This has been about 3 weeks in the making. Ever since me and Alejandro landed on the idea, we've been writing out a script, as I feel just forcing myself to write as opposed to sitting around and brainstorming is the easiest way to get a complete idea of what the heck we're planning to do.
Also, we recently did a project in class centering around film distribution, involving making a trailer, a teaser, a screenplay for a 5 minute excerpt, which yours truly assumed more of a role in, and a distribution plan for a story we were assigned. I found that after around 30 minutes or so of writing screenplays it's pretty easy to enter "flow state". You can probably imagine what this is or have heard it being used online by people who definitely don't know what a real "flow state" is as they've never seen me 30 minutes into working on a screenplay. But basically its where you get so immersed into the plot you see it unfolding before your eyes and your fingers fly and struggle to keep up with your thoughts and what your mind is imagining at that particular moment.
INT. SCHOOL BUILDING- NIGHT
A wide shot a long hallway. The only sounds heard are the buzz of the fluorescent lights and footsteps in the distance. Bobert step into frame, a middle aged custodian, mopping the floor mopily - he's a custodian after all. He looks up at a portrait of himself on the wall labeled "Custodian of the month". Reinvigorated, he mops the floor excitedly and stops in front of the bathroom for a break, forgetting to leave a sign. Melancholic, honest music plays in the background.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT FROM BEHIND BOBERT IN URINAL CUT TO POV LOW ANGLE SHOT FROM URINAL LOOKING AT BOBERT'S RELIEVED EXPRESSION
Distant chatter and footsteps are heard in the background. A deep, raspy voice draws nearer, and then...
*THUMP* - Music instantly cuts out
He jumps, startled, and his keys fall in the urinal. Bobert's expression goes cold. He slowly steps outside the bathroom. A POV shot of Bobert slowly reveals a lifeless body laying on the floor. He starts freaking out.
BOBERT
SSHHHHHITT.
Bobert scrambles to the lifeless body and tries to wake him up.
BOBERT
(Whining, nervous)
Come on man wake up wake up please come on
Bobert continues shaking the lifeless body, to no avail, and glances up at the employee of the month sign. He crumples to the floor, defeated and anguished.
BOBERT
(Defeated)
Awwwww man.
Bobert lies on the floor, frozen and staring at the wall. He pulls out his wallet, opens it, and stares at a picture of his daughter. He begins crying. He looks next to the body to see a live phone call has been ongoing for the past minute with "Bae heart emoji". He scrambles over and puts the phone to his ear.
TEACHER'S WIFE
(Crying incessantly)
Schnookums???? What happened??? ARE YOU OKAY?
Bobert hesitates, what will he do? This is where he decides who he is. He takes a deep breath
BOBERT
(Passionately)
Schnookums - um - uh you're breaking up kkkkkkkkkk - I can't hear you kkkkkkk - Ill be home soon kkkkkkkkk.
Bobert hangs up the phone and sits back against the wall. He doesn't know what he just did but at least he can catch his breath. The jingling of keys and distant footsteps are heard drawing closer. Robert - back literally against the wall - only has one choice. He must hide the body. The footsteps - revealed to be a fellow custodian, LEWIS - steps into frame, he stares at the spot where the body once lied, only to see Bobert mopping the floor as if nothing has happened. Lewis heads towards the bathroom
LEWIS
Oh hey Bobby.
BOBERT
Hey Lewis, listen, I just cleaned the bathroom would you mind-
LEWIS
Man i really gotta go man
BOBERT
I know Lewis, and that's okay but we each have our own designated spots and I would really appreciate it
LEWIS
(Clenching, aggravated)
Alright fine dude whatever.
Bobert waits patiently for Lewis to leave the building before walking up to a bathroom stall.
BOBERT
*INCREDIBLY DEEP BREATH* haaaaaaaaaaa
EAGLE EYE SHOT
BOBERT clasps the rag-dolled body, and jump cuts detail him desperately attempting to drag the body out of the stall. He eventually gets the body to the school door, reaches to unlock it, but remembers his keys fell in the stall.
BOBERT
Ahhh f-
Quick cut to Bobert using the lifeless body to fish his keys out of the stall. Quick cuts form a montage-like sequence of Bobert dragging the body back to the door. Once he reaches the door, bright, blinding headlights pull up through the window, Bobert has to act fast, but he doesn't have enough time. The Teacher's Wife bolts up to the door, pounding agressively against the closed door.
TEACHER'S WIFE
Sir! Sir! Have you seen my schnookums???
BOBERT
(Startled) JESUS CHRIST!
Bobert opens the door, he must remain calm.
BOBERT
Um uh, ma'am I'm truly sorry I think you just missed him.
TEACHER'S WIFE
Is that so? He should still be here? It says it on his phone?
BOBERT
(Starting to lose composure) Yea I'm pretty sure he's gone actually, he only left a few minutes ago I know phones these days are kind of slow to update especially with the locations and everything.
TEACHER'S WIFE
Oh okay Bob, thanks anyway
BOBERT
Yea know problem have a great night.
Bobert turns his back only to quickly turn back towards the wie
BOBERT
(Suspiciously)
How did you know that was my name?
WIFE
(Stumbling over words)
Um uh what? Did I say that? I just uh. I figured it respectful to know the names of custodians in town, I mean its truly a disrespected profession these days.
Bobert is deeply unconvinced, and his look shows it. The camera zooms in to his perplexed and suspicious expression.
WIFE (O.S.)
(Sinister tone and look)
I had to make sure it all went according to plan.
Wife steps into the hallway, slowly inching forward as Bobert backs up.
WIFE
(EVIL LAUGH ENSUING)
And it really, really did! I mean who are people going to believe? The harmless, innocent, betrayed
Wife glances over disgustedly at the trash bag the teacher's body is in.
WIFE
widowed wife or Bob, the janitor? Seriously!
BOBERT
You did this?! He didn't slip on the floor?
WIFE
I don't know what the hell you're talking about. This is your fault.
BOBERT
(Tearing up)
Why would you do this to me? I don't understand.
WIFE
Who else's life would be better spent rotting away in prison, Lewis?
BOBERT
Uh, yea that guy sucks.
The teacher groans and starts making pained noises while moving around in the body bag, this distracts the wife.
WIFE
(Enraged)
No. NO, NO, NO! He's supposed to be dead! Rotting in hell right where he-
Bobert, back once again against the wall, locates the caution wet floor sign, picks it up and hits the wife on the head, knocking her unconcious. He throws the sign to the floor and runs over to the struggling teacher, kneeling down beside the bag and fishing out his head from inside the bag.
TEACHER
(Lifeless, breath fading)
Ugh what the hell? Why are my clothes wet, where am I? Is that my wife?
BOBERT
Hey hey teach. Its a long story, basically your wife found out you cheated on her and tried to kill you and wanted to frame me for the murder.
TEACHER
What? I told her I was talking to my mom. I just still call her mommy.
BOBERT
(Confused expression)
You call your mom-nevermind teach you've gotta stop talking so much.
Bobert reaches behind the teacher's head, to see his hand now covered in blood.
BOBERT
(Shakingly)
You're losing a lot of blood.
TEACHER
Man I just want my mommy, tell her I love her.
BOBERT
(Tearing up)
Teach, stay with me please, please!
TEACHER
(Slowly and finally)
You were always my favorite janitor.
The teacher goes unconscious, life leaving his body. Bobert sits with the teacher in his arms, hugging him and crying. He's just as heartbroken as he is disgusted with himself. Cut to caution wet floor sign leaned up against the wall.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAYS LATER
Bobert grabs the caution wet floor sign from the wall, and places it in the middle of the hallway. Melancholic theme music returns. He steps into the bathroom slowly, out of frame.
END
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