When I finished writing 'Let's talk Dirty!' I thought that would be the end of it and some wonderful script writer would collaborate with me should somebody think it worthy of turning into a film. Well, the good news is, I have a film producer interested. The bad news is, they want me to write the screenplay myself. After a week of studying screenwriting formats, I'm seriously confused, but I thought I would let you see the first draft of act one. Completely different to writing prose, scriptwriting is all about scene setting, action, and dialogue. No thoughts, no history, just exactly what you would see if you were sitting in a cinema. The following opening scene explains Laura's background, and why she ended up in such a financially difficult situation. The next scene will explain what happened to Jenny and Karen to impoverish them. Normally, any sounds or characters names used in action is capitalised, but I've adapted the script to post here on Fan Story. The dialogue is also usually in a different position towards the centre of the page - but the editor won't play ball!


 

LET'S TALK DIRTY! EPISODE 1

EXT. OUTSIDE THE DUNMORE HOTEL - NIGHT

Fade in:

The sound of a piper playing Auld Lang Syne fills the air as the camera moves across the water of the Firth of Clyde, Rothesay's shore road, then past the coach parked in front of the Dunmore hotel. It then passes through the window of the lounge bar. It stops when it reaches the landlords, COLIN (58) and LAURA (55) who are behind the bar. An attractive older couple, Laura and Colin are given a few minutes respite because everyone bought rounds of drinks before midnight. 

The piper stops playing, and the forty plus guests applaud heartily. They then start laughing and talking amongst themselves as they wish each other a happy New Year

COLIN

Well, that went down well. Everyone seems to have had a great evening.

LAURA

I'm just glad Shena's brother was free to play tonight. I think the guests would have been disappointed if they came all the way to Rothesay and we didn't have a piper on Hogmanay.

PAUL, COLIN and LAURA'S son (23) arrives in the gantry with a tray of dirty glasses. After he puts them beside the glass washer, he turns to his parents with a smile.

PAUL

Happy 2013!

PAUL gives his parents a group hug before looking back at them with a smile.

PAUL

Do you mind if I finish off now? I've been invited to a party at Mike's place, and at this rate it'll be over before I get there.

COLIN puts his arms around Laura's waist from behind.

COLIN

Of course not, son. Your mum and I can manage from here on in. You have a good time.

PAUL leaves and LAURA twists round and puts her arms around Colin's neck before giving him a saucy look.

LAURA

So, how are we going to celebrate New Year when this lot go to bed?

COLIN kisses the top of LAURA'S head before whispering in her ear. She giggles, stands on her tiptoes, and whispers something back. COLIN grins from ear to ear.

COLIN

I'll look forward to that!

LAURA

(Giggling)

And so you should!

An elderly guest from the coach party comes up to the bar.

GUEST

Can I buy you two lovebirds a drink?

COLIN tears himself away from Laura with a sheepish grin.

COLIN

That's very kind of you, Sir. I'll have a soda water and Laura...

He looks over at LAURA and she smiles appreciatively before holding up a wine glass.

COLIN (cont'd)

...would love a glass of Merlot. What can I get for you?

GUEST

Make mine a malt... A Dalwhinnie. My wife wants a Bailies.

COLIN

On Ice?

GUEST

(Chuckling)

Of course. Is there any other way?

COLIN passes the guest his whisky and reaches for the Bailies optic after he puts a scoop of ice in a tumbler.

COLIN

Not as far as I'm concerned, but I always like to ask, just in case.

After COLIN puts the two glasses in front of the guest, he fills his own glass from the soda scousher and holds it up in salutation.

COLIN

Happy New Year!

GUEST

(Raising his glass)

You too! I was just saying to Rose, this has been the best New Year we've had in a long time. I'm so glad we decided to come. It's a beautiful place you've got here...How long have you had it?

COLIN

We've been here for over two years, but we don't own it yet. We had to completely refurbish the place and build up the business before we could get a mortgage. I'm glad to say it was approved just before Christmas, so we're putting our pre-agreed offer into the landlord as soon as possible. It's a dream come true for me and Laura. We've sunk our life savings into the place. It's nice to know we're going to reap the benefits at last.

The GUEST chinks his glass up to Colin's

GUEST

Well, I wish you all the best. You two are doing a great job and you deserve to succeed. I wish I'd done something a bit more adventurous before I retired. I might have a good pension, but thirty years working for the same company doing the same job, day in, day out, was the price I had to pay for it.

COLIN

(Chortling)

I couldn't agree more. This place is now our pension policy. Our son can take over when we're ready to retire. After that, who knows? We have friends who retired to Spain, and every time we visit them, we talk about maybe doing the same thing one day.

The GUEST hands COLIN a twenty pound note for his round of drinks and, after COLIN rings up the total on the till, he gives him his change.

COLIN

Thank you again for the drink.

GUEST

It's a pleasure. Call it a small thank you for giving me and Rose such a great time. We'll certainly be back next year.

COLIN

(Winking as he nods his head)

I'll look forward to seeing you then...

CUT TO:

EXT. THE DUNMORE HOTEL - MORNING

LAURA and COLIN are waving goodbye to the departing guests on the coach.

COLIN

What a lovely crowd. I think they all had a good time. I can't wait to see what they've written in the customer questionnaires when we collect them from the bedrooms.

LAURA

Well, if the tips they left in the dining room are anything to go by, they were all really happy. Janice says she was given twenty pounds by four of the couples she's served for the last three days. She was cock-a-hoop.

COLIN

I'm glad to hear it. I always feel guilty about laying the girls off when we shut down until Easter. They need every penny they can get.

As the coach disappears from site along the coast road, they turn and start walking back towards the front doors. COLIN puts his arm around LAURA'S shoulders just as they hear the SOUND OF A CAR PULLING UP in the driveway. They stop and turn around. MR GRANT (40 ish) gets out of his car and walks towards them. He is wearing a black suit and has a large brown envelope in his left hand.

MR GRANT

Mr Johnstone... Mrs Johnstone

                       COLIN                                   LAURA

    Yes...                                      Can we help you?

MR GRANT

(Looks embarrassed)

I'll come straight to the point. I'm here to advise you that the hotel has been sold. The new owners would like you to leave as soon as possible.

Colin lets out an amused snort of disbelief as Laura's jaw drops open.

COLIN

This is a wind up...Yes?

MR GRANT pulls his business card out of his top pocket and hands it to Colin, who glances at it impatiently before handing it to Laura.

MR GRANT

I'm afraid not, Mr Johnstone. My clients completed their purchase of the property on the twenty-third of December. They are now the new owners of The Dunmore.

Colin's smile drops as he realises the man is deadly serious.

COLIN

But there must be some kind of mistake. We have a signed contract stating that we can purchase the property at a pre-agreed price. I can get it from the office if you want to see it.

MR GRANT

(Shaking his head and grimacing)

Well, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the terms of that contract no longer apply. You would have had to buy the hotel within two years of signing it, and that option ran out three months ago.

Both LAURA and COLIN look confused as they try to digest what he's just said.

COLIN

But... but...

As the enormity of the situation dawns on them, LAURA and COLIN look at each other, their panic obvious.

LAURA

This can't be happening...

MR GRANT

I'm afraid it is, Mrs Johnstone. You'll see from the paperwork I have here, my clients are fully within their rights to ask you to vacate the premises.

COLIN

But they can't chuck us out. We have rights too!

MR GRANT

(Again shaking his head)

Not without a lease, you don't. As I understand it, you've never had one. It's just been a month to month arrangement you've had with Mr Jamali's company. The payments you made purely covered the insurance and upkeep of the property.

COLIN

That's not bloody true, and you know it. That money was for our rent, pure and simple. Syed hasn't spent a penny on this place since we took it over. We've paid for everything, including the refurbishment. The place was a dump when we moved in. We must have added thousands to it's value, and for what? Just so that bastard can sell it behind our backs?

MR GRANT

(looks down at his feet for a moment)

I can't comment on that, Mr Johnstone. I'm only here to advise you that the new-

COLIN

(Interrupts him, his face twisted with anger)

Anyway, nobody would buy a hotel without viewing it first. Syed told us to take our time, but we've already signed over the land to him that we owned, by way of a deposit. If we have to leave we'll not only lose our home and our livelihood, we'll be penniless as well!

Laura bursts into tears, her hands covering her mouth. Mr Grant hands Colin the envelope.

MR GRANT

I can't comment on that either, I'm afraid. Whatever private agreement you had with Mr Jamali regarding land has no bearing on the sale of the property. You have until the twenty-second to remove your personal belongings. I trust that gives you enough time. If you don't leave by that date, Mr and Mrs Braithwaite will have no option but to start eviction proceedings.

Laura and Colin exchange a look.

LAURA

Not Helen and Stanley Braithwaite?

MR GRANT

That's correct.

COLIN

(His face contorted with anger, his voice raised)

The BASTARDS! They're regulars here at the hotel. They know how much we've invested in the place. Jesus, no wonder he was so interested in everything we were doing... I didn't think for a moment...

He turns to LAURA, his eyes begging for forgiveness

COLIN

Laura, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't talked to him so much...If I'd checked the small print...if...

Colin stops mid-sentence and staggers slightly to one side, his right hand suddenly clutching his chest.

LAURA

(Shrieking)

Colin... Oh my God! Colin...what's wrong?

Colin sinks to his knees, his face contorted with pain. As he looks up at Laura, he can't make out what she's saying as she pans out of vision.

FADE TO BLACK