ARCA SCRIPT v3

Transcript

1. ARCA ORCA SCRIPT v3 DANNY PRIKHOJI JUNE 2023
2. 1 EXT. BUS STOP – 7:45AM 1 Students in uniforms walk either in groups or with their parents/guardians to school, on the first day of the school year. OLIVER BLUEGILL rounds a corner and sees his friend, MELANIE ROSEFIN, sitting alone at the bus stop. OLLIE (excitedly) Mel! Mel looks in his direction and lights up. MEL Hey! Ollie runs over and they hug each other. OLLIE I missed you. MEL Me too. Ollie climbs onto the bench, and grabs a seat by Mel. Mel points at her watch, and gets Ollie’s attention. MEL My mom said the bus should be here at 7:47 and now it’s 7:46! I’m so excited! Ollie and Mel fistbump the air excitedly. OLLIE Mr. Macaroni is the best bus driver ever. MEL Yeah. Ollie reaches into his pocket and takes out a stack of polaroid photos.
3. 2 OLLIE I brought all the pictures we took with Mr. Macaroni last year. Ollie hands the stack over to Mel and they flip through the photos together. MEL You’re really good at taking pictures. OLLIE Yeah. My mom says I’m really good at it too. Mel points to the current photograph on top of the pile. MEL Why is there always a blue blob in the corner? OLLIE That’s my thumb. MEL You should move it next time. That’s the first day! Mel hands the stack of pictures back to Ollie. MEL Here. Ollie puts them back in his pocket. OLLIE Mr. Macaroni brought cookies on the first day last time. His eyes widen. OLLIE (CONT’D) (excitedly) Maybe this year he’ll bring DONUTS. Mel points at Ollie’s belly.
4. 3 MEL You don’t need donuts. You’re too fat! OLLIE (offended) No I’m not! Ollie turns away from Mel, offended. Mel stands up on the bench and lifts her shirt over her belly. MEL It’s okay! I’m fat too. BLUBLUBLUBLUBLUBLUB! Mel jiggles her belly with her hands, like a potato sack. Ollie looks at her for a second and then bursts out laughing. He gets up and joins her. MEL and OLLIE (together) BLUBLUBLUBLUBLUB! Something in the distance catches Ollie’s attention. OLLIE (eagerly) Look, it’s the bus! MEL (excited) Where?! About two blocks down, they see their schoolbus approaching. MEL (excited) Come on, let’s go! They run up to the curb, jittering with excitement. When the bus pulls up, it looks badly damaged, and the bottom of it is scraping the road. Sparks fly everywhere and several puffs of smoke billow out as it comes to a stop.
5. 4 OLLIE The bus never did that before. MEL I’m getting on first. OLLIE No way! You always go on first! Even last year, you always got on the bus first. While they argue, the stop sign on the bus swings out. It slams into the bus stop pole, and falls off. MEL No I didn’t. I let you go first one time. OLLIE Let’s go on together, on the count of three! MEL Ok! MEL and OLLIE (together) One— Before they get to ‘two’, both of them scramble onto the bus, trying to get on first. CUT TO: 2 INT. SCHOOLBUS – 7:47AM 2 OLLIE and MEL (laughing) Hi, Mr. Macaroni! ARCA Hello! Mel and Ollie go on high alert. Ollie is curious, and Mel is terrified. A killer whale is in the driver’s seat.
6. 5 ARCA My name’s Mr. Orca. Oh! I have to do the attendance. Arca reaches to his left, shimmying with difficulty to grab what he needs and then face the kids. ARCA What are your names? OLLIE (calmly) Oliver Bluegill. MEL (terrified squeaking) Melanie Rosefin! ARCA Hmm… check and check! Arca makes two marks on the attendance sheet. Everyone has been picked up. ARCA (CONT’D) (O.S.) You know, I’m pretty new to being a bus driver. This is actually my first time driving a bus. Or any vehicle, really. But you wouldn’t be able to tell because I drive so smoothly. I just love schools. When I saw the job posting for a school I immediately knew that I had to take it. Kids are the best. Ollie listens intently to Mr. Orca, but Mel’s attention wanders to the sharp, white teeth, slick with spit in Mr. Orca’s mouth. ARCA Anyway, come in! You’re my last stop. Ollie and Mel peer inside. The bus is empty, but some backpacks and school supplies are on the floor.
7. 6 OLLIE Are you sure you picked up everybody? ARCA Yep! OLLIE (calmly) Okay. Ollie walks down the walkway to grab a seat. Mel is rooted where she is standing. MEL (nervously) Uh, Ollie… ARCA Next stop, Great Icewall Primary! Suddenly, the bus lurches forward. Mel is knocked to the ground, but Ollie is already comfortably in the front seat. She quickly crouches next to him. MEL (nervously) Let’s go sit in the back. OLLIE But you like the front! MEL (eagerly) Let’s try the fire escape. OLLIE (confused) Why? MEL (urgently) Ollie, just go with me! OLLIE Come on! There’s a spot for you riiiight here.
8. 7 Mel hesitates, and slowly joins Ollie with a look of terror on her face. OLLIE What’s the matter? MEL Don’t you get it? OLLIE Get what? MEL The bus driver is a killer whale, and there’s no other kids on the bus! OLLIE Maybe everyone’s parents drove them to school today! MEL (terrified groaning) Mel turns to look outside the window. MEL (CONT’D) What if he ate all the kids from the other stops? What if we’re being kidnapped? Ollie scootches over to look outside the window with her. OLLIE I don’t think so. We’re going the same way we always do. MEL You think so! OLLIE Yeah! There’s the fish mart, the gas station and the apple store. Macintosh apples, 1.99 a kilogram. Ollie return to his seat. He glances at Mel by the window, and readies his camera.
9. 8 MEL Oh, I hope you’re right. OLLIE Hey, Mel! Photoshoot! Ollie takes a bunch of photos of Mel. She plays along for a moment, forgetting about their predicament. ARCA (chuckling) Hey, you guys sound excited for school! OLLIE Yeah! Ollie looks up at where the back of Mr. Orca’s head would be, and sees a fin poking out from the divider behind the driver’s seat. OLLIE Weird. Ollie gets up to touch it. Ollie touches it for a moment before Mel pulls him away. MEL Don’t touch it! Mr. Orca giggles. OLLIE He likes it! Ollie gives the fin a rub, and Arca laughs hysterically. MEL (whimpering) Oh no… Ollie’s rub is ticklish for Arca. The bus swerves in and out of lane.
10. 9 ARCA HA HA HA! Stop stop stop! Arca stamps his feet so hard that it smashes all the windows on the bus. When Ollie stops, Arca is able to steer the bus back into lane. ARCA Phew! What are you guys doing back there? Ollie takes a photo of something in the distance. OLLIE Look, it’s the school! Mel stops being an ostrich for two seconds and pokes her head out of hiding. Great Icewall Primary is on the horizon. Ollie and Mel smile at each other excitedly. They hear another weird noise coming from Mr. Orca. ARCA YAAAAAWWWWWWNNNNnnnnnnah! Still sleepy! Ha ha! Need another coffee. All of the ‘missing’ kids poke their heads out from the back to see what all the noise is about. ARCA (CONT’D) We’re here! Suddenly, Mr. Orca slams on the breaks. The bus comes to a grinding halt, and all the kids are launched into the front, landing in the windshield. ARCA Who’s excited? The kids look at Mr. Orca with terror on their faces. CUT TO:
11. 10 3 EXT. SCHOOL COURTYARD – 8:00AM 3 The kids burst out of the bus in dozens, from whichever exit is closest to them. Ollie and Mel come out last. OLLIE (dizzy) Mr. Orca drives fast. MEL Hurry up! We have to go, fast, before he- ARCA Hey, wait for me! Mr. Orca steps out from the bus, bending the metal of the door out of shape so he can fit. ARCA It’s me again! OLLIE Hello, Mr. Orca. ARCA Pretty good driving, yeah? MEL Mr. Orca? ARCA Hold that thought. Mr. Orca fiddles with one of his teeth. ARCA (CONT’D) Something stuck in my teeth… He pulls out a long fish skeleton, around the length/height of Mel and Ollie, and holds it at his side. Ollie thinks it’s cool, Mel is mortified. ARCA (CONT’D) Much better. You were saying?
12. 11 MEL Do you know what happened to Mr. Macaroni? ARCA Oh, I don’t know! Was he your last driver? MEL Yeah. OLLIE Did he die? ARCA Aw, I don’t think so. I wouldn’t worry. Arca leans in closer to Mel and Ollie. ARCA (CONT’D) You guys are so nice, staying back to talk to me. It’s just us three now! Mel, realizing what Mr. Orca just said, glances back in terror to see a nearly empty courtyard. MEL (hysterically laughing) Hahaha Mr. Orca, you’re so funny! We really need to get to class, Ollie, come on, let’s go, bye Mr. Orca! Mel starts to walk away. Behind her back, Arca picks up Ollie, and approaches her to do the same. MEL Come on, Ollie! Arca lifts up Mel, and starts running with her and Ollie under his arms.
13. 12 MEL (terrified) Ahh! Put us down! ARCA Since we’re friends, I wanna make sure you get to class on time! Who’s your teacher? OLLIE Mr. Coral, grade two. ARCA Mr. Coral, grade two! Arca runs towards the school. JUMP CUT TO: 4 INT. CLASSROOM – 8:05AM 4 Children unpack their things inside of MR. CORAL’S grade 2 classroom. MR. CORAL Alright, everyone, let’s get ready to start class. To our seats! I want to hear all about your summers, and- Footsteps loudly thump down the halls. Mr. Orca’s eye peers through the window of the door to the class. He leans away from the door and starts running again, his footsteps receding down the hall. MR. CORAL Anyway, I want to hear all about- The door slams open. Mr. Orca enters, carrying Ollie and Mel. ARCA Hello! Arca looks around the classroom.
14. 13 ARCA (CONT’D) Look, all your friends are here! MR. CORAL Ollie? Mel? OLLIE and MEL (together) Mr. Coral! Arca turns to face the teacher. MR. CORAL (scared) Who is this? OLLIE That’s our bus driver, Mr. Orca. ARCA (proudly) Yeah, I’m their bus driver, Mr. Orca. MR. CORAL Could you put them down, please? ARCA Oh, yeah. Arca places Mel and Ollie on the ground, gently. ARCA (CONT’D) There you go. Ollie gestures at his camera. OLLIE Could we have a picture together? ARCA Yeah, for sure! Arca lunges down onto one knee to get into frame. Ollie takes a photo, and it begins to print.
15. 14 ARCA Bye, guys! Have a good first day. OLLIE You too, Mr. Orca! Arca slams the door shut behind him, and it falls off its hinges, onto the ground. Arca walks away, back to the bus. CHARLIE, one of Ollie and Mel’s classmates, is embedded into the wall after Arca slammed the door into him by accident. OLLIE You okay, Charlie? Charlie climbs out of the wall, his silhouette now engraved into the brick. CHARLIE Yeah, I just wanna sit down a little. Charlie walks to his desk. Ollie turns his attention back to Mel, who looks exhausted. He hands a photo to Mel. OLLIE Look, Mel! My photo developed. It’s the photo that Ollie just took with him, Mel and Mr. Orca in it. Ollie looks happy, Mel looks terrified and Arca hardly fits into the frame.