First Plot Draft of Thriller Opening

MISSING

The screen is black, however, we are in an interview room at a police station. The INTERVIEWER is a middle aged police officer. JOSH is a student, around 17 years old, being interviewed regarding the disappearance of his girlfriend, EMMA.

INTERVIEWER:

Do you need anything before we start?

JOSH:

I’m Fine.

Quick, dark and blurry Close-Up shots of EMMA’s feet and hands as she runs and grasps at railings in an attempt to pull herself faster forward. She is out of breath due to running and also a panic attack most likely brought on by being suddenly attacked at almost midnight.

The screen returns to black.

INTERVIEWER:

Please recount, in your own words and as accurately as you can, what happened on the night Emma Newman went missing.

A shot of a train as it rushes past. Back to black. Silence. Then the sound of rain.

A shot showing the sky with the silhouettes of buildings at the bottom of the frame. It is cold, dark and beginning to rain. The TIN MEDIA logo fades in, and then out again. The shot pans down to show EMMA, her hands in her pockets, walking down the street toward the camera.

JOSH (VOICEOVER):

She was meant to be staying at mine for the night.

we had an argument about something stupid, she’d been acting weird all day, but anyway then she left, said she was gonna get the train home I didn’t follow her

Cut to a close-up of EMMA’s face, lit up by a shop window. She looks inside. Cut to a shot showing EMMA standing in the confectionary isle. The door is visible, and whilst EMMA is choosing what to buy, a DARK FIGURE walks through the door but then out of shot. We cannot see his face, and as EMMA ignores him, so do we.

There are a series of quick cuts as EMMA brings a chocolate bar to the counter, pays for it, gets her change, and leaves.

A mid shot of EMMA leaving the shop. Suddenly, her phone buzzes. She takes it out of her coat pocket. Cut to a close-up of the phone screen. JOSH’s name flashes on the screen as he tries to call her again. She declines the call.

JOSH (VOICEOVER):

Something about being worried because anyone could be out there

Back to the mid shot of EMMA standing in the street, as she puts her phone back into her pocket and walks forward, out of the frame. The shot is still for a moment, until the same DARK FIGURE from before comes out of the shop and turns, looking toward EMMA. He pauses for a moment, just looking, before following along behind her.

JOSH (VOICEOVER):

(continues to explain what happened)

Mid shot focussing on EMMA’s legs and feet as she walks quickly and angrily. Pans upward to show her looking at her phone again and eating her chocolate. She puts the phone to her ear.

AUTOMATED VOICEMAIL VOICE:

You have one new message.

JOSH (VOICEMAIL RECORDING):

I know you’re mad at me. But please just come back. It’s late. It’s dangerous. You don’t even have to talk to me if you don’t want to. Just come back. Please. I love you, Ems.

Close-up on EMMA’s face as she stops walking and takes the phone from her ear. Her face is lit by the light of her phone.

AUTOMATED VOICEMAIL VOICE:

Message Deleted.

She shuts her eyes and sighs. The camera angle shifts slightly and we see the same DARK FIGURE from earlier standing in a streetlamp about 5 metres behind her. We still cannot see his face.