but he is nowhere to be found.
She feels claustrophobic. The entire place feels congested.
Shes trapped. She tries to swim through the towering crowd
to find Eddie.
Alex finally finds him and he is talking to a tall, tattooed
punk - SKINNER, late 20s.
EDDIE
This is her.
SKINNER
So this is the fresh meat?
Eddie nods his head with a gleaming smile. Alex looks
nervous.
SKINNER
Who are you?
ALEX
Alex.
SKINNER
No. I didnt ask what your name
was, I asked who you are.
Alex looks to Eddie for guidance. He gives her a nod.
ALEX
Im... Im a punk.
Skinner bursts into laughter.
SKINNER
Then why do you look so out of
place?
Alex doesnt have an answer.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.
SKINNER
Thats because youre a poser.
EDDIE
Skinner, come on.
SKINNER
No. Leave poser. This club is for
punks only.
EDDIE
Dude, shes just trying to fit in.
SKINNER
Well its not gonna be here.
Alex starts to feel a very familiar sensation. Her eyes
start to become glossy. She turns around and runs out of the
club.
Eddie pushes Skinner.
EDDIE
Prick.
Skinner laughs. As he turns around we focus on a new band
that begins to play behind the fence on stage. As the song
starts the crowd instantly rejects them and throws trash
against the fence until they stop.
EXT. PUNK CLUB - NIGHT
Eddie catches Alex as she walks away from the club.
EDDIE
Alex!
She stops and turns around to face him.
EDDIE
Dont listen to him. Come back
inside.
ALEX
No, hes right. Im not a punk -
EDDIE
Hey -
ALEX
And thats fine. Because no matter
where you go people judge. Even in
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.
ALEX (contd)
there, where everyone is supposed
to be equal.
She turns and walks away. Eddie watches for a second and
then turns around to go back inside. As he leaves we see
Alex stop and turn towards the club.
INT. PUNK CLUB - NIGHT
Eddie cruises through the crowd of people until he reaches
Skinner.
EDDIE
Skinner!
He pushes him in anger.
EDDIE
What the hell was that? Were
supposed to accept anyone.
SKINNER
Anyone but posers!
Eddie gets in Skinners face.
EDDIE
Its not like you were born punk.
Clarence.
Skinners face turns red with rage.
The music abruptly stops and the crowd begins to become
disorderly. They both turn to look at the stage.
EDDIE AND SKINNER
What the fuck?
Alex is now on stage. People begin to throw things at the
fence. Skinner steps forward.
SKINNER
Get off the stage, poser!
The crowd yells the same.
ALEX
Youre a poser!
The crowd stops and turns to Skinner who is now clearly
stunned.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.
SKINNER
The fuckd you say?
ALEX
Youre all posers!
The whole crowd is now fixated on Alex.
ALEX
Someone told me that being punk is
about believing in yourself, and
putting your opinion of yourself in
front of what others think of you.
We are all supposed to be doing
what we want and standing up for
whats right regardless of the
thoughts of others. But youre all
the same! If somebody doesnt look
like you, sound like you, or act
like you, you reject them. Youre
all conforming to one thing.
(beat)
ALEX
(Continued) And thats not
very punk.
SKINNER
Yeah? Then what is?
Alex begins to walk towards the crowd.
ALEX
This is punk!
She raises her leg and in one swift kick her boot knocks
down the fence. Nothing separates her from anyone else.
Skinner doesnt say anything. We push in on Eddie, he
smiles.
Two boots hit the ground below the stage. We dolly back to
reveal Alex. She walks through the crowd and everyone steps
out of her way.
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
A piece of chalk SLAMS against the chalkboard. The teacher
is writing on the board. As she slams the chalk down to
finish the sentence she was writing, she turns to the class.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.
TEACHER
Now, who can tell me who invaded
Spain in the 8th century?
The class looks disinterested. Alex, wearing the same outfit
as before looks as if she is reliving last night in her
mind.
TEACHER
Alexandra?
Her head raises up and she is now pulled back into the
present. A loud CLICK is heard and the class turns around as
the door slowly opens. Eddie walks in late, also wearing the
same clothes as the night before.
The class is now re-focused somewhat back on the teacher.
Alex is still turned towards Eddie who is now taking his
seat a few rows back. She turns around with a slight smile.
ALEX
The Moors.
Alex then nonchalantly grabs her things and gets out of her
seat. The camera follows her in one shot and she walks past
the rows of desks and we then stop on Eddie who watches her
leave the classroom.
TEACHER
Where are you going?
Alex doesnt answer.
TEACHER
Alexandra!
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
Alex walks out the classroom door and down the hall. She has
a confidence in her step. As she reaches closer to the
camera we pan down and reveal a brick wall.
TITLE CARD