SCENE ONE (and an explanation of what the hell is going on with these posts)

——————-

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

Synopsis:  It’s Sunshine’s first day of work in security at the P.U.R.E Corporation and all she wants to do is make it through orientation, but first she’s got to fill out a name tag requisition form, fit her uniform, meet a cute computer geek … oh, and save her fellow employees from genetically-mutated, blood-lusting vampires.

Notes: All work is registered with the WGC & the WGA.

– Scene Four –

EXT. DOOR/INT. MAIN SECURITY, P.U.R.E CORPORATION – MOMENTS LATER

Taro swipes his name-tag by a scanner next to the glass door, the door slides open, and the group enters behind Taro. Multiple security screens display multiple rotating camera angles throughout the building. A bank of computers run security programs including a tracking application that details employee movement and currently highlights a red dot on the roof.

IRMA

Expanding on our theme of renewal and revitalization, main security used to be the mail room, and though they moved the elevator in the renovation they kept the chutes for that classic touch. On every floor –

TARO

Right, back to security … as you see each section of the building requires a specially coded badge or visitor pass, and through them we can track where people are in the building.

Irma moves away, clearly not happy at Taro rushing her.

TARO (CONT’D)

(indicating a monitor)

See? Someone with a master key just entered the roof. Huxley has been tweaking the program for us, Huxley?

HUXLEY

It’s good to go, good to go.

Huxley slides in front of a keyboard and toggles a few keys. Taro reads off the screen from over Huxley’s shoulder.

TARO

Ah, Mr. Dixon, Head of Research and Development, but he doesn’t talk about it much.

Taro nods to Rashid, who grins at his own joke.

TARO (CONT’D)

All heads carry a master key for higher function access.

Taro pulls on a chain around his own neck that holds a similar key to Dixon’s (seen in the previous scene).

CALLIE

But automation doesn’t sound very safe…

TARO

How safe it is, is the point. There’s no room for human error but, so not to worry you pretty little spa girls, there’s nothing that can’t be overridden with the right clearance.

Sunshine, not taking too kindly to Taro talking down to Callie, attempts to reinsert a professional tone.

SUNSHINE

If we need to access a non-job description defined area?

TARO

You ask for a security escort. Sunshine, your pass will get you most anywhere in the building, except the roof, and restricted computer access.

CALLIE

(to Sunshine)

So … if I start seeing that cute guy from accounting, you’ll be able to help with our rendezvous’.

SUNSHINE

(not too sure about this)

Ah…

TARO

Top-of-the-line fire, flood, and earthquake protection … a building doesn’t get safer than this one!

————————–

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS – a screenplay by Meghan Ciana Doidge

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR (above)

SCENE FIVE

 

SCENE ONE (and an explanation of what the hell is going on with these posts)

——————-

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

Synopsis:  It’s Sunshine’s first day of work in security at the P.U.R.E Corporation and all she wants to do is make it through orientation, but first she’s got to fill out a name tag requisition form, fit her uniform, meet a cute computer geek … oh, and save her fellow employees from genetically-mutated, blood-lusting vampires.

Notes: All work is registered with the WGC & the WGA.

– Scene Three –

EXT. HELIPAD, ROOF, P.U.R.E CORPORATION BUILDING – AFTERNOON

A very upscale helicopter lands.

LEILA stretches long legs from the chopper to the tarmac and places a gloved hand to her wide-brimmed couture hat to combat the wind.

A mouse-of-man, DIXON, 45, scampers out of the chopper past Leila to the roof entrance where he fiddles with a security checkpoint.

Leila joins Dixon, her true age plasticized and plumped, and her large designer glasses hide more than her eyes.

LEILA (bored)

Dixon.

DIXON

I don’t usually enter this way, just a minute.

He pulls out a multi-teethed key and slides it into a lock by the computer console.

DIXON (CONT’D)

Here we go. After –

Leila strides passed him into the building.

————————–

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE (above)

SCENE FOUR

 

SCENE ONE (and an explanation of what the hell is going on with these posts)

——————-

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

Synopsis:  It’s Sunshine’s first day of work in security at the P.U.R.E Corporation and all she wants to do is make it through orientation, but first she’s got to fill out a name tag requisition form, fit her uniform, meet a cute computer geek … oh, and save her fellow employees from genetically-mutated, blood-lusting vampires.

Notes: All work is registered with the WGC & the WGA.

– Scene Two –

INT. MAIN FOYER, P.U.R.E CORP HEADQUARTERS – MOMENTS LATER

Massive tinted-glass entrance doors open and close via motion sensors. A swell of voices, PROTESTORS outside, come and go with each opening. A grand marble fountain is dedicated to a children’s charity and littered with coins. A gigantic, overly ornate metal clock reads: 12:58pm.

Sunshine crosses by a bank of elevators towards Irma, who chats with a small group.

IRMA

Good, we are all accounted for. I am Irma, and I am your orientation leader. I am also your liaison in Human Resources.

She indicates her clip board which bares the logo: P.U.R.E

IRMA (CONT’D)

P.U.R.E desires to be a Perfectly Unique Restful Experience. There are many benefits in working with P.U.R.E. Taro?

Irma nods, rather frostily, to the large, well-muscled man TARO, 29, who is dressed very similarly to Sunshine.

TARO

At your service. Head of security and Sunshine’s new boss…

He indicates Sunshine and the others turn to her.

SUNSHINE

Ah… Jones actually.

Taro raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at Irma.

IRMA

Sunshine has already requested a name-tag requisition form. Sunshine, would you continue?

SUNSHINE

Jones. Right, ah, new girl in security, this is my first day, so, ah, yeah. Looking forward to it.

Sunshine looks to CALLIE, 18, a very pretty, well-groomed red head. Callie looks to Irma for approval before continuing:

CALLIE

Callie. Short for Callista.

She points to her name-tag which does indeed read: Callie. Sunshine throws a look at Irma, which Irma ignores.

CALLIE (CONT’D)

I’ve been here three days, in the spa, doing minor waxing, eyebrows, lip, chin, but I hope to start doing facials soon.

(to Sunshine)

I’d love to practice on you, anytime.

Sunshine looks a little thrown by this offer.

RASHID, 34, with a lab coat and pocket protector, continues:

RASHID

Rashid, research and development. And no, I can’t talk about it…

(this isn’t funny)

Ah… Two children. A girl, eight and my boy is six. I –

A young dark-haired man, HUXLEY, 24, slides, from a mad dash across the foyer, into a space within the group.

HUXLEY

Not late, am I? Didn’t want to be late.

IRMA

And you are?

HUXLEY

Huxley.

He glances around the group and grins at Sunshine.

HUXLEY (CONT’D) (to Sunshine)

Hi!

She tries not to smile at him and drops her gaze.

IRMA

You’re not on my list.

HUXLEY

Right, I was supposed to be here last week but I forgot, got caught up, you know.

IRMA

Oh, you.

HUXLEY

Yeah, me. Huxley. Computers. Hey Taro.

TARO

Hey, Huxley.

IRMA

Let’s move on.

She begins to move through the foyer.

IRMA (CONT’D)

The P.U.R.E Corporation acquired the Hyperion Hotel ten years ago and literally revitalized it from extinction. You’ll note, and this is key to all things P.U.R.E, how the older features, the fountain, the marble, integrate with the unbreakable, Ultra Violet protected glass enclosures and the highly technical security –

TARO

Let’s head that way.

Irma, not happy being interrupted, glares at Taro.

TARO (CONT’D) (to Irma)

I don’t have all afternoon.

IRMA

I haven’t handed out the binders!

TARO

Go for it.

While the group follows Taro, Irma passes everyone their orientation binders, though she doesn’t have one for Huxley, who plays up the fact that she leaves him empty handed.

RASHID (to Taro) Security?

He indicates Sunshine, who happens to be surveying the area. Taro leans toward Rashid as if confiding, but really he’s just bragging about his newest “acquisition.”

TARO

Oh, yeah. She’ll kick your ass, higher ranked in most martial arts than I am.

Irma, in a slight huff, joins Taro at the head of the pack, and Huxley maneuvers himself beside Sunshine.

 

————————–

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE

 

So, as some of you may know – if you’ve been hanging with me long enough – I come to novel writing via screenwriting and filmmaking. So, while I do have a rather large backlist, it’s all in screenplay format that I can’t simply throw at an editor, and then get it up and published.

My novella Love Lies Bleeding was originally a screenplay, and I just had a fun idea of sharing some of my other screenplays on the blog – scene by scene – for Throwback Thursday posts.

I’d like to start with my second favourite screenplay of all time, Sunshine’s Night of Darkness. The draft that I’m sharing comes from 2013, but it looks like I’ve got files dating back to 2006. I’d love to bring Sunshine (Etc) to readers in comic book form, but I haven’t even spent a single moment looking into how to do that exactly.

Reading a screenplay is much different than reading novel but I hope you will find it entertaining. The emphasis is on the dialogue, then action, not the description of the scene. I call Sunshine (Etc) one of my bloody comedies, but the literary world would refer to it as an urban fantasy.

Without further ado, scene one of Sunshine’s Night of Darkness.

——————-

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

Synopsis:  It’s Sunshine’s first day of work in security at the P.U.R.E Corporation and all she wants to do is make it through orientation, but first she’s got to fill out a name tag requisition form, fit her uniform, meet a cute computer geek … oh, and save her fellow employees from genetically-mutated, blood-lusting vampires.

Notes: (O.S) means off-screen. All work is registered with the WGC & the WGA.

– Scene One –

INT. CHANGE ROOM, P.U.R.E CORPORATION HEADQUARTERS – DAY

A credit card size gold name-tag on a navy uniform shirt reads SUNSHINE in etched black block letters.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

I don’t actually use Sunshine. I go by Jones.

IRMA (O.S.)

Sunshine was listed on your application.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

Yes, but I circled Jones to indicate –

IRMA (O.S.)

A circle, to illustrate name preference, is not officially recognized within the protocols and procedures of the P.U.R.E Corporation.

A thumb jabs at the name-tag.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

(getting testy)

I don’t go by Sunshine.

IRMA (O.S.)

You may request a name-tag requisition form and file it with Human Resources.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

I get the form, where?

IRMA (O.S.)

From me.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

(grumbling)

Mentioning that might have been an idea.

A hand reaches up to remove the magnetic name-tag.

IRMA (O.S.)

I, and Human Resources, are here to assist the employees of P.U.R.E, not anticipate … You must wear the identification badge at all times while in the building.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

You just said –

IRMA (O.S.)

From the time you submit the request, it will take ten working days to requisition a new ID, so you must be Sunshine until then.

The hand falters.

SUNSHINE (O.S.)

Whatever.

IRMA (O.S.)

We read, English, from left to right.

Irma pauses, but Sunshine doesn’t reply.

IRMA (O.S.) (CONT’D)

The ID belongs on your right.

SUNSHINE, 21, her gold coiled hair pulled back in a low bun, grabs the tag and repositions it on the right. She glances over her shoulder to watch IRMA, 27, cross to the exit with a flick of her cascading blonde tresses and a turn of her high heel enhanced, well-toned calf.

IRMA (CONT’D)

Orientation, ten minutes, main foyer.

SUNSHINE

Thanks.

Irma leaves.

SUNSHINE (CONT’D)

For nothing.

Sunshine tightens the laces on her leather-soled, uniform-issued shoes. The remainder of her uniform; a pocketed dress shirt and navy cotton dress pants fit her lithe body like a lycra glove.

————————–

SUNSHINE’S NIGHT OF DARKNESS

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO