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EXT. DOWNTOWN
SIDEWALK MID JULY-- STINKING HOT AFTERNOON
Traffic streams at a normal pace. Mid July heat rise from the cars
and bends the light distorting the image of A MAN and A WOMAN ARGUING
across the street. The man, DANIEL, early forties, wears a short
sleeve white shirt, collar open and his necktie hangs loose and
limp around his neck. The woman, JOAN, early forties, wears a knee
length skirt, no sleeve top and bouncy white running shoes.
The arguing ends when DANIEL turns and darts away, across the busy
street towards the camera.
P.O.V. AS HE RECEDES AWAY FROM THE WOMAN. – CONTINUOUS
CUT TO:
JOAN
(yells in anger)
Don't just walk away... don't... wait.
Cars pass in front of her as she steps out onto the busy street. She
crosses one half of the street then steps in front of an oncoming
streetcar.
The streetcar rings its bell. Joan stops right in front of the streetcar
and moves no further. The streetcar dings, dings, dings its little
bell and Joan looks up at the driver.
She straightens her posture, squaring off her shoulders, she puts
up her dukes (fists) as if to throw a left jab against the hulk of
the red rocket.
CUT TO:
FULL SHOT:
From the sidewalk an appalled Daniel looks at Joan like she's nuts.
Daniel walks over to her and takes her arm. She shrugs him off and
again squares up against the streetcar. Daniel returns to the sidewalk.
ANGLE ON:
Joan sizes up the situation puffing up her chest as she looks around.
ANGLE ON:
Daniel stands mortified on the side walk.
ANGLE ON:
Over Daniel's shoulder cars begin to compress in a line behind the
streetcar. Cars honk their horns.
ANGLE ON:
Joan paces like a boxer preparing to take on a vicious opponent. She
dances lightly on her toes punching the air like a young Ali.
The hulk of the streetcar sits dumbly still on the tracks.
JOAN
(over her shoulder to Daniel)
You can't just walk away and ignore it!
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON AN EMBARRASSED DANIEL.
Daniel turns away.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON JOAN STANDING IN FRONT OF THE STREETCAR
JOAN
Stop it!
Joan looks to passerbies for support. She looks up at the streetcar
driver. Then turns towards the receding image of Daniel making his
way along the sidewalk.
JOAN
(calling out to Daniel)
Go ahead. Coward!
ANGLE ON:
Daniel hurries away from the scene, in the distance behind him stands
Joan in front of the streetcar.
Idling cars line the street as he walks along.
ANGLE ON :
Joan, in front of the streetcar, continues to watch Daniel as he walks
away. She takes stock of her situation but pride offers her no way
out. She stands resolute in front of the streetcar.
Joan's chin begins to quiver. She looks down at the ground in an attempt
to not cry. A wave of helplessness descends on her.
Joan looks around.
P.O.V. JOAN -- CONTINUOUS
Cars on both sides of the street are collecting in a line of stopped
traffic.
CUT TO:
FULL SHOT JOAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD -- CONTINUOUS
JOAN
Daniel!
She straightens her shoulders, tugs on her skirt and plants her feet
on the ground. The shot of Joan in the middle of the road is held
as the camera backs away from the scene. Joan seems small next to
the streetcar and the office towers that surround her.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP OF JOAN -- CONTINUOUS
The heat is breaking into sweat on her forehead.
SOUND FROM THE TRAFFIC BEGINS TO SHIFT; SOUNDS BEGIN TO ISOLATE THEMSELVES
INTO RHYTHMS, AS IF EVERYTHING AROUND JOAN HAS A HEARTBEAT. The buildings
tower around her. They appear to pulse, heightening her sense of anxiety.
Honking horns sound distant, almost musical.
CUT TO:
Swish pans follow Joan as she turns her head. Her world spins then
rests on the imposing presence of the streetcar. She attempts to stare
the street car down. The streetcar bears witness to her folly.
Joan crosses her arms and inhales deeply letting her breath out slowly,
she looks up at the sky.
CUT TO:
A NARROW SHOT OF THE SKY FRAMED BETWEEN THE OFFICE TOWERS.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON THE STREETCAR AND JOAN
The driver, bored, takes out his newspaper, kicks up his feet.
CUT TO:
FULL SHOT JOAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT AWAY FROM JOAN CATCHING THE BUILD UP OF TRAFFIC.
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT OF TRAFFIC ON ANOTHER STREET.
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT OF TRAFFIC UP A RAMP ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT OF SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC STALLED ON THE EXPRESSWAY –
CONTINUOUS
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT OF SIX LANES OF TRAFFIC STALLED ON THE DVP –
CONTINUOUS
CUT TO:
TRAVELING SHOT OF TWELVE LANES OF TRAFFIC STALLED ON THE 401 –
CONTINUOUS
CUT TO:
HIGH ANGLE SHOT OF JOAN THE STREETCAR AND THE TRAFFIC HIGH ABOVE FROM
AN OFFICE TOWER -- CONTINUOUS
The image of Joan centered in the middle of a growing traffic jam.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON A CLOSE UP OF JOAN
Joan assesses the situation. She looks at the streetcar. She looks
at the line of car stretching out from her to infinity.
DANIEL
JOAN. JOAN.
Joan looks over to see...
CUT TO:
FULL SHOT OF DANIEL ON THE SIDEWALK -- CONTINUOUS
Daniel looks at Joan with a slight smile.
CUT TO:
JOAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET
Joan steps out of the path of the streetcar into the middle of the
road and begins to direct the traffic like a cop from the middle of
the road.
ANGLE ON:
Low angle of a car's wheels as it slowly restarts motion.
Cars inch past her in a long procession. Joan signals them on.
She stands in the middle of the road as the traffic moves around her.
Out and away from Joan the city resumes its slow pace forward.
THE END
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