FMP SCRIPT

INT – DAY
we have a close up shot of NOEL putting on his bags as the opening credits flash upon the
screen we go to a shot of him walking out of his house and we then track his walk down the
road. Music plays in the background as Noel’s footsteps align with the beat, the town he lives
in is sparse and small, tired and old.

The music continues and the beat cuts to Noel walking in a different location, outside an
office building. The camera the same space away as we continue tracking his walk.
Eventually we get to a building and we get a side on shot of him talking to a receptionist. The
building itself is large, modern and grandiose. Its much more lavish than wherever Noel lives

Then we are greeted by a top down shot of him walking up stairs. He seems very nervous
and excited by all of this. He rushes up the stairs and sits down impatiently waiting outside an
office.

ASSISTANT
Mr Brown?

NOEL
Yes? That’s me?

We have a side on shot of Noel in the PUBLISHER’s office talking about the book

NOEL
Look sure it’s a very long winded and even slightly visceral-

PUBLISHER
Well, Noel- we appreciate your writings and can tell you have a natural talent
for it. But- its- its not what we are looking for. You see

INT – OFFICE – DAY

We go to the same shot but in a different office on a different day with a different publisher.

PUBLISHER 2
Its too gory Noel, I understand you’re young and you have all these ideas but

INT – OFFICE – DAY

We are presented with another similar scene on another day.
PUBLISHER 3
There’s another factor to all of this- not only would it be hard to market but it
would make yourself seem

INT – OFFICE – DAY

Back to the first intervener.

PUBLISHER 1
 Deranged

PUBLISHER 2
Distasteful
PUBLISHER 3
Insane

EXT – PARK – DAY

Noel sits down in defeat under a tree as LUCY walks towards him. The scene is depressed
and tired. The wind blows calmly and Noel annoyedly reads through his manuscript.

LUCY
I got your message.

NOEL
That’s the fifth one this month, at this rate I might as well self-publish

LUCY
Look I don’t know what to say to you, you refuse to self-publish

NOEL
If I self-publish its like admitting defeat

LUCY
Then let me edit it!

NOEL
You know why you can’t do that! Its my first actual book I need to do this
myself

LUCY
Then why can’t you publish yourself?!

Noel stands up in a huff, hands Lucy the manuscript

NOEL
Read it.

LUCY
What?
NOEL
Fucking read it.

Lucy annoyedly reads through it quickly, her eyes darting back and forth between the lines
and then back up to Noel, an expression of annoyed frustration upon her face.

LUCY
Its, its out of order, not even in a stylistic way just. It’s a mess
 NOEL
Well? What else?

LUCY
Noel you are a competent writer, you’ve won awards and competitions-

NOEL
Is it good.

LUCY
You have good ideas, you need an editor

NOEL
Christ Lucy I am already paying you for being my agent what else do I have to
do?

LUCY
I don’t want your money I want to help you! I want to help you succeed you
are a good writer!

NOEL
Then honestly what did you think of the draft, the one I just gave you, what
are your thoughts your honest opinion.

LUCY goes quiet before pinching the bridge of her nose

LUCY
Its bad Noel, it sucks, its out of order and messy and while its interesting its-
its

NOEL
Thank you.

Lucy stays quiet for a moment before speaking again, her words a bit more relaxed.

LUCY
I got you another publishing interview. You gotta fix this before then

Noel sits up and eventually stands. Taking out a cigarette (or equivalent) and lighting it.

NOEL
I have my ideas and my stories, I have my plot points. Its like- like their all
different pieces of thread spread out and I have to sew it all together.

LUCY
To me it looks like you have a failed crochet project

NOEL (SARCASTIC)
 That’s very helpful Lucy, (PAUSE) when is it.

LUCY
Tuesday.

NOEL
Ok so I have to rewrite my ten thousand word manuscript by then.

LUCY
Cut it in half, type it out.

NOEL
I’m the writer here I know what I’m doing

Lucy looks at him pissed off, takes his cigarette (or equivalent) out of his hand and stomps it
on the ground.

LUCY
Fuck your creative needs get an editor.

Lucy walks off, Noel leans against the tree, flipping through the manuscript before closing it
harshly and walking off

EXT – RIVERFRONT – EVENING

We see Noel leaning on the fence of the riverfront. The light emitting from his cig and the
autumn wind blowing the smoke away. We get a long shot of the boats on the river before we
hear a voice over from Noel.

NOEL (VO)
Creative desires especially in writing are always overlooked.
We see Noel continue to walk along the side of the river before getting a longshot of him
cycling/catching the bus/going home.

NOEL (VO)
We are often left out of the artistic conversation. At least in terms of
performative art. Though I beg to differ. In a way writing is probably the most
revealing, intimate and lively performance one can make

During this we get various shots of Noel going home. The sun setting during the whole
montage as we are shown a shot parallel to the beginning where he is walking. Back inside
his house and taking his bags and coat off. We then are left with a shot of him at his desk
writing this very monologue.

NOEL (VO)
We put so much emotion and time and love into singular seconds and
sentences on the page that it can be seen as even more draining than ballet or
painting with oils.
We get a close up of a picture of Noel, Lucy, some other friends in a group probably at a
party

NOEL (VO)
And even though I think she understands that- she’s a writer too. I doubt she,
or anyone really would understand my own creative process.

We cut back to Noel, now lying on his bed. His bedroom is filled with different musical
instruments and other artsy items. It not only shows that he is talented but also that he needs
to and has historically found it difficult to have one specific creative outlet.

NOEL (VO)
Even though I have tried everything to make myself interesting though time
and time again I come back to writing. Why?

(FLASHBACK) we are shown a memory, the colours are different and more vibrant from the
browns and blues of monochrome we’ve been seeing. Noel happily sits at a panel with other
writers surrounding him. In the front seems to be his nametag and the title (writer of “poems
for the albion”) we see a stack of books next to him.

PERSON 1
Mr Brown. What was it like writing your first poetry compilation?
NOEL
Well it was difficult.