| Dawn of the Apocalypse Original Draft � 23/05/2003 Written by Nicholas Thomson [Opening credits] VIETNAM � 1969 SCENE ONE [Fade In / Black + White] EXT � Night The moon sits bright in the cloudy sky. CUT TO Long Shot A muddy pathway leads down the middle of the frame, disappearing into the near darkness. It is damp and quiet and for a few moments, the camera lingers on this image. CUT TO Reveal Shot Looking up into the trees overhead, the camera slowly moves down to reveal a soldier looking up at the sky. His face is smeared with war paint, his helmet reads �Born To Kill!� and he holds his gun by his side. He fidgets to move his webbing around on his shoulders. Camera pulls back so that Soldier 1 is positioned to the far left of the frame. A great darkness fills the rest of the frame. Footsteps are heard, but Soldier 1 doesn�t care. Soldier 2 appears from the darkness. He merely carries his gun and has no webbing nor helmet, just a tired old shirt with the sleeves rolled up. ----- CUT SEGMENT START ----- Soldier 2: �We�re on a recon mission, not a moonlit stroll!� Soldier 1 turns and looks at Soldier 2. Soldier 1: �Goddamn recon missions! Why couldn�t they send someone else?� Soldier 2: �Because you�ve been doing jack shit all day, sprained ankle my ass!� Soldier 1: �What can I say? It got better. Anyway, I can understand why I�m stuck out here doing this shitty job, but what about you?� Soldier 2: �Because I know you, and the Sarge knows that. And that prick�s had it in for me ever since I got to this fucking shithole.� Soldier 1 stretches his arms out and arches his back backwards, groaning a little as he does so � he�s clearly done fuck all today. Solider 2: �It�s alright for some isn�t it? Come on, lets get this shit over and done with as soon as possible.� ----- CUT SEGMENT END ----- Soldier 2 walks towards the camera and out of frame. Soldier 1 pauses for a moment, again fidgeting with his webbing, before holding his gun limply using his webbing to carry most of the weight. He then begins to shuffle after his buddy. SCENE TWO EXT � Night Medium Long Shot Gunfire and explosions can be heard on the soundtrack � fighting is near. Now a while later, the two soldiers continue to trek along the narrow muddy path, their guns at the ready, their eyes darting around. Their footsteps are more cautious and quiet. As they step forwards, the camera pulls backward to retain the medium long shot frame. CUT TO Medium Long Shot The camera is now behind the two soldiers, following them deeper into the dark path. CUT TO Long Shot Soldier 2 stops and places his hand on Soldier 1�s shoulder, signalling for him to stop. Soldier 1 looks at Soldier 2, they split and head into the undergrowth of either side of the path � disappearing into the undergrowth. CUT TO Tracking Medium Shot The camera moves from left to right, the tangled mess of the trees and general undergrowth can be seen passing in the dark, this shot stays like this for a few moments. Suddenly the barrel of an AK-47 breaks into the frame. We are slowly shown more and more of the gun, we see a hand gripping the front end of the weapon and then the magazine, and then the trigger finger poised to shoot. The camera then keeps pace with the image of this AK-47 proceeding through the woods. CUT TO Night Vision � �Gook Vision� The POV shot of the Vietnamese soldier who carries the AK-47 shows the surrounding area. The camera looks left and right a few times. Clearly, this Vietnamese soldier is also on recon. CUT TO Tracking Medium Shot We return to the shot before last, the AK-47 filling the frame as the Vietnamese soldier continues creeping through the dark. CUT TO US Soldier POV Shot From a low angle, the POV shot reveals a shape moving towards the camera � and therefore the hiding US Soldiers. Still not revealing any detail about the enemy soldier, the camera pans a little to follow the passing enemy. CUT TO Long Shot The Vietnamese scout is stepping cautiously along the muddy pathway. Suddenly, one of the US Soldiers � Soldier 1 � rushes out of the undergrowth, a knife quickly being withdrawn from his webbing. Soldier 1 grabs the Vietnamese soldier around the face to muffle his screams before quickly stabbing him in the back. Soldier 1 pulls the knife out and lets the soldier fall to the ground. Soldier 1 puts his knife back into his webbing. CUT TO Close Up Soldier 1�s hand is revealed dripping with blood. Quickly, Soldier 1 disappears from the shot. CUT TO Long Shot Soldier 2 emerges from the undergrowth. The fighting in the distance seems to pick up, getting closer and closer. The two soldiers look at each other, then at the body. They decide it�s too risky to try and hide the body, so they just run into the darkness � back the way they came. SCENE THREE [Establishing shot � temporal shift � moon] EXT � Night Medium Shot Soldier 1 and 2 are relaxing on a small bridge in an open area. With their guns propped against the bridge itself, they too prop themselves up against the handrails. Medium Close Shot The two soldiers stand, relaxing; they look to their right. Camera pulls back to Medium Shot and Pans to the Right to Reveal Soldier 3 enters the scene. Soldiers 1 and 2 nudge their heads, recognising Soldier 3�s appearance. Soldier 3 replies in the same way, and takes a position next to Soldier 2, leaning against the handrail of the bridge. The camera watches them relax and look blankly around them for a short while. They then all look to the left. Camera tracks back to Reveal Soldier 4 enters the scene and stands next to Soldier 1. [SOLDIER 4 CHARACTER IS EXPENDABLE] Camera now shows all 4 soldiers. Soldier 3 is closest to the camera, with the others positioned next to him along the handrail of the bridge. CUT TO Re-establishing shot � the woods at night CUT TO Long Shot The men are still propped up against the handrail. Soldier 1 � �Yep� Soldier 2 � �Mmm-hmmm� Soldier 3 � �Yeh� Soldier 4 � (Grunts) The camera pauses on them for a moment as Soldier 1 scratches his head. CUT TO Night Vision � �ZOMBIE Gook Vision� The camera lurks in the darkness for a few moments, the odd shard of light from somewhere leaking in occasionally as the camera floats around in the undergrowth. Then, the camera comes out of hiding, so to speak, and looks at the four soldiers relaxing. The view is from behind the soldiers. The camera begins to stagger forwards; picking up pace quickly until it is running full pelt. The camera turns left to come at Soldier 4 side on who quickly glances over towards the camera and screams as his face fills the screen. The screen goes black as Soldier 4 fills the screen. CUT TO Long Shot The �Zombie Gook� can be seen apparently tearing into Soldier 4�s neck. The zombie then throws the soldier�s limp body to the ground, out of shot. The zombie lurches for Soldier 1 who struggles with the attacker. Soldier 3 yelps in terror and runs away � the coward � and disappears into the woods. Soldier 2 does not see Soldier 3�s cowardice and when he realises he cannot get a clear shot at the attacker, he cracks the zombie in the head with the butt of his gun. The zombie staggers back from Soldier 1 for a moment and then comes running at Soldier 2, pushing him onto his back. CUT TO Close Shot Solider 2 and the �Zombie Gook� struggle with each other. The zombie tries to bite Soldier 2, but for now he keeps his attacker back enough for a few moments. Then the zombie overpowers Soldier 2 and bites his arm. CUT TO Extreme Close Shot The zombie pulls away from Soldier 2�s arm revealing a gruesome state of torn flesh and blood splattered everywhere. CUT TO Medium Long Shot Soldier 1 grabs hold of �Zombie Gook� and pulls it backwards. It�s face and hands are smeared with blood. Soldier 1 tries to strangle �Zombie Gook�, who struggles more violently. CUT TO Close Shot �Zombie Gook� fills the screen, thrashing and gnarling like a wild beast, the hands of Soldier 1 around its neck clearly seen entering the frame and struggling. Suddenly, �Zombie Gook� gets the upper hand and lurches towards the screen with a ravenous growl. [Screen goes black, any background music and sound effects cut out with this sudden image change � a la The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.] MODERN DAY (UNDISCLOSED LOCALE) � 1994 SCENE ONE [Fade In � Colour] EXT � Night Montage � UEA Campus � all logos and other University detailing to not be filmed so that the setting could be anywhere. Shots as pre-planned. Cronenburg/Romero style. Montage will contain no human element for at least one whole minute. HUMAN ELEMENT: Long shot � figure walks into foreground of frame slowly. Only the hand, which does not move fills a vast majority of the screen. Tilt Shot to reveal a human face. The human walks out of frame � a blank, yet somewhat puzzled look on his face (subtle). CUT TO: Close Shot Human�s feet � walking, almost shuffling, as if he is pre-occupied. At a long walkway, the camera stops moving and looks down the long walkway as the human keeps walking away from the camera, right into the distance. CUT TO: Long Shot Somewhere, which should be populated (e.g. The Square). The human stands in the middle of the square, looking around (choose shot carefully to avoid all University-related signage) � also � do not reveal The Street at all. CUT TO: Long Shot (from the walkways) On the road around the Television Studio, a lone figure walks into the frame from the bottom, continues up the frame until they reach the passage way to access The Street. The figure disappears into the passageway. CUT TO: Medium Long Shot The human walks up the steps in the passage way quietly. CUT TO: Long Shot In The Street (looking FROM The Square), we watch the human emerge from the passageway. He looks ahead briefly, then left (towards the camera) and then right before heading in that direction (towards the Laundry). He grabs his upper arms with his hands � hugging himself � it�s cold and he needs shelter. The human disappears into the darkness / behind a pillar / into the Laundry � which we do not as yet know is a laundry. CUT TO: Tracking Shot The camera moves from right to left, passing the shop windows � angle camera so the camera operator is not seen in the reflection. The camera will be behind the pillars � therefore the pillars will pass through the frame � a la ceiling beams in �The Evil Dead�. When we reach the laundry, the camera tilts up to reveal �Laundry� (be careful of University logos). CUT TO: Long Shot Similar locale as to where the human was first viewed. Again, a figure enters the frame (dragging footsteps) and stands in the same position. But this time the hand is smeared with blood, it is crooked and in-human. Tilt Shot to reveal (from a very low angle) � a ZOMBIE! The zombie pauses for a second, standing as if in a trance. The zombie�s face is pale and blood smeared. The eyes are dark and sunken. It�s jaw hangs slightly open, the head is tilted on a crooked neck. As if sensing something, the zombie moves out of frame. CUT TO: Long Shot Along a long walkway, the zombie enters frame from behind the camera and proceeds to shuffle (dragging it�s left foot a la �Dawn of the Dead�) deeper into the frame, passing close by to a row of lights so that it�s figure is highlighted inconsistently. CUT TO: Close Shot The zombie�s feet shuffle and drag. They stop. The zombie has reached stairs. Then slowly the zombie begins to descend the steps. CUT TO: Medium Long Shot With the camera tilted upwards, the zombie staggers towards the camera until it reaches the camera and the screen goes black. CUT TO: Long Shot (reveal) The zombie starts off directly in front of the camera (so that it is black frame). It begins to shuffle away from the camera. This shot styling courtesy of �Rope� and numerous Hollywood films. The zombie shuffles into the dark patches of shadow along the street. CUT TO: Medium Long Shot Through the laundry glass doors, we can see the human lying on the two chairs farthest away from the doors � against the back wall � a la Andy Cap in pose. He is asleep. Suddenly, the zombie�s figure enters the right hand side of the screen � a la slasher movie killer entrances into frames. SCENE TWO INT � Laundry � Night Long Shot � Mise-en-scene On the two seats against the far wall, the human lies in Andy Cap pose, asleep. To the right of the frame are the washing machines. Every door on the machines are open. CUT TO: Long Shot Now from the corner beside the human, the camera looks at glass door entrance. Against the window is the zombie, staring in. It stays motionless for a short while, then begins to slither towards the door. It looks at the door with a moment of confusion, but soon figures out how to get inside, although somewhat clumsily. Once inside, the zombie stands and stares towards the sleeping human. CUT TO: P.O.V. Shot In the zombie�s perspective (use Solarization perhaps, to differentiate visions), we watch the human sleep for a moment. CUT TO: Long Shot Now with the camera back in the corner, we watch the zombie slowly stagger forwards, walking into the first open washing machine door. The zombie looks down for a second at the door, but then keeps walking. The zombie staggers forward, knocking every door closed as it does so. CUT TO: P.O.V. Shot The zombie vision shows the zombie�s perspective of it moving in for the kill. CUT TO: Medium Close Shot The zombie�s legs can be seen shuffling through the washing machine doors. CUT TO: Medium Long Shot Back in the corner, the camera pans to the left as the zombie creeps towards the human. With more vigour now, the zombie speeds up and the doors slam harder. As the zombie is just about to grab the human, the slamming doors wake him and he turns round onto his back to look up and see the zombie bearing down on him. The human gasps and thrusts out his arms to keep the attacker back. The zombie lunges down. CUT TO: Long Shot With the camera standing by the doors, we watch the zombie and the human struggle. The human is still lying on his back, his legs flailing. The zombie�s head is down by the human�s neck. [Fade Out] SCENE THREE [Fade In] EXT � Day We establish it is morning with a long shot. CUT TO: Long Shot The human�s body lies on the floor. The zombie is long gone. CUT TO: Close Shot The human�s face is smeared in blood; the eyes open, yet dead. Suddenly, he twitches and his eyes flicker. CUT TO: EXT From a low angle, the camera looks up towards a walkway. Against the morning sky � which should silhouette the figure � a zombie shuffles in and goes across the frame on the walkway. CUT TO: Long Shot By the lake, another figure shuffles in the distance. CUT TO: Medium Long Shot Two zombies walk together along a walkway. CUT TO: INT � Laundry Long Shot The floor where the human once lay, is now empty. CUT TO: EXT � Walkway Medium Close Shot From the side, the camera tracks left so that the new zombie (who was once the human) enters frame. His face blood smeared and drooped. The camera continues to track left until the original zombie is revealed. The camera tracks past the original zombie. CUT TO: Long Shot Some emblematic shot to show vast emptiness, abandonment and so on. [Fade Out] [Closing credits] |