The Idea

So here's the plot line and the script:

Plot Line

START:

·        Daughter lying on floor in tears camera tracking out on top of character her eyeline follows father as he stands there for a few secs then walks out of door (audible click) and cuts to flashback.

·        A single wide static shot in living room of dad showing all different emotions of bipolar depression: Angry-ecstatic, happy-sad. (Dancing on his own happily and then dancing the waltz sadly with his wife as she fades away. Cutting from jumping up and down in the air to curled in a ball

·        Tracking left to right or right to left looking at pictures of family happy. Tracks over to father in bedroom taking pills looking extremely warn out and sad.

·        Scene of father who has made dinner for daughter sitting at table as daughter walks in- He is ecstatic, very happy but taking pills. Daughter sits at table with a fake smile asking how he is feeling stressing about how he is.

·        Scene of father in car time-lapse as it becomes dark.

·        Scene next day- daughter walking into house and dad is sat smoking with dinner on table- she walks in says hi and he looks up angry and starts argument questioning ‘where have you been?’ very over the top. She tells him to calm down and to take his pills- he hits the pills from her hand and blames her for her mother’s death whilst pushing her to the floor.

·        He stands there for a second looking slightly shocked and guilty- he walks out of the house and we see the daughter lying there putting her hands over her face and crying.

·        Cuts to the father walking up to the side of a bridge standing at the edge and lighting a fag, he bursts into tears.

·        His mobile rings and he answers it, his daughter sobbing says please come home dad.

·        He replies I’m sorry for everything that has happened and hangs up the phone.

·        He takes out his wallet looking at a photo of his wife and daughter and still sobbing flicks his cigarette over the bridge and steps up to the edge of it looking down. After a few seconds he looks up slowly to the camera.

CUTS TO BLACK

Script

FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM #1 – DAY

Daughter is layed down on back. She has tears running down her face and is laying still as if not daring to move. Her father is stood up away from where she is laying and has the expression of both shock and guilt on his face. He leaves the room walking out the front door and is followed around by the eyeline of his daughter still unmoved on the floor.

As the door slams we are accompanied by a flashback of the father dancing happily on his own followed quickly be tragically doing the waltz with his wife who fades away during the dance revealing him dancing on his own. This is shortly followed by him jumping up and down with great happy expression to him curled in a ball on the sofa not moving.

INT. HALLWAY/BEDROOM #2 - DAY

Looking through the hallway we see the pictures of the family happy in different places. We are slowly revealed the father in his bedroom smoking, and taking pills looking really upset, possibly reading a bipolar booklet from the doctors.

INT. DINING ROOM #3 - DAY

Father is sitting on the dining room table in front of two plates of tea placed opposite each other with an empty seat opposite where someone should be sat. Daughter walks into house through the front door wearing school clothing and school bag.

DAUGHTER

Hi dad, I’m back.

FATHER

(Ecstatically) Hiya flower, look, I made us dinner! Took me a long time. Come eat with me. How has your day been?

DAUGHTER

(Smiles unconvincing) Well... this is nice. Thanks dad. How are you feeling today? What have you done? Have you taken your pills?

Daughter grabs pills and reaches out to give them to him. He takes them kindly and puts them next to him.

FATHER

Yes yes. Don’t worry about me flower. I’m more bothered about you.

DAUGHTER

Thanks dad. (Smiles) It’s nice to see you like this.

They share a smile and carry on eating.

I/E. CAR #4 - NIGHT

Father is sitting in car staring dreamlessly forward out of the windscreen. Stays there all evening.

INT. LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM #5 - DAY

Next day and daughter returns home from school. Her father is sat at the Dining Room table looking down at the food not eating with a cigarette in his mouth.

DAUGHTER

Hi dad. I’m home.

The father looks up angrily and stands up so fast as to allow his chair to fly back and the table to move slightly. He marches toward her

FATHER

(Raising voice) Where have you been? This dinner was ready 5 minutes ago and you have been dordeling around outside!

DAUGHTER

(Trying to cut in) No dad I’ve been at school...

FATHER

Don’t give me that excuse you’ve been avoiding coming back because of me haven’t you? You’ve been trying to keep away from me because you think this condition makes me a freak don’t you?

DAUGHTER

No dad I swear I’m sorry...(Grabs Pills) Look you need to take your pills dad.

Father reacts aggressively hitting the pills out of his daughters hand onto the floor. He pushes forward at her.

FATHER

If you hadn’t of been so stupid to avoid me this wouldn’t have happened you’re just selfish, all you care about is you. You never bothered with anyone else. You will drive everyone away from you. Just look at what you did to your mother.

Father pushes his daughter to the ground. She lands in the same position as described at the start. There is a moment of unfilled silence as tears stream from her eyes and her father looks at her with a shocked and guilty face. He then walks from the room and leaves the house through the front door. She lays still putting her hands to her face and cries. A car is heard starting and driving off in background.

EXT. BRIDGE #6 - DAY

Father drives up and stops the car. He gets out and walks to the bridge stepping toward the edge. He lights a cigarette and takes out his wallet looking at a picture of his daughter and wife together. He bursts into tears. Shortly after his phone rings, he answers.

DAUGHTER

(Sobbing) Please come home dad. Don’t stay out.

FATHER

I’m so sorry flower. I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done to you.

Father puts down phone. He puts the picture into his back pocket and flicks his fag over the side of the bridge. He then steps up to the side of the bridge looking down and slowly looks up until he is looking directly into the camera.

END