Pre-production

SCRIPT

INT. INSIDE HER HOUSE 

VIA IS SITTING ON THE SOFA, A BOOK IN HAND, QUITE ABSORBED IN HER READING.

VIA'S SISTER, REINA, ENTERS.

REINA (SITTING DOWN BESIDE HER): 

Mum said dinner's almost ready.

VIA (WITHOUT LOOKING UP):

 Alright, coming, just let me finish this chapter.

REINA:

What are you reading, anyway?

VIA:

A book some woman gave me at the shop today. Got it for free, too.

REINA:

Bit sketchy.

VIA:

Maybe. It's good though so far - it's about some girl running away from some evil mystical creature that's trying to catch her.

REINA:

That sounds boring.

VIA (THROWING A PILLOW AT HER):

To you. Go away.

VIA TURNS OVER A PAGE, CONFUSED. SHE SEES THAT THE REMAINING PAGES ARE BLANK.

VIA:

That's weird. The book just finishes here, the last chapter is empty.

REINA (THROWING THE PILLOW BACK):

Makes sense why you got it for free. Anyways, Mum said that we have to set the table.

VIA:

Fine, I'm coming.

SHE SETS THE BOOK ON THE TABLE, LEAVING IT OPEN ON THE FIRST EMPTY PAGE.

EXT. A PARK

VIA'S EYES SLOWLY OPEN. SHE LOOKS AROUND, CONFUSED BY HER SURROUNDINGS.

VIA:

Where am I?

SHE IS BRIEFLY DISTRACTED BY A RUSTLING IN THE BUSHES. SHE WALKS CLOSER TO IT.

VIA:

What-

A PAIR OF EYES STARE BACK AT HER.

VIA BEGINS TO RUN, WITH SOMETHING SPRINTING NOT FAR BEHIND. SHE FINDS HERSELF RUNNING INTO A MAZE.

SHE LOOKS AROUND DESPERATELY, WARY OF WHATEVER IS AFTER HER.

SHE ENDS UP IN A DEAD END, BREATHING HEAVILY, THE CREATURE CREEPING CLOSER.

JUST AS SHE ATTEMPTS TO RUN, SOMETHING SLASHES HER ARM. SHE CLUTCHES IT, LOOKING DOWN TO SEE A CLAW-SHAPED SCRATCH THAT'S BLEEDING.

SCREEN GOES BLACK.

INT. INSIDE HER BEDROOM

VIA WAKES UP, BREATHING HEAVILY. SHE LOOKS TO HER BEDSIDE TABLE AND SEES THE BOOK OPEN THERE. SHE SIGHS HEAVILY, RELIEVED.

VIA:

Thank god, I was just dreaming.

SHE FEELS A SUDDEN PAIN ON HER FOREARM, AND WINCES SLIGHTLY, ROLLING HER SLEEVE UP.

SHE LOOKS DOWN AT HER ARM, AND SEES A CLAW-SHAPED MARK. HER BREATH HITCHES.

THE PHONE ON HER BEDSIDE TABLE STARTS TO RING.

VIA (TAKES A DEEP BREATH, HER FACE PALE, AND ANSWERS IT):

Hello?

(STATIC IS HEARD FROM THE OTHER END)

VIA (WHISPERS SHAKILY):

Who is this?

(CALL ENDS HASTILY)

SOMEONE RINGS THE DOORBELL. VIA HEARS THE SOUND OF THE LETTERBOX SLAM SHUT. SHE RUNS DOWNSTAIRS.

SITTING ON THE MAT IS A NOTE, WHICH READS A SET OF WRITING.

UNKNOWN VOICE (VOICEOVER):

TO VIA. THANK YOU FOR FINISHING MY STORY! KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR THE SEQUEL. IT MAY COME SOONER THAN YOU EXPECT...

VIA OPENS THE DOOR AND CHECKS OUTSIDE, TO SEE NO ONE THERE. PERPLEXED, SHE SHUTS THE DOOR, FROWNING.

SCENE FINISHES.

FADE TO BLACK

END

SHOT LIST

Living room

LONG SHOT - displays Via reading her book

TWO SHOT - Via and her sister talking

CLOSE-UP - of the book

Park

CLOSE-UP/HIGH ANGLE - Via waking up

WORMSEYE VIEW - Via checking the bushes

OVER-THE-SHOULDER SHOT, CLOSE-UP, EXTREME CLOSE-UP, LONG SHOT - chase scene

Bedroom

CLOSE-UP - of the book, and Via's wound

LONG SHOT - Via running down the stairs

CLOSE-UP/EXTREME CLOSE-UP - the note

MISE-EN-SCENE

Costume: light coloured clothes for Via, dark coloured clothes for antagonist, creates a sense of juxtaposition or binary opposition (light vs dark, good vs evil).

Lighting/time of day: chase scene happens when it is somewhat dark, reinforces a sense of eeriness.

Actors: two teenage girls and an actor (miscellaneous age and gender) for the creature.

Make-up and hair: neutral

Props: a book, a candle, a telephone, a note

Setting: a house and a park