Screen Play
Screen plays are the roots of films made out of text. They allow the reader to customize the visual aspect and create the perfect movie. There are no shooting, editing, and post effects involved; with screen plays, you can jump straight to the finished product. The only drawback is that the film won’t be playing anywhere but one theatre – your head. Please feel free to visualize the following screen play.
THE TIME TUNNEL
Written by
Anna
EXT. SCHOOL FRONTYARD – DAY
Gloomy seventeen-year-old VICTORIA DOYLE exits from a mid-sized high school building. She is dressed in baggy dark clothing and carries a ripped black shoulder bag. As the girl hurriedly passes by chattering crowds of TEENAGERS, a BOY trying to catch a football bumps into her and doesn’t apologize. As if nothing happened, Victoria continues walking towards the bus station.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
It’s always been this way. Nobody knows who Victoria Doyle is. You’d think I’m wearing an invisibility cloak because the result is the same.
INT. BUS – DAY
VICTORIA (V.O.)
But I don’t care. I hate school and all of the jerks who go there. I live each day to return to the sanctuary of my room, where I can blast my music and drown out all of the problems.
EXT. SUBURBAN NEIGHBOURHOOD – DAY
Victoria walks along a winding road lined by typical suburban houses and their perfectly groomed lawns.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
Everyone says it’s my negative view on life that repels the people around me. Well, I don’t care what they have to say. I’m perfectly fine as I am. The only thing getting on my nerves, lately, is the waste of time that is school.
INT. THE DOYLE HOUSEHOLD – DAY
Victoria enters her house and hastily walks upstairs to her room, shutting the door behind herself.
INT. VICTORIA’S ROOM – DAY
She throws her bag on the messy floor and finds her MP3 player and treasured sketchbook. Victoria falls onto the shabby couch and begins sketching, while snacking on chips and listening to loud rock music.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
I love to draw. Art has become my passion a few years ago, and now it’s the most important thing in my life. When I draw, I let my mind go blank and just live in the moment.
As Victoria illustrates a face, the lead of her pencil breaks and she must get the art toolbox from her closet. Once she slides open the closet door, she is paralyzed by shock and fear. On the back wall of the inside is an entrance to a narrow glowing tunnel.
VICTORIA
Wh... What... Mom! Mom, come here! What the heck is in my closet! Mom! Ugh, she picks the best time not to be home!
Victoria is both stunned and curious. She pinches her arm to see whether this is reality and winces at the prickling sensation.
VICTORIA
What on Earth... I must be losing my mind... No, this can’t be. I’m just going to close this door and get back to drawing like nothing ever happened. This is just a mirage. I’m completely sane.
She closes the door and walks back towards the couch. However, the girl’s curiosity is unbearable and she stops to look at the closet longingly. On the next moment, she’s opening the door and looking at the tunnel entrance once again.
VICTORIA
Please don’t lose your mind, Victoria, please! But what if I’m not crazy? What if this is real?... I have to find out.
She cautiously climbs into the tunnel and crawls out of sight.
INT. TUNNEL – DAY
Victoria has been in the tunnel for several minutes. She starts crawling faster as panic begins to take over. At last, the girl sees something curious up ahead.
INT. KITCHEN – DAY
Fourteen-year-old EMMA SUMMERS is washing dishes when the sink cabinet bursts open and Victoria climbs out. Emma screams and drops a cup onto the linoleum floor. The cup shatters into pieces and both girls stare at each other in shock.
VICTORIA
Um, hi... Could you by any chance explain to me where I am?
EMMA
Huh? What are you doing in my house?! That’s it, I’m calling the police!
VICTORIA
No, no, no! Don’t do that! I don’t know what I’m doing here either, trust me! I
found a tunnel in my closet and this is where it led me.
EMMA
You are insane!
Emma runs across the kitchen and grabs the phone.
VICTORIA
Please, don’t call! I’m as confused as you are.
EMMA
Why should I trust you – a random stranger hiding in my house!
VICTORIA
Well, I don’t know why... But please.
Emma eyes Victoria suspiciously but lowers the phone. She goes to face Victoria in the middle of the kitchen with hands on her hips.
EMMA
Fine, but if my mom knew what I was doing I’d be in so much trouble; I’ll give you a chance. So, what’s your story?
VICTORIA
All right. I’m Victoria and I live in Canada, Richmond Hill and –
EMMA
Wait, you said Richmond Hill?
VICTORIA
Well, yea.
EMMA
Richmond Hill was renamed to Upper Toronto ages ago. My mom told me about it.
VICTORIA
No, I would know what it’s called because I live there.
EMMA
That’s impossible. They changed the name in 2015.
EXT. DOWNTOWN TORONTO – DAY
The two girls are talking fervently as Emma takes Victoria on a tour of Toronto. The streets are busy on this hot summer day and excitement is in the air.
VICTORIA
So, what year are we in?
EMMA
Today is August 7, 2032.
VICTORIA
Unbelievable. This is twenty-one years into the future and I would have been thirty-eight.
EMMA
Wow, you really are from the past! This is so flash and yet completely impossible!
VICTORIA
This totally feels like a dream. Either we have both gone insane or this really is true.
Victoria notices many PEOPLE riding segways and wearing tiny headsets. The roads are filled with small and unusually round cars that glide by soundlessly. Instead of billboards, there are glowing holograms accompanied by audio.
VICTORIA
I wonder what it would be like to meet the future me. If she still lives in Richmond Hill, I mean Upper Toronto, she is pretty close-by.
EMMA
Hey look, that’s the CN Tower. Despite being around for a while, it’s still a popular tourist attraction.
Victoria notices the foggy downtown core overcrowded with skyscrapers shorter that the CN Tower. Only the tower’s antenna peeks out, like a drowning person’s hand above the buildings. This surreal sight gives Victoria a strange feeling.
INT. DAN’S LAKESHORE RESTAURANT – DAY
The girls each order an appetizing dish from Dan’s Lakeshore Restaurant and settle on a roofed wooden patio. Victoria doesn’t recognize the food but finds it tasty anyways. The patio overlooks Lake Ontario’s low waters, the sight of which saddens Victoria a little.
VICTORIA
You know, twenty-one years ago, the lake was deeper by about three metres and started where that building now stands.
EMMA
Oh? You have to try the seanuts, they’re flash!
Victoria can’t stop looking around and soaking in the future Toronto. The atmosphere is familiar but the city looks different. Much construction has taken place, wiping out the public transit system with tall highway bridges that passed right through downtown. The round cars are the only occupants of these roads.
VICTORIA
So, what do people our age do nowadays?
EMMA
Some go to school and others learn from home via the HC, which by the way stands for Home Computer. I can’t afford the easy way and must go to school every day. During free time, we just go to the Hologramovies, chill at Digiland, or communicate through the HC and the Earport. How about you? What was it like in 2011?
VICTORIA
Well, it wasn’t as exciting. Those times were less dependent on technology even though we had all kinds of it, like cell phones, TVs, game consoles. People still relied greatly on nature. For fun we’d visit parks, swim in lakes, go camping, do physical activity.
EMMA
Sounds flash! I’ve never been swimming in my life.
VICTORIA
How come you always say “flash?”
EMMA
Oh, I guess you can call it slang. It pretty much means “awesome,” but sounds a lot more current. For instance: the view is flash.
VICTORIA
Speaking of the view, what ever happened to Global Warming?
A pleasant ringing sound comes out of Emma’s bag. The girl takes out a tiny headset and plugs it into her ear.
EMMA
Hang on. Hi mom... I know, I’m sorry, I should’ve called... But mom!... Please, another hour!... Okay, fine. Bye. Ugh, I forgot to let my mom know that I was going out and now she’s in a horrible mood.
VICTORIA
Should we go back?
EMMA
Yeah, sorry. I’d love to show you more of the city but she wants me home. By the way, her name is Victoria too.
EXT. EMMA’S NEIGBOURHOOD – DAY
Compared to the rest of the city, Emma’s neighbourhood looks outdated and shabby. Victoria feels more comfortable here because it reminds her of 2011.
VICTORIA
You and your mom have a strained relationship?
EMMA
Yeah, she’s just very preoccupied with work and stuff. The rent needs to be paid and the household taken care of. I guess the stresses of life get to her.
VICTORIA
I know this might not be the best time for me to come over, but I feel like I must be getting home through the tunnel in the kitchen.
INT. THE SUMMERS APPARTMENT – DAY
The two girls cautiously enter the apartment hallway.
EMMA
Victoria, go quickly to the tunnel before my mom comes with unnecessary questions. This time travelling is not for her ears.
Victoria makes her way into the kitchen as Emma calls back to her.
EMMA
This was so fun! Promise to visit again, won’t you?
VICTORIA
Definitely. This was flash!
INT. KITCHEN – DAY
Victoria opens the sink cabinet but instead of a glowing tunnel sees an empty back wall. Suddenly, a tired WOMAN in her forties followed by Emma enters the kitchen.
WOMAN
Emma, you didn’t tell me you were bringing a friend over. What have I told you about unexpected guests?
VICTORIA
I’m sorry, I was just leaving.
Victoria gets a clear view of the woman’s face and notices a lot of striking familiarity in it. The woman seems to realize the same thing because her angry face softens.
WOMAN
Excuse me, do I know you?
VICTORIA
I... I’m not sure.
WOMAN
May I ask who you are?
The sudden pressure worries Victoria and she cannot come up with a good explanation.
VICTORIA
I am Victoria Doyle from Richmond Hill, Canada and the year 2011...
Emma sighs at Victoria’s horrible answer. The woman’s legs buckle and she falls into a chair with a shocked expression.
WOMAN
My maiden name is Victoria Doyle... this can’t be. But you look just like me in my late teens... Oh.
VICTORIA
I am from the past! You are a future me! I can’t believe I found you!
INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY
Emma and the two Victorias sit on the modest couch set, discussing the mindboggling news.
EMMA
That means you’re also my mom? Wow, I have two moms!
WOMAN
So, you’re seventeen? That’s just before you drop out of school.
VICTORIA
I actually drop out? What do I do after?... Wait, I’m not sure if I want all twenty-one years of my life revealed to me.
WOMAN
Let’s just say you should have stayed in school and graduated. You know how hard it is for me to support my daughter, myself, and the household without a proper job?
VICTORIA
What happened to my drawing passion?
WOMAN
It became a thing of the past. Once out of school, you began to look for a job to start your own life. You had no time for hobbies.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
So here I was twenty-one years later, unhappy and full of regret. By leaving school, I was left without a normal job and without a passion just to live a stressful life. Oh how I wished to change my future. Suddenly, school seemed so appealing and I didn’t want quit. But what good was this decision now?
Everything around Victoria begins to change. The simple living room transforms into a spacious hall with a tasteful design and modern technologies. On the couch, sit Emma and a MAN with a kind smile – just like his daughter’s. The older Victoria who sits beside the two seems to become younger. She looks fit for a woman in her early thirties and is radiating happiness.
INT. KITCHEN – DAY
Victoria returns to the kitchen, which has gotten a facelift and looked larger. She peers inside the sink cabinet and sees the glowing entrance.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
This was the right time for me to go and I wasn’t surprised to find the tunnel waiting for me in the cabinet.
INT. TUNNEL – DAY
VICTORIA (V.O.)
As I crawled back to twenty-one years ago, it felt like I was returning as a changed person. No longer was I that negative invisible Victoria Doyle. I was given a chance to turn things around with my attitude and I saw the results. Here I come, 2011, the real Victoria Doyle is coming to show you what she’s made of.
