Game ON!

Pilot
"Level Zero: Space War"

by John Eberhardt
 2.

001 INT BAR, NIGHT

Wolf’s Head Pub, a dingy neighborhood bar. JOE BELLIWAFF, slacker,
sits at a booth at the end of a bar, with MIKE filming him with a
video camera. Note that at no time is MIKE’s face seen – his face is
either obscured by the camera while he films, or we are seeing his
POV. As we enter the scene, it’s clear that JOE is planning
something, and with the stealth tones it’s clear that someone won’t
like it.

JOE
Okay, man. Ben should be here any time. It’s
important that you get this on camera, man –
ten years is a long time. This is important.

JOE looks over MIKE’s shoulder – it’s BEN.

JOE (CONT’D) (to Mike, even more hushed)

Okay – here he comes.

JOE (CONT’D) (loud & inviting)

Ben! Ben! We’re over here!

The camera swings around – in walks BEN JOHNSON, looking slightly

less loser than JOE.

BEN (from across the bar)

Joe! Mike!

BEN walks up to JOE – they embrace (in a manly way). BEN looks over
MIKE, ready to embrace him as well. MIKE zooms in on BEN’s face.

BEN (CONT’D)
Damnit, man, you still have the camera
everywhere you go? Hold on…

It suddenly dawns on JOE that it’s a trap. JOE’s hand comes in with
a lit Zippo lighter up to BEN’s chin. It scorches him just a bit –
enough to make him jump.

JOE
Ha HA! That, my friend, is for shaving off
half my beard while I was drunk back in ‘97
and giving it to the yearbook geeks. We’re
even now.

JOE (CONT’D) (looking at MIKE through the camera)

You got that? Tell me you got that?
 3.

Wider shot, BEN rubbing his chin. MIKE is obscured by the side of
the booth.

BEN
Wow. You know? Just WOW. Maybe I made a
mistake in calling you.

JOE
Relax, you knew it was coming. So suck it
up, know that Mike will post my revenge on
YouTube to complete the circle of life, and
move on.

BEN is about to say something, but decides to accept his fate. JOE
and BEN sit down at the booth. MIKE, still obscured by the video
camera, gets up and starts to walk around the bar, filming various
things at random – from people to glasses. We occasionally see him
in wide shots as the dialogue continues.

JOE
So what’s up, man? It’s been what – ten
years?

BEN
Eleven.

JOE
Close enough. I still don’t get why you
bailed Junior year…

BEN
You know that wasn’t my idea, Joe. Dad
pulled me out of school because he didn’t
like the crowd I was hanging with…

JOE
That’s right. Ol’ Ted was kind of a dick … I
still don’t understand why you didn’t snap
as a kid and put a pillow over his face-

BEN (mix between reverence and fear)

He’s dead, Joe.

JOE (pause)
Huh. Guess you’re a late bloomer. Cheers.

BEN
Wasn’t my doing. Colorectal cancer.
 4.

JOE
Sorry, man. I’m sure it was tough.

BEN (cheerfully)
Are you kidding? It was the best day of my
life!

JOE (after a beat)

Remind me to choose someone else to write my
obituary.

BEN
My dad left it to me, Joe. All of it.

JOE
I’d have thought the cancer made it useless.

BEN
Not his colon, fool, his money. The
businesses, the cars, the Giants tickets.
All of it.

JOE
So… You’re… Like… Rich? Dude!

JOE puts up his hand to high five BEN – who doesn’t hit it.
BEN
Well… Technically, not so much. The old
bastard had to stick it to me one last time…
In order for me to actually get the goods, I
need to set up a new company. Within a year,
you need to create new value for the Johnson
Foundation.

JOE
Pfft, The Johnson Foundation. Still makes me
laugh.

BEN
Yeah, well, this will make you laugh, too. I
want to go into business with you.

JOE (choking on his beer)

What?

BEN
 5.

Yep. I want to make video games – and you’re

the key to that.

JOE (thinking for a minute)

Okay, first, you suck at games.

BEN
Yeah. But you don’t. And GTA took in like a
billion dollars first day.

JOE
Yeah, well as much as I’d like to jump on
the bandwagon, I already have a job.

BEN
Guy. You’re working at Dickersnoodles.

JOE (defensively)
You know, it’s not just an adult bakery
anymore - it’s a deli, too. (beat) And you
can’t beat their Kwanzaa log.

BEN
Joe, I need your help. If I don’t get a
business up and running, I lose the family
dough. It all goes to my cousin.

JOE
No.

BEN
Yep.

JOE
Raymond?

BEN
Yep.

JOE
No.

BEN shrugs.
 6.

JOE (CONT’D)
Your dad could be an ass. But your cousin…
He’s… Like… a three-cheeked ass.

BEN
Yep. And that’s why I need you.

JOE
No way, dude.

BEN Look – the only chance I’ve got to get that money is to convince
the board that I have a business together by the end of this month!

JOE
Wait – this month? I thought you said you
had a year?

BEN
Yeah.

JOE is confused at first – until a small light bulb goes on behind

his eyes – JOE & games wasn’t the first choice BEN had for his
business. JOE looks a little wounded. BEN just shrugs.

BEN (CONT’D)
You always said how you could make better
the games than the ones we spent our college
lives playing…

JOE (dismissively)
Princess Caraboo. Whore.

BEN
Yeah, well, now I can give you that chance.
And that’ll save me from having to get a
real job.

JOE wants to believe – but he’s not yet willing to make the leap.

JOE
Ben, as cool as that truly sounds, you’re
clearly high.

BEN (checking his watch)

No, no, not now.

JOE
 7.

Do you even know what it takes to make a

game? Programmers, artists, designers.

BEN
Whaaat? The mighty Joe Belliwaff is backing
down from a game challenge?

JOE
Ok, you know that I’ll take you, any day,
any time.

JOE (CONT’D) (as if BEN is disabled)

But I’m telling you we would need other
people. Which means actually running a
business. Which means actually having a
business plan. And you flunked out of Econ
101. Twice.

BEN (defensively)
I did not flunk out twice. Second one was a
clerical error. And as for putting together
a business plan – I got that covered.

JOE
No dice, man. Too risky, man. I’ve got a
good thing with Dickersnoodles.

JOE (CONT’D) (ramping up)

You know, some of us have to work for a
living. We who were born with blue collars
in our mouths have to eat all the time, not
just when our parents leave us next week’s
spending money1

JOE is completely off track. BEN stopped listening at least a full

sentence ago. Both get transfixed on a waitress that walks by. ADHD
is a wonderful thing.

JOE (CONT’D)
Whatever, dude. I need my adult bakery gig
to make the green to feed my game machine.

JOE swigs his beer, pleased with his little rhyme.

JOE (CONT’D)
Crack ain’t cheap, bro. No way.

BEN (teasingly)
 8.

You know… We’ll need to buy a copy of every

game that comes out. For every game system.
Research.

JOE stares at BEN momentarily, then slams his fist on the bar table.

JOE (emphatically)
You drive a hard bargain. I’m in.

JOE sticks his hand out to shake BEN’s, but pulls it back at the
last minute.

JOE (CONT’D)
Wait – what about Mike?

Looking over to MIKE, who’s getting pushed back and forth by some
BIKER DUDES who didn’t want to be filmed.

JOE
He and his camera are kinda famous now. Cat
farting thing? His.

BEN
Mike is “Grok David?”

JOE (annoyed)
Does anyone read punctuation on the web?
It’s Grok-Da-Vid.

BEN
Sweet – he can do our “making of” footage.

JOE
Okay, man. I’m in.

BEN and JOE raise glasses in toast.

FADE TO:

002 EXT PARKING LOT, NIGHT

Clearly, it's beyond last call. MIKE stumbles out the front door
first (in a wide shot, so we don't see his face), holding the
handicam on JOE and BEN as they come out, stumbling down the street.
POV shot from MIKE.

JOE (stumbling, but talking to the camera)

 9.

Okay, for the record, first order of

business was picking out the name. First
vetoed, Ben-Game.

BEN
Yeah, and second, Waffavision.

JOE
Open your mouth a little wider when you say
that.

Cigar chomping late night WAITRESS opens the back door to the bar
and throws JOE's coat at him.

SURLY WAITRESS
Hey, Belliwaff. Forgot your coat, again! You
owe me another free cake, toots.

JOE
Wha...?

SURLY WAITRESS
Pfft. Friggin’ monkey brains…

She slams the door. BEN & JOE look at each other, struck by an
epiphany.

JOE AND BEN (simultaneously)

Monkeybrain!

WIDE SHOT of the two dancing in the parking lot, with MIKE filming.
Super title, Game ON.

FADE TO BLACK, KEEPING TITLE ON SCREEN:

003 EXT PARKING LOT, DAY

Wide shot on a dilapidated building in a rundown section of town.
Some office buildings surround the building where JOE and MIKE are
drinking their cups of coffee - the majority of the buildings look
as if they had a good time back in the ‘40s. The building at which
they stand is a remodeled standalone building - looks to be a bank,
with a drive up teller and all. BEN pulls up in an '82 Chrysler
Cordoba and gets out.

JOE
Wow. Didn't think that thing would still be
alive.

BEN
 10.

You kidding? I love this car. New

transmission was the first capital
investment made by Monkeybrain. She finally
goes in reverse.

JOE
So what are we doing here?

BEN
There it is, boys. The home of Monkeybrain.

Wide shot to a boarded up bank. It's clear that it's been some time
since it's seen any business - though the massive parking lot is
surrounded by high rise office buildings on all sides.

JOE
What the hell are you talking about?

BEN
Biggest square footage, lowest price. Even I
got that out of Econ 101. It’s perfect.

JOE
Sure, if you want to hide a body…

BEN
What? It’s got charm, it’s got character…

JOE
Ok, gamer tip – “character” is a little
plumber guy with blue overalls and a hammer.
This neighborhood isn’t about character,
it’s about car jacking - not that you and
that piece of crap you drive ever need to
worry about that…

BEN
Well, the real estate person will be here
soon – let’s just check it out. You know,
this place it used to be a bank...

JOE
Ten bucks says an Indian burial ground
before that.

Real estate agent CECILIA WHEELER screeches up in a white Cadillac.

She is a few years older than dirt, around three feet tall, but
 11.

drives an immense Cadillac. Bedside manner is not her strength,

either.

CECILIA
You Johnson?

BEN
Yes, ma'am. Mrs. Wheeler?

CECILIA
Mizz. I worked through the '70s, I earned
it. Let’s get this over with. You wanna see
the old Forester Bank?

JOE
Not really.

BEN
Yes! We'd love to take a look inside.

CECILIA gives MIKE the eye.

CECILIA
What's his story?

JOE
He's making a video of our new gig. It's
okay ma’m, you'll keep your soul.

CECILIA gives JOE the eye.

CECILIA
Don't I know you from that restaurant in
boy’s town? You're annoying there, too.

CUT TO:

004 INT BANK, DAY

Door opens on to a dank, warehouse-size room. MIKE is silhouetted
against the daylight, BEN and JOE come in next. CECILIA comes last,
and turns on the lights. It's clear the bank was built in the ‘30s
and remodeled in the mid ‘80s. It’s the bastard child of Cary Grant
and Whitney Houston.

CECILIA
Well, here it is, (beat) Ok, ready to leave?
 12.

BEN goes from optimistic to pessimistic. He walks with CECILIA as

JOE and MIKE disappear to the back rooms. As they walk around, BEN
observes wires hanging from the ceiling, lights dangling by single
cords, and families of rats living in piles of... stuff in the
corner. It's a deathtrap. As BEN walks through, CECILIA, annoyed at
the fact that they don’t want to leave, feels she has to give at
least a half-hearted pitch.

CECILIA (CONT’D)
Ok, suit yourself. The old Crestfield Bank
building. Built in 1941, first robbed in
'42. Robbed on and off again for the next 57
years, average of every 18 months between
each police visit. Last bank was Cascade
Pacific – robbed four times in ‘99 alone
before it finally had a run on itself. By
order of the Redwood City Council, no bank
can ever move in again. Other than that…
Big, drafty, has avoided every attempt to
enforce code issues by selling to overseas
investors.

BEN
Well. Maybe investor-san would give us a
deal, since it’s been vacant?

CECILIA (annoyed)
Look, you got the price there on the paper;
meanwhile, I’ve got what’s left of my time
ticking away. I don’t do banter. And I don’t
like you. So what’s it going to be.

BEN
Well, what’s your advice?

CECILIA
Run like hell.

JOE comes running out from the back room, excited beyond belief.

JOE
Ben, you have got to see this. The tubes for
the drive up still work! It so totally kicks
ASS! We have so got to take this place!!!

CECILIA and BEN stare at each other. BEN smiles, CECILIA shakes her
KEYS in her hand, more annoyed than pleased.
 13.

CUT TO:

005 INT CONFERENCE ROOM, NIGHT

JOE and BEN sit around the conference room of the derelict building
they’ve just bought, having just finished off a pizza. They have
feet on the table, seemingly satisfied with themselves. The easy
part is over - now comes the planning for the tough part, as BEN
makes the list of what needs to be accomplished on a white board.

BEN
Dude – keep it in!

JOE
Sorry, man. Next time, listen to me when I
say no artichokes on the pizza.

BEN
Alright. You get to come up with the idea, I
get to come up with the funds. Now it’s time
for “Phase Two.” The business plan.

JOE
Uh huh. And your brilliant scheme?

BEN
You remember our RA Freshman year?

JOE
Flower? Of course. God, she was hot.

BEN
No kidding. Still is, guy.

JOE
What?

BEN throws down a file onto the table – picture of FLOWER comes out,
as well as paperwork. He’s had her tracked.

BEN
She’s teaching. Economics. Just down the
road at Stanford. Dude, she’s the perfect
person to put together a business plan. She
even ghost edited Business Plans for Dummies
– it’s Kismet!
 14.

JOE (seriously)
The mystery of fate.

JOE throws the papers down on the table.

JOE (CONT’D)
But – as I remember, she specifically said
that if she ever sees either of us again,
she’d kill us.

BEN (tapping his head)

Plan, my friend, plan. Follow my lead.

CUT TO:

006 INT CLASSROOM, DAY

Cloistered hallways of Stanford's staff rooms. Inside is the
miniscule office of business 301 TA, FLOWER SMITH. She is very
clearly the low woman on the totem pole - overworked,
underappreciated, and very clearly tired. A KNOCK at the door - she
ignores it, continues to try and work through the enormous pile of
paper in front of her.

FLOWER (dismissively)
Office hours start at 11.

Door opens to reveal PROFESSOR FIELD, the lord and master to FLOWER.
A prick – but a tenured prick.

FIELD
Right, Smith. I wanted to make sure you’re
going to take care of the midterm reviews
this week. I’ve changed the exam material to
use the figures from my forthcoming book.

FIELD tosses a book with his picture arguably larger than the size
of the book itself on the back.

FIELD (CONT’D)
Rewrite the tests based on it.

FLOWER
Professor Field, I am right in the middle of
my research for –

FIELD switches on his power trip.

 15.

FIELD (smugly)
Smith, you enjoy your little apprenticeship,
yes? Your luxurious offices, your chance to
learn from one of the greats. Mmm?

FLOWER (defeated, through gritting teeth)

Yes, Professor Field.

FIELD Then I’d suggest that if you enjoy your tutelage, you tootle
your way through those exam materials. Only seven more years, Smith,
until you can join us at the faculty meetings. FIELD picks up his
golf bag.

FIELD (CONT’D)
Happy tootling.

FIELD closes the door. FLOWER picks up the back of the book and
stabs her pen into it. She thinks about throwing it out the window –
but opens it with disgust and starts to read. There is another KNOCK
on the door.

FLOWER (bitterly)
Office hours start at 11.

Another KNOCK.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
I have papers to grade - go away.

KNOCK continues. FLOWER, now pissed, gets up and moves towards the
door.

FLOWER (CONT’D) (to herself)

If you don’t have a gigantic check in your
hand, I’m going to rip that hand off and
slap him you in your own face…

She throws it open - it's BEN and JOE.

BEN
Hey - Flower!

FLOWER immediately realizes they are not students. After a split

second, she also realizes that she knows them.

FLOWER
You idiots.
 16.

JOE
Told you. You owe me five bucks.

FLOWER slams the door and leans against it, terrified. Through the
door comes singing Wannabe by The Spice Girls.

BEN and JOE

If you wanna be my lover, you have got to
give! Thinkin' is just too easy, but that's
the way it is! So what you think about that!
Now you know how I feel –

FLOWER cannot take it any more – opens the door, grabs the two of
them and pulls them in – quickly – to her office, throwing them
against her desk. There’s almost room for the three of them to
breathe in the tiny office.

FLOWER (trying to retain composure)

We all know it was popular at the time. And
I asked MULTIPLE times if any of you sheep
had better suggestions for the talent show,
so DROP it.

Looking between JOE and BEN.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
What in all memories that should remain
buried in a land fill are you doing here?

BEN
Aw, Professor Smith –

JOE
Ah ah ah – it said “Associate” on the door.

BEN
Ah, yes, Ass. Prof. Can we not just drop by
to congratulate you on your clear path
success from the last time we enjoyed your
company?

FLOWER stares at them incredulously.

FLOWER
The two of you and enjoyment of any kind
immediately gets me in deep trouble. So NO.
Wait… Weren’t you always roaming in threes.
Where’s the voyeur guy…?
 17.

JOE knocks on the window to point out MIKE. Exterior shot from the
ground, showing MIKE standing outside of the office, balancing on a
window ledge. He tries to wave with the hand not holding the camera,
starts to bobble footing, then grabs hold of the pipe again. Back to
the office.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Still with the camera. (beat) Wait a minute
– this is a 3rd floor office…

BEN and JOE shrug.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Ok, not that I haven’t enjoyed this
violation of your collective restraint
order, but beat it. Grown up has work to do.
Buh-bye.

BEN
Actually, Flower, we have business to
discuss with you.

FLOWER
And what business would that be, Johnson.
Explaining why you three duct taped the
elevator doorways in the dorm? Or perhaps
why you put Vaseline on the door handles for
the fire doors before every scheduled fire
alarm? Or are you here to tell me about
another one of your exploits which gave me
the great pleasure of being on a first name
basis with every member of campus security?

JOE
Dude, she’s pissed. She used your last name.

BEN
I know. Hot, huh?

FLOWER
I have a LOT of work to do. So please – get
the hell out.

BEN
This is serious, Flower. Joe and I –

KNOCK at the window.

 18.

BEN (CONT’D)
-and Mike have started our own company. I’ve
got capital lined up– provided we have a
solid business plan. And who better to turn
to than our own Professor Smith!

FLOWER
Guys, I’d recommend you stop by the med
center on the way off campus. And I do mean
off campus. I’m perfectly happy doing what
I’m –

The 11am bell sounds in the campus courtyard - office hours. Almost
immediately, the door opens – a crowd of students rushes the door.
They talk over each other (they continue on after their lines, each
more desperate than the other.

STUDENT ONE
Miss Smith, I don't agree with the –

STUDENT TWO
Smith, I don't understand –

STUDENT THREE
Hey, how come they get to –

STUDENT FOUR
If I don't get at least a C –

A hush falls over the crowd, which parts like the Red Sea. PROFESSOR
FIELD approacheth.

FIELD
Ah, Smith. Forgot to tell you that I need my
dry cleaning delivered to my house by 5
tonight. Sharp.

FLOWER stands there, stunned.

FIELD (CONT’D)
Ciao. As the drone from the students begins
again, we focus in on FLOWER, who stares at
the floor. BEN and JOE look on hopefully.

FLOWER
You’ve got an hour.

FLOWER storms out and down the hall, with the students following in
tow. BEN and JOE try to remain serious – until FLOWER is out of
 19.

sight. Switch to MIKE’s POV, BEN and JOE flash smiles, high five,
then flash MIKE thumbs up. In frame come two thumbs – at which
point, the camera falls backwards down to the ground.

CUT TO BLACK

END ACT ONE

ACT TWO
007 INT RESTAURANT, AFTERNOON
A TGIF-style restaurants, with the wait staff in red & white striped
shirts, bow ties and straw hats. FLOWER, BEN, JOE, and MIKE (back
turned, but a cast clearly visible on his non-filming arm) sit
around a table, while activity buzzes around. POV from MIKE’s
camera. A half-eaten pizza sits on the table, it's clear they have
been there for a while. The WAITER comes and drops off four drinks –
three Guinness and a Coke.

DAVE
I’ll be back in a minute with your Heart
Attackalanche™.

MIKE waves his cast in acknowledgement. Shift to group shot.

FLOWER
So, let me get this straight. You need to
set up a business to get at your family
money – and you guys want to play Pong.

JOE
I am hurt. (beat) That’s so dated.

BEN
Are you kidding? Videogames are a HUGE
business these days. Look around at these
kids in here – which do you think they do on
a daily basis – watch three hours of
primetime, spend three hours reading a book,
or spend SIX HOURS playing videogames! A big
game makes more money than the big Hollywood
flicks these days – and that’s only getting
bigger! Sure, history to date suggests we’re
slackers who barely have the attention span
to finish a sentence, but…

BEN trails off, watching JOE count bubbles in his beer.

 20.

JOE (noticing)
You’re right, the bubbles start from the top
and go down. It’s not natural.

BEN
The Irish, man. Geniuses.

FLOWER (frustrated, snapping her fingers)

Hi. We’re focusing?

BEN
Oh, right. Look, Joe has played every game
out there – so he knows what works and what
doesn’t. I have access to the money. Mike –

POV shot from Mike.

BEN (CONT’D)
Well, MIKE’s kind of a hanger on, but with
the broken arm and all, not like he can do
anything anyway.

Back to JOE, who’s ready to make his pitch.

JOE (getting all serious)

Flower, you are the most together person
we’ve ever met. You alone were the one
reason any of us passed our classes –you had
us on a schedule. You knew how to run
people, and now that you’re a business
teacher, I know that you know how to put
together a business plan WAY better than any
of us! And, you know what they say about
teaching. I mean it’s good and all, but
those who can’t do, teach. And I’ve told Ben
for years that there’s no one I want to do
more –

FLOWER chokes on her drink, JOE blushes.

JOE (CONT’D)
Er, I mean, there are gym teachers who can’t
do… Or is it driver’s ed? Well, just, you
can do this stuff way better than anybody
else. I bet.
 21.

BEN
You had a rhythm there for a minute, but you
might want to work on the close.

FLOWER (dismissively)
I could probably give you guys some books –

JOE
Books? We all know that’s not going to work,
regardless how many pictures. We cannot run
a business!

JOE has an honest moment.

JOE (CONT’D) (seriously)

We need you.

FLOWER is on the edge.

BEN
Unless, of course, you like doing the Prof’s
laundry.

Before FLOWER can reach across the table to slap BEN, the WAITER
comes by with their immense desert - cookie dough baked in a deep
dish pizza pan, topped with vanilla ice cream. People should gain
weight just watching it being served.

FLOWER
Okay – just for the sake of the
hypothetical, say I do become a partner with
you guys for this game company.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
I would run the day to day; so far, I’ve
heard about a story guy, a money guy, and a
stalker guy. Who’s going to do the work? Any
of you guys a programmer?

DAVE
I am.

Everyone stops and stares at the WAITER.

FLOWER
Right… Um, private conversation?

JOE and BEN eye the WAITER, though – they recognize him. And are
star struck.
 22.

JOE
Holy crap…

BEN
Yeah – I think it is…!

MIKE POV shot – zooms in on the nametag for the WAITER, which says
“Hi, I’m Dave”), then up to his face. This is DAVE FAWCETT, one of
the original game gurus from the ‘80s – a legend of game
programming.

JOE
THE Dave Fawcett?!?

DAVE
Well, pretty much. Think so, anyway.

Both BEN and MIKE shoot up out of their chairs to awkwardly

straighten their shirts and shake DAVE’s hand.

BEN
Mr. Fawcett – you were a hero to me and
every kid I knew.

JOE
Your work on the Dungeon Master series was
just superb.

FLOWER is confused.

FLOWER
Okay, is there a hidden camera somewhere?

MIKE taps her on the shoulder. She stares him down, clearly getting
annoyed by the voyeurism.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Yeah. Um, someone want to explain to me
what’s going on?

JOE
This is Dave Fawcett, one of the rock gods
of gaming! He programmed 9 of the top 10
games in the Videogame Hall of Fame! (MORE)

JOE (CONT’D)
 23.

Dave made the very first million dollar game

back in the early ‘80s – Space Slammers… He
made videogames what they are today, and
made the first home version… This guy is a
friggin’ genius!

DAVE
Yup. So, can I get you guys anything else,
or just the check?

JOE and BEN make room, make DAVE sit with them.

BEN
Actually, we have a proposition for you… We
are making a game company – we would love to
have you as our chief programmer – not only
would it be an honor and a privilege to work
with you, but you would be the rock to our
team!

It’s clear that DAVE is a little confused. The years have not been
kind to him.

DAVE
Well, I’d have to close out my shift here
first.

JOE
No problem – when you start would be up to
our Producer anyway – she’s in charge of the
business operations.

JOE looks at FLOWER.

BEN
That’s right. I mean, I know we can make
things work, but she’s the one that’s going
to tie everything together. She was going to
be a Professor at Stanford before she joined
us.

DAVE is confused, but seemingly impressed.

DAVE
Well, uh, sure.

BEN and JOE shake DAVE’s hand, who gets up to leave. He looks at
FLOWER.
 24.

DAVE (CONT’D)
So, I’ll bring the bill to you, then. It
might take me a bit to figure it out.

DAVE starts rubbing his temple.

DAVE (CONT’D) (increasingly frustrated)

See, I’ve got a table over there who wanted
different checks, and that one had extra
fries… And that one wanted dressing on the
side… You know, numbers used to be a lot
easier before my prescriptions kicked in…

DAVE seems to pop out of a mini-stroke, now has a look of placidity

on his face. Serial killer placidity.

DAVE (CONT’D)
I’ll be back soon. Can’t wait to make some
games again with you guys!

DAVE walks off. FLOWER is a bit stunned. She isn’t sure if what she
just saw was a setup or not.

JOE
Um. You know, I heard stripes often
aggravate disorders. I’m sure once He’s out
of uniform, he’ll be fine…

FLOWER
Uh huh. Just tell me there’s no such thing
as a Videogame Hall of Fame, though. Is
there?

JOE pulls out a picture from his wallet, BEN pulls out a brochure.

JOE
Last summer.

BEN
Hey, you got to see the new Tron ride. I
went two summers ago.

FLOWER opens the brochure – sure enough, on the back page is a

picture of a younger-by-25-years DAVE.

FLOWER
If I do this – and I stress IF, we run
things as I see fit.
 25.

BEN
Of course.

JOE
That’s why you’d be there.

POV from MIKE’s camera. FLOWER looks at him through the lens.

FLOWER
And you’ll keep that thing away from me?

BEN
That’s actually part of our marketing
strategy. The ‘net is the way to reach
people today. And Mike is the guy that did
the cat farting video!

JOE
Which is totally hilarious!

BEN (turning to JOE)

Did you see the one where –

FLOWER (slapping her hands to break things up)

Hey! Again, focus. I don’t really care what
he puts on YouTube.

POV shot of FLOWER looking at MIKE, who zooms in.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
I reserve the right to kill you if you get
in my face with the camera. Got it?

The camera shakes a bit, zooms out, and moves over to BEN and JOE
who gesture a “don’t worry about her” move. Back to normal shot.

JOE
So does that mean you’re in…?

FLOWER
Fine. You got me.

BEN (raising his glass)

To Monkeybrain!

The FOUR clink their glasses.

FLOWER
 26.

Last beer you’ll get during a company

meeting.

BEN and JOE pull their drinks closer.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
And since you’ll be in the office tomorrow
at nine to start going through resumes with
me, I’d suggest this is your last beer of
the afternoon.

BEN
9 AM? You’re not serious? Are you???

FLOWER stares BEN down.

JOE
I’ve got a friend who’s a designer, I’ll go
talk with him. Well, I’ve never met him, but
I’ve played games online with him for a few
years. He’s known by everyone in my clan as
the guru on all things level design, so He’s
just what we need. And I’ve been trading
anime porn with him, so he and I think the
same way, too. I’m sure I still have his
address back at my apartment.

FLOWER (dismissively)
Yeah, I got about a third of that, but it
sounds like you’ve got a lead; as to the
rest, don’t and won’t care.

BEN
Great, so, then, less resumes to go through.
So see you tomorrow afternoon at three,
then?

FLOWER (matronly)
No – I want to go over the budget numbers
and the resumes. Nine in the morning.

BEN sighs, crestfallen. MIKE POV, looking at FLOWER.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
 27.

Why don’t you go with Joe tomorrow? Find

someone fresh to stalk.

FADE TO:

008 EXT HOUSE, DAY

MIKE and JOE appear at the side entrance to a small bungalow house,
holding a piece of paper. JOE seems confused - he's checking he
address on the paper, confirming it's the same as the number on the
house. MIKE films away…

JOE
Well – this is the return address to the
last couple of packages…

JOE knocks on the door. To the door comes DARRYL MADSEN, an anime-
dressed lad of 14. He's still wearing pajamas, and eating a bowl of
green flake-like things (Japanese cereal). DARRYL stands behind a
screen door.

JOE (CONT’D)
Yes, hi. Um, I’m looking for Darryl – not
sure if this is the right address…

DARRYL
I’m Darryl – can I help you?

JOE looks confused.

JOE
No, I’m looking for someone by the name of
Darryl Madsen.

DARRYL
Right. Me.

JOE tilts his head a bit. Suddenly, he thinks he understands.

JOE
Ah, well, I’m looking for Mr. Madsen –
Darryl senior.

DARRYL
Look, I’m Darryl. You two with the Jehovah‟s
Witnesses or something?
 28.

JOE
No, I’m looking for a guy I’ve traded anime
porn with before – a guy from our clan in
World of Warcra-

DARRYL
Joe?

JOE
Yes…?

DARRYL
Hey, great to meet you, but keep it DOWN.

DARRYL opens up the door and invites them in.

DARRYL (CONT’D)
You must be Mike. Come on in, guys – I’m
home from school today – Spanish test, had
to be sick. Mom’s upstairs sleeping off last
night.

DARRYL makes a drinking motion, and walks in to the house. POV from
MIKE – JOE turns, a bit confused. Shrugs an “okay” to MIKE and
enters.

CUT TO:

009 INT HOUSE, DAY

DARRYL lives in a house straight out of 1978. Vinyl on the couch,
doilies on end tables. Set up on the dining room table is a wide
array of Warhammer figures, papers, maps, and stacks and stacks of
rule books – clearly, a nerd lives here. JOE and MIKE carefully come
over to DARRYL, who’s already gone to the stack of stuff on his
table – He’s rooting through piles of books. While JOE and DARRYL
speak, MIKE leans over and starts to make his own little movie out
of the various tabletop figures.

DARRYL
Check this out – I got the new issue of
Manga Monthly already – have you seen the
latest game –

JOE
Excuse me. You’re Darryl?
 29.

DARRYL
Um… Yeah?

JOE
MadManD. The guy who I’ve been playing games
with for the last four years every Friday
night?

DARRYL (thinking)
Hmmph, you’ve been my apprentice for four
years. We started playing five years ago
during the preview.

JOE (doing math in his head)

Did you have a net connection in the womb?

DARRYL
I’m fourteen.

JOE (shocked)
What!?! Your profile said you were 18!

DARRYL
Come on, even my mom’s profile says she’s
18.

The confrontation quickly ends, as JOE concedes the point.

DARRYL
So – what do you guys want, anyway? Usually
we just send messages in the game about the
stuff you want to trade…

JOE
Well – actually, I had come here for
something else.

DARRYL (eager)
What?

JOE
Nothing. Doesn’t matter.

DARRYL (even more eagerly – a secret!)

What? Come on – remember, you’re still my
apprentice, you need to do the things I say.

JOE
 30.

Well – we came here because Mike and I are –

with some others – starting a game company.
I wanted to ask you to come and join us.

DARRYL is floored – Doogie Houser just got his acceptance letter

from med school.

DARRYL
Are you serious! Of course!!! Just tell me
where and when, and I’ll be there!

JOE
What? No – sorry – can’t happen.

DARRYL
Why not? You know I’m the best designer out
there.

JOE
Not questioning that.

DARRYL
Then what’s the problem?

JOE
You’re twelve!

DARRYL
FOURTEEN!

JOE
Whatever! There are laws and stuff that even
I know about!

DARRYL (getting upset)

You really think that paperwork is any
different than a profile? I can apply online
for replacement IDs – in two days, I’ll
officially be a 52 year old black man from
Oswego.

From upstairs, rustling is heard. It’s DARRYL‟S MOM. She shrieks

from above, with a voice That’s half Kathleen Turner, half Edna
Kravitz.

DARRYL’S MOM
 31.

Darryl! What’s going on down there?

DARRYL
Nothing, mom. Just practicing my scene for
drama class.

DARRYL’S MOM
Well keep it down! Mommy’s new friend kept
her up late last night and I need my sleep!

DARRYL looks mortified. JOE nods towards the stairs to MIKE, who
nods from a POV. He’s goin’ in.

JOE (in a whisper)

What about your school. You can’t fake a
diploma. (beat) I’ve tried.

DARRYL
Simple – GED. Three weeks, tops.

JOE
Three weeks?

DARRYL
Sure. Besides, I’ve already done all of the
work for high school anyway. I’ve been doing
homework for hire as a side business for the
last three years – I’ve already done the
work for every class in the school.

JOE mulls things over. Decides to push his luck.

JOE
You know, it would be a little weird,
though… Me your apprentice in World of
Warcraft…

DARRYL
Are you kidding? If that’s the problem,
fine, I release you.

JOE
Darryl, my friend, welcome to Monkeybrain!

JOE and DARRYL shake hands. Darryl is giddy, looks around to see
where MIKE is.

DARRYL
 32.

Um – where’s the other guy?

JOE
Who? Mike? Umm…

There is a SCREAM from upstairs. DARRYL takes off up the stairs, JOE
stands there, head in hand.

FADE TO:

010 INT CONFERENCE ROOM, AFTERNOON

FLOWER and BEN are sifting through piles of resumes and art
submissions. It's clear that they have not yet come up with anyone
they like - it's an endless pile of rejects, with little hope at
finding a needle in the haystack.

FLOWER
Ok, next up is Daniela Lenox. She's been a
lead artist at Simu-World and Life Games,
she's shipped five games, and she's got an
MFA in art from Berlin University.

BEN (rolling his eyes)

Next.

FLOWER
What does that mean, "next." She's already
out there, PLUS, she seems the exact fit for
what we need.

BEN
Exactly. That's why she won't work. Do you
know anything about either one of those
companies? They shut down after having not
sold more than 20 games each, probably to
friends and family. They may have looked
beautiful, but they were unfathomable.
Picture if Salvador Dali made Pac Man.
She'll want to come in and do everything her
way, she'll want to take over creatively,
and pull all kinds of kinds of primadonna
stuff. No thanks.
 33.

FLOWER
Benjamin Johnson, I’m proud of you. Those
were some big words. Now, can you spell
“unfathomable” for the class?

BEN
For this, I’m here at 9am.

FLOWER
Well, we have to talk to her.

BEN
Fine. Then that's IT for today. I just hope
that Joe and Mike had better luck. God, I
bet she's going to be some kind of scary
goth no less…

FLOWER gets up to open the door, showing in DANI LENOX. Sure, you
can tell she's an artist, but on a scale of 1 - 10, she's a 28. She
is very European in her dress, very Germanic in her look - she oozes
Shadenfreude. BEN speaks while looking over her CV.

BEN (CONT’D)
Ok, Daniela, thanks for coming to –

DANI
You may call me Dani.

BEN looks up does a triple take.

BEN (gulping)
…Monkeybrain…

BEN sits with a smile on his face. FLOWER, embarrassed, tries to

step in to start asking all of the questions.

FLOWER
So, right, Dani, thanks for coming in today.
We've taken a look at your resume, and
things look promising. Can you tell us a bit
about your background? The other games you
worked on?

DANI (angrily)
They were all shit. No one listened to me -
if they had taken my direction, they would
have been perfect.

FLOWER
 34.

So - did you talk your views over? Did you

ever try to work with the team to fix what
you saw was wrong?

DANI
Fah, that "producer" had his head so far up
his pompous ass, he could see out of his
eyes twice. Which is to be expected, as he
is a man - well, of course, you understand.

FLOWER
So… If we were to hire you for our artist
position –

DANI gets up from her seated position, and starts to come at FLOWER.
BEN sits, staring, enrapt.

DANI (aggressively)
Why would I want to work for you if it's
anything less than the Lead Artist. Clearly
I have MUCH more to offer you than anyone
else you will find in this… dump.

FLOWER is completely done with the interview. BEN has not moved from
his previous ogle. FLOWER has to knock his elbow off the table in
order for him to come back to the room.

BEN
Right, so, great, you're hired! Let us know
when you can start.

FLOWER puts her head into her hands, shaking.

CUT TO BLACK

END ACT TWO

011 INT CONFERENCE ROOM – MORNING

Everyone is gathered around the conference table. Greetings are
passed between each other - this is the first time everyone's met
together. In the room is everyone other than JOE, who finally comes
in carrying a big stack of poster boards, each with scribbling on it
which looks as if he's just held up a preschool. The camera begins
with POV from MIKE, as he goes over everyone's shoulders, getting
their poses. The only one who notices what he's doing is DANI.

DANI
 35.

You know, the first time someone held a

video camera this close to me, he ended up
with three broken ribs.

DANI looks off into the distance with a smile.

DANI (CONT’D) (remembering fondly)

Of course the next time, we worked on a
safety word.

DANI looks back at MIKE and flashes an evil smile - MIKE backs up
quickly… Back to main shot.

JOE
Okay, this everybody?

BEN
So far, unless you hired anybody else.

JOE
Ok, cool. So. Everyone. Welcome to the first
company-wide meeting for Monkeybrain!

Everyone looks decidedly uninterested.

JOE (CONT’D)
Right. So - now that we're going to make a
game, guess we should talk about what game
we're going to make. So, I brought in the
game to talk about, some cupcakes!

DAVE eagerly opens the box of cupcakes, exposing the lid with a
large Dickersnoodles logo. DAVE stops short of taking anything, his
eyes growing large at the sight of whatever he’s seeing.

DAVE
Holy Jesus!

DARRYL (leaning, with wide, virginal eyes)

Woah..!

FLOWER leans over to look in the box - you can see her teeth
gritting as she slowly closes the top of the box, sliding the box
down to the far end of the table (where no one can get to it).

JOE
Ok, so here it is… It's called "Raiders of
the Forbidden Zone."
 36.

JOE proudly puts a poster board up on the wall – with art that looks
like it’s been done by a third grader. Stick figures with badly
drawn planets and bad guys. Make that done by a second grader. He
rifles through bad drawings while he gives his presentation. It’s
clear that JOE has stayed up all night making the pictures – and his
presentation skills are clearly showing his lack of sleep.

JOE (CONT’D)
So, three thousand years in the future, and
you're this guy. You have your own ship,
driving around the solar system. Oh, yeah,
and the Earth is - wait, let me start over.
Okay in the future, the Earth has become too
polluted, and the countries have had to
leave…

Wide shot of a semi-interested table, listening to JOE. Pan up to

the CLOCK, which shows 10:14.

DISSOLVE TO:

012 INT CONFERENCE ROOM – DUSK

Clock, now showing 6:30. Same positions, for everyone, with pizza
boxes strewn across the table. DARRYL is still listening, FLOWER has
her head in her arms, sleeping. BEN plays a game on his phone. DANI
is sketching. DAVE is sitting up straight, in a trance like state.
JOE's drone begins to drag to a close, the white boards behind him
covered in pictures, charts, words - it looks as if John Nash had
been by & gotten high on dry erase fumes.

JOE
…and so, by the end, you'll have the chance
to collect all of that stuff and change it
either for a better ship or a city of your
own. But, of course, that’s just the start –
since we’ll be online, it’ll all change!

JOE sets down the marker, triumphantly. He is obviously pleased with

himself.

JOE (CONT’D)
So. What do you think? POV shot from MIKE's
camera - which is lying on the side, pool of
saliva visible at the base of the shot. BEN
shakes MIKE awake, while FLOWER snaps to as
if caught in a trance.
 37.

FLOWER (waking from a dream)

I didn't mean it, Professor, I'll have your
cleaning to you - oh. Oh god, it wasn't a
dream…

BEN and FLOWER look at each other, with the same realization – they
have died and are well on their way to hell. They both are
terrified.

BEN
Say, Flower, can I, um, see you out in the –

FLOWER
Yes, I think that would be a good idea.

They excuse themselves, keeping a straight face, and head out of the
dour conference room. Once in the hall, they let their guard down –
Flower starts shallow breathing, BEN starts pounding his head into a
desk top.

FLOWER
Oh. My. God.

BEN
I don't know what to say. Seriously.

FLOWER
I do – I haven’t signed anything.

BEN
Time to find out if I can kill a man with my
bare hands.

FLOWER
So what do we do?!?

BEN and FLOWER stare at each other, take a deep breath.

BEN
Start over…

FLOWER nods – she and BEN head back in, prepared for a blood bath.
Back in the conference room, everyone’s up and moving around. DANI
has started to make huge drawings on the whiteboards – amazingly
detailed aliens and space landscapes, which look like fully rendered
photos (done with whiteboard markers). DAVE is busy writing
calculations on the wall to determine how best to manage memory in
order to have the massive planet vistas.
 38.

JOE and DARRYL are drawing out lists of planets and character types
– in short, everyone’s busy.

BEN (sniffing the air)

Is… There a gas leak?

FLOWER (to the group)

‘Scuse me – I guess we stepped out at the
wrong time. What’s going on?

JOE
We’re starting to refine the idea. What does
it look like?

BEN
You mean… Everyone likes it?

DAVE
What’s not to like. Star Wars meets Raiders
of the Lost Ark.

FLOWER
Oh. Okay, I get that.

DARRYL
With car racing & zombies.

DANI
And power suits.

BEN looks to JOE, who is just as stunned that everyone else likes
it. He shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

JOE
So – where were we?

The worker bees get back to buzzing around the boards, working hard
at discussing design elements and debating stylistics. Everyone is
clearly pleased with the vision for the game – except for FLOWER and
BEN, who are convinced it’s an alternate universe.

FLOWER (watching the action)

Well, I guess I’d better put that plan
together after all on how we’re going to
make this game.

Turning to BEN.
 39.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Too bad, you would have looked good in a
prison jumpsuit.

FADE TO:

013 EXT PARKING LOT – NIGHT

BEN, JOE, and FLOWER sit around in the parking lot outside of
Monkeybrain (a neon sign of a monkey w/fire coming out of its eyes
now hangs over the front door). JOE stares up into the sky, spent
from a long day of preaching to the choir.

FLOWER
You know, end of the day, I really don't
need to get “it,” do I? I mean, just as long
as you keep everyone on track to build it.

BEN
Bingo.

FLOWER
If we're going to do this, we need more than
four people.

BEN
Yup.

FLOWER
And – even if we do build Space Pong –

JOE
Again, ouch.

FLOWER
…Unless we find some way to sell it and get
people to know about it, it’s all gonna be
for nothing.

BEN
Pretty much.

FLOWER
Huh. Well.

FLOWER takes a sip from her beer. Well. Good news is, we all know
what to do tomorrow, then…
 40.

DAVE, and MIKE exit out of the office, MIKE filming DAVE as he turns
off the light. DAVE's mouth is full of a half-eaten cupcake in one
hand, box of contraband cupcakes in the other.

DAVE (through full mouth, covered with icing)

'Night everybody.

MIKE zooms over to FLOWER, BEN, and JOE, who just look after DAVE –
part surprise, part revulsion.

FLOWER
Tomorrow I need access to the right people
at the Johnson Foundation to start reporting
for corporate.

BEN and JOE stare.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
I need to set up our budget analyses to the
right formats, and input our cost structure
for the next few months.

FLOWER – after a beat – snaps her fingers in his face.

BEN and JOE (together)

Wow. Hey. Yeah. Get right on that. Those
sound like very valid business questions.

FLOWER (stares back at JOE)

Neither have no idea what I’m talking about,
do you?

BEN stares down at the ground, playing with a rock. JOE looks up at
the stars, takes a slow sip from his beer.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Okay, then. We have a LOT of work to do. Got
it?

JOE stares. BEN coughs. As FLOWER begins her dressdown, JOE and BEN
stare at her without moving – both for fear and confusion.

FLOWER (CONT’D) (getting in their faces)

Right. Listen up you two, and listen good.
Let me put this to you in terms your inner
nerd can understand.

FLOWER (CONT’D) (to JOE)

You may have the creativity-
 41.

FLOWER (CONT’D) (to BEN)

And you may have the funding for this little
game, but unless you follow the plan that I
put in place, we will have a major problem.
We don’t follow the plan, this whole house
of cards comes down faster than Shatner’s
toupee. That means you WILL listen to me,
and you WILL be here by nine tomorrow. Nine
AM. I’m not going to let either one of you
off the hook now that you’ve dragged me in
to your freakish little world.

FLOWER attempts to regain a bit of civility, now that her anger

management moment has passed.

FLOWER (CONT’D)
Goodnight, gentlemen.

FLOWER walks off.

JOE (once FLOWER is out of earshot)

I can’t help but be aroused.

BEN (taking a sip from his beer) I love it when a plan comes
together.

JOE and BEN clink their beers. A long shot of BEN and JOE leaning
against the car.

CUT TO BLACK:

INT - MONKEYBRAIN, DAY

Credits play as the group cleans the office, puts up posters, and in
general, sets up shop, as seen from MIKE's POV. DAVE has chosen a
desk close to the window, where he can sit with binoculars. DARRYL
has brought in more toys than FAO Schwartz in its heyday, all from
Japan (he's even willing to open the packaging). DANI has installed
black lights. The programming / design / art area is one giant open
area, the lobby of the bank. FLOWER has taken up residence in the
office in the front - and is the only "normal" looking office of the
lot. BEN and JOE are over by the drive-in teller window, throwing
wads of garbage into the pneumatic tube to see if fly out to the box
outside.

CUT TO BLACK

END