Screenplay project
FANTOME LOVE
FADE IN:
INT. GALLERY – DAY
A projection on the wall shows a women screaming.
JACOB and AMY (both mid 20’s, a couple,) watch the film. Amy
takes her headphones off and walks away. Jacob follows her.
JACOB
Are you okay? What is it?
AMY
Nothing.
Jacob puts his arm round her and gives her a kiss as they
continue through the gallery looking at the rest of the Art
exhibition. Suddenly Amy stops and turns to Jacob.
AMY
I think we need a break.
JACOB
(confused)
What? Amy?
AMY
Sorry Jacob. I gotta go. Sorry.
Distressed, Amy rushes from the gallery. Jacob stands alone
in front of the screaming women.
JACOB
What the hell?!
Jacob looks around the gallery, bewildered, before going
after her.
FLASHFORWARD
EXT. KENNINGHALL COLLEGE GROUNDS - DAY
ZAC (mid 20’s) stands looking gravely at the crime scene
cordoned off with police tape. He is in the grounds of a
London Sixth Form College, a collection of innocuous
municipal buildings. Traffic and people going by unconcerned,
indifferent. Upset, Zac walks away leaving the grounds.
EXT. JACOB’S BUILDING – DAY
Zac approaches Jacob’s apartment. He looks up at the windows.
From his pocket he pulls a set of keys. He looks around as he
lets himself in.
INT. JACOB’S BUILDING, HALLWAY – DAY - FLASHBACK
Two teens, ALEX and FRIEND, head downstairs rough-housing one
another. The door slams shut after them.
INT. JACOB’S FLAT – DAY
Hearing the door slam JACOB gets up from the couch carrying
his laptop. He looks out the window and sees Alex and friend
crossing the road. Alex turns around and looks up smiling.
(FLASHBACK ENDS)
INT. JACOB’S BUILDING, HALL - DAY - PRESENT
Zac climbs the stairs of the gloomy hallway to Jacob’s flat
on the top floor.
INT. JACOB’S BUILDING, HALL – DAY
Zac opens the flat door. It is in darkness. Zac enters and
turns the light on.
INT. JACOB”S FLAT - DAY
The place is a mess. Strewn with clothes, glasses, plates,
bottles and sheets of paper. Zac, surprised, walks through
the flat taking in the chaos
ZAC (V.O.)
What happened?
Sheets of A4 paper with images and text, are pinned to the
walls.
ZAC (V.O.)
I want to tell you.
Zac looks at images of Victorians pinned to the wall.
ZAC (V.O.)
But I feel uneasy. I feel...
Zac throws open the curtains.
ZAC (V.O.)
...I may be spreading some kind of
curse.
INT. JACOB’S FLAT - DAY - FLASHBACK (RECENT PAST)
In between scribbling furiously and typing on his laptop, a
manic, Jacob talks to the empty room.
ZAC (V.O.)
What happened to Jacob? Was it
the break-up with Amy?
A photograph of Jacob and Amy.
ZAC (V.O.)
Was he ill?
Jacob gets up. He’s not wearing anything. He heads over to
the printer.
ZAC (V.O.)
Was it a mental breakdown?
An image of a Victorian woman emerges from the printer.
ZAC (V.O.)
Was it drugs?
Jacob pins the image to the wall.
(FLASBACK ENDS)
INT. JACOB’S FLAT, LIVING ROOM – DAY - PRESENT
Zac continues to look around the chaotic flat.
ZAC (V.O.)
Or was it really something else,
something other-worldly...
Something supernatural?
Zac opens the window and looks out.
INT. WAREHOUSE - FILM SET – DAY - FLASHBACK
Jacob is on the set of a low budget film. A corner of the
warehouse space has been turned into a bedroom. A small film
crew is at work.
Jacob looks at his phone and makes a call. It goes to
voicemail.
JACOB
Hi Amy. It’s me. Call me.
Jacob watches the film crew as they focus on the two actors
on a bed, BEN and KIM.
DIRECTOR
You all ready? Take three...
Action!
The couple look at one another intently for a moment, then
kiss.
DIRECTOR
Cut. That’s perfect. That’s it.
That’s a wrap.
Ben and Kim get up from the bed and congratulate one another.
DIRECTOR
Fantastic. Everyone thank you
for your help.
Ben leaves the bed and heads over to the Director.
BEN
(to director)
Can I see?
DIRECTOR
It’s great.
Ben and the Director look at the footage on a monitor. The
PRODUCER joins them.
PRODUCER
Wrap party tomorrow! At this
West-end place.
The Producer hands cast and crew flyers as they begin to
break down the set.
Ben takes one and heads over to where Jacob is seated.
BEN
I could do with a drink.
JACOB
(looks up from phone)
That was great. I saw some wine
over there.
BEN
Let’s go to the Pub.
JACOB
Sure.
Jacob gets up and grabs his bag. He calls out to the
Director.
JACOB
You gonna join us at the Swan?
Jacob follows Ben toward the door.
DIRECTOR
Cool. I’m gonna go straight
home. But see you tomorrow.
INT. LOCAL PUB, THE SWAN – NIGHT
Jacob and Ben sit at a table in the bar with their drinks.
JACOB
I think its gonna look great.
What’s next for you?
BEN
Not much. You have to write me
something. I can help get it
produced.
JACOB
How?
BEN
I’m loaded!
JACOB
You know, I might have something.
Ben looks interested.
JACOB
How about a Transvestite...
vigilante... super-hero!?
BEN
Typecast again!
JACOB
...Righting wrongs, meting out
Justice, holding the line.
Just finished it. Been working
on it for ages.
Ben puts his hand on Jacob’s leg as he speaks.
BEN
Action hero in drag! Sounds
amazing! You got to let me
read it?
JACOB
Sure. I’ll send it to you.
BEN
No. Now! Do you have your laptop?
JACOB
Yeah.
BEN
Lets go back to mine. Print
it out and we can read through,
and have a smoke.
JACOB
Sure.
Ben’s hand remained on his thigh.
BEN
What?
JACOB
You not gonna try it on
again?
BEN
(smiling)
You mean you don’t fancy me?
Jacob took a swig from his pint. Ben grabs at Jacob’s crotch and Jacob splutters his beer overthe table. Ben removes his hand and falls back laughing as Jacob wipes his face.
BEN
I can deal with that. Anyway,
I was drunk. Shall we go back
to mine? Or yours. I’m easy.
INT. BOOKSHOP - DAY
Jacob sits behind a till with stacks of books on a counter in
front of him. A solitary customer browses. Jacob looks at his
phone.
JACOB
(into phone)
Hi Zac... How’s it going? What
you doing tonight? We finished
filming yesterday. The wrap
party is tonight. Do you wanna
come? It’s in Soho. Call me.
Jacob put his phone away and says hello to the customer. He
picked up a stack of books and heads over to a bookshelf.
EXT. JACOB’S BUILDING - STREET - DAY
Jacob walks up to front door of the large Victorian house,
and lets himself in.
INT. JACOB’S BUILDING - HALL - DAY
The hall is cluttered; a couple of bikes, bits of furniture,
a leafy plant, gardening tools, cardboard boxes and a table
with residents mail waiting to be collected.
Jacob looks through the mail. Nothing. He heads up-stairs.
(FLASHFBACK ENDS)
INT. JACOB’S FLAT – DAY - PRESENT
As Zac wanders through Jacob’s trashed flat hears a noise.
Was it coming from the other room? He turns around, retraces
his steps and looks for a possible source.
INT. JACOB’S FLAT – EVENING - FLASHBLACK
Jacob’s phone pings. He closes his flat door and heads to the
kitchen. He takes his phone from his pocket and reads the
text from Zac.
TEXT
Sounds great. Where n when?
INT. JACOB’S FLAT - LATER
The flat is neat and tidy. Music plays and Jacob drinks beer
and dances as he moves from room to room.
Finally he gets a look together in front of the mirror.
EXT. VARIOUS - WEST END STREETS - NIGHT
London. Glittering lights. Busy street’s. People of different
types, the ordinary, the eccentric. Urban life. Shop-fronts.
Bustle. Traffic. Towers. Energy.
EXT. WEST END STREET - NIGHT
Jacob gets off the bus and makes his way through the busy
hectic streets.
INT. BAR - NIGHT
Music and lights play as young men and women, groomed and
dressed in fashionable ways perch at tables and pose at the
bar, engaging in talk or dance.
Jacob stands at the bar with members of the film crew,
including the Producer, the Director and Ben.
PRODUCER
A Transvestite vigilante
thriller?!
BEN
It’s great. You need to read
it!
JACOB
You need to read it. It’s
not gay!
PRODUCER
Ok. Send! Although I’m gonna
be busy on a money making
project soon.
As they laugh, Jacob’s phone lights up and rings.
JACOB
(into phone)
I’m at the bar. Upstairs.
Zac and Jacob see one another across the room. They greet
each other with a hug.
ZAC
Hey. How’s it going?
JACOB
Cool. This is Ben. He was in
the film. And this is the film’s
Producer, Kat. This is the
Director...
ZAC
Hi. Hi.
BEN
(to Zac)
You in a band? You look like
you’re in a band.
ZAC
No. I’m a DJ.
BEN
Cool! DJ Zac.
ZAC
No. DJ Zee.
INT. CLUB, DANCEFLOOR - NIGHT
Jacob, Zac and the others throw some shapes on the dance
floor.
Zac and Ben leave Jacob dancing on his own.
The track finishes. Jacob heads off the dance floor to the
bar where Zac and Ben continue flirting.
INT. CLUB, BAR – NIGHT
Over loud music Jacob talks with Kim (the actress). Kat the
producer joins them. Kat and Kim talk. Jacob wonders off.
Jacob takes his phone out and writes a text.
TEXT
What u up to? I might head
home. I’m drunk. C u soon...
EXT. CLUB, ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Jacob leaves the bar passing Club Kids dressed in strong
styles queuing or hanging out in the smoking area.
JACOB
Great Hat.
A guy in a vintage top hat stares through him as another guy
barges into him.
ANGRY MAN
Fucking Hell. Watch where
you’re going.
The guy in the top hat laughs. Jacob heads off.
EXT. MAIN STREET – NIGHT
Walking along Oxford St. Jacob turns into a side road.
Suddenly it is less busy. He continues along and turns into
another side street.
He feels as if he is being followed. He looks over his
shoulder. He increases his pace. The STALKER follows.