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The World of DNA (Short)
by Josh

Rated: G   Genre: Miscellaneous   User Review: ***
A project I made for my Science class. It's about a teacher taking kids through the world of science. Since this focuses more on science than anything, there are only a few characters.


This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.



THE WORLD OF DNA (SHORT)

FADE IN:

INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
EPISODE 1
                                                            
Opening credits appear.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
Ah, science. So many wonderful
things to be learned. About DNA,
about chromosomes, and about
genes.
                                                            
PAN across the SCIENCE ROOM with kids working, and cheerful
music playing
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
So many things to explore.
                                                            
Continue to PAN through the SCIENCE ROOM- finally, it rests
on the narrator.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Today, I'll be talking to you
about DNA.
                                                            
Sarah comes in. She is an 8 year old girl. A curious person
                                                            
                       SARA
Mr. Dedmon, I don't want to learn
about DNA. It sounds boring.
                                                            
Richard comes in from behind.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
You'll love it!
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
He's right! He's done it before!
                                                            
                       SARA
Fine. Let's get this over with.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Okay. First, I'll tell you the
basic idea of DNA.
                                                            
 

2.

INT. WHITEBOARD - DAY
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
DNA resembles a boss in that it
tells everyone what to do.
                                                            
There is an animated anthropomorphic double helix with legs,
sunglasses, and a hat. It sits on a chair.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Its house and workplace are the
same, however; the nuclei.
                                                            
We zoom out to reveal a nucleus.
                                                            
                       SARA
May I ask a question?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Yes. Remember, there's no such
thing as a stupid question!
                                                            
                       SARA
What does DNA stand for?
                                                            
The whiteboard goes blank.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Okay... Are you ready?
                                                            
                       SARA & RICHARD
Yeah! Bring it on.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
      (Speaks quickly)
Okay... Deoxyribonucleic acid.
                                                            
The word forms, but then quickly disappears.
                                                            
                       SARA & RICHARD
Woah.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Say that again?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
      (Slowly)
Deoxyribonucleic acid.
                                                            
The word forms again, but this time stays on.
                                                            

3.

                       SARA
Deoxy... ribo... nucleic... acid.
Did I get it right?
                                                            
                                         WHIP PAN
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Indeed you did.
                                                            
                       SARA
DNA must be pretty small, right? I
mean, there's nuclei in a cell,
and there's a lot of cells in your
body, right?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Actually, it's quite big.
Whiteboard!
                                                            
 
INT. WHITEBOARD - DAY
                                                            
An animation of stretching dna out occurs, and then the
words '6 feet!!!' flash on the screen.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
If you stretched DNA out enough,
it would be six feet wide- taller
than you and Richard standing on
top of eachother!
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Hey, I'm 4 foot 5!
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Okay then... nevermind.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Even so, how does it get packed
in? Since Sara is correct, how
come DNA isn't bulging out of us?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
That is certainly a strange
thought, to have DNA bulging out
of us. But here's why anyway;
DNA wraps around proteins. It then
folds into itself, and it becomes
            (MORE)

4.

                       MR. DEDMON (cont'd)
a chromosome.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
That is so cool!
                                                            
                       SARA
This is more interesting than I
thought it would be!
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
I told you it would be
interesting!
                                                            
                       SARA & RICHARD
What's next?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Tomorrow, you'll see. Next we will
be looking at extracting DNA from
a strawberry, and later from your
own cheek cells.
                                                            
                       SARA
Wow, that sounds cool!
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Nah. But I'll come back tomorrow
anyway.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
I'm glad you came.
Thank you for listening.
                                                            
                                         FADE OUT.
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
EPISODE 2
                                                            
Opening credits happen as MR. DEDMON says his narration.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
Ah, science. So many wonderful
things to be learned. About DNA,
about chromosomes, and about
genes.
                                                            
PAN across the SCIENCE ROOM, with kids working, and cheerful
music playing.
                                                            

5.

                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
So many things to explore.
                                                            
Continue to PAN through the SCIENCE ROOM- finally, it rests
on the narrator.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Today, I'll be taking you through
extracting DNA out of
strawberries.
                                                            
RICHARD enters. He is an 8-year old boy. We saw him in the
first episode.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
But Mr. Dedmon... I don't want to.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Of course you do. It is very
entertaining! You did it
yesterday!
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Can't we do something
ellllllsseeee?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Trust me, you'll love it.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
No I won't!
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
By the end, you will learn so
much! Let's get started.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Okay.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
First...
                                                            
We
                                                            
                                         CUT
                                                            
to a white board. We zoom in, and an animated illustration
begins.
                                                            
 

6.

EXT. WHITEBOARD - DAY
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
First, you put the strawberry in a
plastic bag.
                                                            
On the whiteboard, a strawberry drawn with markers goes into
a plastic bag, with an arrow.
                                                            
                       RICHARD (V.O)
That sounds pretty simple. I can
do that in my sleep.
                                                            
Then, an animated hand comes down and mashes the strawberry
in the bag.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
Then, you mash the strawberry for
two minutes.
                                                            
                       RICHARD (V.O)
Alright, let's do it.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
So now you're interested. That's
great!
                                                            
Now we
                                                            
                                         WHIP PAN
                                                            
to a 10-second montage of Richard and Mr. Dedmon getting a
bag and a strawberry.
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Alright, now SMASH!
                                                            
                       RICHARD
YAH!
                                                            
His hand starts punching the bag, and then the bag breaks.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
      (He frowns)
It broke.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Wait, why? Ah, yes. Silly me, I
forgot to get the air out.
                                                            

7.

Another quick montage of getting a bag and putting the air
out.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
YAH!
                                                            
He smashes. And smashes. And smashes. This goes on for 30
seconds of screen time as Mr. Dedmon watches.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Am I done?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You have a minute and thirty
seconds left.
                                                            
Richard smashes for about 20 seconds, as we fade. Finally,
Mr. Dedmon says
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You're done. Pick it up.
                                                            
Richard picks it up slightly, and feels it.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
It feels nice. It's squishy.
                                                            
MR. DEDMON takes out a buffer.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Now, this is the "Buffer." Do you
know what is in it?
      (beat)
Okay. It is soap, salt, and water.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
What does salt have to do with
mashed strawberries?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Well...
                                                            
 
INT. WHITEBOARD - DAY
                                                            
There is an animation of everything said in this scene.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
The buffer breaks down the nuclei
wall, and then with it we mash
some more.
                                                            

8.

                       RICHARD
How did we not break it down when
we mashed it? I'm sure I got
everything. This is annoying.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON (V.O)
Actually, Richard, mashing breaks
down the cell wall, cellular and
nuclear membranes of the
strawberries. Soap in the buffer
dissolves cell membranes so that
DNA is liberated. And also the
nuclei wall. To get everything, we
need help from the buffer.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
So we just mash with the buffer
for two more minutes?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
I just said that. But yes.
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Let's go!
                                                            
Another 5 seconds of him mashing.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
2 minutes are up! Now we have to
filter it through cheese-cloth.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
This might be a bit too boring for
m-
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Stop complaining. You're having
fun, right?
                                                            
                       RICHARD
I was... until I realized I had to
pour it.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You're just looking for something
to complain about, aren't you?
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Let's just continue the thing.
                                                            

9.

                       MR. DEDMON
Okay. The cheesecloth filters out
all of the larger particles in the
mashed strawberry.
                                                            
Richard gets a cheesecloth and a funnel from a drawer
nearby.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Let's begin.
                                                            
They put the cheesecloth into the funnel. They then put the
strawberry liquid into the funnel.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
It looks like a strawberry
daiquiri gone wrong. I wonder if
it tastes like it's a strawberry
daiquiri gone wrong.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.
                                                            
After this exchange, they settle down in front of the
funnel.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
In one minute, we should pour some
alcohol into the funnel.
                                                            
A shot of a clock, and then they do just that.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Since alcohol is less dense than
water, it actually goes above it.
It looks cool, right?
                                                            
                       RICHARD
This is actually really cool!
Yeah!
      (beat)
What do we do now?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
We wait.
                                                            
A time lapse shot of them staring at the test tube.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Nothing's happening.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Be patient!
                                                            

10.

Another time lapse shot of them staring at the test tube.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
This was beginning to be exciting,
but now I want to stop.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
It's coming! Look!
                                                            
Sure enough, the DNA is there. It's thin and bubbly, but
it's there.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Oh my gosh! That's amazing! Thank
you so much, Mr. Dedmon.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You're welcome!
                                                            
                       RICHARD
But I have one more question. How
can we see the DNA when you said
yesterday that it's so small?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Well, Richard, many of the strands
of DNA bundled together so it was
possible for us to see it.
                                                            
                       RICHARD
Thanks again, Mr. Dedmon!
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Thank you for being so patient.
                                                            
Richard walks out of the room.
                                                            
                                         FADE OUT.
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
EPISODE 3
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Ah, science. So many wonderful
things to be learned. About DNA,
about chromosomes, and about
genes.
                                                            
PAN across the SCIENCE ROOM with kids working, and cheerful
music playing
                                                            

11.

                       MR. DEDMON
So many things to explore.
                                                            
Continue to PAN through the SCIENCE ROOM- finally, it rests
on the narrator.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Today, I'll be teaching you how to
extract your own DNA.
                                                            
Sara from episode 1 comes in.
                                                            
                       SARA
That sounds gross.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You did it two days ago!
                                                            
                       SARA
I realized how weird it was. I'm
only back because I have to be.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Let's get started, then.
                                                            
 
INT. WHITEBOARD - DAY
                                                            
                       SARA
So how do we start?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Write your name on a 15 mililiter
tube.
                                                            
There is an animated hand, who takes an animated tube and
writes "whiteboard" on it.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Then, take a plastic cup of sports
drink and put it in your mouth.
                                                            
                       SARA
Yuck! I don't like sports drink.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You're not swallowing it. Sports
drinks contain salt, and the salt
prevents the cells from breaking
open and releasing their dna
before they are collected.
                                                            

12.

                       SARA
Ohh... Bring it on.
                                                            
 
INT. SCIENCE ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Quick montage of them getting the tube, writing the name,
and then getting sports drink.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Now swish!
                                                            
She swishes for ten seconds as dramatic music plays. Sara
then writes down quickly on a piece of paper "Am I done?"
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
45 seconds.
                                                            
                       SARA
      (Garbled)
NOOOOOOOOOO!
                                                            
Swish for ten more seconds, fading and fading as dramatic
music plays.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
You're done!
                                                            
                       SARA
      (Still garbled)
Yes!
                                                            
Mr. Dedmon picks up the cup from which she drank the sports
drink, and hands it to Sara.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Now spit.
                                                            
                       SARA
      (Still garbled)
But Mr. Dedmon... oh fine.
                                                            
She spits, but she misses the tube. Whoops.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
SARA! We have to do this again.
                                                            
                       SARA
Oh come on.
                                                            
Quick montage of getting and swishing.
                                                            

13.

                       MR. DEDMON
Spit again.
                                                            
This time she gets it in, and they continue.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Keep spitting. I know it's gross,
but it's necessary.
                                                            
She keeps spitting.
                                                            
                       SARA
I'm done, right?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Yes. Now pour your spit into the
15 mililiter tube.
                                                            
Making icky noises the whole way through, Sara pours the
spit in.
                                                            
                       SARA
What do I do now?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Well, now we put cell lysis
solution into our cheek cells.
                                                            
                       SARA
What is that?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
It breaks down the membrane.
                                                            
                       SARA
Oh. That's cool.
                                                            
Mr. Dedmon gets the cell lysis solution from a drawer, and
puts it into the tube.
                                                            
                       SARA
What do we do now?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Alright, did I do it exact? 2
mililiters? Yes!
                                                            
                       SARA
Perfect! Wait, why are you getting
out alcohol?
                                                            

14.

                       MR. DEDMON
It's Ethanol. We're going to pour
this into that.
                                                            
At "That," he points to Sara, and the camera zooms in on the
15 mililiter tube.
                                                            
                       SARA
Okay.
                                                            
They pour the ethanol into the tube.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Since I know you're going to ask
      (Mockingly, but
       silly)
"What do we do now?"
      (Normally.)
I will answer that question. We
are now going invert it 5 times.
                                                            
TIME-LAPSE montage of turning it up and down 5 times.
                                                            
                       SARA
We're basically done, right?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Nope.
                                                            
                       SARA
What now?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
      (Breaks the fourth
       wall)
As I said in the second episode...
      (Turns back to
       Sara)
We wait.
                                                            
                       SARA
Again with the passing of time?
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
      (Sighs)
Yep.
                                                            
TIME-LAPSE montage again, and the DNA appears slowly.
                                                            
                       SARA
That is, like, awesome.
                                                            

15.

                       MR. DEDMON
Now we need to tie a knot around
it to have your very own DNA
necklace.
                                                            
                       SARA
But Mr. Dedmon, I don't like those
necklace-things. All my friends
have them.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
This will be cooler. Trust me.
Now we transfer the DNA with a
pipet to another tube.
                                                            
                       SARA
I can do that.
                                                            
Sara gets a PIPET from a drawer, and starts sucking up the
DNA.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
That's good. Now put it in here.
Don't overfill.
                                                            
She squeezes out the pipet into another tube.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
Now tie a knot.
                                                            
She is handed a piece of string, and she ties a knot through
a hole in the pipet.
                                                            
                       MR. DEDMON
And there you go. You're own DNA
necklace.
                                                            
Close up on the DNA necklace, and then PAN up to see SARA'S
face.
                                                            
                       SARA
Thank you so much, Mr. Dedmon.
                                                            
She walks out of the SCIENCE ROOM, closing the door behind
her. Mr. Dedmon smiles, as we...
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From Joshua Date 2/17/2011 ***
It could be better, but most of the time it's pretty good. I think you should have done more with the first section, but other than that it's fun and informative. Good luck on the "science project..."


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