Screenwriter Community |
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by Jeff Helton (jeffhelton2000@yahoo.com)
Rated: 
Genre: Drama
User Review: NOT YET
RATED
A short film. A group of teenagers take a stand against questions they are to answer on a placement test.
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.
NUMBER 2 PENCIL (SHORT FILM)
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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Random pick up shots of students moving around campus. |
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EXT. QUAD - DAY |
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From above, five students sit in the middle of the quad.
Four of them on separate benches, one on the rock.
Each has a back pack and sits with a concerned look. |
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CUT TO |
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School bell rings/buzzes |
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JAMIE
I am.
(gets up walks
away) |
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HAILY
I am more than you think.
(gets up walks
away) |
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JAZMIN
I am more than you think because
you only know me by my test
scores.
(gets up walks
away) |
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COLLIN
And newspaper stories about how
stupid I am.
(gets up walks
away) |
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KENNEDY
I'm armed with my number two
pencil.
(gets up walks
away) |
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2.
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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All students have gotten up and are walking in different
directions.
(VO of dialog that fits will be placed here) |
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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY |
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Students are all seated at their desks filling out their
tests as a teacher sits at the front of the class. |
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JAZMIN
(pleading)
I am more than a bubble on an
answer sheet. |
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JAMIE
(pleading)
What I may know doesn't fit on a
multiple choice question. |
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HAILY
(sternly)
I am not option A, B, C, D or E. |
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COLLIN
(INQUISITIVE)
What if I'm ...an F or a G? |
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JAZMIN
(INQUISITIVE)
What if I'm ...none of the above? |
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KENNEDY
(matter of fact)
Or all of the above? |
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JAMIE
I am becoming good at figuring out
what pleases my teachers. |
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JAZMIN
What pleases my parents? |
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COLLIN
What pleases the test? |
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3.
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HAILY
(fills in bubble)
Does this make me smart? |
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KENNEDY
(fills in bubble)
Does this make me a good student? |
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JAZMIN
Does this mean they're always
right? |
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JAMIE
(pauses before
filling in bubble)
How do I know for sure? |
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COLLIN (VO)
(screams inside,
but looks calm)
I have questions...
So many questions...
(looks around) |
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JAZMIN
Where do I turn to ask them? |
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HAILY
(duct taped mouth,
mumbles)
Why do you censor my voice when I
do? |
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Student walks by and rips off Haily's tape. |
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COLLIN
(sternly)
Why do you make me and my number
two pencil a political issue? |
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EXT. STADIUM - DAY |
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JAMIE
(shouts)
Will anyone listen?
(address camera)
Will you? |
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4.
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INT. DRAMA STAGE - DAY |
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KENNEDY
Maybe it will prepare me for the
real world I am told about...
(mockingly)
Because I will know how to please
people in authority without
thinking. |
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EXT. GRAFFITI WALL - DAY |
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Collin and Haily sit on ground with backs against small
graffiti wall. They are on opposite side of it. |
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COLLIN
(frustrated, hands
on head)
Is this what you want? |
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INT. BATHROOM - DAY |
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Starring into mirror, crying |
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INT. DRAMA STAGE - DAY |
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KENNEDY
A blank mind is sitting and
starring... |
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EXT. STADIUM - DAY |
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Sits alone in the bleachers |
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JAMIE
(sad)
Armed with a number two pencil. |
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5.
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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY |
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HAILY
Is thinking important? |
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JAZMIN
(looks at Twilight
poster)
I want to write...
(address camera)
even with a number two pencil. |
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EXT. STADIUM - DAY |
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JAMIE
Why do people lie to me about how
important I am? |
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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Collin stands alone facing the school. |
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COLLIN
(facing school)
Look at my school. |
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Kennedy walks up on Collins left.
Haily walks up on Collins right.
They both walk forward as Collin remains standing in the
b.g. |
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KENNEDY
Is this the future? |
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HAILY
Does this look like a place you
want to be? |
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EXT. LIBRARY - DAY |
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Jazmin sits on ground against Library wall. |
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JAZMIN
Can I enter the 21st Century here? |
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CUT TO: JAZMIN TUGGING ON LOCKED DOOR, BANGS ON IT. |
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6.
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INT. COMPUTER ROOM - DAY |
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All students sit at random computers |
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JAMIE
With this equipment? |
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KENNEDY
With this structure? |
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HAILY
(sassy)
And my number two pencil.
(press key
w/pencil) |
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COLLIN
Why do people that know nothing
about education get to make all
the rules about my school? |
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JAZMIN
When did I become a political
issue? |
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HAILY (VO)
(typing)
Mr. and Mrs. Politician, do you
have any idea who I am? |
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COLLIN
What I need to know. |
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JAMIE
Why do you lie to me about how
important I am? |
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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY |
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JAZMIN
Gag my teachers with needless
trivia, pointless testing and
pacing guides.... |
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7.
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JAMIE
What about my pace? |
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KENNEDY
(ANGRY)
And then keep me voiceless as you
decide how much I am worth. |
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Someone walks by and places duct tape over Kennedy's mouth.
She has a look of disbelief on her face. |
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COLLIN
(ANGRY)
By cutting my throat with your
budgets. |
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SCHOOL BELL RINGS/BUZZES |
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Entire class rises then files towards the teachers desk with
their tests in hand. |
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HAILY
Is this test score what I am
worth? |
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PU SHOT OF TEST BEING PUT IN PILE. |
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JAZMIN
How to tell if I am smart? |
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PU SHOT OF TEST BEING PUT IN PILE. |
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JAMIE
Do you want me to be smart? |
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PU SHOT OF TEST BEING PUT IN PILE. |
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KENNEDY
...or do you need me to be smart? |
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HAILY
I'm smart enough to know what is
fair and what isn't. |
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EXT. IMMACULATE HOME - DAY |
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Collin stands in front of a very nice home. |
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COLLIN
What if I come from here? |
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8.
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EXT. POVERTY NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY |
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Jamie stands in the street of dilapidated neighborhood |
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JAMIE
...and I come from there? |
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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A group of young skateboarding teens sit with each other. |
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JAZMIN
What if I'm one of "those" kids? |
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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY |
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The teacher sets down a graded test on a students desk
INSERT TEST SCORE WITH A "D" ON IT
Then sets down a test score on Kennedys desk.
INSERT TEST SCORE WITH AN "A" ON IT. |
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KENNEDY
And I am the good kid. |
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EXT. GRAFFITI WALL - DAY |
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HAILY
How do I know the scale you use is
just? |
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COLLIN
What if I know poverty up close
and personnel? |
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EXT. STADIUM - DAY |
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Jamie stands with the mountain tops in the b.g. |
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JAMIE
And I view the ocean from high on
the hill? |
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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Jazmin walks across the campus holding her keys up.
She adorns sunglasses and a shoulder bag. |
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9.
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JAZMIN
And I drive my Benz |
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EXT. ALLEY WAY - DAY |
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Kennedy walks an alleyway with a bandanna on her head.
Appearance is very street urban. |
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KENNEDY (VO)
And I run the alleys |
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EXT. DILAPIDATED MOBILE HOME - DAY |
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Haily sits on the steps of a rundown mobile home.
Appearance is ragged. |
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HAILY (VO)
What if you had to live in some of
the places I do? |
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INT. BATHROOM - DAY |
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Jazmin stands and stoically looks into mirror as she dries
her tears. |
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JAZMIN (VO)
What if you looked like some of us
do? |
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INT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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Jamie sits on a wall with the campus in the b.g. |
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JAMIE (VO)
And then went to my school? |
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INT. CLASSROOM - DAY |
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Collin sits and stares at a pencil he is holding. |
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COLLIN (VO)
Armed with this number two pencil. |
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TBD
To enter the 21st Century. |
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HAILY
Would you feel important? |
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10.
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TBD
Would you feel like the future is
yours? |
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INT. DRAMA STAGE - DAY |
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Kennedy stands alone then turns and sees Collin and the rest
of the cast approaching behind her. |
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COLLIN
Where is your courage that you
keep telling me I must have? |
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KENNEDY
(nods head)
How come poverty isn't on the
agenda? |
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HAILY
How come discrimination and
stereotyping aren't on the agenda? |
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JAMIE
Cant write that with your number
two pencil. |
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COLLIN
You expect me to live it... |
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KENNEDY
and hope for my future... |
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HAILY
with this number two pencil... |
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11.
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JAMIE
You crush my learning into numbers
and trivia... |
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COLLIN
And then we play trivial pursuit. |
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KENNEDY
Each year to show how much we
know. |
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Each student should be sitting or laying on the stage. |
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EXT. LIBRARY - DAY |
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All five students sit on separate tables eating their lunch
outside the library. |
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HAILY
(holding sandwich)
I want to know... the why behind
it all. |
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12.
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JAMIE
(holding juice box)
Are you afraid of what I might
learn? |
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COLLIN
Are you afraid of what I am
capable of? |
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KENNEDY
(filing nails)
I know the lies. |
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JAZMIN
I want to know the truths. |
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CU HALF FACE, FULL
FACE AND MOUTHS |
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COLLIN
I can stand controversy... |
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KENNEDY
I can stand the ugliness I might
see... |
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HAILY
I can stand to know things that
might offend or challenge me... |
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JAMIE
I am stronger than you think. |
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JAZMIN
I am smarter than you think. |
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KENNEDY
You keep telling me how important
I am. |
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COLLIN
You keep telling me I am the
future. |
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EXT. STADIUM - DAY |
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All five students stand in-line ready to foot race.
They all leave but Haily does not. |
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HAILY
You keep telling me I need to
compete. |
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13.
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ON FOOTBALL FIELD |
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A cheerleader does a somersault in the b.g. |
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JAZMIN
I can do that on the athletic
fields. |
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On cue Jamie walks behind Jazmin |
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JAMIE
It's where you put all your
attention. |
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On cue Collin walks past Jamie |
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COLLIN
That equipment is first rate. |
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EXT. CAMPUS NEW GYM - DAY |
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From behind all 5 students stand and stare at the new gym
being built through a chain link fence. |
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KENNEDY
Look at new gyms, fields,
uniforms, schedules, advantages. |
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INSERT PU FOOTBALL FIELD
INSERT PU GYM EQUIPMENT |
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HAILY
You don't need a number two pencil
there. |
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JAZMIN
Look at my school and see what is
most prominent. |
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JAMIE
What if you're wrong? |
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All students let go of the fence, turn and slowly walk away
except Collin. |
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COLLIN
Where is the science room where I
can peer into my future?
(lets go of fence,
walks away) |
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14.
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EXT. CAMPUS - DAY |
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All five students are on the move separately across the
campus |
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OVERHEAD SHOT WITH JIB ON HAILY WALKING |
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CUT TO: CU |
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HAILY (VO)
Where is the technology where I
can help create the future? |
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KENNEDY (VO)
Where is the leadership to lead me
into the future? |
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JAZMIN (VO)
Where is the freedom for my
teachers to really teach me? |
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JAMIE (VO)
Where are the arts to help me
understand, imagine, and express
my voice? |
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COLLIN (VO)
Creativity doesn't fit in option
A, B, C, D... |
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JAMIE
Where is the place where I learn
compassion? |
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JAZMIN
How do you measure this in option
A, B, C, D... |
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KENNEDY
I've already got my number two
pencil. |
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15.
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INT. DRAMA STAGE - DAY |
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JAMIE
(sings aloud)
I want to sing |
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HAILY
(does ballet spin)
dance... |
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TBD
(wears glasses
holds clipboard)
solve... |
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Group turns to Collin in acceptance. |
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JAMIE
(sings aloud)
I still want to sing |
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JAMIE
I am a mind that wonders. |
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JAZMIN
I am a mind that wonders why? |
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HAILY
I am a mind that wants to create. |
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COLLIN
I am a mind that wants to be free. |
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KENNEDY
I want to see the world as it is. |
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16.
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HAILY
(holding iphone)
My technology gives access to all
the trivia I could ever need. |
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TBD
Without a number two pencil. |
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TBD
I need to know the why... |
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JAZMIN
So I can understand. |
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COLLIN
(stands on chair)
I am. |
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JAZMIN
(stands)
I am searching. |
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HAILY
(stands)
I need light. |
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From behind, all 5 students burst through the drama class
double doors as a light washes out the view. |
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EXT. DRAMA CLASS - DAY |
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all five students burst through the drama doors outside and
head toward the quad. |
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JAZMIN
So I can find my way. |
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17.
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JAZMIN
I want to be so much more. |
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KENNEDY
I want to get there... from here. |
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COLLIN
I need your help... really. |
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EXT. QUAD - DAY |
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All five students arrive at the rock in the quad and lean
against it with Jamie sitting in the middle. |
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HAILY
With my number two pencil. |
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FADE OUT. |
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