*** New script added to page. See below. ***
Since then, Adrian Holmes (director) and I have been working on a new draft and we are looking for producers to get on board as we come closer to finalising the script.
If you're a producer and you'd like to talk to myself or Adrian about reading the current script please drop me an email at karls5641@gmail.com.
Other short scripts include:
Shopping Trolley (4 minutes - 2010) *Read script below
Jennifer and Tol (3 minutes - by Adrian Holmes and Karl Smith 2010)
Masks (15 minutes - 2008)
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SHOPPING TROLLEY
SHOPPING TROLLEY
by Karl Smith
1. EXT. ROUGH SUBURBAN STREET. AFTERNOON.
JAMES (early 70s) walks along a suburban street. His clean blue jeans are pulled up a little high under a well-pressed shirt. He walks with his shoulders hunched.
The houses and front yards are run down – lawns aren’t mowed, shutters are slipping off hinges - but a few children play happily on the verandas and lawns.
JAMES passes an old woman who he smiles at. She returns his smile with a sad and concerned look. She looks him over, head to toe, and then keeps walking.
JAMES crosses the street and waves to a man standing outside a corner store. The man doesn’t wave back but watches James cross the street. The man puts his cigarette out on the ground and stubs it out with his foot. The man turns to go inside the shop.
JAMES’ looks up the street and closes his eyes for a moment then continues to walk into the afternoon sun.
JAMES sees a shiny new shopping trolley lodged in a bush off to the side of the path. In the return slot is a $2 coin.
JAMES looks up the street and squints into the sun. The street is quiet - there is no sign of the man at the corner shop just it’s plastic curtains in the doorway moving gently in the breeze. JAMES turns and looks at the trolley again.
2. EXT. FURTHER DOWN THE STREET. DAY.
JAMES pushes a supermarket trolley across a bumpy footpath.
The wheels of the trolley catch on broken edges of the concrete and on weeds growing through the cracks.
JAMES’ hands push hard against the handle of the trolley and it jolts back and forth, slipping in and out of his work worn hands.
JAMES stops and wipes his forehead. A part of his neatly combed fringe slips out of place. He slides it back but it only falls over his face again. He looks down at some fresh chocolate wrappers lying on the path. A broken umbrella lies under a tree nearby.
JAMES picks up the wrappers and the broken umbrella. He tosses them into the trolley and continues on.
JAMES lifts the trolley, one end at a time, over the edge of the curb. It gets caught and he slips, almost falling before regaining his balance. He straightens the trolley on the side of the road then stops. He takes out his wallet and opens it. There is an old photo, a five-dollar note and a coupon inside. He pulls out a coupon for a BBQ chicken – it reads Seven Dollar Chook. He looks up the street again and begins pushing.
3. EXT. BUILT UP STREET, NEAR SUPERMARKET. DAY.
JAMES accidentally pushes the trolley across a storm drain. It lurches to one side and he falls with it. His hand slides across the bitumen grazing his palm. He lies there for a minute before slowly pulling himself up to a sitting position. His hand is bleeding.
A TEENAGE GIRL (13 yrs) walks up and look at him with a confused expression.
TEENAGE GIRL
Yo pops. You alright?
JAMES looks down at his feet. He rubs his ankle then nods.
TEENAGE GIRL
You a bum?
JAMES looks up at the girl. He sees her mouth moving from side to side as she chews gum furiously. He shakes his head.
TEENAGE GIRL looks down at him. His wallet has fallen on the ground and the picture has spilled out. She holds out her hand and helps him up.
TEENAGE GIRL picks up the wallet and the photo. She hands JAMES the wallet and looks at the photo.
TEENAGE GIRL
Your wife?
JAMES nods as he takes the picture back.
TEENAGE GIRL
She’s pretty. Bit young for you though,
don’t you think?
don’t you think?
JAMES smiles a genuine happy smile for the first time. He nods again and puts his hand to the girl’s cheek in a grandfatherly way. She doesn’t back away and his smile slowly turns to a wistful look.
TEENAGE GIRL
You be alright with that?
JAMES nods his head and motions for her to go. He pushes the trolley away. TEENAGE GIRL watches him as he leans in low to find the strength to push the trolley.
JAMES pushes the trolley along the road and a semi trailer honks as it goes past making him flinch. He limps a little as he crosses the road and enters the suprermarket carpark. One of the wheels of the trolley jams up. He tries to kick it with his foot but it won’t spin. He stops for a moment only to be forced on by a car behind him entering the carpark. He tries to lift it a little and push it on three wheels to avoid the jammed one.
4. EXT. SUPERMARKET CARARK. DAY.
JAMES moves slowly across the carpark. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows over the bitumen.
A short way away a trolley boy is pushing a line of trolleys toward the trolley bay. JAMES watches him and the boy notices. The boy heads in his direction.
The boy looks down at JAMES’ dirty trousers and grazed hand.
TROLLEY BOY
You alright fella?
JAMES nods.
TROLLEY BOY
Here. Let me take that for ya.
TROLLEY BOY takes the trolley from JAMES. JAMES looks over at a bin. He pulls out the wrappers and umbrella before the boy pushes it in behind the others he has collected. TROLLEY BOY pops the $2 coin out. He puts it in his pocket and smiles.
TROLLEY BOY
And a tip for the trolley boy.
JAMES’ shakes his head and holds out his hand. He looks serious.
TROLLEY BOY looks at him and laughs.
TROLLEY BOY
You’re not serious? You know how long I’ve been out here in the sun?
JAMES pulls out the umbrella and swings it in front of the boy like a sword. He pulls on the trolley, shaking it and holding out his hand. Some people have noticed the commotion and are looking at the TROLLEY BOY suspiciously.
TROLLEY BOY
Fine then, you stupid old bastard.
TROLLEY BOY hands over the two dollars.
JAMES takes the two-dollar coin. He puts it in the slot and angrily pulls out his trolley from the lineup.
He wheels the trolley another ten metres to the trolley bay and on the way throws the umbrella and wrappers into a bin. He rolls the trolley in behind another then pops the two dollars out again.
He looks down at his shoes. They’re scuffed and dirty, his hand is bleeding and his jeans have a big mud stain down one side. He looks up at the sun and closes his eyes.
5. INT. JAMES’ LOUNGEROOM. EVENING.
JAMES sits in an old armchair. The phone rings then the answering machine kicks.
DAUGHTER
Hi dad. Hope you’ve had a restful day. I’ll be round at 3 to pick you
up for the memorial service. We’re having lunch at Joanie’s place
after. I haven’t had time to pick up a chook yet, but we can grab one
on the way. Hope your doing ok.
JAMES looks up and sees the chicken sitting on the bench in the kitchen. He smiles and picks up the phone.
JAMES
Hi honey. Yep. Am right here.
I already got the chook.
THE END
Copyright 2010 Karl Smith
Copyright 2010 Karl Smith
