Murder Mystery

Short Film

Markesha Gibbons

Markesha Gibbons University of

North Texas at Dallas 2019 markeshagibbons@my.untdallas.ed
Dallas Tx, 75243 u
7300 University Hills Blvd
Dallas Tx, 75243
 1

VIDEO AUDIO

1 PASSING IN THE COFFEE SHOP

Erin is seen coming up the WORKER

_____
street to a nearby coffee (Finishing up with her customer)
shop Thanks you for coming, Next!

Keesha is standing in line KEESHA

_____
waiting to order coffee and (Becomes first in line)
talking to a good friend Hi! Can i get a Grande caramel frappe?
about an upcoming retreat.
WORKER
_____
Yes. What the name?

KEESHA
_____
Keesha, 2 E's

WORKER
_____
$5.25 please.

KEESHA
_____
(Proceeding to talk on the phone and
attempt to pay while holding heavy
shopping bags; non chalantly hands the
worker the money and walk off)
I am so excited to get home and put my
new items in my bag! Maybe this $500
dress will find me a sugar daddy on
this game retreat, okay! Yes hunny.
Nothing but the best.

WORKER
_____
Ma'am your card was declined.

KEESHA
_____
Are you sure? here try this one?

WORKER
_____
(Worker hands Lee the drink)
Lee! Here you go.

KEESHA
_____
(Grabs coffee swiftly; proceeds to talk
to friend)
Thanks! Yes girl I hear the prize can
get quiet large!

Detective opens up the door KEESHA

to the coffee shop as Keesha
is walking out nonchalantly.
_____
(Swiftly passes the detective holding
the door for her, without saying thank
you)
I'm talking $500,000 Large!
 2

VIDEO AUDIO

2 PREPPING TO HEAD TO THE GAME

SHOW

Imogene is in her room EMMA

talking to her boyfriend on
her ipad.
___
(Yelling as she is moving swiftly
through the house)
Imogene get off that ipad, lets go! We
don't want to be late

IMOGENE
______
(Opens the door and yells backs to her
mom with sarcasim)
I'd much rather be moving into college
today.

Emma still moving swiftly EMMA

throughout the house, goes
into the kitchen grabbing
last minute items and
secretly grabs a knife,
pauses and looks at it, and
sticks it in her purse before
proceeding to Imogene's room.
___
(Going into Imogene's room)
Listen baby, I'm trying to get the
money for your school. They said I have
another week to get it in, so lets try
to think positive today please? Okay?
IMOGENE
______
Yes Okay!

EMMA
___
(Gets happy and hops up)
Good! Lets get going! We have some
money to get.

Emma & Imogene put their bags ____

MUSIC
in the car, hop in, drive off

Louis walks into a near by ____

MUSIC
corner store and purchases a
bag of noodles, chips and a
drink.

He proceeds to go and sit at LOUIS

the bus stop where he starts
thinking aloud about his
future.
____
(Thinking)
I cant keep doing this man. I don't
even make enough money to purchase a
good meal let alone a car to get to
school and work.

LOUIS
____
(Louis looks up and see two men secretly
exchanging something)
See that's what i'm talking about.

____
LOUIS
 3

VIDEO AUDIO

(exposes a small bag of pills in his bag)

I need to get this money.

Devon just put a bag in the DEVON

car, takes a deep breath
before walking back into the
house to wrap up an arguement
with his wife.
____
(trying to be in a good mood he enters
the house and finds his wife in the
kitchen)
You ready hunny, I feel like Gods
really going to bless us to win.

Finishing up cleaning in the TAMAR

kitchen, turns around quickly
to face her husband
____
I hope so, because no matter what when
we come back im no longer being the
house servant. Im going back to work
Devon i can promise you that.

DEVON
____
No one said your a servant. You know we
cant afford a sitter let alone a nanny.
Many women would love to stay home and
be a wife and mother.

TAMAR
____
(Brushing him off)
HA! Well not this one hunny. Lets just
go. I dont want to be late.

DEVON
____
Do we need to do anything else?

TAMAR
____
(Walking off and mumbling)
I've already done everything per usual.
I'm just looking for one last thing.

Tamar is shuffling through an TAMAR

____
old purse in search of her (zaps her taser then releases a big
taser. She finally locates smile.)
it, turns it on and gives it Found it!
a zap.

Tamar goes to meet a waiting DEVON

____
Devon in the car. He looks to (Turns and looks at Tamar)
her with a hopeful face. Ready?

TAMAR
____
(Tamar smiles big with excitement eyes
hidden behind shades)
Sure Am!
 4

VIDEO AUDIO

3 DRIVING`

A 6 screen view of all 6 ____

MUSIC
guest driving to retreat. All
with different moods.

4 ARRIVING

Everyone is in a line ____

MUSIC
entering through the front
door, which is opening
itself.

Everyone is standing in a TAMAR

circle with their bags
awaiting instruction/ with
low chatter
____
(Says aloud and frustratingly rolling
her eyes)
I wonder whats taking so long. We have
been waiting in this one spot for over
an hour.

KEESHA
_____
No Forreal.

Assistant arrives with a KERRY

basket to collect everyone's
phones.
____
Hello everyone! My Name is Kerry and I
am Lisa Chavez's, assistant. As you all
read in your agreements, there are no
phones, so i will go around and collect
those now before proceeding.

Kerry proceeds to walk in a KERRY

circle to collect everyones
cellphone.
____
(Collecting everyones phone and then
stops on Imogene, who doesnt have a
phone)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Can I
have your phone please?

IMOGENE
______
(Sarcastically looks at her mom, smiles
and says)
I don't have a phone. Actually I am the
only 17 almost 18 year old on the
planet without one.

EMMA
___
(Shocked and frustrated by her daughters
response)
Imogene! Please.

5 RETIRING FOR THE NIGHT.


VIDEO
Kerry has picked up all the
phones and proceeds to center
to give further instructions.
Everyone claps with
excitement as Lisa steps out
with a white buldging
envelope
6 DEVON AND TAMAR SEES ERIN AND
KERRY SHAKE HANDS.
Everyone picks up there
luggage and breaks before
heading to their prospective
rooms. Erin walks over to
Kerry and lets her know that
someone is working
undercover.
Kerry brushing off Erin's
comment.
5
AUDIO
KERRY
____
(With exciment)
Now, I would like to introduce you to
New York Times best selling book Author
Lisa Chavez!
LISA
___
(waving everyone to calm down)
Good evening, good evening! Im so glad
you all could make it hear today. I am
Lisa Chavez, author of the book
Seclusion in Happiness. I expect you
all have read it so i wont go into
detail. Tonight you are all here to win
whats in my hand.
LISA
___
(Waving around the envelope)
750 thousand dollars.
LISA
___
(puts the money into her jacket pocket.)
All you have to do is make it to the
end of the retreat. Tomorrow morning
the interventions and games will begin!
For tonight relax and retire.
ERIN
___
(Flagging down Kerry to introduce
herself.)
Kerry! Hi erin!
KERRY
____
Hi Erin! Whats up.
ERIN
___
I think someone here might have an
alteria motive. Maybe working
undercover.
KERRY
____
I see. Well thanks for the heads up,
but i can assure you everything will be
fine. I screed every single person.
ERIN
___
Oh, okay. Well it was nice to introduce
 6

VIDEO AUDIO

myself anyway!

KERRY
____
(Reaches to shake Erin's hand)
Same here.

Devon and Tamar turn around DEVON

____
just in time for the (Taps Tamar)
handshake. What you think thats about?

TAMAR
____
hmm. I wonder.

7 BED TIME

A 6 screen of everyone ____

MUSIC
prepping for bed. Lights go
out in everyones rooms.

Emma is sleep and Imogene is DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING

_______________________
laying in bed watching videos
of her friends who have
already moved into college.
She suddenly hear a door open
and feet quickly pass
underneath her door and
chooses to hit record and go
investigate.

Keesha is still awake in her KEESHA

_____
room writing music when she Shit I have to pee.
realizes she has to pee.

Keesha comes out of her room KEESHA

_____
and midway into the hallway Oh my God!
the lights go out.

Keesha runs into the first

room she can find.

8 THE SCREAM

Keesha is feeling around the KEESHA

_____
dark room when the lights AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!Someone come help she's
come back on. She realizes dead!
shes not in the bathroom but
in a common room and Lisa is
dead.

All the guest come running ____

KERRY
 7

VIDEO AUDIO

in. Oh my goodness Keesha what did you do?

KEESHA
_____
(Getting defensive)
I didnt do anything, I was going to the
bathroom, the lights went out and i
came in here! I didnt do anything dont
even think about blaming this on me.

Erin goes over to Lisa's coat ERIN

pocket to check if the money
is still present. It isnt.
___
(Kneeling up)
Moneys gone. That means we have a
murder in this room. The good thing is
I was hired as an undercover detective
working for Lisa and no body will be
leaving until we locate the killer and
the money.

9 THE INVESTIGATION

Everyone is looking at one DEVON

____
another curiously. Well Louis told me he was having
trouble paying for school.

LOUIS
____
What are you serious!! What about you
wanting to win the money to pay for a
nanny!

Everyone in unison EVERYONE

_______
A Nanny!

Everyone starts blaming one TAMAR

____
another at the same time. She told me she needs the money for her
daughters college.

DEVON
____
You know you told me that, I'm almost
sure it was you.

EMMA
___
Well Keesha was the one caught in here
how do we know its not her.

KEESHA
_____
It could be you! I already told you I
didnt do nothing!

Imogene is politely trying to IMOGENE

______
get everyone's attention. (whispering)
When she notice they cant Guys i think i have something you all
 8

VIDEO AUDIO

hear her she screams outloud need to see. x2

IMOGENE
______
(Frustrated)
GUYS!!!!!! I said I think i have
something for you all to see!

Everyone crowds around ____

MUSIC
Imogene and she shows them
the footage she has of Kerry
going into Lisa's room
carrying a drink, looking
around before entering.

Everyone looks up at Kerry ERIN

___
who looks guilty and then at (Puts her hand up and takes a small step
the glass near Lisa's body closer to Kerry)
showing she was clearly Kerry
killed by poision

Kerry pulls a knife out of KERRY

her back pocket to warn Erin
off.
____
Don't come any closer!
ERIN
___
Kerry it doesnt have to end like this,
the police have already been called.
Just put the knife down.

KERRY
____
Yea right, I took all of your phones!

ERIN
___
I tried to tell you someone was here
undercover Kerry.

Erin reaches down and pulls ERIN

___
the spear cellphone from her (Looks out the window toward the far
socks. away sound of sirens)

KERRY
____
(crying)
This is unbelievable! She stole my
life!!

10 THE CONFESSION

Kerry starts sobbing and KERRY

____
explaining why she killed (Crying)
Lisa She took everything from me! She stole
my idea for the book and then made me
help write it. She took all the credit
 9

VIDEO AUDIO

and money and treated me like crap! All

I wanted was one trip to Spain, but no
she had to have this stupid retreat!
I'm glad its done.

Sounds of sirens and police ERIN

___
lights ring throughout the There here Kerry
room.

Kerry drops the knife and ____

MUSIC
Erin rushes over to secure
her hands behind her back.