Image by Ronan Gallagher (c) 01
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BAD TRIP
Written by
Ronan Gallagher
(C) Ronan Gallagher 03
BLACK
SCREEN
MUSIC
OVER
FADE
UP TO
SCENE
1
OPENING
CREDITS OVER
EXTERIOR
RIVER LIFFEY NIGHT
Dark
Moonlit water fills the screen as camera passes upriver, very fast, and at a low
angle close to the waters surface. Water rushes past as the opening beat of
MUSIC OVER fills the soundtrack.
WHOOSH
as we pass some debris in the water.
SFX
STARTLED DUCK TAKING OFF FROM WATER NEARBY
WHOOSH!
As we pass under a bridge and out the other side and on upriver.
Camera
pulls back almost imperceptibly, revealing more of the rivers surface.
In
the background MUSIC OVER continues its rhythmic beat.
Other lights begin to reflect intermittently on the water's surface, as
camera rushes upriver.
WHOOSH
as we pass under another bridge and out again to more lights reflecting on the
water now, as we pass through an urban area. Sound of people and cars in the
distance.
SFX
WHOOSHING SOUND as camera passes a discarded shopping trolley.
Continuing
upriver at speed and Whoosh as we pass under another bridge and pass out to many
more city lights reflecting on the waters surface accompanied with all the
sounds of a thriving and busy city.
Passing
more debris and driftwood still low over water until suddenly camera rises and
up over O'Connell bridge narrowly missing the heads of oblivious pedestrians
crossing the bridge. Camera continues up and up over the bright lights of the
city center bustling with people and traffic. On past the Financial Services
building and towards the Docks passing old run down warehouses and derelict
buildings. Close on one derelict warehouse and through a window to…
SCENE
2
INT
WAREHOUSE DOCKLANDS NIGHT
MARTY
KELLY, a balding, stocky, bull of a man in his late forties and JOHNNY HARKIN,
25 handsome in an almost innocent way, stand opposite each other frozen in
frame. MARTY is pointing a gun at JOHNNY. Camera begins to slowly circle them,
the scene frozen in time.
V/O
JOHNNY
They
say that everyones life can have a defining moment. A moment in time that can
change things forever. I guess you could say that staring down the barrel of a
gun was mine.
Camera
continues circling the two men.
V/O
JOHNNY
It
was a moment I never expected would come to pass, and now that it had, just one
burning question kept going over and over in my head.
The
camera having come full circle now stops opposite MARTY.
CU
MARTY. His cold, vengeful eyes stare into CAMERA
CU
JOHNNY. Fearful, strained, yet somehow resigned he stares death in the face.
V/O
JOHNNY
How
did it come to this?
CLOSE
on gun barrel. Suddenly the gun barrel explodes as MARTY fires into camera.
HARDCUT
TO
SCENE
3
EXT
TEMPLE BAR NIGHT
CAMERA
racing
at breakneck speed through the busy streets of TEMPLE BAR to crash zoom on CU JOHNNY
HARKIN, 25, strikingly handsome as he walks along the street.
V/O
JOHNNY
Twenty
four hours earlier everything was so different. Back then for me there were two
certainties…
HARDCUT
TO
Tracking
with Johnny as he walks along Temple Bar. Dressed trendily and with a confident
walk he cuts a dashing figure as he makes his way along the busy street,
V/O
JOHNNY
Life
was short, and in this town, it was like a shit sandwich…
Passing
night revelers, clubbers and tourists, many of them black and foreign looking,
reflecting the huge influx of different cultures to modern Ireland.
V/O
JOHNNY
The
more bread you got, the less shit you had to eat!
On
the odd lamp post small posters with the forlorn faces of young men staring out
from under the words 'MISSING'. A drunk staggers in his path, bumps into JOHNNY
then lurches out of view. A boisterous 'Stag party' sing 'Ole Ole' as they
stagger down the street wolf-whistling and ogling at various women that pass
them.
JOHNNY
V/O
And
as this was a place where you got plenty of both…
Passing
a trendy café as a black waiter brings coffee to a group of tourists at a
pavement table. More pictures of the missing men are dotted around on various
lampposts and shop windows, their faces staring out of the posters at the
oblivious passers by. A group of girls, very raucous and very drunk emerge from
a restaurant. Further on a band of accordion playing Slovakian buskers bang out
an old polka.
V/O
JOHNNY
…I
concentrated on making bread.
Passing
Temple Bar Square he sees a crowd gathered around a black fire-eating limbo
dancer performing his act. Long black braided hair and a beautifully sculpted
body, the LIMBO DANCER arches his back impossibly as he lowers himself under the
bar, which is on fire.
JOHNNY
…Lots
of it.
His
muscles stretch and flex as he tries to wiggle and contort his body under the
limbo bar which is just a couple of feet off the ground. For a moment, as JOHNNY
passes he catches the eye of the LIMBO DANCER just as he comes out from under
the limbo bar.
V/O
JOHNNY
Back
then I was eight foot tall and bulletproof…
The
PERFORMER, his eyes still on JOHNNY, blows a plume of fire from his mouth and
triumphantly raises his hands in the air then quickly turns away to acknowledge
his appreciative crowd, many of whom clap and throw coins and notes into his
busking bag. JOHNNY turns and continues walking under the arch and into
MERCHANTS ALLEY. A ROMANIAN GYPSY WOMAN pushes a 'Big Issue' magazine in his
face. Ignoring her he walks up to a door and pushes it in.
HARDCUT
TO
SCENE
2
INTERIOR
RAVE CLUB NIGHT
CU
DOOR
The
door bursts open and JOHNNY walks into the club looking straight to camera. The
place is thronged with people, drinking, dancing and in a party mood.
V/O
JOHNNY
I
was going places.
As
he walks through the club various people approach him. All are smiling and seem
to know him or want to know him.
V/O
JOHNNY
I
had plenty of friends, and I made a good living…
A
group of beautiful girls call out to him as he passes. One stands in his way and
kisses him passionately. He responds in kind then frees himself from her gently.
As he does so he slips her a pill which she gratefully takes, pops in her mouth
and swallows with a drink of her bottled water before smiling broadly at
him and discreetly passing him some money.
JOHNNY
…even
if it wasn't strictly kosher…
He
gives her a peck on the cheek then winks at her indicating he'll see her later
and walks on. She watches him as he walks on towards a door at the back of the
club.
V/O
JOHNNY
…But,
shit happens! And no matter how much bread you’ve got, suddenly your life is
full of nothing but shit...
He
approaches the door and opens it.
V/O
JOHNNY
Serious
shit! Shit you could have never seen coming…
CUT
TO
SCENE
3
INTERIOR
RAVE CLUB BACK OFFICE NIGHT
High
shot from overhead. JIMMY DEVLIN the nightclub manager is bent over an old safe
putting bundles of money into it. JOHNNY enters the room. Johnny sees Devlin but
Devlin hasn’t seen Johnny and continues loading the safe.
V/O
JOHNNY
…Even
in your wildest nightmares.
Johnny
pulls out something from his inside pocket and pointing it directly at Devlin,
rushes over to him, shouting aggressively at the top of his voice.
JOHNNY
Give
me all your money or die motherfucker!