[…] July is Scene-Writing Month here at Go Into The Story. Every Monday-Friday at noon Eastern / 9AM Pacific, I will upload a post with a prompt for writing a script scene. Each day, write a scene per those guidelines. If you really …read more […]

DAY ONE: A character has to say goodbye to a good friend without actually saying s/he is leaving and won’t be back A young couple, CATHERINE and TYLER, walk out of a movie theatre. They are dressed casually, squinting against the brightness of the sun. They start walking down the street. CATHERINE: That movie was nuts. I don’t even know why you made me watch that. What do you have against me? TYLER: I thought it would be significantly better. I just found it hilarious how bad it was after a while. Like, you start rewriting it in your head, you know? The more I do that, the more I laugh. CATHERINE: I guess. I just don’t think that I should have to do that. If I pay my money to see a movie that I didn’t make, I think it should be done. Movies aren’t interactive where I should have to mentally edit it. TYLER: Says the woman who I almost can never watch a movie with because she talks back to it nonstop. CATHERINE: I take direct offense to that. TYLER: Of course you do, honey. Tyler puts his arm around Catherine’s shoulder and kisses her on the top of her head while they walk. She smiles, but her eyes shift downward and away from him. CATHERINE: Did you have a chance to think about what I told you about before? TYLER: About the grad program thing? CATHERINE: Yeah. TYLER: Yeah. I think you should stay here. CATHERINE: But you know I’ve wanted to do this for a while. We prepared for this all our lives. TYLER: So? CATHERINE: Well, you remember when we were kids and would play pretend. I was always be the doctor. TYLER: I know. I was just hoping that you would want to stay and do a program near here. CATHERINE: Even though you’ve known since high school that I’ve been looking forward to a particular program. The one I got an offer for. TYLER: Yeah, but that was before we got together and we built this great life. Why would you want to leave? CATHERINE: Why don’t you care about my dreams? It’s always what you want. TYLER: Don’t need to exaggerate it. I do care. That’s why I want you to stay. There are good programs here. CATHERINE: No, you don’t. It’s fine though. If I do stay, I’ll hate you forever. TYLER: Don’t act like a little kid. That’s childish, isn’t it? CATHERINE: I don’t care. This is a big dream. I followed you here for your stuff, but you can’t help me because you’re comfortable? I hate you right now. I don’t want to talk to you. They walk along the sidewalk, slightly further apart than they were previously. There are shots of the beautiful day that they are enjoying: The sun glowing down on them, leaves in a tree nearby dancing in the breeze, a kid skipping down the street while holding his mom’s hand, a dog and its owner playing in a park, other happy couples. Catherine looks up at Tyler and admires him, but she still looks conflicted and a little resigned. CATHERINE: It’s a nice day. TYLER: Yeah. CATHERINE: Cheerful even. TYLER: You talking to me again? CATHERINE: Sure. They move closer to each other. While they do that, they pass by a restaurant where a middle-aged couple are having a hushed argument. The dialogue is muted, but a few words are audible: regret, my life, children, I’m done. Tyler once again puts his arm around Catherine, not noticing the argument, but you can clearly see on Catherine’s face that she saw this argument as a premonition. She looks up at Tyler and then gets a little closer, as though for the last time. TYLER: I love you too. CATHERINE: Yeah. You’re my best friend.