Pre- production

Script  

‘’APPROVAL’’

By NASTEHA MOHAMED

1    EXT. ESTATE – PRESENT DAY – 11.00

Council estate. Gloomy day, nobody is in sight, the sound of cars is the heard.

SALMA walks across the estate where NOORA lives and waits, staring down at a phone.

NOORA comes out and hugs SALMA greeting her.

NOORA

             Hey, what’s up? Thanks for waiting out here in the cold.

ZARA

    Hey, it is fine doesn’t worry about it.

Both walk down the street. There is a small pause.

ZARA

(Concerned but in a friendly way)

Hey, so is everything ok at home?

NOORA

(Doesn’t make eye contact, hesitant)

Yeh, I guess. Ever since I became part of the family, Aisha hasn’t been my biggest fan. She treats me as if I’m an intruder, ruining things. She’s gone rogue.  

ZARA

What are you talking about, what happened to Aisha?

NOORA

(Disappointed and quiet)

I don’t know, she just stormed out one day, Mrs Petal won’t explain anything to me... It doesn’t bother me really though, I’ve gotten used to the loneliness, Aisha never really liked me anyway.

ZARA

(Being supportive and quite playful at the same time)

Seriously, you guys used to hang out all the time.

1    CONT:

Noora looks at Salma.

ZARA(CONT’D)

She’s your sister... well kinda...

NOORA

(Shakes her head gently)

It was never like that. She despised that word.

As both SALMA and NOORA approach the corner of the street they bump into Aisha on the way. Without realising its her, they apologise and carry on walking. Aisha, who is wearing a black hooded jacket and a scarf to cover her nose and mouth, stops after a few steps and looks at her watch.

2    INT. LIBRARY – MORNING – 11:20

ZARA and NOORA are studying and discussing the topic of decay and organisms.

NOORA

(Points to the page in the book. Looks disgusted. )

SALMA, look... that’s what happens to a dead body as it decays.

ZARA

(Also disgusted. Responds by whispering)

Eww! God I wouldn’t want to be that guy right now.

NOORA

(Laughs quietly)

I know right. Jeez, just looking at it makes me feel weird .

ZARA

Well, we all gotta die someday.

SALMA and NOORA look at each other and smile. 

3    EXT. PARK – AFTERNOON – 13:00

ZARA and NOORA are sitting on the swings. NOORA is kicking a rock as she swings back and forth.

NOORA holds her phone with a photograph of both ZARA and her, in her hand. NOORA sighs looking around the park. One more glance at the photograph and without hesitation rips it into two. SALMA signals to her ringing phone and waves before departing home.

4    EXT. PARK – AFTERNOON – 14:00

The park is nearly empty. NOORA puts away her phone and get's up walking off. She walks up a hill when suddenly someone comes up from behind and attacks NOORA – they cover NOORA’S mouth so that the screams are muffled. NOORA’S eyes widen as she struggles.

5 FADE OUT AND THEN IN.

6    EXT. PARK – AFTERNOON – 14:10

NOORA’s phone starts to ring. There is no response. NOORA is lying dead on the grass. The masked killer is seen standing over her. They look around and quickly walk away.

7 FREEZE FRAME THEN REWIND.

AISHA (V.O)

Stop, let me explain. I followed you. I knew everything you were going to do. Weird right? It’s like we’re related.

    

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

8    EXT.  OUTSIDE NOORA’s HOUSE – MORNING – 10:00

AISHA stands opposite NOORA’s house wearing a low hood. AISHA brings out her camera phone and brings to take photos of NOORA’s window. Like a stalker.

    

END FLASHBACK.

9 FADE TO:

EXT.PARK – AFTERNOON – 13:00

AISHA is waiting by the gates of the park. Looks down at her watch ; it reads 1pm.

AISHA (V.O)

1 PM, I knew you would be there. That’s where we used to hang out.  

AISHA looks over her shoulder to see NOORA and SALMA.

9 CONT:

AISHA turns her back on them pretending to be on the phone as they walk by.

Shortly after AISHA begins to walk along the street, a safe distance behind them both, keeping a close eye on NOORA and SALMA. AISHA stops and looks down at the photograph of NOORA and AISHA, this was another photo, similar to one NOORA had.

AISHA (V.O)

I remember when my mum and dad used to take me there. It was a special place. I liked it there. I wanted to share that experience with you seeing as we were both the best of friends. I guess we did have some fun. For a while. They say nothing lasts forever… well isn’t that the fucking truth!

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

10   EXT. PARK – MORNING – 10:30

AISHA is sat looking at her phone, scrolling through hundreds of photos of NOORA. AISHA puts the phone down to open a bottle of water. After a hard attempt of opening the bottle she gets frustrated, and throws it aggressively across the playground. AISHA begins to break down.

    

END FLASHBACK.

11 FADE TO:

     EXT. OUTSIDE LIBRARY – MORNIGN – 11:15

AISHA walks down the street where the library is located. Stops and stares at it. AISHA looks down at her watch;  it reads 11:20 am.

AISHA (V.O)

11:20 am, you’d be at the library. You were smarter than I ever could have been. Every time I saw you, you had a book in your hand. I would get frustrated. Why couldn’t I be that smart? MY parents would praise you and reward you for your hard work. It didn’t matter in the end, because I stopped caring. 

    

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

12 EXT PLAYGROUND – MORNING – 11:00

AISHA stops crying. She gets up and puts on her scarf. She looks outside of the children area and makes her way out making sure to cover the entrance with the old tape. Inside the walls are covered with photos and information on NOORA and where she would be at different times of day. In the middle NOORA’S picture is circled in red.

    

END FLASHBACK.

13 FADE TO:

     EXT. ESTATE – MORNING - 11:05

AISHA walks down the street and pulls her hood up, approaching a corner where she bumps into NOORA and SALMA. Neither do not notice her but apologise for bumping into her. AISHA then walks a few steps and waits. She looks down at her watch. It reads 11:10. She turns around and walks, on her way to follow NOORA.

AISHA (V.O)

I’m not jealous of you anymore. I don’t care about how smart you are. I don’t care about the days when we used to go to our favourite park. All that shit doesn’t matter, because the day you arrived at my house, you changed everything. And somehow you got the better life and left me to rot in mine. I never gave a fuck, and I never will. Yeah, you might be accepted by my parents but you shall never get my approval. 

14 CUT

Storyboard by Salma Mohammed

Mise en Scene: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9Oq2QuGbYq-c1J2UlN6QmM4LTA (Salma)

Shot List: (Pratisha)

Estate

Shot No	Shot	Filmed?
1	ELS of estate building
2	LS of Salma walking down the street with her phone in her hand
3	MCU of Salma as she looks at the estate
4	MS of Salma as she gets a text
5	LS of Nasteha walking out of the estate
6	MS of Salma and Noora hugging
7	Tracking shot of the two walking down the street
8	Close up of Noora as she talks to Salma
9	MS of the two, walking down the street
10	MLS of them bumping into Aisha
11	Tracking shot of Aisha
12	MS of Aisha when she stops to look at her watch.
13	Tracking shot of Aisha as she walks down the street
14	MS of her pulling up her hood.
15	ECU of her watch as it reads 11:10
16	MS of her turning around and on her way to follow Noora.

Library

Shot No	Shot	Filmed?
1	MLS of Salma and Noora studying.
2	OTS shot of Noora talking  from Salma’s perspective
3	OTS the of Salma talking form Noora’s perspective
4	MS of Aisha walking down the street
5	LS of her looking at the building
6	Close up of her looking at her watch
7	Extreme close up of the watch as it reads 11:20

Park

Shot No	Shot	Filmed?
1	MS of Salma and Noora on the swings.
2	Close up of Noora’s feet as she kicks the rocks beneath her.
3	MCU of Noora holding a photo in her hand
4	ECU of photo in her hand.
5	Close up of Noora’s face as she sighs.
6	ECU of Noora ripping up the photo.
7	MS of Noora walking home from the park, looking at her phone.
8	MCU of Noora’s face as her mouth is covered by Aisha’s glove.
9	Close up of Noora’s face as she struggles.
10	ECU of Noora’s widened eyes
11	Close up of Noora’s phone on the floor as it rings.
12	MCU of Noora’s dead body as she lies on the ground.
13	MS of Aisha as she stands over Noora’s body
14	MS of Aisha looking around and walking away
15	MLS of Aisha waiting by the gates of the park.
16	MS of her turning around to look at Noora and Salma
17	ELS of Noora and Salma
18	OTS shot of Aisha looking at them.
19	Tracking shot of Aisha as she walks past the park
20	OTS shot of her looking at the photo.

Aisha's Bedroom

Shot No	Shot	Filmed?
1	MS of Aisha looking out the window
2	Close up of Aisha looking out the window
3	Close up of Aisha sitting down and writing a note.
4	ECU of the writing on the note.
5	Close up of Aisha sitting down and writing a note.
6	Close up of her looking at her schoolbooks
7	MCU of her throwing the books on the floor.
8	OTS shot of her looking at her trophies
9	Close up of Aisha as she stops writing.
10	MS of her as she puts on her jacket
11	MS of her looking out the window.
12	Close up of the writing on the wall
13	Zoom out to reveal the plan to kill Noora
14	Extreme close up of Noora’s picture on the wall circled in red.

Project Schedule: (Pratisha)

Date	What we need to film
14/01/17	The estate scenes
15/01/17	Edit these clips
21/01/17	Park scenes /Library scenes
22/01/17	Edit these clips
25/01/17	Aisha’s bedroom scenes Voiceover
26/01/17 – 30/01/17		Edit these scenes and combine all clips together