I had an idea for a film about a teenage boy who is diagnosed with cancer. This is a short script of how I thought the film would start.
Something Big
A script for an
emotional drama about a teenage boy who finds out he has cancer but is
determined to leave his mark on the world. He doesn’t know how long he has to
live but he knows it could be two years or less. He has decided to announce his
illness on a video and post it to Facebook.
Jamie: (Quietly) I
never thought I would be this guy. (Loud and Boldly) Today I was diagnosed with terminal
cancer.
(5 second pause)
(Slowly and quietly) Today I was diagnosed with
cancer. I found out that I am going to die. They found a tumour around here
(Points at chest). (Starting to build) They said its too close to the heart for them to do
anything. They said that surgery, it wont stop the spreading. My chances are
slim.
(2 second pause)
But I’m not going to die today. And I’m not going to die tomorrow. I will
spend every last breath I have and use every ounce my still beating heart to helping people whose lives have been destroyed by
this disease. They will have something to live for again.
(2 second pause)
Cancer isn’t the end for me...
cancer is only the beginning. (Quietly) This is the start of something big.
(3 second pause)
You will be
seeing a lot more of me.
Dip to black
Title fades in "SOMETHING BIG"
Flashback to Jamie
being woken up for school.
Earlier that day.
Debbie: (Shouts up stairs) Jamie you’re gonna be late for
school.
Jamie: (Shouts downstairs) Alright, alright I’m just
finishing up. (Jamie is putting the finishing
touches on his sculpture for his
art class, he smiles as he has finished his sculpture and is proud of the
result).
Jamie on the
bus protecting his sculpture on the way to school.
(School bell rings
with establishing shot of the school)
Jamie is late to his
class carrying his sculpture trying not to let it get knocked as he weaves
through a crowded corridor.
Jamie: Oh, Excuse me. Watch, Watch. Ah.
Jamie runs the final
stretch to his lesson. Slow motion and a heart beat sound
plays as Jamie gets closer to the classroom. He grabs the door and collapses to
the floor falling into the classroom shattering his sculpture against the floor.
Fades to black. The thumping heart sound transforms into a high frequency which plays through the next scene.
Wakes up in hospital.
POV shot showing mother crying. Muffled sounds underneath the high frequency.
Doctor: I’m sorry son.