AMBEDO By Emily Drake Padgett story by Patricio Camara Rubio Draft 6 1/21/17 Writer: Emily Drake Padgett padgett.ed@artist.uncsa.edu Director of Photography: Mitchell Brinker brinker.mm@artist.uncsa.edu Director: Production Designer Patricio Camara Rubio Miranda Pratt camara_rubio.p@artist.uncsa.edupratt.mc@artist.uncsa.edu Producers: Gillian Skipper skipper.gm@artist.uncsa.edu Editor Kevin Mackler mackler.k@artist.uncsa.edu Elliott Emfinger emfinger.ee@artist.uncsa.edu
INT. ARCHIVE ROOM - AFTERNOON Half the lights are off. Rows and rows of cased film reels line the room. Dust hangs lazily in the air. At the end of one of the aisles stands (75) -- stranded. Then he slowly comes back to life: he reaches up and takes down a reel. He holds it gingerly in his hands. INT. PROJECTION BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER Methodically, Artie finishes loading an old projector. He flips a heavy switch... On the screen in the auditorium below: a woman gazes up at a man, singing a song. The man on the screen chuckles her name:. Artie smiles, a glimmer returning to his eye from behind thin-framed glasses. As the film plays, he continues to work, packing old projecting equipment, posters, and knicknacks into yet more boxes. Finally, he comes to the last item on the wall: a framed photograph of a much younger Artie outside a grand cinema, the marquis reading "GRAND OPENING." The young Artie beams, hands proudly on his hips. The old Artie stares down at the picture with something like repulsion on his face. He tosses it in a trash can. He shuts off the projector. The room is cloaked in darkness. EXT. CINEMA - LATER Artie trudges through the front door, blinking against the blinding sunlight. In his hands he holds a small box full of personal belongings, photograph on top. Artie turns to roughly lock the front door. Above him, the marquis reads CLOSING. He marches to a tired-looking sedan and shuts himself inside.
2. EXT. DINER - LATER Artie s car engine grumbles to a stop. He tries to roll the window up, but it s jammed. No matter how hard he tries, it just won t budge. Artie slowly stands from the car and shuts the door... but the cardboard box is still exposed on the passenger seat. With a heavy sigh, Artie reaches back in the car and retrieves the box. INT. DINER - MOMENTS LATER The diner definitely used to be shiny and warm, but since has rusted in places and lost its sheen and its good smell. A young couple sit in a booth. A businesswoman talks quietly into a cell phone at a table. A few other diners are scattered throughout the restaurant. A JANGLE as the diner door opens. Artie enters it carefully, being sure to balance his cardboard box in his arms. He looks lost and out of place. BOOTH - MOMENTS LATER Artie sits in a peeling booth, staring out the window. A woman s voice booms from the back: (O.S.) With ya in a minute! A plump woman with greying red curls bumbles from behind the counter. It s (65), cheerful head waitress of the diner. She slides a too-full glass of water in front of Artie. A bit early for lunch, ain t it? I guess. Whaddya want, honey. Artie swipes a greasy plastic menu from behind the napkin dispenser and flips through it. Gertrude grabs her notepad.
CONTINUED: 3. I ll have the... some eggs on a waffle-- Butter with that? Yes. Coffee? Please. The usual! Breakfast for lunch! With ya in a moment. She flips her book shut and bustles off. When she s gone, Artie slumps in his seat, taking a drag from his sweaty water glass. In front of him, the romantic young couple share brunch. Agitated, Artie regards his box of belongings on the table. Just a couple of notepads, some pens, and a name tag. A JANGLE. A high-pitched LAUGH. Artie glances up to see a couple of older women burst into the restaurant, sharing a joke. Sighing, Artie returns to the photograph and gently places it back in the box. Another woman s LAUGH, but closer. Artie ignores it. Ahem. WOMAN (O.S.) Again, Artie looks up, his face squinty and tired, only for it to drop instantly and replaced by wonder. A woman in a flowing, cap-sleeved dress and brown fur coat stands before him. Her shoulder-length hair curls elegantly around her face, and red lips curve up in a smile. She s almost glowing. Ava from the film.
CONTINUED: 4. May I sit? Artie s mouth hangs open, but he doesn t respond. Gathering her skirt, the Woman slides perfectly onto the hard wooden bench and smiles widely back at him. Artie can only take her in. (smiling) Don t you remember me? Her voice lilts, almost a song as she speaks to him. The diner seems less dingy....ava? Ava beams and nods slowly. Why... How did you--? I m here for you. Smiling, she shrugs off her coat. So... what re ya gettin? Artie just stares at her, dumbfounded. Ava takes his silence in stride, instead turning her attention outward. (looking around) It s a bit of a... homely place, isn t it? I m sorry, I still-- how are you here? Ava just shrugs and flashes him a smile. Thought it d be nice to stop by and see you. Outside of the theater, I mean.
CONTINUED: 5. Artie snaps to attention at this. But you... You re just a-- Not to everyone, Artie. Ava smiles slyly, then leans across the table, regarding the box. Where ya goin? Artie nudges the box with his hand. Home... I guess. We ve closed. This is it. Ava shakes her head slightly and drums her fingers together. But then she glances back and shoots him a charming grin. Well! Now I m here. I ll keep ya company. (almost smiling) Just like you always have. It really was lovely. Being seen by so many other people, in an audience... exhilarating! She leans across the table again. (playful) All thanks to you, y know. If you hadn t found my reel, restored it... Well. It was great fun, wasn t it? Yeah... until they stopped coming. Here y are-- A plate full of food - bright yellow eggs, crispy bacon, a golden pancake - is set in front of him.
CONTINUED: 6. Do you want anything? Ava shakes her head no, and Artie briefly turns to Gertrude. Thanks. Gertrude gives him a peculiar look, then scurries to attend to the businesswoman nearby. Artie stabs his fork into his eggs, then grins up at Ava. I ve never met someone from the movies before. Really! All that time you were working on em? Well... I mainly did the projecting. It was me holed up in that dark room all that time, just me and the film. They sit in silence for a moment as Artie takes a swig from his coffee. Then Ava s face lights up. I remember that day like it was yesterday. There were so many people. The theater was so brand-new, and mine was the first film you screened. Finally, Artie responds, almost hesitantly. It sure was nice. The laughter in that auditorium...! (chuckling) It was a lot of fun, that s right. As he thinks about it, his face falls back to a scowl. But Ava still looks at him with a gentle expression.
CONTINUED: 7. So many lives were touched in that theater. It was wonderful. (not making eye contact) For what? Ava looks at him, her chin resting on her hand. For you. Artie glances up at her, finally meeting her gaze. A genuine smile finally begins to creep across his face. He starts to chuckle, and Ava only grins back. (O.S.) You want anything else? Broken from the conversation, Artie looks up at the waitress. I think... we re all right. As she leaves, Artie looks back to Ava, mouth curved back up in a smile. She s gone, but not to Artie. The diner falls back to its slightly greyer atmosphere, but Artie finishes his lunch happily. Quickly, he reaches in his pocket, takes out some bills, and throws them on the table. He takes his box and stands to leave, carefully collecting his box.