DARK PARK by Sally Screenwriter
Act I
1) Desert. Hot. A taxi cab cruises down a dirt road.
2) DRIVER swerves to miss tortoise in road. This awakens the passenger, DEREK HOPKINS. He asks the driver how much further to carnival. Cabbie doesn't speak English.
3) A carney worker fixes the flap of the Big Top to "Annie's Amusement O'Rama." Around the large tent are smaller tents which contain either food services or games. Parked behind the tents are trucks and trailers.
4) The taxi cruises down the main street of the small Texas town.
5) The cab stops at the entrance to the park. Derek pays the driver and walks toward the tents.
6) STEPHANIE WINTERS, a ticket taker, greets Derek. She flirts with him. He explains he is looking for work. Stephanie directs him to the carnival's manager.
7) Derek finds HERB NORRIS, the rugged and surly manager. Herb hires Derek to run the illegal card games for the "high rolling" locals. But Derek must get final approval from owner in the morning.
8) Derek spends the night sleeping over with the animals in a pile of hay.
9) In the morning, Derek is introduced to the owner, ANNIE DUNCAN. It's his ex-girlfriend. Derek is ready to walk but she convinces him to stay, knowing he'll make her a lot of money. They agree to avoid each other as best as possible.
10) Herb shows Derek the tent he'll be working in. Derek has to clean it out and set things up himself. Everyone must carry their own weight, Herb explains. No exceptions.
11) Derek asks around the area for an extra table and a broom.
12) He meets JIMMY the "whipping boy" for the company. Jimmy quickly explains the lay of the land. He also finds him all the stuff he needs to set up his tent.
And so on.... |