THE SPECTRUM

SCREENPLAY

WRITTEN BY ANGHARAD BALLEMILY BARRON

EMMA LOUISE WHELAN

EXT. A SUBURBAN ROAD.DAY

Noah and his family are moving out of their old house. Noah carries boxes into a car, which then proceeds to drive away.

EXT. PARK. DAY

Noah takes his adopted puppy to the park to exercise him, he struggles with the boisterous dog and meets a girl Liv..

NOAH

(frustrated)

please Samson stop!

Samson sit!

Liv walks up behind him and watches in amusement.

LIV

(advising)

Let him off the lead, he’ll calm down once he’s had a run.

Noah 1(agitated)

I cannot let him off the lead, as he would most likely impale himself on something.

LIV

(harshly)

Samson sit!

Samson sits

NOAH(annoyed)

Incredible

Noah starts to walk away

LIV

Your welcome (pauses)

NOAH(ranting)

Usually your welcome is a response to thank you, but I never thanked you thus your welcome was not necessary.

(pause)

I apologise that was rude.(embarrassed)

My name is Noah.

LIV (sceptical)

I’m Liv

EXT. PARK. DAY

LIV IS CONVINCING NOAH THAT TO BE A NORMAL TEENAGER HE MUST EXPERIENCE SMOKING IN A PARK

LIV

And so you just, roll it between your fingers

NOAH(frustrated)

I can’t do it

LIV(jokingly)

Practice make’s perfect

NOAH(outraged)

That is in relation to activities that require a degree of intelligence…hardly applicable to the rolling of a tobacco product.

LIV(casually)

So just breathe in…

NOAH(coughing, droll)

My lungs are being encased in toxicity

LIV(laughing)

That happens to everyone the first time, it gets better trust me

NOAH(concerned)

Are you aware that the packet of tobacco you have just purchased clearly states that “smoking kills”

LIV(mock shock)

Really?

NOAHYes!

EXT.DAY.PARK

Noah watches the rain fall.

INT. NOAHS MUSIC ROOM. DAY

Noah and Liv are getting to know each-other.

LIV(fascinated)

You must be loaded

NOAHYes

LIVIs this soundproofed?

NOAH

Yes. I sometimes come in here to shout as loud as I can

LIV(awkward)

Oh right…

NOAH(off on a tangent)

I sometimes find myself getting very-

Noah stops himself from ranting by playing a few notes on the piano.

NOAHIndependent studies show that children who learn the piano tend to do better in school. This is attributed to the discipline, hand-eye

coordination and social skills building…ironic isn’t it?

LIV(joking)

You’re really weird sometimes…

INT. BATHROOM. DAY

Noah is shaving in the bathroom, using his fathers’ shaving cream and razor.

DAD

(Faint voice)

Noah have you seen my shaving cream? And my razor?

NOAH

(Monotone)

I am currently using them

Dad opens door and enters the bathroom meanwhile saying

DAD

(Baffled)

What for?

NOAH

(Off on a tangent)

Well historically Egyptians shaved their beards and heads which was a custom adopted by the Greeks and Romans about 330BC during the

reign of Alexander the Great.

This was encouraged for soldiers as a defensive measure to stop enemies from grabbing their hair in hand-to-hand combat.

DAD

I despair

INT. BEDROOM. DAY

Noah is attempting to become normal, he is exploring mainstream music and fashion in his bedroom.

Noah is trying on clothes to establish his new identity, while looking in the mirror.

DAD

(shouting)

Noah what is that racket?

Dad walks upstairs

NOAH

It seems to be what pop culture class as music.

DAD

(Enquiringly)

You don’t seem impressed…why are you listening to it?

NOAH

(firmly)

Because I want to be normal

DAD

Now what is normal?

NOAH

The Oxford dictionary definition is…

DAD

(interrupts)

Ok I will be downstairs if you need me

INT. NEW YEARS EVE HOUSE PARTY-NIGHT

Liv is taking Noah to a house party. She plans to get him drunk and help him fit in. Noah feels uncomfortable and lashes out at Liv.

LIVIt’s freezing

NOAH:(blunt)

You could put some more clothes on…

LIV(teasingly)

Now that would be no fun would it

NOAH: (shouting above noise)

You should really close the front door, statistically Christmas time has a higher rate of burglaries…

(A CROWD OF PEOPLE GATHER WHO SPUR NOAH ON, HE DOWNS VAST AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL)

LIV(chuckling)

I see you fit right in

NOAH(slurred)

I think I may be just slightly intoxicated

LIV

(smiles) Open your mouth

NOAH(Stutters)

Why?

LIV Do you trust me?

LIV (pops a pill on his tongue and hands him a beer)

Drink up

NOAH

(Goes to the living room and sits in the centre of the sofa, action continues around him but he is frozen in a deep state of thought)

NOAH LOOKS AROUND THE CROWD OF PEOPLE THEY BUMP INTO HIM ADDING TO HIS FEELINGS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA, HE STEPS OUTSIDE NEEDING AIR. NOAH SEES LIVS FIGURE IN THE BACKGROUND WITH A MAN, HE RUSHES OVER.

NOAH: (frantic)

What have you done to me?

LIV: (drunken laughter)

Relax, it’s just a teeny bit of…(whispers mockingly)

ecstasy

GUY: (intimidating)

Were in the middle of something here, leave

NOAH(angry)

I am not ready to leave.

GUY: You’ve got 5 seconds to fuck off before I-

A FIGHT BREAKS OUT

LIV Noah stop it!

(LIV TRIES TO PULL HIM OFF)

NOAH

(Noah pushes her off giving her a bloody lip)

He realises what he’s done stares at her horrified tries to comfort her

LIV (choked)

Don’t touch me

NOAH I’m sorry-

LIV: (through her teeth)

Just leave, I don’t want you here

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT

A voice is heard outside of the room, calling Liv to dinner. She takes a swig of vodka, sighs and gets up.

INT. HOUSE.DAY

Noah is reorganizing the cutlery draw.

NOAH (obsessive)

Forks, Knives and Spoons.

Forks, Knives and Spoons.

Forks Knives and Spoons.

Dad looks at Noah concerned.

INT. CAR JOURNEY. DAY

DAVID: (casually) You ok?

NOAH: Define “ok”

(AN AWKWARD SILENCE FALLS WITHIN THE MOVING CAR, NOAH STARES OUT THE WINDOW AVOIDING THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION)

DAVID:

I’m not ‘gonna say anything to Dad…(sarcastic)

We could give the whole…brotherly bonding thing a try if you like?

NOAH: (bluntly)

No thank you

DAVID:

Well you can start by telling me why I’ve had to get out of bed at this time to-

NOAH: It’s midday.

DAVID: Exactly…

NOAH: I’m meeting Liv-

DAVID: (teasing)

Baby bro’s got himself a girl…finally I thought you might be –

NOAH: (going off on a tangent)

I may have got a tad…well just a little bit agitated and then I think…

DAVID: (annoyed) Did you hit her?

NOAH: No! Of course I didn’t hit her

DAVID: So why are you apologising?

NOAH: Because-

DAVID: (teasingly)

Because you like her?

Or… because you lo-

NOAH:

(flustered)

We are not having this discussion…

I just don’t cope well with change

(NOAH CATCHES A GLIPSE OF A BLONDE GIRL ABOUT TO CROSS THE ROAD WITH HER IPOD IN)

NOAH: (shouts)

David sto-

(The car impacts the girl, a loud crash is heard. Liv is shown on the roadside.)