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Method Acting (Working Title)

by greg lock 

Posted: 27 March 2005
Word Count: 763
Summary: A short piece about an obsesive film director who takes matters into his own hands in order to get better performances out of his actors.


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Content Warning
This piece and/or subsequent comments may contain strong language.


Method Acting (Working Title)

A film by Greg Lock

RAZOR-EDGE LOGO

TITLE CARD

EXT. Ind Est. Daytime

They film opens up with a shot of a man, as the camera pulls out we see he has a gun in his hand. He is Angry.

MAN:
You stupid bitch! You had one job to do, one job. Deliver the money & then we’re done! That was it. You can’t even manage that! My God!

We see whom he is talking to, a girl.

GIRL:
I’m sorry, listen I can explain!

MAN:
You’re to late.

* BANG *

The man fires his gun, the girl falls.

CUT TO

DIRECTOR:
No, No, No what was that?

We see that it is actually a film set; there is the Director, a Producer, 2 Cameramen men & a Sound Recorder. The Girl begins to get up.

DIRECTOR:
We’re not making a bloody chick flick! We’re making a film! A proper film! Die properly! Lets do it again.

MAN:
Where from?

DIRECTOR:
Go from “Your to Late”, I liked your line (pointing at the girl).

MAN:
Ok.

DIRECTOR:
Ok then, Light?

CAMERAMAN:
Fine, sir!

DIRECTOR:
Sound?

SOUND:
Check.

DIRECTOR:
Camera rolling?

CAMERAMAN:
Check.

DIRECTOR:
Action!

The actors start the scene.

MAN:
You’re to Late!

* BANG *

He fires the gun, the girl falls.

DIRECTOR:
Fucking hell that was even worse! Who are you?

GIRL:
Excuse me?

DIRECTOR:
Do you not consider yourself a good actress say eh? Julia Roberts?

GIRL:
Well I…

DIRECTOR:
Because you cant seem to leave the chick flick genre! Look if we were making American Pie 4 then I would accept your level of shit acting! Just Die! Look, like this!

The Director acts out the scene assuming both parts.

DIRECTOR:
You got it?

GIRL:
I think so.

DIRECTOR:
Ok, lets go again. Same place. How’s the light looking?

CAMERAMAN:
Soon the sun will start set, then we’re screwed for continuity, and we don’t want that. That could ruin the film.

DIRECTOR:
Yes I know what it could do!

PRODUCER:
Is there a problem?

DIRECTOR:
No we’re fine. Lets go. Sound?

SOUND:
Check.

DIRECTOR:
Camera rolling?

CAMERAMAN:
Check.

DIRECTOR:
Action.

The actors go again.

MAN:
You’re to late!

* BANG *

The man fires his gun, the girl falls.

The director already had the annoyed look.

DIRECTOR (to himself):
I’m fucked!

MAN:
You doing that again? The guns empty.

DIRECTOR:
Give it here, I’ll get some more blanks, then we will do it right!

The Director takes the gun.

Him & the producer talk to each other.

PRODUCER:
What’s going on here?

DIRECTOR:
Nothing it will be fine.

PRODUCER:
It doesn’t look that way; you seem to have problems getting her to die convincingly. & we only have time for a few more takes before it gets dark.

DIRECTOR:
How much longer do have this location for?

PRODUCER:
This is the last day!

DIRECTOR:
Shit! If we don’t get this take done, now .We will have to re shoot all the scenes again at a new place. I want this place! This has been the gangster-meeting place in every other scene, we can’t re shoot! Look this is the last scene with her!

PRODUCER:
Make sure she gets it right! This film is Oscar material, you want an Oscar for your first feature film don’t you?

DIRECTOR:
My chance to join with Nichols, Stone, Eastwood, Polanski, Scorsese & all the other great Oscar winners. I will not blow on some bird that can’t act.

PRODUCER:
Scorsese hasn’t one an Oscar!

DIRECTOR:
Oh shut up!

PRODUCER:
Make it the next take, or you could loose this contract!

The Director goes into his office with the gun.

INT. Office. Same.

We see the director empty the blanks; he takes out a box that is labelled “blanks”. We see some blanks as he opens it.

The Director pauses.

With haste he pulls out a locked box & opens it with a key. Inside are some real bullets. He puts them in the gun & goes out with it.

EXT. Ind Est. Same.

The Director gives the gun to the man.

DIRECTOR:
Ok lets get this done, we can do this right now, Come on team! From the same place.

MAN:
Ok.

DIRECTOR:
Everyone ready?

Everyone agrees.

DIRECTOR:
Camera rolling?

CAMERMAN:
Check.

DIRECTOR:
Sound?

SOUND:
Check!

DIRECTOR:
3,2,1 Action!

MAN:
You’re to Late!

* BANG *

He fires the gun, we see blood splatter on the ground, and we then hear the noise of a body collapsing.

DIRECTOR:
Oh, Excellent, Well done.

CUT TO

END CREDITS

THE END.










































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Comments by other Members



bjlangley at 15:38 on 07 April 2005  Report this post
Greg, it's a good idea, but I did see the ending coming. This might be because of what you put in the summary at the top though.

I've had a quick look at your website and was wondering if you've shot this piece? (If so, you didn't really shoot her, did you? ;o) )

All the best,

Ben


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