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"Swimming in the rain"

By Timothy Sheridan

© 2008-11info@theubie.com

A goldfish crosses an aquarium to find a family, and is carried by an ambulatory helper named Hank.Assisted by a color changing character and a bird and undergoes a truck ride before settling at home.

Includes funny talking character with ‘far sight’, a tank of yellow fish, and journey through the plumbing.

123 pgs.

2011 Pitch name: Nemo's Big Hollywood Adventure (with academic license)“Nemo” related terms are not included but were suggested under academic license to convey opportunity for a billion dollar fish movie. (3.5 pages of promo redacted)

This is not a story of a lost fish who’s friends go to look for him.

This script remains for sale.

OPEN CREDITS (music)

EXT. TROPICAL ISLANDS

Fly along beach. (Serene orchestral)

Sunrise as camera sinks into sea (strong bright orchestral)

INT. OCEAN

Swirling bubbles and seaweed (swirling orchestral measure)

A turtle in the distance (horns foundation)

A passing fish (overture to theme)

Many passing fish (Overture)

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Zooming through tall Coral into mysterious places with brain coral (Mysterious)

Colorful coral mostly still (brassy horns and orchestra)

Fan coral waving (somewhat swingy show tunes)

At the base of a rock a fish gulps another fish (sinister theme)

Waving seaweed and fish (burlesque)

Suarrow-like coral and tumbling bramble (western theme)

Track up a coral wall (blustery adventure theme)

Low track through sand (Arabian theme)

Falling fish food (anticipation theme with ascents on tiny fish eating it)

Crest a ridge to a great coral valley (majestic theme)

Down into the fray (busy metropolis theme) Zoom to a coral reef with Hero (segue to syrupy luxury theme)

INT. SEA -LOUNGING AT SEA

Hero is lounging in his coral reef ocean paradise. Nibbling on passing bits of stuff. Taking in the rays of sun. A school of passing fish are enacting Marti gras with screams and cheers. Hero comments

HERO Hey yo. guys. heh heh.

He rolls over squiggles and bites another floating piece of stuff. Yawns.

A school of tiny yellow fish dart past.

HERO wooh huh catch you later.

A frightened but totally inarticulate fish darts into his coral reef and away

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SOME FISH Ehh uhh ohh Ahh."

HERO Hey woa. chill pill.

Hero then looks to see. He turns looks behind him.

It's is a diver. WITH A NET! (Ominous Music)

HERO oh hey.

Hero turns head sideways. and approaches

HERO hmm. Good morning! Um. Hi."

(Music: Stomping Cello)

He is scooped up!

INT. FISHNET -DAY -IN THE NET!

Various frantic but unknowing fish are captured in a mesh net.

SOME FISH What?, Huh, Hey, Oh, Huh? HERO Um uh Hi. Oh heh hello. Ooh a morning.

DROOPY Have you seen my glasses?

BACKGROUND FISH These are not the normal currents I am used to.

ANOTHER FISH1 Uhh this is not coral. This just is not coral.

ANOTHER FISH2

I'm saying, net on net, were, uhh,

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in a net! That's net! Net mind you!

Another fish looks through the net.

ANOTHER FISH3 I can see. I can see. I see uhh. a boat. A boat with, no sails. And, and, a lunch room. What's a lunch room?

ANOTHER FISH4 I'm telling you we have to stick together. We have to stay close. We have to hang tight. We have to wash each other backs. This whole, whole, whatever it is, is, is, is really something.

Another fish tries eating the net.

ANOTHER FISH5 First I'm a gona take a bite on a the raw a string, a for taste a the flavor. then I'm a gona add a little a sauce.

He bites the string and is not particularly impressed. A large fish looks in and see Hero.

HERO Uh ooh. Hey uhh. um hi.

The diver swims with the net toward the surface. EXT. BOAT -OUT OF WATER

Then the entire net is lifted from the water as the whole group gasps (inhales) in mach excitement. And are then and lowered into a transport tank and Sigh.

ALL hhhhhhhA! (shock)

ALL (in relief) Ahhhhhh.

ANOTHER FISH1

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Oooh

ANOTHER FISH2 Ohh

ANOTHER FISH3 Hmm

ANOTHER FISH4 Well

ANOTHER FISH3 That was.um.

CRITIC FISH(.4) Wow. Dramatic.

CRITIC FISH(.1) Uplifting

CRITIC FISH(.3) A thrill ride

CRITIC FISH(.4) Simply breath taking.

ANOTHER FISH(.1) So umm.

ANOTHER FISH(.3) What is this?

ANOTHER FISH(.1) umm hmm new surroundings.

HERO Uh. Where are we? OLD FISH "mm-mm-mm" (I don't know) this is nothing like the monsoon of 67. There was sloshing and swirling and switching. and sloshing. Did I say sloshing?"

The Boat drives off.

EXT. DOCK -MOORING AT DOCK

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The Boat lands at the dock.

CAPTAIN Ahoy!

DOCK GUY Yea.

CAPTAIN Tropicals. These are special delivery.

DOCK GUY Right over there.

The fish are placed on a plane. Which takes off.

EXT. AIR PLANE -SOARING -LANDING -MORNING

Plane lands. EXT. PLANE -LANDED

Boxes traveling across a tarmac. Something is signed.

EXT/INT LIMO

Several reaction shots, sloshing, and thump (near stillness) then whisked away again. The tank is carried to a limo. The door is closed. And it drives gently away. The transport aquarium with round edges sits on the seat.

Gentle classical music, wood grains, a hint of chrome. There is a view of the wet bar which the fish try to get near or to.

The steward drops in some fish flakes.

VARIOUS FISH Whoo! Hey. Ahh. Very nice. Full textured. Nice body. The Limo Cruses Off. Hero is sort of uninterested, still working on a lazy day. chats idly to another fish.

HERO Hi, I'm Hero.

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FISH5 Hi.

The Car stops and the door is opened The aquarium are placed on a trolley table.

VARIOUS FISH1 You know that was really good. Simply delicious. A real treat.

VARIOUS FISH2 I just know everything's coming up roses. I can feel it.,

VARIOUS FISH3 I, I, I want some more of what ever that was.

VARIOUS FISH4 I have to use the potty.

The tank is opened from the bottom as the fish all fall into various tanks which are wheeled off in different directions.

VARIOUS FISH Woa Heeey!

EXT. BACK LOT

Snappy full band music as carts of fish are wheeled past one another on the movie back lot.

FISH1 Hey.

FISH5 Hi,

FISH2 Hi

FISH3 Hello

FISH4 Hello

HERO

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Hello FISH5 Oh! Hero was just saying hello. Hiiiii!

Another fish is wheeled into a large building while being preened by his tiny assistants. Booms are swinging. Backdrops are moving

Someone stoops in front of another tank on a wheeled cart.

HUMAN Hmmm. Great. And there are more?

HUMAN2 Yea full set of tanks.

HUMAN Good.

INT. FISH BOWL

Hero (now in a fish bowl) is wheeled into an office down a long hallway as the music turns cooler. The cart stops and the bowl carried into a large office.

His fish bowl is plopped down on the board room table.

EXEC What've ya got for me?

PITCH MAN Uh W'l This is Hero. He's from our nature division. In his recent work uhh he, feeds on floating debris, uh'and gets captured uhh, by us.

EXEC uehh.

PITCH MAN And, in this one, he would umm, not be captured. And umm, we would film him, in his natural habitat. EXEC Well I'm not hearing it. Listen.

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You're washed up kid. You're out to sea. You hear me? You're sunk. Your whole concept is adrift. Your ratings are going under. You weren't even in half of your last movie. It's all numbers kid. The young audiences want Robots!, Lions! Uhh.Get him something in reception.

PITCH MAN Yes sir.

HERO But I can do cute! (face) I can sing (gargles distantly) I can do sad. (plays dead cough cough) I can do drama.

(drums)

Hero crawls on his elbows in the gravel with a leaf on his head.

HERO Hey watch this!

He back flips a inch out of the water. Huh? Huh?

They stare blankly at one another for a moment, then nothing. We do not see the CEO (Exec) except for his vest.

EXEC Listen kid, under water work is expensive. It's all tanks now. And unless you can ice skate, we need new material.

Hero is saddened and looks at his little tail. They show him several other fish posters that are colorful.(Film: "surf's up" ), one which puffs up (film: "Large") A fish with a large spiked fin and a cowboy hat (Film: "high tide"), a laid-back eel who's does a very scary

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face, (Nightmare on Eel Street) and another fish that has beautiful fins waving about. (Music) It's love at first sight. We see Angel in a poster.

EXEC Now this is our lineup. Sudze Wilson, Happy Blowfin, Boregard Moray

The Exec lifts his hand. The assistant then puts two bowls on the table.

EXEC And This, is Angel. She'll be starring in our next film 'Revenge of the Piranha' with Rufus here.

Rufus gives a big piranha (jack-o-lantern) smile. Angel blinks at Rufus.

EXEC Sorry.Good workin with ya kid. Show the fish out.

SONG: "All washed up." (Instrumental)

INT. HALL AND SECRETARIE'S OFFICE

Wheeled down the hall.

INT. SECRETARY OFFICE TANK

Rocks cave, small country shack, wheel barrow, water pump, a few long fronds of leafy sea plant. A misfit tank.

Hero is poured out of the fish bowl

HERO But I. I can dance! I can sing. (resisting the current) I'm swimming in the rain. Just swimming in the rain.

(slow mo) He falls and plunks into the aquarium. The bubbles swirl around him and he orients.

HERO I can. I, Wait. No.

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The handler leaves. A large Houdini poster hangs next to his new home. He is sullen.

Hero sees the other posters, a 30's musical style extravaganza (music) and a western (again music) He dreams of his big chance. Then the dull orchestral music.

(looking out the tank, adjusting to surroundings)

SONG Overture

HERO I'm on my own. This is all new. It's not too bad but I am sad. And a little blue. SONG

(Recapitulate) "all washed up" (slower Instrumental: "I was a hero.")

Hero looks around.

(song bounces in) SONG

I'm all washed up, (G) (Em) I guess I'm (Am) plane ol' (D7) ordinary stuff. I'm completely sunk.(G) (Em) In my, (Am) great big tank, (D7) with all new stuff.

I was a (C) hero, under (D)glass. Now, I (G) guess that time has (Em) passed. Now (Am)(D7) I'm all washed up.(G)

It's just my luck.(G) (Em) It happens (Am) all the (D7) time. I was (Am) doing just fine, in my (D7) world of brine. (D7sus)

I'm all washed up, (G) (bridge)

Soprano coral (soft): That little fish. He's a minnow by size. But there's a wale inside.

I guess I'll (Am) Be ok, Swimming (D7) round all day. I'll just (C) make my way in a world of play some (Em) other place.

And, I'm (G) thinking, of you. (Em7, G, Em7) thinking of you

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(G, Em7, G) But I'm in (Am) Hollywood with (D7) all my friends, I got (G) nothing to do except (Em) play with you (Am) (D7sus) (D7)

Hero settles in then meets secretary.

HERO Ohh Hi (innocent smile)

But he's got little to do.

(song ends)

Hero meets other fish -all odd balls and misfits. Gill has one eye much larger than the other. He is completely still between moves.

GILL Hey. How's it goin? What's wrong?

HERO Well I was in the sea and this. um big. thing um. then a bigger thing.and the swoooosh! Then hmmmmm. then klunk. un then slosh slosh slosh. then psshhhh. uh. um, Do you know I’m from a coral reef? It's just I wanta. well. what's your name."

GILL I'm Gilly. (blink, blink) You can call me Gil. (blink)

HERO Oh Hi I'm Hero. I'm. um. sort of lost.

GILL Oh well I never get lost. I'm, always right here. I got the rocks and the cave and And the food is good. Oh and this is Freckle

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(half awake on the bottom) and Spotty.

(back and forth at the glass) Spotty spends a lot of time at the glass.

HERO Hi. Hi.

Hero looks/swims around

GILL Now there's a couple things to know if you want to get along here. And, Wait. Here it comes. Oh yea. The pencil sharpener. Pencil sharpener, pencil sharpener, pencil sharpener! Watering the flowers. Flipping the calendar!

From a desk drawer comes the fish food.

GILL And PAYDAY!!!

Gill lifts his head. Gill does a barrel roll.

GILL Yeeehoo !

He slowly swims to the surface gaping repeatedly. Freckle wakes a little and looks up left and right.(huh?) Spotty looks left and right as he wiggles up the glass. They eat. Hero looks up as the secretary looks in through the wavy water with modest contentment.

He swims to look at the secretary.

HERO Um thank you!

She returns to her desk.

Hero settles in. One place is loud another is moving,

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another has bubbles. He comes to rest in or near the little shack.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

INT. SECRETARY OFFICE TANK

Passage of time. sun grows long, secretary sits at desk over and over. Feedings, boredom

INT. SECRETARY OFFICE TANK

Dreams of coral reef. Awakened by the secretary, a quick swim around the bubbles and a nibble of seaweed.

Hero peers forward as The tank guy arrives.(ominous joviality) humming. Pays little attention to the secretary. Gives a sideways glance then takes out his tools. A vacuum.he hangs the exhaust on the tank and dips the wand in. as water begins cycling bubbles first. He begins by eying the tank then vacuums. (Excitement) The fish cower

GILL Oh gees oh gosh.

Gill runs into the coral, Hero is innocently taking a look, Freckle shimmies under a rock and Spotty slinks down to the bottom of the glass. The vacuum scares Hero. Hero hides under a piece of seaweed an then as the vacuum moves about he hides in a clam shell. The clam shell gets stuck to the nozzle and is pulled off and thrown in to the junk tank. Hero has left the tank!

Hero swims out and looks back. The cleaning is completed. Hero is wheeled away on the metal cart.

Reaction shots Hero and friends.

INT. STOCK ROOM

Stock room has more movie posters on the walls. Fish side story, Fly tide, Washed away, Meet the flukers, or Forest

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Guppy, It is a long rectangle not very wide with a row of aquariums. Opposite a long counter top and shelves with a desk at one end and doors at the other.

Hero is wheeled into the Stock room.

INT. JUNK TANK

His break comes when the junk tank comes to rest next to the casting tank a clear cylinder with a crowd of fish in it. INT. CASTING CYLINDER

CROWD OF FISH 1 Guhol. Um well I um. uh. hey which way to the other tank? I'm trying to get to the secretary pool. Ehh I been there it ain't so much. What are we doing here? Oh right. Swimming.

Hero peers through at the others.

HERO (To self) oh Hi.

A Savy muscular coy in the Fall Stock tank notices him waving hello and tells his friends to wait.

INT. FALL STOCK

SAVY Uhh? Wait here.

He jumps over to the casting tank, then into the junk tank, then shows Hero how to escape.

INT. JUNK TANK

SAVY Look at this tiny tank. Duh water's all cloudy. Duh coral is barely growing. Dere's hardly any seaweed. You got to think about your condition. Listen. Come with me if you want to swim. Come on.

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Swim, like dis. harder. You have to work harder. Use your fins. Come on. You can do it. Swim faster!

Hero does it. He makes it into the Casting Cylinder.

INT. CASTING CILLINDAR

SAVY Good work I new you could do it. Take your time have a look around. I'm going to get a work out. You're great you just have to believe! Hey everybody this is Hero! Have a look around. Go ahead, there's plenty more places to see. About half the fish say hello. Some come to look. One takes an interest.

Savy takes to the treadmill. (a water inlet) then he leaves for the fancy one with a cone shaped nozzle in fall stock.

FISH Hi Hero

HERO Hi, I'm from a coral reef. Is this a reef?

CASTING FISH Is this a coral reef.

CASTING FISH2 Is this a coral reef.

CASTING FISH3 Is this a coral reef.

CASTING FISH4 Is this a coral reef.

CASTING FISH5 Is this a coral reef.

CASTING FISH6 What's a coral reef?

FISH

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Shhh! Gosh Hero maybe it's in one of the other tanks. You could look there.

HERO Oh. heh.ok. thanks.

HERO Hi.

CASTING FISH Hi, We swim in circles? Do you like circles?

HERO Oh heh heh.

Hero sees Savy leave and follows. He swims around a bit and then jumps over to fall stock. INT. FALL STOCK

A fountain park and autumn backdrop with the funnel where Savy exercises. Hero swims around saying hello to some of the fish. Hero Follows Savy again.on the tread mill. Hero get's tired and lags back.

HERO Hi.

SAVY Ah Hero. Good you are getting around. Nothing like a morning work out. Continue down the line and you will meet everybody.

Hero jumps onward.

INT. WINTER STOCK

It's cold. a snow-globe tank a bleak winter landscape. Hero hastens to follow.

HERO Brr

INT. SPRING STOCK

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.we hear the music of spring. There is a floral print on the background.with blossoming willows and daffodils.

FISH Hey. Hi, Hello.

The fish are very spry.

FISH Ahhh Ohh how do you do?

HERO uhh Hi.

FISH2 A wonderful day.

FISH Ah Yes.

FISH3 How's it going. Hero swims a long farther. and comes to the next glass wall.looking then jumping over. Hero makes it to summer stock.

INT. SUMMER STOCK -TANK

Many green plants. He immediately hears a lot of Hendrix music and commotion. The fish swim around with nothing to do.

Music: Possibly two stage tunes at once. or one stage tune and someone practicing the same line form a stage tune over and over.

VARIOUS FISH La la la la la la la Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa Me me me me me. Muh Muh Muh Muh Meeeeee. Fa fa fafafa fa faaaaa

HERO Hi. Hello. Does anyone know if this is a coral reef?

They all laugh. He joins in not knowing why they are laughing.

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BLUE Hey what do you know? I'm Blue

A fish finds the mic hanging in tank. He taps.

FISH uh hello. um. hello. testing. (he begins singing) I've got you under my fin. I've got you.

HERO Hi, I'm Hero. where am I?

BLUE This is summer stock. Which is. Um. well that's what it says on the tank. look.

We see the backwards letters on the tank.

HERO Oh. BLUE We um. well there's lights and sometimes there's food. And these big things (points to the camera) And there's other tanks. come on. I'll show you.

Hero swims to the camera and looks into its glassy darkness.

FISH I am a minor model of a modern major mackerel. I am well versed in sentiment, logic, knowledge and factoral. I boast a great array of scales with spines and fins spectac-laurel. I am a minor model of a modern major mackerel.

Julius Cesar: The fish gather then back away leaving another fish clasping and gasping. holding a plastic toothpick sward under his fin.

JULES

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Et tu Brutus? (Cough cough.gasp. flump.)

Hero starts toward him then pauses. as the fish jumps up to applause with his plastic prop.

BLUE Oh don't worry. That happens all the time around here.

The Jolly Roger: A small sand shark pilots a sunken ship and orders his men to bring Hero on board. A fish with a hook-fin looks through a plastic telescope mounted on the upper deck. His men are all deep sea critters.

BLUE woop. catch you later.

HERO huh?

CAPTAIN Seize that scurvey critter.

HERO Huh? Oh. um. CAPTAIN Well what do you have to say for yourself.

HERO Um I was wondering if any of you have seen my coral reef? They all laugh at him. He joins laughter cause he doesn't know why they are laughing.

CAPTAIN Arrr We have no chroaly reefies. What sort of gold is that?

HERO Um I don't know.

CAPTIN He walks the plank then.

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They will make him walk the plank. which he does. then one of the 'deep sea' crew, a freakish creature which is all mouth and teeth is about to bite him.

TINY SWARD FISH And Cut . That was great.

The human FILM ASSISTANT enters and leaves his things on the Desk. He sprinkles a few sprinkles for the fish.

TINY SWARD FISH Uhh. who's hungry? (looking up at the sudden shadow)

PORTHOLE Lunch!!

CAPTAIN Ar. vast ye scurvys grub yar selves then. uh sorry. (he breaks character) I mean, uh let's have lunch then shall we?. Jolly good. I'm Roger.

HERO Oh Hello. I'm Hero.

ROGER Oh let's go. VARIOUS FISH Hello, Hello, Oh pardon me, Hello, Nice to meet you, And what are you working on?, Ah were doing a choral piece just over there.

Hero does excited he loop-de -loops under the water a water wheel of a gold mine.

The food stops as quickly as it began. The others wander off as Hero is left still waiting. looking for more sprinkles. Hero eats a little more and swims looking at a school of fish swimming back and forth on a stage a chorus line of sorts. through a sea plant then comes to rest.

Hero finds a little thatched hut where he cozies himself. Hero meets more stray swimmers then gravitates to a little thatched hut as the other fish pass by and sing and do their

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(theatrical) fish things.

SPORT FISH Well what do you want Mary? D'you want the moon? Maybe I'll throw a rope up and pull it down. You want the moon? Well I give you the moon. I'll g-i-v-e. no. I'll give Y-O-U--the. nah. I'll g-i-v-e you T-H-E Moon. I'll G-i-v-e Y-o-u the moon. the T-h-e moon. The the M-o-o-n

Hero is stirred to see the film assistant. He nears, peers through the glass as the assistant.

FILM ASSISTANT Hey what are you doing in here.

HERO Oh uh, well I was, swimming in the coral reef, and there was giant fish, then a grrrrrr uh and then a spash! Then, I jumped over. into here!

FILM ASSISTANT I wonder how you got in here.

HERO Well I was in this large tank with some other fish and there was a lady with a pencil sharpener and then she fed us but then a man came and cleaned the tank and we. FILM ASSISTANT Must have been Harvey. Cute. Seems to be getting along ok. Hey little fella'.

HERO Hi, I was hoping to find a coral reef. Can you help me?

Film assistant gives a couple more sprinkles. Hero finds a spot in the corner. We pull back to see the nearby bubbling etc.(not the best real estate)

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The film assistant goes back to his work noting film footage then leaves the room.

SAM Interesting isn't it? It's like they don't even hear us.

HERO Hi, I'm Hero.

SAM Oh Sam uh. the fish. Nice to meet you.

Sam and Hero take a few soggy nibbles of fish food which rain down.

SAM Oh Yea. That's it's come to papa.

Several fish notice the stray sprinkles.

VARIOUS FISH Oh pardon me. Excuse me. Hi, Hello. Ooop Yes. Ahhh. Oh nice.

Hero leaves to his thatched hut. He watches the film assistant close a book which shows a coral reef.

Hero sees Angel on the monitor as the film assistant works. He notes something down then files something on the shelf "Angel: stock footage". Hero Sees the camera across the way. And there is Angel swirling around in the water. surrounded by other fish. The Excited Hero races to tanks edge swimming up to the top. then down again. then up and to the side. He looks and swims to the corner to be as close as he can. then swims back and races. He jumps over.

The Film Assistant hears this and pauses glances left then continues working.

INT. SUMMER STOCK -TANK II

The fish swim in unison singing, show tune w/ big band

SONG

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SINGING FISH Da da do. du dum. Da dum. He's got his eye. On a dame. A swirling wonderful fabulous fantastical dame.

The fish surround him. he swims through them trying to see her.

SINGING FISH The boy's in love. Over the top. He's gone com-plete-ly head over heals. What a crush.

Hero wriggles to the side of the tank. he turns to swim along the glass and sees the fish again.

SINGING FISH He's got a smiiiiiiiiile That's plane to see. A spring in his step. Most certainly. Yes! Yes in deed. It's a daaaaaaame.

They follow him as he swims adjacent to Angel. She half notices him. And shyly goes about her business of swirling this way and that. as her admirers follow.

SINGING FISH On a dame.

Hero turns to see them. They freeze drifting slightly in the water. Hero takes heart at her glance. He wanders off a bit. The FISH are still looking at her. Hero stops by a piece of seaweed. bubbles pass. He swims and jumps into the next tank. now too far to see her. he swims back jumping over again. He wriggles to the glass again for another look as angel is waylaid by her entourage. Hero sinks to the bottom and lays there at the bottom.

The Film assistant moves lights so Hero can no longer see Angel for the glare.

DANCE INSTRUCTOR FISH Ok, Ok clear the stage. (looks at Hero) This This. Can we not have

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this? I want blue over here. and red over here. Yellow? Where's my Yellow!!?

Various groups of fish attend his command.

Hero, nervous from all the movement, joins the red group.

DANCE INSTRUCTOR FISH Ok and left and right. Left Left! Good and Right. Now blue! And Yellow! And red. And hold. And Hold. And Yes. Blue. Yellow. Red, Red, Red. Uh. Hello?

He sees Hero is a little different.

DANCE INSTRUCTOR FISH uhh and You, new guy, front and center. That's better.

HERO Oh sorry. uh.

Hero keeps drifting away and fluttering to stay in place.

DANCE INSTRUCTOR FISH Ok better. And turn and back and left and around and jump. Come on. Orange', Stay together. Yes!.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

INT. STOCK ROOM -SUMMER STOCK TANK 2

STAGE DIRECOR FISH .. And floating and falling, falling. More fins. Show me fins! And turn. And left and right and

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dénouement. Not bad. But I need to see more fins! Ok everybody Take 5.

(Music "Take 5")

Hero now a cool stage hack. Hero wanders to the glass. Searching for a glimpse of Angel.

Film assistant moves the lights and readjusts the camera on Angel's tank. This catches Hero's eye.

He swims around. He passes some Shakespeare.

JULIET romeo romeo. Where for art thow.?

ROMEO Oh me thinks the lady doeth protest to much. but here. Tis I the fair Romeo. Thy worthy cod who casteth for thee. What plight through yon window breaks. Uh.. Line.

OTHER FISH (Wincing) Ohh..

EXT. WAGON TRAIN -IN TANK

Hero hears screaming. He runs to see what it is. it's a wagon train. (we do not see the horses yet.) it's rocking out of control. and surrounded by fish with Indian head dress. A small gold fish is inside . dust passes the runaway wagon (another fish is waging his tail to create the wind/ sediment) A crayfish tentacle behind the wagon is the "whip" and will be evident in a moment. (until the driver falls off.) The Indian fish (lionfish) bounce up and down riding on imaginary horses (which we also do not see because of the close ups) In the wagon Dolly calls out. DOLLY Oh no. what'll I do? (she swims out then in again) Help, Someone help? (she circles inside) The 'ingins have come upon us? (she sticks her head out) Oh my.

Hero catches the wagon and leaps on top. whirls around then

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to the front of the wagon. whirls around there. Then to the side of the wagon as the dust passes.

HERO are you in trouble. mam?

DOLLY Oh My hero. Save me . Save me.

Another director fish.

DIRECTOR FISH And cut. Nice. Nice.

Director swims to the camera on the other side of the tank glass.

DIRECTOR FISH uhh. Yea.

He swims back. We see the wagon scene with crayfish and now noticeably still Indian fish all staring at us. Dolly waits outside dusting off her tail.

DIRECTOR FISH Thanks everybody that was great. Ok now our uh new hero. uhh in this scene he helps Dolly out of the wagon. Ok Places everybody.

Film assistant takes footage of Angel to desk. notes them in logs etc. files them on shelf.

Enter Evil tank cleaner with his metal cart. The cart bumps into tank. The fish inside feel the tremor.

VARIOUS FISH1 Oh no. not again.

VARIOUS FISH2 Now be calm last time was just a bump.

VARIOUS FISH3

Yea it could be nothing. A second bump.

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VARIOUS FISH1 Oh ooh, I just know it's coming.

The skies grow dark in the tank as Harvey the tank cleaner looms.

VARIOUS FISH1 Oh this don't look good.

The fish swim across the tank too look. Hero follows.

VARIOUS FISH4 Oh yea. that's a nor-easter alright.

A crowd gathers in the tank.

VARIOUS FISH4 What do you think?

VARIOUS FISH5 I don't know.

VARIOUS FISH6 Maybe it's a feeding.

VARIOUS FISH3 Yea but it's too slow.

VARIOUS FISH2 And the light is wrong.

The sky grows darker.

(slow motion) Two giant hands plunge into the water as the faces of the fish gape in panic. and they begin running back and forth screaming.

(Slow motion) The Tank cleaner pulls a piece of air tubing up as the gravel erupts and more screaming and fish running away.

Hero runs to a patch of kelp.

Tank cleaner eyes the part quietly. and places it in a plastic milk crate on his metal trolley.

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VARIOUS FISH1 Ok it's over. It's over. he's gone.

Tank cleaner pulls out a new one. And fishes around to install it. VARIOUS FISH1 Oh it's not over. It's not over.!

The fish run and scream more.

REPORTER FISH There is nothing like it. Two giant, things, have plunged into our peaceful tank and are, wrangling, a, a large thing. There is pandemonium. When will it end? When will it end?

The tank cleaner reaches into his cart and grabs the vacuum. The flow creates a twister in the now cloudy water.

VARIOUS FISH6 Oh Oh my. Oh Run. Run. It's a twister. Into the cellar. We don't have a cellar. Well into the wagon.

A fish hanging against the wind. All the fish running left

VARIOUS FISH woah Ahhhh

then right

VARIOUS FISH Woah Ahhhhh.

then left again

VARIOUS FISH Woah Ahhhh.

Hero Hides in a nearby saloon.

The vacuum yanks out the wagon (slow motion) as screaming fish jump to safety. tank cleaner eyes it, pulling it off the hose and throwing it back in it lands on it's side. He fixes an air hose to an oil-rig and puts it into place amid

30

a momentary rush of bubbles. Hero looks out of the window of the saloon. The vacuum briefly lifts the saloon which his large fingers hold in place.with Hero in it. several fish flea screaming. The tank cleaner finishes his drink and crushes and throws the plastic cup into the tank. It sinks to the bottom. EXT. SALOON -IN TANK

The commotion ends. The water still sloshing around. some fish come out to see. They look as the dark cloud of the Tank cleaner moves on. Hero timidly begins to leave. but is stopped by a voice.

CARL Hold it right there. I reckon you're not from these parts.

HERO Well, uh. I’m from a coral reef. CARL Well we don't have ne-uh them fancy reefies nowhere. This is a saloon town; as that is our only building. So, you had better like drinkin if you want to get along. We drink water and, a lot of it.

He points to a plastic cup in the tank. a couple fish curl through it.

HERO oh umm.

CARL (out of character) Well ok. so? What did you think? That's my country western voice!

HERO oh very good. so what else do you do here?

CARL (country western again) oh uh well we have a show down. Looky there.

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Two fish stand off against one another. Then a little oil-well pops air bubbles as both dueling fish hide from the noise. (Or one of them inflates)

PUFFER FISH Oh.

CARL It ain't much. But uh I recon it's home. You're welcome to stay. So uh You have a name?

HERO I'm Hero.

CARL Well I'm Coral Carl and this here's Pecos Pete. And they're the yella' boys. They hang out over there mostly.

HERO Hi. CARL (out of character.) Hey everybody this is Hero. He's from uhh, nem Um, cor-refey.

ALL Hey. Hi Hero. Hero. Yea.

CARL (in character ) Well. Alright then

HERO Hey, what was all that.

CARL (looking upward) Aww that. that was the unknown. you'll get used to it.

The Oil rig lets off another burst of bubbles.

Studio Director(human)comes to the stock room with a

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personal secretary, studio connection and go-to guy. He explains (He's "strawyan" and a rugged individualist.)

STUDIO DIRECTOR ..with all the tanks and there's room for several more. In ear we have the stock rem. s'all state of the art, feesh friendly pumps, the nicest sets anywhere. Look at thaese camera. Bawfinger 9000. Nothing but the best. Even shoots at night. This is Freeddy. He catalogues the footage. What du we ave today Freedy?

FILM ASSISTANT Oh . uh the abacus calculanium .uhh stela fish. Were uh filming them in a Greek amphitheater. this is reel two.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Amazing! Everything runs like clock work. Lights are on timers. Water circulates tweenty four seven. The works. How are we with the other problems Freddy? FILM ASSISTANT Oh um some of the fish are getting "bit" um and, a few, are "missing". But we have extras.

Film Assistant looks at the tanks, unsure where the extras actually are. Director requests a fresh poster. from go to guy.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Ata boy, stay on it. Oh and here's a our newest little stah. Let's get'er up there.

Film Assistant takes the poster (of angel) looks and reaches for the push pins.

FILM ASSISTANT Nice

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The Entourage makes for the door.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Oh uh I'll bay dan-unda next week; Flying to look at some geppies. I'll see ya when I g'back.

FILM ASSISTANT Sure thing Mr.Green. Have a nice trip.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Have a good weekend. Keep em swimming. (softly) So we've got plenty of footage and soon we'll have the a'stralian guppies for a keen finale'.

The entourage leaves. Hero has been watching. He wanders off to his little thatched hut.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

INT. STOCK ROOM FISH TANK

Hero wanders the tank seeing the fish acting. He tries joining in here and there.

SONG and partial dance "This is life"

SONG This is Life. G D7 || This is life. Swirly-whirly wishy-washy life. A fishes life. Wiggly-wriggly squirmly little life. (Em) I was

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happy in my (D7) coral reef, (Em) without a care or (Am) any grief. G D7 || Now I got friends. Dancing leaping singing stagy friends. And a great big sea, just (Am)waiting for me. (G)Somewhere, (Am) Out there, G D7 || Somewhere. Blub-blub-blub-blub, blub-blub, blub-blub-blub. Bub-Bub Buh Buh-Buh-ble. Bla-blue blee, blah blah blah de doo be doo. With you. With you.

Theme reprise: Passage of time song Fish doing silent vaudeville. The Film assistant watching and writing and filing. His head keeps bobbing to the desk. Hero ends up in his thatched hut.

INT/EXT. FISH TANK

Time passes. A clock over the light timer strikes eight. The lights click off. And Film assistant wakes.

Hero notices the lights out. And watches the Film Assistant wake. INT. FISH TANK

(in the tank we hear a distant barber shop quartet "hello my honey" medium pace)

Hero passes the quartet which disbands. It is quiet. He sees the film assistant.

Film assistant wraps up footage taking it from the camera and playing it. (or manipulating it on an integrated console on screen.)

Hero watches intently. Hero sees himself on the screen. Two passing fish notice themselves also.

FISH Oh hey that's you. Hey it's Hero.

FISH2 Oh here there's me. Oh look there

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you are.

The film assistant marks the footage and leaves. He happens to notice Hero in a different tank.

FILM ASSISTANT Oh, hey. What are you doing in there

He looks at the other tank.

FILM ASSISTANT huh. How are you getting along?

HERO Oh Actually I'm from a coral reef And I’m trying to find angel. Have you seen her?

FILM ASSISTANT You look happy. hmm.

He checks his watch then the clock, quickly checks his hair and leaves.

Night fallen. and the Film Assistant is leaving. Harvey sneaks in to grab a few fish. INT/EXT BALLROOM -IN TANK

There is a social. "the party" Rufus and gang enter the social event singing, descending into the crowd as it splits apart, frightening the participants. This is after lights out. We see various clicks, an interesting way to divide and explain characters. So there is time to gain momentum and develop.

FISH1 Are you going to the party?

FISH2 Oh that's tonight. Yea see you there.

FISH3 Going to the party?

FISH4

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Yes on my way.

FISH5 Going to the party Hero? Come on the whole studio will be there.

HERO Oh. Thanks. Yea.

INT. BALL ROOM

A part of the tank we had not noticed before. A wall of bubbles. mood lighting, a canopy of seaweed above. Sculptuary around the edges. Everything you would expect in a wonderful event.

FISH6 I simply love what they've done with the place. The bubbles the lights. Fabulous.

FISH7 Yes, You know this tank was used in an original screen adaptation.

FISH6 Oh amazing.

Entering a conversation late. FISH7 No, No. There was an even bigger one with teeth and fangs. and well they never caught it. it's probably still out there.

FISH8 Oh stop with your scary stories. I'm sure it's much safer these days. What with the nets and all.

FISH9 Really was it that big?

Entering a conversation late.

FISH10 Ha Ha Ha. Then! They all swam into

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the seaweed! Ha Ha ha

FISH11 Ha Ha Ha

FISH12 Ha Ha Ha oh the band is starting.

Music.

FISH4 Hi Its uh.

HERO Hero

FISH4 Oh-ho I knew that. umm. How are you making out in the new tank and all?

HERO Ok. I, I met a lot of friends! And they've been a big help. And you too.

FISH4 Oh-ho no. uhh. gosh thanks.

FISH3 Hi Hero

HERO Hi! FISH2 Hi Hero

HERO Hi!

Some fish flakes are nibbled on from a large rectangular plastic object filled half way with an undulating blue fluid.

FISH2 So I asked for more sprinkles. I told them we are Artists! Trained Artists! Not some groupers they can

38

just ignore.

FISH1 What did they say?

FISH2 Oh, I don't know if they could hear me through the glass. But I said it.

FISH1 Good for you. Huh?

FISH2 Oh!

Rufus dance: Social cont. Rufus dives into the tank where Hero is. with entourage.

PIRAHANAS (Singing) bah-dum, "click", (three four), bah-dum "click", (three four), mm!

Along comes Rufus and his gang. (Rufus doesn't actually sing) The other fish all move away.

SONG -- "Food chain"

PIRAHANAS Top. He's top. Top of the tank. Like Rocks. All the way to the bank. Rock bottom, solid mean. Hungry fast and lean. The top. Cause every food chain's, got to stop!

A bubble stops in front of Rufus's chomped teeth then fleas upward. PIRAHANAS He's sophisticate, breezy. but slippery and sleazy. Way too much to adore.

PIRAHANAS Hungry, to the core!

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Rufus leers over others.

PIRAHANAS He might be terrible and tragic. When he works his magic

Rufus goes around behind some party goers.

PIRAHANAS There's a hundred reasons why, you wouldn't want him to stand behind. He's the portrait of a daily crime.

PIRAHANAS But he's the food chain, around the shop.

PIRAHANAS That's what he's got!!

PIRAHANAS (Adoring rufus) Hey hey. Ho. Heh heh. (getting houngry) Hmm. mmmm. mmm.

Reprise they swim around. Looking over the crowd they are thinking about eating. Biding their time as the uncomfortable nervousness sets in.

Hero takes himself elsewhere past the sea plant to the glass. And looks on at a safe distance.

EXT. STUDIO

Film assistant catches his girlfriend as she jumps over a low retaining wall.

FILM ASSISTANT Huh. come on.

And he replaces her flip-flop in a moment of tension. The two skip off toward the giant noir shadow of a building. FILM ASSISTANT Come on.

The two enter through a nondescript door.

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GIRLFRIEND Are you sure this is alright.

FILM ASSISTANT Yea. Mr Green gives me "complete access" I get credit for it too!

INT. STOCK ROOM

Hero sees the Film Assistant and his girlfriend come back in. The two look at footage(with music). together . he gives her some snacks.

The fish all swim to amphitheater. To watch the film clips. The Film assistant notices as they momentarily stop. then again. Then again. The Film Assistant rises and looks around. then again. his girlfriend simply watches him.

Greek amphitheater (tank 14) (movie night) Many fish Jumping over to (tank 14) swimming through the seaweed in (tank 12) and through the haunted tank past the old house, grave yard then bubbling skull faster still then over again through the air.]

Movie night. Film shorts played on the screen? Hero notices the jumpers above but stays put watching.

FILM ASSISTANT This is one we worked on did last week. Oh here.

He offers her a Twisler. He pushes another button. More fish scenes. The humans watch the screen.

Tank side: The fish sitting watching the fish footage as the wordless humans play them. Another button is pushed. More Canned Music The fish explain story ideas and they try to imagine them.

VARIOUS FISH1 ohh that's when. um.

VARIOUS FISH2 We.swam through the thing.

VARIOUS FISH3 Um. hey that's you. heh.

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VARIOUS FISH1 Feel the tension.

VARIOUS FISH2 Here comes the feeder.

VARIOUS FISH3 Oh that just how it was.

One of the fish swims up to the auto feeder and swipes it as flakes rain down into little bowls (a bottle cap, a thimble, a penny) scattered on the amphitheater. VARIOUS FISH Ohh, hey, mmm, oh. ahh.

At one point Hero swims to "one of those things" (a camera) and the close up footage is shown at movie night.

Some fish sit around near the glass.

VARIOUS FISH1 Hey it's Hero!"

VARIOUS FISH1,2 Hehh

VARIOUS FISH3,4 hehe.

Hero watches.

VARIOUS FISH3 Wow your head is so big.

VARIOUS FISH2 Oh that is so weird.

VARIOUS FISH1 He's very natural. Look the way he moves.

Another fish comes on the screen.

NARRATOR (V.O.) The seas abound with excitement as the many varieties display their

42

array of color. The stippled moobler searches for a suitable place for a meal. It is at this time that the mating season begins. INT. DATE -STOCK ROOM

Film Assistant and girlfriend sit politely. Her feet on the chair. Twizler in progress. Other fish come to gape distractedly at the nondescript action of the tender 'date' moment. She offers a little peck on the cheek. The fish watch bashfully. Hero wanders off to settle down. there is no coral reef. No Angel. so he looks around a bit. And settles cautiously. and watches from a far the two young teens watching film clips of fish.

EXT. LITTLE THACHED HUT -IN TANK

Hero Sleeps. (actually doesn't close eyes? Just glazes a while) Montage: The teens look in tanks, then leave. And echos of nature films reverberate.

Hero Dreams of show dances and westerns safaris (foreshadowing) and new friends. Hero Dreams of Angel. The dream is interrupted by a dream of Rufus.

EXT. CITY -MORNING

The sun rises over the big city.

INT. DARK STOCK ROOM

The timer goes. tic tic tic tic tic click

INT. TANK -SOCK ROOM

Ka-Chunk! Hmmmm. -- Lights on. Hero Wakes up with bite in his tail. He looks at this and wanders off to other fish. Other fish complain of bites and one is missing. Some fish investigate the bites and missing guppies.

FISH Good morning.

HERO Morning.

FISH2

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Hi Hero.

FISH Aw you too. look at that. There were several more last night.

FISH2 Mysterious bitings.

FRIENDLY FISH Don't worry it will grow back. ANOTHER FISH1 I'm bit too.

ANOTHER FISH2 Me too.

FISH3 I think Gooper is missing.

DETECTIVE FISH1 Step aside. what's all this? Bites in tails and a fish missin. You see that?

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea I see that.

DETECTIVE FISH1 Looks like a feedin.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yup a feedin.

OTHER FISH2 Oh this doesn't seem right.

OTHER FISH3 What is it?

OTHER FISH2 These bites in our tails.

OTHER FISH1 What can be done?

DETECTIVE FISH1

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Oh sometimes when some fish get's hungry. Well, let's just say we've seen this kind of thing before.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea, we seen it before.

DETECTIVE FISH1 Don't worry. Just keep an eye out. He'll get hungry again and when he does, then we got em.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea. Then we got em.

HERO Have you seen Angel? DETECTIVE FISH1 No But if we do we'll get him too.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea. We'll get him too.

JOVIAL FISH What's a matter? A few bites got you down?

FISH1 Uhh,

FISH2 Well,

FISH3 Yea.

FISH4 I supposes so.

JOVIAL FISH Well forget all your troubles and chase all your cares away! Like this.

SONG As to: Da Da, and two, Da Da, and two etc.

JOVIAL FISH

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Come on. Get happy. Let your worries recede. Get up. There's sunshine. Come on sing with me. (repeat) (B) A great big world at your doorstep. A long long road up ahead. There's blue skies a, commin. Just get out of bed.

HERO Come on. Be happy.

JOVIAL FISH That's right.

ANOTHER FISH Come on. Be happy.

JOVIAL FISH Yea you got it.

FISH Come on Be happy. JOVIAL FISH Just get out of bed. Straighten your place. Fix your pillows. Wash your face.

Wags tail, stirs up fish flake.

JOVIAL FISH Fry up some breakfast,

The fish nibble.

JOVIAL FISH And Have a great day!! (syncopated jazz conga fade)

The fish look at their tails as the music recedes.

DETECTIVE FISH1 (singing) Come on. Come on. And have a great day!!!

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HERO (unison) great Day!!

DETECTIVE FISH2 Hey that's not bad.

DETECTIVE FISH1 Thanks. That was refreshing.

HERO Ha ha! Thanks I feel better already. he hey.

Fish swim back and forth. Hero swims through a hole in the sunken ship, takes a nibble of a plastic plant. swims along till he reached the edge. Wags his tail in the detris on the bottom creating a tiny cloud. then another then another. then comes to rest on the window. watching.

Film Assistant enters with his journal. and pencils. and cup. The bright morning light pierces the doorway unlike last night's exit.

Film Assistant messes with a tank or moves a camera.

INT. TANK II/III

Hero sees Angel! He swims to the glass mesmerized. Hero jumps to tank III.

EXT. SUNKEN SHIP IN THE TANK

Hero is excited and runs to a ship in elation. He stands on a front half of a ship as it tips back and forth slightly bubbling at a 45 degree angle to bottom.

HERO Oh! Did you see her? Did you see her? She's beautiful! I'm king of the world!!

FISH ooohh rockin'

Hero Swims back to look more. But they move the filming down the hall! She's gone!

47

HERO Oh. But. No.

Musical Interlude III: Hero Sings. a harp fish joins then two singers (as to accordions).

SONG: "Some Days"

HERO Some days it seems, like, nothing goes right.

Staying on top. is just, such a fight.

Now that special someone, gone and, whisked away.

I don't know what to do. --all day.

To travel on, seems such a chore. Guess I'll go and, see for sure. That special someone, and my, coral reef. I know they're out there. I'll just have to see. She went through that door.

She couldn't see me. How can I follow her? I just have to see. And find, that special face.. Oh, Angel.

FISH Well. uhh there's only one way, through that door. It's through the funnel, in tank 4 (Fall Stock)

ANOTHER FISH Yea, you need the exercise tank.

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Come on. we'll go.

We pass saloon town. They do the standoff again, releasing the puffer fish and a barracuda. They have a stand-off. then bloop.the puffer puffs. nothing. "Cut Cut. that was great now let's try that with a little more light. and uh. not so round, just be natural.

Hero does the exercise routine again They travel past the Spring tank, Winter tank to the fall tank where the funnel is. Savy is still exercising there.

INT. EXERSIZE TANK -FALL STOCK

FISH Hey he wants to go to the other side.

HERO Hi.

SAVY Well you just go through here. But I'm too large. You go on. Try it.

SAVY Go on. try harder. keep swimming.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

49

INT. EXERSIZE TANK -FALL STOCK

Hero Still swimming up the intake funnel he slips back to rest.

FISH FRIEND Oh Now that won't work. You have to keep trying. Don't be a fishy stopper. not exercising-er fish thing there. You need to keep trying. So, you have to be strong and. um. Oohh um. hello.

HERO I'm just tired from exercising.

The Fish Friend sings a little tune. The slow pick me up ballad --a nearly rock tune with nice singing. Or silly cute lightly accompanied song. SONG FISH FRIEND (singing) Just exercise. Stay with it. It's good for you. and you'll get fit. Come on stay with it. and you'll get through. Be a champ and soon you'll see. come on exercise -- for me.

Hero is heartened.

FISH FRIEND (singing) exercise. exercise. "come on" it's good for you. "There you go" exercise come on exercise.

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Song completed.

Hero makes progress.

FRIEND FISH Hey Good! Wow I think you're ready! Hey Everybody Hero is ready. He's gona make it!

Fish bites last a while but eventually grow back. maybe by now or it is smaller.

FISH1 Great Hero.

FISH2 Good for you.

FISH3 Yea your tail looks good as new.

FISH2 I just wonder what happened to gooper.

FISH3 Yea old gooper. He was a pal. But I'm sure you'll be ok.

FISH1 Yea good luck Hero

FRIEND FISH Good luck. I'll miss you. I hadn't though of that. I think. um. when you're away. And then. uh. FISH3 Yea good bye Hero.

FRIEND FISH Oh good heavens yes! Good buy I'll miss you. on your trip to. uh.

FISH1 Bye Hero.

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FRIEND FISH Right! on your trip! Your trip. uh.

HERO Thanks.

He readies and begins swimming.

FISH FRIEND Come on!

FISH3 Come on.

FISH1 Swim

FISH2 Yea.You can do it!

He swims up the tube.

The friends pause then disband unceremoniously leaving only friend fish.

FISH FRIEND Woo. hm. ho hum. doo de doo. hmm hmm. oh!. hi.

Journey to the commercial room: Hero goes on his quest and swims the exercise tube to the commercial room (the next slightly larger room) with the travel scenes.

INT. IRELAND TANK

Hero swims out of the input tube struggling. He breaks free and onto the set of a travel background. Music is exciting and a little out dated. The background flashes "Visit Ireland". There are little green fish that run about laughing. They sing pub songs, There's a rainbow and a small pot of gold.

Green Fish Song: (numerous vocal glides) SONG

LITTLE GREEN FISH (singing)

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Oh Marry Jane, was a fine old fish, with a fins and a scales, so true. Well she said, was a lass, but she drank, like an bass, and had little eyes, of blue. Oh wriggling, wriggling, was, her way. And swimming, about, she'd swim, all day Ohh Hoo, for the fine, little fish, like this, and how, I miss, her too.

HERO Um Hello? Hi, Um. Is this a coral reef?

LITTLE GREEN FISH Ha ha ha Owww Now what's the problem there fella? Lookin far you’re a-reef ay? (singing faster) Stop by the bog and we'll dance in the fog and follow a round in the pond.

HERO Huh? I'm looking for Angel.

LITTLE GREEN FISH What? Dontcha sing?

They begin singing again all the higher and louder.

SONG

LITTLE GREEN FISH (singing) We all swim around the isle of green and slither, about in the shoals unseen, till caught by a hook, and away to the cook and never was seen again. uh Hey!

LITTLE GREEN FISH Coral reef Ay. I don't think I know.

HERO Um well it's a kind of place. It's where I live.

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LITTLE GREEN FISH2. oh ho well then it is green?

HERO no umm sort of a little bit white.

LITTLE GREEN FISH Then I aren’t seen it. but yare welcome to stay. Haven't thought of a song just yet, ave ya?

HERO No.

LITTLE GREEN FISH well then.

Green fish all singing.

SONG

LITTLE GREEN FISH (singing) So eyed by a wale was a merry tale and lost at sea were they. till the waves rolled in on every fin and the land was as fine as day.

Hero swims off.

HERO

ok. thank you.

INT. BROADWAY TIME SQUARE TANK

Singing "ny ny, a swell of a town" Fish sing this classic-like song. Choreography basically Hero in the way backs up a few times then follows the 4 fish. The fish are able to float above one another so the movement works.

SAILOR FISHES (Song) New York, New York, It's a swell of a town. That's, New and York, I've, got to be in the crowds. Take in, the sights, havin a ball. Don't

54

make me leave I til I've seen it all! New York, New York. I've got to be me, just give me that. woha Hey. SAILOR FISH1 What's a mater chum? You look like somebody eat your lunch?

HERO Umm I was just in the other place and um and, I live at sea! And well I’m from a coral reef.

SAILOR FISH1 Sorry pal we haven't seen anything like that. But how bout a show! Come on whada ya say?

ALL SAILOR FISH (Song) We'll get burgers on (4th) and hot dogs on (12th) then we'll stop by the port, take a picture and then!

SAILOR FISH1 Well I don't know what. But something!

HERO Um well I was hoping to find Angel.

SAILOR FIS1 Aww well suit yourself. Ain't that right?

SAILOR FISH2 Yea

SAILOR FISH3 Uh huh

SAILOR FISH4 Yea, you'll find your Angel.

SAILOR FISH1 Sure.

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SAILOR FISH2 Yea

SAILOR FISH3 You bet.

SAILOR FISH That's what it's all about right? HERO Yea. well thank you.

Hero swims on with whirling harp strings. And fading brass.

INT. PARIS TANK

MUSIC: accordion "around the world" A café' along the boulevard. there is a view of the tower.

GARSON Ello I am Garson and what may I do for you. Today, we have a lovely caviar served with clams in a seaweed butter. (Smugly) Or perhaps you would like to start with water?

The waiter fish chases Hero around the table.

HERO oh well um water is nice.

GARSON As I thought. And will you be staying for dinner.

HERO um I am hungry.

GARSON Very well

Another fish spews some fish flakes unto a small bowl on the table.

GARSON And may I recommend the house water.

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HERO Thank you.

GARSON Yes.

HERO Garson

GARSON Oui' HERO Have you seen Angel? I've been looking for her.

GARSON I will check with the chef. (leaves.returns)

GARSON Uh The Angel, uh no. I'm sorry. Only hydra and sea sponge. Please enjoy your meal.

HERO Thanks

Four Betas make a respectable can-can. as Hero pokes at his fish flakes and wanders off. to the slowly emerging sound of tropical music.

Hero swims up the next tube.

INT. JAMACA TANK

Jamaica': steel drums roll and twinkle, volley ball net, resort hut, small stage with palms and an over turned boat.

JAMMY Heyloo mon. It's you. How's it going.

HERO Jammy what are you doing here?

JAMMY

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I have two jobs mon. I'm working the drums for Mr. Crab. Come on and check out the buffet. I am part-time chef mon.

Jamaican Dance: The stage show involves a contortionist 'crab' who does a short trick in the middle of a similarly short tropical music number. Mambo dancers dance while they talk. Hero is thrilled. Jammy returns.

JAMMY So what did you think of the act?

Hero does an impromptu barrel roll.

HERO Really amazing. That was very good. JAMMY Tanks Mon. So are you. How would you like to join the act?

HERO Um, I'm looking for my Angel.

JAMMY Sure Mon. I see what you mean. I know you’ll find her. I'll go wit you mon.

Hero and Jammy swim up-stream to the next tank. Which is somehow not that difficult now.

INT. PYRAMID TANK

Music: Orchestral, foreshadow Lawrence of Aquarium, tents, turbans etc.

Hero looks at the pyramids (in the background) and swims up to the plastic sphinx as if to see if it looks like him Jammy follows. and continues on. But after the sphinx he can't make it any farther.

HERO Ha ha. Ha ha.

JAMMY Look mon.

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HERO Ha Ha.

JAMMY Oh mon my fins are trained for the show mon. Dis is not so good for Jammy. Good luck Hero. I'll see you mon!

INT. THAILAND/MAYAN TANK

Thailand/Mayan Ruin, Hero swims on to a jungle. There is blinking signage above the Jungle and we pull down into the thick of it. as Hero winds his way between the low sea plants. He reaches the mouth of the cave. Inside is the mysterious figure known as "Joppa" The entrance has a large rolling ball which rolls back in when it fills with bubbles. We hear sound track.

Hero enters the mouth of the cave and progresses through fish skeletons and carved faces and symbols in mach stone. He rounds the corner. HERO Hello?

A fish groans disinterestedly.

HERO Hello?

We see the fishes' face in the slim ray of light.

JOPPA Who goes there?

HERO Uh My name is Hero.

JOPPA mmm. I am Joppa. And what have you come to bring me?

HERO Um well a question I was uh looking for Angel?

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JOPPA And you think I can help you?

HERO Well I was hoping.

JOPPA I have seen your Angel. This was a long time ago. Before I came to this place.

HERO What is this place?

JOPPA The work men found these temples. and cleared them out for my living quarters. And now, you are here. tell me is this all you seek?

HERO Uhh a special someone named Angel. JOPPA I was once from the wild, like you. But we are all captives in our own way. You have, come a long way, to this, jungle. You will find your Angel someday.

HERO Ohh if you could tell me where.

JOPPA AHH!

HERO What?

JOPPA AH!

HERO What's wrong?

JOPPA Nothing. it's memories. Go now.

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Ohhh! The harpoons. The harpoons. Go.

Hero leaves Joppa to his flash back. He exits the Mayan temple. And is followed by a ball that rolls after him. he runs. narrowly escaping it. it flips a lever. he pauses as it fills with bubbles and rolls back in. Hero swims on through the next tube.

INT. ALPINE TANK

An outdoors experience (and a nothing scene) Hero swims into the set. with his head turned watching the backgrounds as it flows into a valley and to a lake he heads across the lake but is stopped by the glass. A few fish perch in cardboard mountain ridges set apart from the backdrop. They yodel a bit. Hero responds.

FISH Odelaheeeehooo

HERO (gargles ) Garrrr uheeeee heeee

It's the end of the tank. Aww. He returns to stock room via drain hole. Return to the Stock room. Hero whirls down, down, down. and spills out into the tank III

Hero whirls out of the tube.

INT. STOCK ROOM TANK

DIRECTOR FISH Lenz!!! Cleanup!

The snails mobilize as they move around making a faint continuous squeaking sound.

FISH1 Hey Hero is back.

FISH2 Hero Is back.

FISH3

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Hi Hero.

Once on set, A fish becomes the orbital friend who facilitates Heros' success. She comes and goes, lives day to day not worrying if a part will come a sort of gadfly on the set.

FISH4 (solicitous) Hero Hero Hero let me see. Hero Hero Um I think but wait um no NO wait. Um Yes! oh ha ha Hero! Good to see you . Oh yea um You were away?

HERO Yes I went upstream and there was a dancing crab and a pyramid. But no no Angel. I have to keep looking.

FISH4 Well that's good. I mean bad. I mean it's good you are here with us but bad cause, you didn't find whatever it was you were looking for. but good because you're here and um.

The Film assistant looks in and the fish all assume a moving "natural" pose for a scene. FISH4 (posing) Whoooh uh huh huh. there you go. Yea, Look at that huh? A little acting for ya there. Uh huh. like that. uh huh. and that. Yea.

During the pose Hero sees heart throb, Angel and Rufus across in the other tank!

FISH4 And ohhh my there he goes. and there she is. oh gees well that's um, the very one .oh. Hero, you like her. And she, and you are all. oh yea oh gosh.

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HERO Yea.

FISH4 Well why don't you go and talk to her.

HERO Oh I don't know.

FISH4 Go ahead. Go on.

HERO Well Ok.

He swims toward the glass.

Film assistant takes Angel from her tank! Hero and friend oggle the scene.

FILM ASSISTANT There that should do. Now we just get you back to the reef tank.

Angel is removed. Hero reaches the glass. FISH4 Oh well that's um not good. that's uh, oh she's gone. Yea. hum. ummm well then I guess that didn't work out. Oh. I'm sorry. Well, maybe next time! No time like the present! Uh, that, all's well that ends well. uhh. Shave and a haircut! thrr. a stitch in time! With the.umm. six in one. uhh. a half a dozen in the other?

HERO I have to go. I have to find her FISH4 Well yea. but um how would you do that? I mean that's a great idea. Isn't it. I guess anyway. then.

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HERO She's out there somewhere I have to go.

FISH1 Well . that's crazy.

FISH4 Oh uh hmm.

FISH2 Yea crazy. were already here.

FISH4 ha. uh.

HERO Oh well you know out in the ocean.

ALL Ohhh!

FISH4 Ohmagosh.

FISH1 Gee you sure know how to give a fish a fright.

FISH2 Yea. that sounded so real. FISH4 Yea.

HERO Thanks but I just have to go.

FISH4 oh gosh Hero is going back!

Whispering down the line:

SEVRAL FISH Oh, Did you hear.Hero's going back. Huh? Hero's rowing jack. Huh? The water's in the sack? Huh? The weather's turning black? Huh? The

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tank is rad. Huh? Thanks for sand. Huh? The tank has a band. Huh? Tap on your hand. Huh? Quiet. Hero's going home.

ALL Oh.

FISH2 That's impossible.

FISH3 There must be a way.

FISH1 We'll help you Neno.

FISH4 Yea don't worry Hero we'll find a way.

FISH2 Well the only way out is through the drain hole.

FISH3 Yea the drain hole. and that's dangerous.

HERO But I have to try.

FISH6 Lishen. All the problems of two fish don't amount to a hill of beans. FISH7 Um can we cut the pep talk.?

FISH6 I wush'nt finished.

FISH7 Yea save it will ya? This is really important. Hero might not come back.

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FISH6 Oh yea. Hero take care.

HERO I will.

FISH6 Good luck Hero.

HERO Thanks fishy.

FISH5 He's going to do it

FISH6 He is?

FISH7 He's going through, the drain hole.

FISH2 Oh no! Not the Drain Hole!

ALL Uhhhh

DETECTIVE FISH1 Nobody has ever come back from the drain hole. Well. except for Scampy.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea poor Scampy.

DETECTIVE FISH1 But that was just a tail.

DETECTIVE FISH2 Yea, just a tail. HERO But I just have to try. I have to find my coral reef. And Angel’s out there. Maybe it's the way back to the "Ocean"!

ALL

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Ohhh!!!

DETECTIVE FISH1 Hero please, don't say that. Were here now.

HERO Oh, yea. ok. sorry. But I'm gona do it.

A fish pushes his way to the fore.

RUFFY Whas dis I hear you interested in the drain hole? You want to go trough the pump? I bin to de pump. Es not dat bad. Wid de new cylinder, you can almost make it een one piece.

ALL Ohhh.

RUFFY But, The pipeline, is very dangerous. Your goin to need protechon. Say hello to my gimpy. He's been through pump too. Gimpy. Say hello to the nice people.

GIMPY (snarl ) grrrrr

FRIEND4 Hero, It's to dangerous.

HERO But I have to go.

FRIEND Ok but take Gimpy with you. He'll keep you safe.

Gimpy snarls. Hero goes to the hole. surrounded by 'well wishers'. a fish takes the submerged mic.

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FISH ON MIC I believe we should resolve before this decade is over to put a fish on the other side of the glass. It will not be carried out in the first 100 days or even the first year.

A second fish joins in.

FISH ON MIC2 Hero nears the aperture, preparing for this awesome mission, into the unknown. We are just seconds from take off. He nears the departure module. This is a momentous occasion.

Hero resists the pull at first.swimming against the current. swimming, looking backward, swimming, then..

Hero is sucked in. (Flup!)

FISH3 Good bye Hero.

FISH4 Good luck

Hero is sucked in then surprised little Gimpy. who swims harder then Oops!. he's gone. The other fish lean forward and hold fins.

ALL (Gasp)

FISH ON MIC2 God's speed Hero. You are in our prayers.

CROWD (Softly ) Yea.

Tumbling through. Tumbling through.

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INT. TUBING/PUMP/WILD ROOM

The Big Journey begins: The new journey takes him toward the 'fish friendly' centrifugal pump which slightly injures him.

Hero Tumbling tumbling through tubes and turns.

Gimpy falls through the recirculation tube. He snarls and takes a fruitless bite of a plastic plant. He ends up in 'Ireland tank'

Hero has a 'space odyssey' through some tubing with running lights. He gets a little beat up on the trip. Left right left right left right. Then into the darkness then into light. Then washes up into a clear settling chamber (w/check valve) momentarily We see the big sound stage (wild room) filled with aquariums all connected by hoses and a few eerie lights and cameras. Then back in through the main head, slamming into the housing.

Hero flows through the long flexible tube snaking along the ground, More lights passing, then up to the side of a large aquarium and out. Arching down a stream from the output, down into the collection pool of the sea grass a bio-friendly cleansing bog.

INT. THE WILD ROOM -MANY HABITATS

We see the many tanks of the wild room.

INT. REED SWAMP -TANK

Music: plodding mystery and danger

Under water in the reed swamp spinning unconscious he drifts and comes to rest. He floats unconscious in the reeds.

He lays still but for the imperceptible ripple of the water. convulsing only a little. then a gill and a gasp, a flipper moves and, his eyes open (pov focus) He is sore and hurt. But we soon find not badly at all. Because we have a picture to shoot and even the bite in the tail has healed by now.

The reeds are thick and the path scary. The natives dart away unseen. there is mist in the water.

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They are little tadpoles. and Hero runs into a half developed frog. a slightly younger pest who follows him. TWEEN FROG Whatcha doing. Where'd ya come from? How'd ya get here? Where ya going?

Hero is cautious because of the dim surroundings and mysterious creatures darting away.

HERO I'm, Hero. I'm, used to a coral reef.

TWEEN FROG Oh. What's a coral reef? Can I come? How come you're orange?

The two are confronted by little scary crabs. Hero and the tadpole scurry away. whew. But the crabs are able to crawl through the water and chase them more. then they wriggle through the reeds to safety and hide under a large object -- BIG MOMMA frog.

HERO Oh!

BIG MOMMA Oooohhhppp.

TWEEN FROG Hi ma.

BIG MOMMA Ohhhhhhpp

HERO Hi, Can you help me? I was, wondering if you have seen the most special. the most beautifulest sweetest fish ever. But I don't know where she is.

BIG MOMMA Mmmmwwwwoooop

HERO

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Can you tell me where I might find Angel Fish?

BIG MOMMA Mooooorrrrrrrp She's not that talkative. The other tadpoles come and cluster around.

TWEEN FROG Hero is my friend. We saw crabs and they were fast! And we ran. And they chased us! And we swam really fast! And then. we um.

BIG MOMMA Moooooorrrp

She protectively pulls Hero to her. Hero becomes one of the brood. But he wants to head back out.

HERO Yes thank you for saving us. umm but I should head on. I have to find someone special.

Hero ventures away and finds a drain to the next tank.he waves good bye. He crawls through some reeds to get in. the current is fast and his surprise evident all the way through. (3 sec?) (note it is all downhill now. the commercial room was all uphill through the tubes.)

INT. LILLY PAD -SWAMP

Chiming sonars of light and aquatic harp plucks but tense.

No longer a purification bog it's a typical swamp with hanging plants and depth. Lotuses. and of course dragon flies which love lotuses. And hyacinth I guess. Mud worms looking up from their little holes. Grubs which live in the water? All lovely. But underneath, weird and scary. filmed mostly as an endless expanse. though perhaps only 8ft square with overhead light. And large coi (sp) fish which continue moving slowly while circling and talking to Asian sounding music. They have relatively balanced personalities.owing to their more graceful nature.

HERO

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Hello. Hi. Um.

One takes a look at him. Perhaps they are asian.

COI FISH Youuuuuuu. Ohhhhh. Ahhhhheeeee HERO Hi, My name is Hero. Have you seen Angel?

COI FISH Ahhh. mmmm. Nooooo. but perhaps somewhere. out there. Yes. out there. somewhere. Hmmm.

The fish continues swimming. Hero continues on through the drain hole.

INT. MANGROVE -TANK (WITH MUD SKIPPERS)

Music (Mystery Uncertainty) Shimmering Ripples. Hero looks around then comes upon a mud skipper fish. He says hello. He is immediately partly eaten and spends the day hanging out of the mouth of the Mud Skipper commenting on the day and scenery and how his coral reef is the most loveliest thing in the world except maybe for Angel who is a fish he sort of met once. fade Mangroves with a small branch and piece of seaweed.

HERO Hi, Um hello. I'm Hero (GULP) um I was looking for someone special. Her name is Angel. Do you have many friends here? This is a nice place. What kind of tree is that. I never saw one of those.

FADE

Mangroves with a small rock a snail and a fallen leaf.

HERO Once, I was swimming around the coral reef and I was captured! And taken to a faraway place. The

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coral reef. That's the best place to be. You have a coral reef?

FADE

Mangroves edge of the shore, a root clump and a small crab which wanders away. HERO The Ocean is very beautiful. There are all kinds of different fish. And creatures. And plants. Some are really huge! Hi. Have you ever been to the ocean? I like the coral and the water and the light comes down on the sand. fade The skipper coughs Hero out.

HERO Oh that's better. I feel much better now. That's a relief.

The mud skipper toddles off and Hero follows pretending to be a mud skipper. The two get to shallow water and Hero stays a little way back. The Mud Skipper turns and challenges Hero. they maneuver back and forth and splash around in the shallows. Then the skipper chases him a little then splashes off and Hero follows.

HERO Ha he he ha ha he he. I think we're pretty good friends. You like shallow water.

Hero and the grouper come upon a second Mud Skipper in deeper water.

The light dances on the sand as the two skippers eye one another with sort of thoughtless awareness. and occasional moves. then they near one another. They ignore Hero.

HERO Is this your friend? Hi My name is Hero. Oh he he you are funny. Are you going to look for breakfast? Huh. I should probably be getting on. I have to find Angel. Ok. Bye. And nice meeting you too.

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(redacted suggestion under academic license)

INT. BARNACLE CLIFFS -TANK

Music: (Grandeur and danger) Cliffs with barnacles and lizards. Slow surface waves. Hero swims through the rocky crags. Steep cliffs rise on either side. The sides of the rocks are barnacled underneath with little clumps of tree moss above. The lizards cling to the sides above. It is perilless. Hero is unsure if this is a good place to stop. She nears the rocks and speaks to a barnacle.

HERO Hi. Um do you know where I can find Angel. I’m from a coral reef.

The barnacle pauses momentarily, then keeps feeding.

HERO Oh.

Hero wanders off then looks above the water and calls to the lizards. he swims on a bit and finds one near the shore.

HERO Hello? Hello? My name is Hero. I'm from a coral reef. Have you seen Angel?

The lizard nears and his tongue slips past Hero's face touching the water.

The lizard hisses. Hero moves back.

HERO Oh. umm.ok.uhh thanks.

The lizard catches a fly. Hero swims on to another tank."bloop" through the connecting tube. into muscles and seaweed.

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INT. MUSCLES LARGE ROCKS -WAVE TANK (3 SEC UNDULATION)

Music:(serene mystery)

Hero swims out pushed momentarily by the wave maker past the muscles which are open. he looks in. he says hi. one closes and he jumps back. He swims around through the curls of the seaweed There are tiny brine shrimp. they pass.

HERO Hello? Hello? Hello? Oh. Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi.

He swims on descending into the depth somewhat. There is a sandy patch. he swims past two eyes poking out of the sand. Hero passes a giant claw much larger than him. a large fish passes overhead. A snake passes.

A group of silver minnows flit past. then in the other direction. then back again. The large fish passes again. one fish stops to look at Hero. and is eaten by the larger fish. Hero slunks away. He eyes an urchin. then a sea star. in a patch of seaweed he is near the other side. of the tank. he finds the drain hole and "bloop" passes through.

Winding through the curving hose along the floor.

INT. JELLY CILLINDER (ASTRAL STRINGS AND PHASED ORGAN)

There could be stippled multi colored lights on the cylinder Hero is output somersaulting into a large cylinder of jelly fish which gracefully flutter in the still water. Hero swims up through the space looking at a tentacle and being annoyed that it causes a slight sensation. Hero tries to rub his face against nothing. Hero swims through the output at the top. a clear tube with surprise at his sudden momentum. sideways then. Hero plunges down, down, down past a few rising bubbles.

INT. MURKEY TANK

The water swirls and neo finds himself in a fog. he swims on and slowly the background begins to come into focus. long tall members. vertical and smooth. many rising members. he swims up above the fog to have a look around. he is in the crab tank!

The crabs begin reaching and snapping at him as he darts

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away faster. snap, snap, snap, snap, snap! He comes face to face with a giant crab. and it claws at him. Snap! Then more crabs. Snap snap snap. He climbs across the far wall. But the hole is some distance away. He ducks into the fog swimming searching for the hole (which is above the fog) as giant claws and limbs, now more active, move all around him. He reaches the exit hole and narrowly escapes. He spins and whirls through.

INT. CORAL TANK 1 -HEAVY CORAL AND LARGE EEL

Hero swims through a tank of coral through caves and around steep submerged crags. Little crabs wave to him. He is wary now and moves on. Little fish peek out of little holes to see him pass. a tiny pink worm wriggles around. Shrimp ambulate about looking for tiny meals. Hero comes upon a Rainbow Crab. This creature is so strange he is virtually unintelligible, mysterious and a little unpredictable. RAINBOW CRAB uhhh. booo. Nub Bub Boo?

Hero draws near.

RAINBOW CRAB Nub Bub bub bub. Ammm Boop! You're dinner come here!

HERO Oh Hi. I’m looking for..

Crab charges toward him harmlessly.

RAINBOW CRAB Narb Narb Narb Narb.Booo! Arb! I can't be bothered with that!

HERO Angel.. Oh well. Thank you.

Hero swims near and the crab recoils. Then the crab lunges at him again. Hero easily avoids.

HERO Oh! I guess not.

Hero swims forward again. the crab recoils back. The crab lunges again.

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RAINBOW CRAB Awwww. Barp barp. Nob nob nob nob!

Hero decides to move on.

HERO Ok. Bye.

Hero swims on he rounds several hydras and colorful corals he takes a few bites of little floating bits and grubs around a moment he is exploring. He comes upon a cave. a head appears. The Eel's head begins bobbing about, in and out, floating and his large teeth showing somewhat.

LARGE EEL Mmm. Hellllllooooo. And whom do we have hear?

HERO I'm Hero. Hi. I'm looking for Angel. Have you seen her? LARGE EEL I see you. mmmm.

HERO Oh well thanks. huh huh. It's just that I'm from the sea and I was hoping to find it.

LARGE EEL It is a very large sea. It is very looooong. And, hungry.

HERO Oh thanks. he he. Um. have you seen um Angel. She's so special. I was hoping maybe you have seen her too.

LARGE EEL mmm. I see, But, wouldn't you like to stay for dinner.

HERO Oh. uh I already ate. But thank you that's very kind. Not many people

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have offered since I've been here.

LARGE EEL Oh are you sure? I think it will ONLY TAKE A SPLIT SECOND! [chomp!]

The Eel Snaps at Hero who runs! He snaps again then again following Hero through the crags and holes. Chomp Chomp then gets stuck in a tiny hole wriggles through then cannot get into a tiny cave wriggling as Hero swims out the other side.

Hero is confronted by a passing school of striped fish. then a passing school of polka dotted fish. then swims past into seaweed.

INT. TURTLE ISLAND -TANK -THE HELPFUL FRIEND

Various bottom feeders and kelp. Hero swims past them. and the various sea grasses and small bits of coral. Into the thick seaweed then up to the surface. there is a large rock on a sand rise. it is mossy and full of turtles. Hero looks up at the shore. he swims along the shore through the thick seaweed. as the slowly feasting and sleeping turtles ignore him.

HERO Hello? Hello? We hear only nostril hissing as shapes turn away. Then Hero comes upon a face peering back at him. A turtle face.

TURTLE Ahhh. ooooooh. whoooooosssss thattttt?

HERO I'm Hero. Hi.

TURTLE Ahhh. Hi. Hero.

HERO Whats your name?

The turtle pronounces his name.

TURTLE I'm

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schnmurrrrvvvveeeennnnhhhhhaaarrrrr mmmmmmuhhhhhhhhp.

Note: [Shmurvenhump, the turtle.]

Hero does the same. and adds a little bubble at the end.

HERO Oh Hello. Smmrrrrrrrrrrrrvvvvp (a little bubble)

TURTLE Hi.

HERO I swam a long way. I'm from the coral reef and I'm looking for Angel and maybe you can help me.

TURTLE Ohhhhhhh. I like, leeeeaves.

He takes a bite of seaweed from the water.

HERO Heh heh I guess that is good. um.

He takes a nibble not very successfully. TURTLE You want to find your home?

HERO Yes That would be great. The ocean, a coral reef. And, Angel.

TURTLE I see.

He sticks his head under water to talk with Hero.

TURTLE (bubbling ) That's always the best place to be.

Hero imitates the bubbles.

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TURTLE Heh heh (bubbles)

Hero bubbles again and laughs and swims in a circle. The two do 'bubble faces' several times. (Maybe the turtle jumps in and swims with Hero ducking his head under as he swims then climbs back to shore. then up on the rock.)

SONG:

SMURVENHUMP A turtle may be slow, But a turtle keeps on trying(bubbles). When you're down, or sad. There's no use, in cryin. Just swim, swim swim. and have, a look, around. And ask a friend. And soon You'll be, on --firm ground. (stands on a smaller rock perched in the surf) You can never tell when things are going to, go rough. (splash back into water) Leave you in a tuff. (walking on bottom) When the waters is, too fast. And the waves are, too high. Just stand up, and give, --a try. (Extends head/feet)

(Swimming again) Never try too hard or even bite a frog, never step on toads --and don't eat sticks and stones. And someday -- you'll find -- the way -- back home.

(Laughing play: Ha ha ha ha ohh ha ha ha ha.) If you ever, get stuck. Or just don't know. Or have a worried need. Just call your friend and plead.

More laughing (Ha ha ha ha ohh ha ha ha ha.)

TURTLE

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ah hah.ha,,haaaa. So you're looking for Angel and your reef?

HERO yes. And that's where I live. can you help me?

TURTLE Yes. I think I can. Let me see. A Coral reef.

Turtle (climbs up on the large rock) raises his head out of the water and back into his shell then extends his head upward, upward, upward. he blinks his large round eyes and looks left, then right, then left then right. then puts his head forward a bit then left then forward a bit. then right. then blinks again twice then squints forward. then closes his eyes and descends, descends, descends to his shell. then he extends, extends, extends down into the water and forward to Hero.

TURTLE Yes. I see a coral reef. it's not far. Follow me.

Hero follows him around the crags of the island.

HERO Ok. thank you Mrrrrrrp(o). So I guess this is your island.

TURTLE Yea, Me and my puddle. That's a gang of turtles. We live here all by ourselves except for Beezle there. A hermit crab who looks on with tremulous curiosity at hearing his name.

Hero swims near Beezle.

HERO Hi

Beezle closes up in his shell.

TURTLE

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He's shy.

HERO (softly) Oh. huh. Hello Mr. Beezle

The hermit crab perks up at the slightly more amenable sound. then back down again. Then up as they leave.

HERO How many turtles live here?

TURTLE You know I've been wondering that for a long time.

HERO You have?

TURTLE Yes.

HERO Uhh. well why don't you count them?

TURTLE I want to.

HERO You do?

TURTLE Yea.

HERO Then why didn't you?

TURTLE I can't decide.

HERO Decide? TURTLE Yea I can't decide. I thought about it and thought about it.

HERO

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About what?

TURTLE How to count them.

HERO Counting is easy. just count them one at a time. One, two, three. Like that.

TURTLE I know. I know. But, I couldn't decide.

HERO Couldn't decide what?

TURTLE Weather to start with myself. Do I count me as one. Or do I count everybody then add myself at the end.

HERO Oh. well I don't know. I don't think it matters.

TURTLE I know but one or the other is better and I can't decide. I don't want to rush it. --But there's a puddle of us! Ohh Wait. Let me have a look.

Turtle does the looking part again blinking looking blinking looking.

TURTLE There. There it is. That way. it's that way. There is coral and water and fish.

HERO Oh thank Mrrrrrrrrrrrp(o) That's a big help.

TURTLE Your welcome.

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Hero gives his parting glances. and swims through the next connector into the giant reef tank.

INT. THE GREAT REEF TANK

The journey of a thousand dangers and strange places and characters finds Hero in the central tank near his love interest. and she is guarded by large lobsters and strange crabs.

Hero enters the Great reef tank and swims through the pastoral colorful coral and passes many conch, clams, seahorses, pipefish he waggles through an arch of coral He sees numerous small schools of brightly colored fish of all kinds. He passes the tall corals in many colors and sees many small plants and animals.

HERO Oh. huh Hi, Uh Hi. uh. heh heh.

Exterior shot zoom to the tank glass.

Then he comes on a large clearing. surrounded by crabs. he nears.

HERO Hi, This is a very nice place. How are you. I'm looking for Angel? I'm sure she’s hear somewhere.

CRAB Naaaaa. Huh? Ahhhh. Nothin. Move on.

HERO Oh well thanks.

He swims over the crabs who claw toward him and sees its a coral reef! He swims around them to comfort. He settles in and sees bright fish soar past overhead.

HERO Ahhh Ha ha . oooohh. Ohh. Yea. Ahh. Hi. Found it. Ok.

Hero gets comfortable and regards passing fish.

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HERO Ahh. Hi. Good. Yea. Hi. Ahhhh. Mmm. Ahhh. hello.

Hero lounges happily and sees a bright area in the distance. It's ANGEL! (harp strings) He swims toward the fluttering apparition of Angel. A lobster emerges.

HERO Oh. Hi.I'm Hero.

The lobster claws at him. Hero rather easily avoids this but he cannot pass.

LOBSTER Harrrr. Errrrrrr. No mister this area is for movie staff only.

HERO Oh. I'm looking for Angle. Do you where she is?

LOBSTER Errrrrr. NAhhhhhh.

Hero starts to swim around but is thwarted by the giant claw.

HERO Um oh uh but woa I was in the movie tank and we made pictures and saw them on a big thing and that was at night time; Then little Goober went missing; But he was probably just in another tank. I was practicing and I..

The lobster claws at him again.

LOBSTER Sorry no body. nope. Naahhhhhh. Errrrr. Harrrr. Ehhhhh.

HERO

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Oh. ay uh oh um. ok. Hero is thwarted and swims away but looks back. He sees Angel again. His little jaw drops. and he flutters, then again, then toward her. around the lobster through the little bits of sea plant and around little bits of coral. ECU His innocent face take's in the scene.

DIRECTOR FISH Clear the set.!

Several fish swim around and the bulk of colorful grazing fish dart away. The clearing is bare but for the director fish and the two stars. Angel AND RUFUS! They are filming a love scene. so there are tastefully placed sea grasses and a coral which looks suspiciously like a daybed.

Hero is taken aback. (But not much cause he doesn't know anything)

DIRECTOR FISH Now in this scene the uhh two fish wriggle around and he uhh. eats her. Ok Action.

Rufus circles Angel.

RUFUS Ahhh. mmm. oooohh.

DIRECTOR FISH Cut!!! Can we have a few fish in the background! There's no fish!! I need fish. Look no fish. I need fish here and here.

You. he points to a funny long face fish.

DIRECTOR FISH There. right there. Here. like this. Just fluttering around. great great you're, uh, nibbling at the coral.

Hero draws near. to see Angel. Hero is frightened by an approaching Lobster.

LOBSTER

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Nahhh Harrr.

DIRECTOR FISH Mmmm. Not enough. No I need another fish. Another fish. No No No No. I need another fish. Director fish sees Hero.

DIRECTOR FISH Wait. That Face. Those eyes. That expression. This is the face for my movie! This is the face! This is our Bystander Number 2!!! Look. Look at him. It's like he's not even there! Fella, Your gona be in pictures!

ALL Yea!!

DIRECTOR FISH Let's have you here. Like this. Just uh. Fluttering. Yea yea go on.

Hero notices a tiny little small coral where the director wants him to stand.

He scurries into place.

DIRECTOR FISH Great. And Action. Now let's have Angel. Come on darling. and were fluttering fluttering fluttering. and now the Piranha. Good. Rufus, more teeth.

Rufus smiles.

DIRECTOR FISH Now in this scene uhh. Rufus. You, bite the, unsuspecting fish.

(tension)

Hero is worried. Rufus nears his prey. Hero starts to draw closer.

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DIRECTOR FISH Cut Cut. Let's give the guy some room here. Bystander 2, baby. I love ya. can ya move back for me a little, ok, thanks. And, action.

Hero circles about nervous for the safety of his affections.

DIRECTOR FISH Good and Rufus nears his prey. And helpless, helpless, helpless. Just then a large Lobster walks into the shot.

DIRECTOR FISH Cut!. Lobster?! There's a lobster. in my shot. Hello? Ok Take five for the lobster to pass. everybody back in 5.

He talks to her. They disband somewhat as Hero nears Angel. Angel sees him and is heartened. she gives a bashful blink. Hero is heartened and swims a little nearer. the other fish begin to avoid crossing between them as Hero nears.

HERO Uhh. heh . Um. Hi.

ANGEL He-he. uhh.

HERO My name is Hero

ANGEL Hi, I'm Angel.

HERO That was uh wonderful.

ANGEL Oh, Thanks. You too. He likes you too.

HERO Huh. um I live in a coral reef.

ANGEL

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oh. that's nice. hmm. Oh no. Look out.

The light changes and a net plunges into their happy paradise gathering Hero and a couple other fish. They are scooped up by the evil Tank cleaner!

FISH (screaming)

DIRECTOR FISH Ok gosh. Oh. Oh no. panic. panic everybody. and a flea. uh flea and run. HERO Huh? Oh. Uh. Ohhhh!

EXT. REEF TANK! (THE WILD ROOM)

Hero is placed in a flask hidden in a vest pocket and carted away. Camera follows as Hero peeks out of an exposed corner of the flask. leaves the Big 'Wild Room' full of tanks the door swings closed as someone enters on the other side of the warehouse.

INT. THE WILD ROOM

Two fish handlers enter the wild room talking. They wheel boxes from one end to the other then walk away.

NATE Ehh if it were me I would just film them getting lost in the wild.

BURT Right but that's why you're hauling tanks in a warehouse.

NATE Yea, Ain't that the truth?

They leave a couple boxes and exit the same door.

EXT. STUDIO!

The evil tank cleaner takes the fish out to the truck. The

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studio the flask is placed on the dash. He drives off. Hero passes fish related things. Posters, billboards, signs. Umbrellas, t-shirts, markets. Harvy stops off at his home for lunch. He phones Frank.

INT. BUNGALO

EVIL TANK CLEANER Ehh. eyy . I'm on my way. Yea I got em. Some fish for ya. mm. uh. mmm. uh huh. mmm. a couple a yellow ones and mmm. orange one.

EXT. TRUCK

He gets back in the truck.

INT. TRUCK

He drives to Aquarium Emporium. EXT. AQUARIUM EMPORIUM

The Tank Cleaner puts the flask into his pocket and walks in.

INT. INT AQUARIUM EMPORIUM

He is followed by Frank to the back room. He places the flask on a table in the back room. Frank picks them up. eyes them. Places them down.

FRANK Tank 6

A few dollars are placed on the table. The Evil tank cleaner takes them.

The two leave the back room and frank goes to the front to help some customers. The Evil tank cleaner empties the flask into tank 6. Glug glug glug glug foop.

Hero falls a short way into the tank. Splash swirl he orients amid the bubbles then watches the Tank Cleaner walk away-- along with his dreams of finding a coral reef or getting to talk to Angel. He is a tiny fish in a large aquarium store, in a giant city, with no coral reef. And far from Angel.

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INT. STOCK ROOM -AT STUDIO

The contented Film Assistant is busy feeding the happy thespians.

VARIOUS FISH Oooh. oh right here. ooop. ahh hah. Ahhh. mmm.

FISH1 Ah the morsels fair. what tender scraps. Oh delectable muse of lunch.

FISH2 So what do you think happened to Hero?

FISH3 Oh he's probably just happy as a clam somewhere. INT. AQUARIUM EMPORIUM

Hero settles uncomfortably in a too small green plastic sage amid a tank of clams with an old wooden outhouse and an equally smallish bright plastic Ferris wheel emitting bubbles.

One of the ignorant yellow fish says hello.

YELLOW FISH Hi.

HERO Hi, my name is Hero.

YELLOW FISH I'm, a fish.

HERO Hi.me too. I live in a coral reef.

YELLOW FISH Hi.

HERO

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Hi.

YELLOW FISH I'm a fish.

HERO Oh. Me too.

YELLOW FISH Hi.

HERO Hi.

Hero droops down. Someone passes he brightens then saddens as they pass.

YELLOW FISH Bet ya can't hold your breath.

YELLOW FISH Wanta go swimin?

He pokes around on the bottom as a clam closes and he draws back nearer to Hero.

YELLOW FISH Clam. Hero is sad.

Another yellow fish joins.

YELLOW FISH2 Whatit?

YELLOW FISH Orange.

YELLOW FISH2 Orange.

They repeat this back and forth mindlessly. Orange, Orange, Orgnge, Orange. Then pause.

A beat.

First Yellow fish to the second.

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YELLOW FISH Hi.

Hero is twice as slumped.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

INT. AQUARIUM EMPORIUM

Then Frank nears the cage. He sprinkles a few flakes, looks

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at the new fish, and walks away. Hero swims up to nibble a few fish flakes. And sees a larger fish lazily drifting back and forth.

LARGER FISH Ah-eep Ows it goin?

HERO Hi. I'm Hero. I'm looking for Angel. I'm new here.

LARGER FISH Oh Yah. Yi might wanta look around at the other tanks. There's quite a few. Uhh. With, a range of prices to fit every budget! Uhh. I've been here a long time. I've seen most of em!

Several more fish appear. YELLOW FISH Hi.

HERO Hello.

MORE YELLOW FISH Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi.

HERO Hi, I'm looking for my coral reef. Have you seen it.

YELLOW FISH uhhh. Hi.

HERO Oh. Hi.

The fish are excited that Hero addressed them the same way.

Hero proceeds to the top of the tank. Looks around. sees some of the room.

Sees the next tank and decides to go for it. He runs and jumps over. Slo-Mo

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INT. AQUARIUM EMPORIUM -TANK II

Fish tank with hamster wheel, submerged plastic bubble, and small porcelain wishing well. and rocky backdrop.

Hero's face distorts as it pushes the water aside. He gathers himself and wanders around. We hear the noisy bubbles.(last tank had tiny bubbles) The other fish are swimming around and he tries to catch up. They swim away. They are not social.

HERO Hello. Heleh. Heh. Heh.

Finally he slows down and looks at the hamster wheel and submerged plastic bubble. And small porcelain wishing well. Hero jumps into another tank.

INT. AQUARIUM EMPORIUM -TANK III

A nicer tank with a lot of sea grass mostly covering a model of a haunted house. The fish are more friendly.

FISH Howdy do? HERO Hi. My name is Hero.

FISH Right you are. New are ya?

HERO Yes. I'm, looking for Angel. I from a coral reef.

FISH Ahh. Don't recall one of those.

OTHER FISH Is it made of plastic?

HERO No It's a habitat.

AN OTHER FISH Is it really large?

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HERO Just the right size to live in.

STILL ANOTHER FISH And it's an aquarium supply?

HERO No. It's just a place. in the ocean.

ALL Ahhh!!!!

They all turn away.

OTHER FISH Oh No.

HERO Huh? It's a wonderful place. So big and there's coral and giant fish and little tiny fish and different sized in-between fish and all kind of things that live in the ocean.

ALL Ahhhh !

The fish swim around in circles.

ANOTHER FISH Oh No. My ears. Nooooo. STILL ANOTHER FISH Ah nah nah.nah nah nah.

OTHER FISH mm. mum mum mum mum mum!

HERO Oh. You don't really like the ocean.

ALL Ohhhh! Gosh. ooooh. eeee.

FISH Listen there are some things they

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don't like to talk about. We're all pretty safe here. Let's just leave it at that.

HERO Oh. Sorry. I was, always safe in the coral reef. I want to get back to the o', I mean, my coral reef.

FISH Yea well that's not here.

OTHER FISH Yea Not here.

ANOTHER FISH There's no way out of here anyway.

OTHER FISH Yea. the only way out of here is in a bag.

Someone walks by. All the fish press to the glass then slump.

ANOTHER FISH Unless you can make it to the bag. You're stuck.

Owner pours the fish through the funnel into a bag.

HERO Well how do I do that?

FISH No idea. The only one who would know, is Lawrence. (all gasp) HERO Lawrence?

FISH Yea, Lawrence of Aquarium.

All gasp.

HERO

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wh. Where is he?

FISH Him? He's Out there. The big tank in the back. All the way down and to the right. I've seen it during cleanings. If anybody can help you it's Him.

HERO Thanks I'll try.

Hero begins swimming.

FISH Hero! Good luck.

BINKY Wait Hero. I'll go wit ya. We'll go together. I'll be your right hand man.

HERO Thanks.

BINKY Oh. Uh Binky. Just call me Binky.

HERO Thanks Binky

They set out slowly.

BINKY So. Any word from the outside?

HERO Oh. I don't know.

BINKY Yea. I was once a home fish. Got bought. But the owners moved and returned me. I been out there. It's nice. Even more food than in here. The two reach the side of the aquarium.

BINKY

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Oh this is going to be harder than I was thinking.

HERO Uh.

BINKY What now?

Hero swims to the top sees the lizards on the other side. He looks down and sees there is no water in that tank.

DIFFERENT FISH End of the road. huh?

BINKY Yea He's stuck.

We see the cat sitting above the shelves at this point.

HERO Oh Hi.

DIFFERENT FISH I used to jump myself. That's how I got here. Decided to stay. You'll get used to it. They're not all that bad.

HERO But I have to find my coral reef. And Angel.

DIFFERENT FISH Aw don't worry about it. Feedings. twice a day. and cleanings. not that often.

Someone walks by they both rise momentarily then settle again.

DIFFERENT FISH Not all that bad.

Hero swims around and looks through the glass at the lizards (camelians)

HERO

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Mr Lizard. Mr Lizard. LIZARD mmmmmmm?

HERO Hi. Could you help me? I'm looking for Lawrence.

Lizard looks around. at the top of his closed cage.

LIZARD mmmm. Ahh sure. You just jump and I'll take care of it. Boys I'm steppin out. See ya next feeding.

Lizard pushes through the top. and climbs into place.

HERO I've never done this before. are you sure?

LIZARD Yea. never miss. Go ahead and jump.

Hero races and jumps out. The lizard sticks out his long tongue and catches him in midflight. Now Hero is hanging in the air. Gasping.

LIZARD Huh! Oh dgeeetz djust a mimnt. Hud un.

He begins swinging Hero back and forth. Hero gasps 'hurry'

LIZARD djust a nuduh ninit.

SPECTATORS Ohhhh! Ahhh. Ohhhh! Ahhhh.

Hero swings precariously between a tank of ohhing spectator fish and a tank of tarantulas. Then when he is over the spectator tank. The lizard walks forward a little.

Glunk. Hero hangs just inside of the tank of fish.

SPECTATORS

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Ohhhh!

Hero gasps and wriggles free, plunking into the water.

SPECTATORS Yeaaa! HERO Thank you!

Hero swims to the corner along the surface near corner already. but too low to get to the back row tank which he will need to jump from to get into the big 'desert tank'. He reaches the end of the lower tank.

HERO Oh. I think I'm stuck. Oh.

LIZARD All right. I'm out already. give me a minute.

He walks a circuitous rout to Hero.

LIZARD Come on. Come a little closer. Closer. (glunk. )

He sticks out his tongue and attaches to Hero's forehead. Hero now swimming around oddly.

LIZARD eh keg. um. yeeetzh go

The lizard starts walking slowly toward the 'desert tank'

EXT. DESERT TANK -WIDE TANK

Lizard climbing step by step. track down to see Hero hanging on his tongue gasping.

HERO his hih muh lonhher?

LIZARD Almusth dthere. Allmusth.

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The lizard has some difficulty and has to walk on the inside of the tank. until his tongue length runs out. Hero plops into the tank. and catches his breath.

INT. DESERT TANK

HERO Thank you Mr Lizard. This is a really big help. I could never have jumped so far.

LIZARD ehh where am I going? No problem. Hero swims down, down, down. to the sandy bottom, then Jumps to the next tank. The tank is long and vast. dotted by dunes and an occasional palm. (music) [It seems longer when he's swimming] Just then a band of black and brown fish surge over a dune and surround him. Laughing and howling.

VARIOUS FISH Ha haaa hooo whoa heh heh.haaaa! ayyy

A FISH What is this?

A FISH1 A straggler?

A FISH2 A lone traveler?

A FISH3 Maybe a spy.

A FISH4 Could be dinner.

A FISH What brings you to our rolling expanse?

HERO Uh.

VARIOUS FISH Ahh! Heh hey! Woaa! Eyyyy!

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HERO um. I'm from a coral reef.

VARIOUS FISH Huh? Wha?

A FISH What's your name fish.

HERO I'm Hero

VARIOUS FISH Hero, Heeyy Ahh ha ha ha, ehhhh. mmm. uhhh? A FISH Wait wait. shh. And what is this "coral reef"

HERO It's where I angel lives.

VARIOUS FISH Ahhh! Eeehhh?

FISH Shh. Shh.

HERO I'm from the ocean.

They gasp at the news.

VARIOUS FISH Huhhhhhhh! Ohhhhh! The great aquarium. Ohhhh. The great aquarium. From the ocean? The ocean. The sea. He's from the ocean.

FISH Shhh. Shh. quiet. And what brings you here?

HERO I'm looking for, um. Luw.. lawl.

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Lawrence. Lawrence of Aquarium.

VARIOUS FISH ohhhhhhhhh, mm.

VARIOUS FISH Huh. ho. he is? He's Shh. Ohh. ahh. Mmmm.

A FISH We will take you to him. But it could be dangerous. Come with us.

A FISH Hah! Hero!!

VARIOUS FISH Heyyy!

FISH He wants to meet Lawrence. VARIOUS FISH Yea!!!!!

They set out. Second pan shot (music) We look up at the light. The surface of the water is barely visible amid the glare. They ride(swim slowly) together. One rides(swims) up ahead to be with Hero and the front rider. The others follow past a plastic camel with pack at a slight angle in the sand. Away shot. Distant shot. The bright light above shot.

As they are cresting another dune, Lawrence appears.

A FISH3 Wait.

A FISH4 Hoe!

Lawrence has a small piece of tissue that floats around and down his head. He surveys and looks up at the crowd. with is bulbous face.

VARIOUS FISH ohhh.

Lawrence raises a fin.

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VARIOUS FISH Yeaaa!

A FISH There. There is your Lawrence. Go and ask him.

Hero waddles to the fore.

VARIOUS FISH hm. mm. ah?

LAWRENCE So what have we here? A slice of orange for my tea? What is your name?

HERO I'm Hero.

LAWRENCE Hero!

VARIOUS FISH Haaaaa! LAWRENCE

And, what brings you to our remote sand hills. my orange visitor?

HERO I'm looking for Angel.

LAWRENCE He is looking for a Girl!

Various laughter.

LAWRENCE And how can I help you?

HERO I need to get back to the reef.

Lawrence looks away. then back

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LAWRENCE Ah. Yes and your friends are there.

HERO Yes. And someone special.

LAWRENCE Oh I see. Then you have come a long way. We shall prepare you a victory!

VARIOUS FISH Yea!!!!

LAWRENCE We will wait for the moment and then begin!

VARIOUS FISH Yea!!!!

The fish make merry and begin roaming around and blowing simple horns and giggling bells.

INT. DESERT TANK -FALSE TWILIGHT

Near the small tent. The sun has passed and gives a false twilight in the tank. There is camp music and mingling near the tent.

Hero and Lawrence look out over the expanse. Lawrence and Hero walk (swim) together by the glass.

LAWRENCE The keeper of this establishment is a very regular individual. Every day, at 9, we are fed. Cleanings are first of the month. And there is a second feeding at 5. The sun will be low by then. I believe you have met some of our lizard population. They will be essential. No one gets out of here without them or the owner.

The exit point is a funnel near the register. The funnel empties into

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a small bag. Fish are taken to the funnel and dropped in the bag. But you will not be waiting for that. You will need to plan a decent.

HERO A decen.t?

LAWRENCE Yes. You will climb up onto the ornament shelf pulling yourself above the tanks then, you will crawl along the shelf to the drop point. Then, at just the right moment, you will descend into the funnel and into the bag. To be, lifted to the counter and, carried away to freedom.

HERO But it's impossible.

LAWRENCE Nothing is impossible. You will simply need to do it.

HERO What happens then? LAWRENCE Then? Then you are on your own. Beyond their lay dragons! Ah but. Dragons and Adventure! Still we will need to recruit some help first.

We see the parrot.

PAROT Ahk, Lizards again.

Just then the cat attacks the parrot which flies to the front perch in the shop.

Lawrence rolls his eyes.

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LAWRENCE This will take some planning.

The shop owner walks back to get a bag of something for a customer and notices the lizard crawling on the tank and places him back in his cage. He returns to the register and grabs the bag full of fish under the funnel and hands them to the customer who leaves.

The Lizard in the cage waves to another across the isle who waves to another who waves to another a fish who splashes polly (the parot)

Polly flys from her perch to the rear perch. The lizard jumps from the overhead lighting onto Polly's back. She lands on her perch in the back of the store. Polly (bird) is recruited to get the cat out of the way and is trapped in the storeroom with the cat(later we see Polly out of harms way. at first She nearly alerts the shop owner

POLLY Ahhh Not the lizards again!

The lizard hides on the birds back when the shop owner looks.

LIZARD Shhh

POLLY Ahk Noisy bird

LIZARD I need you to distract the cat. POLLY Ahk, I already fed that cat.

LIZARD No listen just fly into the store room. And get the cat to follow you. Then, close the door behind you. Can you do it?

POLLY Ahk, Bad kitty.

LIZARD

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Can you do it?

POLLY Oh All right. Coming.

LIZARD Good. Now fly to the front perch. Come on. Come on. (beat) What's wrong?

A beat.

POLLY Polly want a cracker!

LIZARD Ok, Fine. A cracker. But you wait for my signal.

Lawrence and Hero wait at the tent in the back behind the dune surrounded by a few of the others. A tiny shred of plastic or seaweed waves gently in the water over some plastic sticks like a camp fire.

We see the pet shop.

FADE

The sun moves. It is time.

The light is dim now streaming in through the store front all the way into the tank. It is 5 o'colck and Lawrence waves, giving the go ahead. A little brown and black fish swims to the edge of the tank and signals to the next tank. That fish swims to the next tank full of lizards and says.

FISH Ready. A fish splashes polly who flys from her perch to the rear perch. The Parrot does his thing. And distracts the cat. WHo is on the shelf and jumps to the floor.

POLLY Meoooww. Ahh.

The cat proceeds to prowl the bird.

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A lady passes browsing. The lady picks out some fish and tells the shop owner.

LADY Oh these are lovely. Yes. Hello. Yes you are. Yes.

FRANK How many would you like.

LADY Oh four or five would be nice. five.

FRANK There you are.

LADY Thank you.

FRANK I'll just put these up front.

INT. DESERT TANK

A small fish returns to Hero and Lawrence

FISH Ready.

Lizard waves to polly who flys around the cat. Then into the back of the store room.

INT. STORE ROOM

The cat leaps onto the desk to get the parrot. The parrot flies to the door. She closes it. As the cat draws near.

INT. DESERT TANK

Hero turns to Lawrence.

LAWRENCE Be Strong. HERO Thank you.

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Hero leaves with the other fish. He then swims to the top, jumps.

He lands in the next tank and swims to the lizard tank. Various fish watch as he passes.

VARIOUS FISH Ohh. Hero. Ohh.

LIZARD I guess this is your big moment.

HERO Yea.

LIZARD Ready.

HERO Ready!

Hero swims down then up into the air and the lizard tongue shoots out to grab him. He flops back down into the water. He wriggles and cannot swim right with the tongue attacked to his gill. The other fish watch with trepidation.

LADY Oh and these are nice. Let me have two of these. They're so cute.

FRANK Coming right up.

LADY Thank you.

FRANK I'll put these up front.

Frank takes the fish to the funnel and they slip in the bag.

The lizard begins walking the other fish are all watching. Hero is pulled from the water slowly step by step. He now dangles right over the lady's head. She walks away followed by the shop owner.

Hero inches up, up, up slowly. becoming distressed from the lack of air.

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The lizard passes the ornament shelf with a model of a Chinese theater, a Victorian home a plastic set of a game show and some fake miniature trees.

The lady continues browsing.

LADY Mmmm. Ohhh. mmmm.

Hero is pulled onto the ornament shelf. Gasping. and flapping. The lizard is now shaking his head. trying to dislodge his tongue. Hero flips precariously near the edge. then again closer! Then again. the tonguereleases! Hero's face hangs over the edge. He fins his way back slightly and rotates a little still gasping.

The fish look on.

The lizard looks on.

Hero begins inching, crawling and wiggling almost helplessly toward the front of the store. then he rights himself slightly, flips and nearly falls off. He fins his way some more, then a little bit more.

LADY I guess that will do.

Hero can't make it! The lizard runs to his rescue. he shoots his tongue and Hero is pushed over the side. The other fish wince.

The lizard's head crests over the shelf. At the bottom of his tongue is Hero. Still gasping. Hanging over a tank of scorpions! The lizard walks slightly faster . and moves down the shelf.

LADY Now these are tropicals?

FRANK

Yes. They keep the same as your other fish. Oh and did you need some sprinkles? They like these.

LADY Yes please.

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FRANK

Ok let's see that 5 and 2 and a can of sprinkles. (click click click chaching!) The lizard is walking slowly toward the funnel below. Passing a plastic Scottish castle and a small Apollo rocket with launch tower.

Hero is pulled up the inside of the scorpion tank.

A man in a suit enters.

SUITED MAN Hi, I need a bag of guppies.

FRANK Oh. Go ahead. Help yourself. I'll be with you in a minute.

Hero is pulled across the lid of the lizard tank. Gasping.

WOMAN Well I did want a little flower for my fishes. What do you have like that?

FRANK Well, let's see he reaches right for a little flower on a rock.

WOMAN ohh hmm. yea that is nice.

Hero is pulled up the side of the next tank.

WOMAN mmmm. uhh. Yes I'll take one of those too.

Hero plops down into tank III

WOMAN Thank you.

FRANK Good, anything else?

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WOMAN Oh let's see.

She looks at her purchase.

Hero is pulled through the water.

VARIOUS FISH Ohh. Hero. Hero. Ohh. WOMAN I think that'll do.

HERO Hi

Hero is pulled up the side of the tank.

FRANK ..and one pretty flower

Cash register. cha cha ching.

LADY Oh and thank you.

FRANK Let's see will that be all?

Hero drops into tank II.

The fish avoid him.

VARIOUS FISH Woa. No. Nuh uh. oopps.

LADY Umm. fish and sprinkles and flower. Yes I think so. that should do it.

FRANK Alright that's two and seven and the sprinkles and a flower.

Chaching. chaching.

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LADY Thank you.

Hero drops down into the first tank.

YELLOW FISHES Hi, Hi, Hi.

FRANK Now you want to feed them once or twice a day. Not too much. You can tell if they have eaten all the food.

Hero crests the side of the tank and ropes out in to the air toward the funnel swinging. LADY Oh good so not too much but every day.

FRANK .and make sure you keep the water a good temperature and the tank clean.

LADY Oh yes we have a nice tank. Thank you for your help.

The lizard steps into position over the funnel. Hero is hanging at the end of his tongue.

INT. FISH TANK

The fish give signals to the lizard.

FISH Hurry, Hurry! Drop now. Drop now.

LIZARD Huh? Wuh ithz zthat? Wdjd uthu thay?

FISH Drop, drop now. Drop now.

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INT. SHOP

The Lizard begins shaking his head. Hero is whipped around on the end of his long tongue and now swinging a bit more.

The lizard keeps shaking his head.

FRANK oh and thank you. Just remember to keep the water aerated and we have a nice selection of aquatic plants.

WOMAN Thank you.

FRANK Thanks. (chasing) ooh don't forget your fish.

Frank approaches the bag still hanging on the funnel. Frank takes the bag from the funnel. A empty bag now awaits below!

Hero is released in slow motion. He spins slowly. falling, falling, falling. Hero falls past several shelves of carnival fronts, churches, and skulls then drops into a preloaded bag with no water. The fish look away.

The suited man now standing next to the counter.

SUITED MAN Oh a. Just pour this in here?

Exhausted, Hero is still.

FRANK Yea in the funnel. Goes into the bag.

The Suited man dumps some fish into the funnel and tares the bag off. with Hero in it. He notices Hero but does not mention anything.

SUITED MAN Oh. mm.

Hero and two yellow fish are handed to the clerk.

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FRANK Nice choice. Let's see.

cha ching cha ching.

INT. DESERT TANK

Lawrence gazes out toward Hero.

MAN IN SUIT Here keep the change. Got to run.

FRANK Thank You!

(In an alternate ending, the fish is taken to a sushi bar, escapes, is found by hobos and sold to a fish conventioneer and traded to a circus where he performs a daily high dive into a glass of water. But he is soon exhausted and given to a carnival game operator and won by the FILM ASSISTANT who returns him to the Studio where he reunited with angel. What a life. I like that direction for a feature film but this is the original script.)

Hero now sits in a moving bag with two yellow fish.

YELLOW FISH Hi,

OTHER YELLOW FISH Hi,.

HERO Hi. The bag is handed in the window of a large black car and the man gets in to drive. Hero is moved near a hand bag then forward near a seat belt then hung from a coat hook on the inside of the door. The car drives off.

The bag lags behind due to the acceleration. The occupant in the rear seat looks at his cell phone, reads a paper. The car stops and the bag swings forward then stops and swings back and forth. The car takes off again and the bag flows back and swings. then stops. then back, then left the bag to the glass, then right, away from the glass. The car stops. And the occupant exists and takes the bag from the driver who waits.

MAN IN CAR Thank you Sherman.

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DRIVER A good flight sir.

The man walks into the airport. He stops into the lounge where he finds a space to change. He is a pilot. Hero now waits on the counter there. The bag almost begins to roll toward the edge. But is stopped by a pair of sun glasses placed in front of it. He puts on his coat and hat and carries the bag and his small luggage to the plane. Hero passes legs, coats, children, dogs in carriers, luggage trolleys, an electric car passes then the pilot walks onto a conveyer and legs begins to pass faster and the electric car is moving the same speed as him. Then they step off conveyer and the electric car passes forward. A few more skirts and pants and luggage trolleys, a small dog barks and is pulled away. Suddenly wood grain as we wait and a small child sucks a large lollypop. Then moving again, a long hallway. then out to the tarmac. We hear the roar of jet engines. The pilot boards.

INT. PLANE

Hero is poured out of the bag. The pilot exists.

INT. FISH BOWL

Hero strains to look out the small window, then to look at the flower on the tiny table, then to look at the little doorway. He circles and settles. hopeless.

The pilot enters again and walks to the cockpit. INT. COCKPIT

PILOT Check. uhRoger Oh Two Niner requesting pre clearance.

TOWER cckkkaaadatadab akkk chhhhhpatakach apwackasch uh two niner over.

PILOT Thank you tower. Awaiting passengers and adjusting visor.

INT. FISH BOWL

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Hero is now worried!

YELLOW FISH Hi.

INT. COCKPIT

PILOT Uh Tower two niner reporting visibility one hundred percent, and sunny.

The fuel guy finishes and waves.

PILOT Tower two niner, fueled and awaiting passenger.

Pilot throws various switches and turns some knobs.

INT. FISH BOWL

Hero swims to the glass and looks out. The engines begin. He cowers at the noise.

The light is blocked momentarily as a large figure enters talking on a cell phone. He enters and looks at the fish bowl.

STUDIO DIRECTOR I'll bay away this week but wheen I get back we'll mike the final edits. Right see ya then.

The Director Hangs up.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Ready Mate? PILOT Almost ready Sir.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Oh nice touch with the fish Henry.

PILOT Thank you sir. I thought that would

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brighten up the place.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Thanks, I'm going to get some rest.

Director lays back in the chair with his hat over his head.

Cabin assistant receives a man at the door. A Steward peaks in the door. (track ext) he takes a couple trash cans and restocks the wet bar. A thermos with a picture of Angel is placed in the milk crate.

The engines rev. Hero sees the picture.

STEWARD Any thing else to go?

PILOT All good.

STEWARD Right. Have a nice flight.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Thanks.

The steward turns to clean the table. Hero now frantic. Jumps. into a half filled tumbler of water in the milk crate.

The Steward throws a small bag of trash over Hero and takes the cart of junk.

STEWARD See ya next time.

The steward exits the plane and takes the trash to an unmarked truck.

EXT. TARMAC

The plane taxies. INT. TRUCK

The truck doors slam. Hero wonders what that is.

INT. PLANE

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The plane begins take-off

INT. CRATE OF TRASH

Hero rides in the shadows. Bump. Bump. Turn. slosh.

EXT. TARMAC

The plane takes off.

INT. PLANE

Director sits up as the plane soars.

EXT. PLANE

Plane soars.

INT. PLANE

The director looks again at the fish and wonders what happened to the orange one. He looks around on the floor.

INT. CRATE OF TRASH

Slow but not too sad music. Hero rides in the shadows. Bump. Bump. Turn. slosh. The water is slightly lower and music slightly sadder after some sloshes out.

EXT. TRUCK

The truck speeds along in the dusk.

INT. PLANE

The director looks around more on the floor. under seat cushions. Checks in the wet bar. Looks in the cabinets. Picks up the fish bowl. Looks at the pilot. Rubs his eyes. Sits back down.

EXT. TRUCK

The truck speeds along in the evening.

INT. CRATE OF TRASH

Hero lays in the shadows. Bump. slosh. bump. (the water is

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slightly lower) INT. PLANE

Director on the phone.

STUDIO DIRECTOR Elo freedie. awy. Add a thought. Let's do an all-nighter and get some more footage of Angel. and uh, have her interacting with the other fish.

INT. TRUCK

Hero rides in the low water. The truck stops, then goes, then turns a corner, then stops. The door opens and closes. Klunk (pause) The back doors open there is light through the bars of the milk crate. He is whisked away.

EXT. TRUCK

The driver, Hank, carries the crate across the movie back lot into a nondescript door. (someone is shooting an outdoor 'thing' in the far distance with a bright light, small backdrop and reflector) Hero is carried inside past a photo shoot of a little dog. And down a hall, around a corner and into a small lounge. He takes out the bag of trash and stuffs it into a trash can. He removes the thermos and washes it. He takes out the old dry flowers and throws them away then he removes the tumbler with Hero in it. He eyes it. Thinks a minute. Then puts a little tap water on in it. And walks to the room across the hall.

HERO Oh. (sigh) Hi. My name is Hero. I’m from a coral reef. um.

HANK Freddie? What do you want me to do with this? uhh?

But Freddie is not there. So Hank looks at the aquariums. and dumps Hero next-to one with the camera on it.

Water Freefall. (again) Our hero now falls slower than before. slowly, slowly

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falling, falling turning floating. water imperceptibly undulating, falling, falling, falling. he eventually faces downward gaping gaping, gaping as the water distorts his face plunging into the surface of the tank. A torrent pours into a deluge as the bubbles swirl and Hero founders about sinking lower and lower.

The bubbles clear as a scene comes into view. It's Angel she floats fluttering near a sea plant and rocky bit of coral in the bright lights. Hero is face to face with his heart throb. as the little bits of fluff drift away and water clears. Hero is looking at her from the next tank!

evil tank cleaner enters.

HANK Hi Harvey.

EVIL TANK CLEANER uhh. hey.

Hank leaves and the evil tank cleaner takes a fish and slips it into his clear plastic flask.and pockets it in his light jacket. Just then the doors burst open and to cops drag him away (aquarium view then surveillance view then tank view) Some things clang to the floor. (A fork and unbroken mug)

Hero drifts near. Hero sees this then, still delirious from seeing his heart throb, he turns back to her. Hero drifts near the glass to see Angel. Rufus makes his appearance. and Hero is worried. Rufus swirls around Angell. Hero looks around for someone to help.

VARIOUS FISH Hero!, Hero, Hey. Oh. oooh.

DIRECTOR FISH Ok. Places! Now uh. This is where the piranha enters. so let's see, you are frightened and, then you scream.

Hero swims toward the glass but cannot swim through. He swims left, right, left, Angel feigns fright and helplessness. Rufus is about to take a big bite of her when the Film Assistant disturbs the scene. Hero is pressed up against the glass.

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The Film Assistant places some things on the shelf then picks up the things that clanged to the floor during the arrest. Then walks back to the desk and looks into the tank. FILM ASSISTANT (to tank and Hero.) Hey there. Guess what. we have a request for more Angel footage.

Hero is excited and fills his mouth with pebbles to act like a piranha.

FILM ASSISTANT Hey that's pretty good. Look at you. Let's try you in here.

Film assistant scoops a cup of water and nets Hero then pours him into the other tank.

The director fish takes over once in the water. playing his roll.

The film assistant adjusts the camera.

DIRECTOR FISH Ok in this scene we have Angel. And uhhh. She's swimming. Swimming. very nice. Swimming in the water. good. Some fish pass by. Good good good. Some more fish swim by.

Hero swims near the scene to swim by.

Hero is bitten! He turns. It's Rufus!

The fish all see. Everything stops.

A beat.

FISH ohhhh.!

ANOTHER FISH Ohh!

DIRECTOR FISH Ohh!

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Film assistant sees!

FILM ASSISTANT Oh no! (gasp) It was you. The bitten fish. It was you. Come here. Come on.

Rufus is revealed! The Film assistant corners Rufus and the net drags him up. up and away scooping Rufus out and placing him in the junk tank with the dirty water and extra snails.

Hero pauses and looks at Angel. she looks back. He draws near. At last there is cheering. bells ringing and Hero swims next to his heart throb. Angel.

DIRECTOR FISH Ok Places everybody. Action! Action!.

The fiddler crab snaps his claw. We move in. Hero, swims around Angel in a circle.past the large camera (the little red camera light comes on.) He swims too his love. she coyly swirls. then they do a little "hey let's nest here thing." The other fish strain to see.

Hero puts more stones in his mouth and smiles.

A female fish sighs, then another.

MALE FISH Hey, that dood is a fish disguised as a fish playing another fish!

OTHER FISH Yea. What a business.

Hero is with his love again. They nest and he brings some little seaweed branch to her. They circle and nest close to one another and cuddle.

Hero makes more films.

Fade to Montage and showy band music. Successively larger groups of Attendants around different shaped tanks, film after film. Theaters with search lights. Fish bowl carried down a red carpet.

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Doors opened, doors closed. Hero looking left and right. Fish bowl placed in front of mic several times and each time it is a little bit larger.

Zoom to Posters:

Lost (gaping expression), Castaway (gaping expression with coconut head) , High tide (gaping expression on a little boat), Home alone (gaping expression, grabs his face with fins).

Talk Shows: The Bait Show: "This is, is the, the star. In there? Can I see him? Oh there he is." The Tuna-ite Show: "And will you please give a warm welcome to my next guest. Ah He-ro! The O show: "We have fish in the house!" (More music)

Spinning Newspapers:

"Fish finds fame", "Wale of a film", "Big Catch for little fry." Slow fade

Big-band swing dance-sequence.

(Instrument Notes: Pluck Urchin harp, Snail violins, Horns biting the bubble pipe (bubbles exit rear of fish), Clarinets pipefish bite small bubble outlets, Base plucking tentacles, dropping stones on overturned things, swishing gravel, hitting piles of bottle caps, Tympani head butting a blow fish.)

Dance Notes: Interleaving and rotating and leapfrogging Chorus lines, High diver (swim down from camera) Divers (into ocean of "fish"), Kabuki cois, Leap dancing jellies (short break 2 measures), Ballywood sea horses (4 measures), Drums dancing octopi (2 measures), Jamaican dancing crabs with steel drums (3 measures), Spanish flamenco lobsters (1 measure) Crescendo between chorus lines, Hero swims to the fore in final shot as the camera moves in to his big hamming innocent face.

Fade to twinkling curtain or full dance ensemble from above.

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FADE

INT. HALLWAY OF STUDIO

(Soft reclining music) Things wheeled around the back lot. pulling away, hovering over building, entering through lights and cameras and backdrops to a hallway. FADE

(little or no music)

Two tanks are wheeled down a long hall.

FISH So how's the new tank?

HERO Oh thanks, very nice. and you, how are the kids? FISH Oh doing fine. (they swarm all around him) Oh and great performance.

HERO Thanks.

The tanks part one left, one right is parked in front of the lobby entrance of the studio. They are pushed by Film Assistant and His Girlfriend. (Pull back) She walks to the door to receive a cart with another tank. Hero (w/sun glasses in coral reef) is near his bride (veil?) in front of a long red carpet in the studio lobby with 25 little Angels.

(redacted suggestion under academic license)

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Music: soft, start theme, energetic build

Pull back and up to reveal the enormous fish oriented studio back lot then on higher.

Cut To tank scene: Coral and sea grass sway with waving water.

FIN

Credits

Outtakes:

Human talking through a tiny megaphone at the fish tank. "Can we have Hero a little more to the left?" The fish laugh hysterically. The humans have no clue.

Rufus turns around and Hero is biting onto his tale. He swims forward slightly then turns around. (Rufus out of character) "Oh come on. Do, we have to have this?"

Evil tank cleaner enters stock room. Everyone breaks up laughing. Again and again and again.

Hero swims up to a tiny camera with a silly grin and, with two tries, he eats it.