I’ve been working on fun Twitter project with friends and students. At TweetAMovie, we’re trying to write a short film 140 characters at a time. We’re really excited about the progress and would love more voices to tweet us.
If you can help us out, please send a direct message to TweetAMovie. (We’ll repost what you send, but I’ve found that it cuts down on lots of confusion if we can have all the lines in one place.)
Here’s the summary so far:
Mysterious men have plucked newlywed Joe from the luxury cruise ship he’s honeymooning on. In the dead of night, his new bride, Mira, searches for him as the kidnappers make their getaway with Joe in a small boat. Joe is taken to a secret location while Mira is questioned by the ship’s officials. She swears she knows nothing that would have lead to Joe’s disappearance.
Mira flashes back to her first meeting with Joe, her mind reeling about what she doesn’t know about her husband.
Who’s behind Joe’s disappearance? Does Mira know more than she’s telling? What events led up to the kidnapping?
Joe – An alias of a recently kidnapped newlywed. He was taken by masked men while on his honeymoon cruise. Why was he taken? What does he know? Who was behind the kidnapping?
Mira – Joe’s seemingly distraught new wife. Questioned in his disappearance by a suspicious guard. Tough cookie, but this night is testing her resolve. Or is it all just an act?
Guards – Interrogated Mira on the ship. One looks a lot like Joe. Are very suspicious of Mira.
Ext. Luxury cruise ship deck – Night
A distraught young bride frantically searches for her husband.
She finds his jacket caught around one of the rails on the port side. The arms of the jacket flapping eerily out towards the sea. Off the port bow in the shadows of the hull of the large vessel floats a small group of pirates who hold him bloodied and bound.
INT. Luxury Cruise Liner – Cargo room
A stowaway is pacing. His eyes are filled with lust and murder
Ext. Deck – Continuous
From behind, a moving SHADOW passes over her shoulder. She spins and SHRIEKS. Joe sees what’s happening but can’t help her. His boat of pirates takes off into the black darkness.
A radio squawks.
RADIO
We got him.
The stowaway steps into light, smiles. He looks just like
Joe.
INT. ROOM ON THE SHIP – Boat security questions Mira
SECURITY GUARD
Ma’am, when did you
last see your husband?
MIRA
Two hours ago.
We had just come
back from the ballroom.
We’re on our honeymoon.
The security guard who looks just like Joe glances at his security detail.
SECURITY GUARD
Your honeymoon?MIRA
Uh, yeah. You know,
that vacation you
take together
after the wedding?
The guard slams his fist on the table, close enough to Mira that she feels the air move. Mira doesn’t flinch. The guard paces the windowless room.
GUARD
You’d think you’d watch
your tongue if you
wanted your husband back.MIRA
Holding my tongue
is what put Joe’s
life in danger
in the first place.
She bursts into tears.
MIRA
Why are you yelling at me?
The guard silently pulls out a file labeled Robert Harrison.
MIRA
My husband’s name was Joe
.
The guards look at each other.
GUARD
Everybody’s named Joe.
Sometimes, they got
other names, too.
He opens the file.
GUARD
Is this your Joe? Or this?MIRA
Can I see that file?
The Guard hesitates.
She pours over the file, staring at Joe’s face, his outfit.
MIRA
That’s us in Venice. That’s
Joe in Paris, on business.
That’s impossible. I know
a Photoshop when I see it.
Mira pauses to collect herself.
MIRA (Cont.)
I saw him after dinner.
We were looking at the moon.
He said… we said
goodbye. I should’ve known.
GUARD #1
That name is familiar.GUARD #2
He’s a VIP on this boat.
He’s seated at the
captain’s table tonight.MIRA
No, no, no!
She slams files to the floor, noticing a dufflebag tucked away in a corner. Stenciled on it, the name JOE.
She gasps but tries to stay calm.
MIRA
Can I go, please?
My husband’s missing
and I need to make some
phone calls and go sleep.GUARD #2
Just one more question.
You said “was”.MIRA
What?GUARD #2
You said a minute ago
that his name “was” Joe.
Family of missing people
usually refer to loved
ones in present tense.
Int. Cafe – One year earlier
Mira waits for her computer to start up. She impatiently makes circles with the cursor. Joe, waiting for his coffee, watches her intensely.
Joe
There are two kinds
of people in the world.Mira
I’m sorry?Joe
People who wait
for things to happen and
people who make circles
with their cursors.Mira
Sorry, I just have
so much to get
done this morning.Joe
You realize the first
two things you said
to me were both “sorry”?Mira
The first two things?
Will there be more
I say to you?
He considers that for a moment. Suddenly Mira’s computer comes to life, finally done loading.
Mira
Sorry. Back to work.
Joe smiles.
