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HOME ART SCRIPT POEMS ESSAYS CRISTINA |  |
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“SPOTLESS”
FADE IN: A giraffe’s head, seen from the back, looking over a tall fence, into a yard with a big tree in the middle. As the camera zooms out, more (different colored) giraffes’ heads appear, one next to the other, looking over the same fence. The house is on the left side. CUT TO:
EXT. THE GIRAFFE’S YARD – DAY
In the yard, THE BABY GIRAFFE is hiding
behind the big tree. (We see her, the tree behind her, and the fence
behind the tree.) The Baby Giraffe is small, blue, and she doesn’t have
spots at all. She is standing there, leaning her back against the tree,
peeking back at the fence from time to time.
THE BABY GIRAFFE Thank you, grandma.
GRANDMA GIRAFFE You are so beautiful!
THE BABY GIRAFFE Why are you lying to me?
GRANDMA GIRAFFE (serious) I’m not.
They walk together, and stop under the gaze of their neighbors.
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Look at them! They’re just curious.
THE BABY GIRAFFE I should have had spots.
GRANDMA GIRAFFE (serious and very kind) No, you shouldn’t have had spots.
THE BABY GIRAFFE I don’t understand you grandma…
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Then at least accept to live with things you don’t understand, until you will become wise enough to understand them.
THE BABY GIRAFFE I want to go play in the meadow, may I?
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Yes.
EXT. THE GIRAFFE’S VILLAGE – DAY The Baby Giraffe exits the yard. The giraffes by the fence slowly turn (in the same spot), facing The Baby Giraffe all the time, stopping after a 180 degrees turn, following The Baby Giraffe with their eyes as she’s crossing the road. FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
The Baby Giraffe is running, she enters the
forest. We see her (from the back) entering the forest. TO BLACK:
FADE IN: The Baby Giraffe (C.U.) is lying on her back, eyes closed, smiling. Takes big breath. Sighs. Birds CHIRPING. Warm light. Flowers. The camera zooms out slowly (contrast between the dark forest and the colorful meadow) and flies over the meadow. The camera keeps flying up and down, close to the flowers and grass, turns right, goes deep into the woods. Fireflies (night). Goes between the branches (dawn), up and down, tilted, left, right; flies over a white foamy area –The Raspberry Shampoo River- (day); over fields (raining), going up over the clouds and back; over a precipice with a tilted kiosk on its edge (night); more fields (dawn); flies over a big forest –The Dark Forest- (day), very close to the tree crowns (multi-colored, blooming trees, birds, insects, butterflies), more fields of barley (dusk), sunflower fields (night and dawn). Camera slows closing to a meadow (dawn) and stops (day). It’s the same meadow. The Giraffe is in the same position, but older (about 19 years old human years). She doesn’t have painted spots anymore. The Giraffe is smiling, eyes closed, when the camera stops (C.U.).
EXT. THE WILDFLOWER MEADOW - DAY
The Giraffe opens her eyes, still smiling,
sighs with pleasure (C.U.). Hears a noise close to her (HOOF ON THE
GROUND sound). Wide eyes, smiling stops.
THE OLD GIRAFFE Hello.
The Giraffe is looking at the tattoos on The Old Giraffe’s body. There are two sets of tattoos. The first tattoo layer imitates The Old Giraffe’s skin, trying to hide visible scars with a similar skin color. The second tattoo layer, over the skin imitation tattoo, looks like tire marks.
THE OLD GIRAFFE (smiling) Do you still think you have a problem?
The Giraffe is showing thinking process.
THE OLD GIRAFFE (stops smiling) Well?
THE GIRAFFE Some say I have a problem, some say I don’t.
THE OLD GIRAFFE You have to live with what you think, not with what they think. What they think cannot affect you.
THE GIRAFFE How can you say this? I’ve been hurt by their words all my life.
The Old Giraffe plucks a blade of grass with her old trembling lips.
THE OLD GIRAFFE (chewing) Does it bother you when they say you are living your life wrong?
THE GIRAFFE Not at all.
THE OLD GIRAFFE Why?
THE GIRAFFE I’m living it the way I want to live it, and I’m happy.
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY lands on The Giraffe’s head. She picks a long flower, gently touches her head, chasing The Big Blue Butterfly away.
THE OLD GIRAFFE Does it hurt when they say you are childish?
THE GIRAFFE Ha, ha. No. I think it’s a good thing to be childish.
The Big Blue Butterfly tries to land on The Giraffe’s head, but she’s dodging every time it approaches her. THE OLD GIRAFFE They also say that you are a lonely freak, coming here every day. Does this bother you?
THE GIRAFFE (short laugh) No, because I don’t feel lonely. I feel like I’m connected with the whole Universe here.
The Big Blue Butterfly stops on a flower (slowly bending under its weight until it touches the ground), following the two giraffes with all its eyes on the wings, as they were talking.
THE OLD GIRAFFE See? They can’t hurt you if you don’t believe them. (pauses) You only feel hurt when they remind you what you already believe.
The Giraffe is lost in thought, no blinking (C.U). (Camera zooms out slowly). The Big Blue Butterfly is on her head but she doesn’t react.
THE GIRAFFE Well… since I can’t be happy without them, I have to find a way to get spots.
The Giraffe is looking at The Old Giraffe’s tattoos.
THE OLD GIRAFFE Tattoos didn’t solve my problem.
THE GIRAFFE What did?
THE OLD GIRAFFE
I went out in the world to look for the Old Wise Spirit. If you find it,
it can make one of your wishes come true.
A male LADYBUG on a blade of grass is also listening to the conversation, following the giraffes with its eyes, as they speak indistinctly.
THE GIRAFFE So does it really exist? Did you find it?
THE OLD GIRAFFE Yes.
The Old Giraffe is chewing; The Giraffe looks like she’s waiting for a longer answer, raising her eyebrows-part of her face a little.
THE GIRAFFE And did it make your wish come true?
THE OLD GIRAFFE Yes. (standing up with difficulty) (smiling) Good Luck! The Old Giraffe walks away annoyingly slow, with flies flying around her bottom. The Giraffe is sitting there (in the high grass, flowers slowly moved by the wind), lost in thought, with The Big Blue Butterfly on her head, as the camera zooms out.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: GRAZING continuous sound) The Giraffe, Grandma Giraffe and 6 other giraffes are grazing grass and leaves from trees and bushes. A lost look in The Giraffe’s eyes.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.)
(blank look on her face) (voice like an echo, fading in) I have to go, I need to gooooo. I decided not to go today, I know I’ll decide the same tomorrow. What if I’m a coward and I’ll never leave?
Grandma Giraffe looks at The Giraffe.
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Do you want to talk about it?
THE GIRAFFE I have to find the Old Wise Spirit, but I’m afraid to go… I will miss you, and I will worry about you…
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Follow your heart. Always.
They walk away, talking.
THE GIRAFFE But I don’t know what my heart wants…
GRANDMA GIRAFFE Imagine nothing will go wrong. Where do you want to be now?
THE GIRAFFE I love you, Grandma.
In the background, a battobuse is crashing on the 6 giraffes that were grazing, leaving a crater in the ground. The two giraffes don’t notice. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: A dusty road between fields, The Giraffe is CLOPPING happily. The field of corn (on her left) ends, she turns left to an empty area, where THE BATTOBUSE is waiting on the ground. THE RABBIT and about 35 small equal sized rabbits are boarding The Battobuse one by one, in perfect order.
THE RABBIT You have to stay still for this ride!
The small rabbits on The Battobuse take perfectly still stances, imitating chess pieces. The Rabbit looks at them, they change back to cute good bunnies. The Giraffe spots grass near The Battobuse. Approaches it. The Giraffe smiles. Starts to graze.
THE BATTOBUSE (with a little smile) Your happiness is contagious. Why are you so happy?
THE GIRAFFE Because I have the courage to live the way I really want to.
THE BATTOBUSE So do I, but I can’t be as happy as you.
THE GIRAFFE Why?
In the back the small rabbits keep boarding, one by one.
THE BATTOBUSE Because my family doesn’t agree with me. So I have two options. I either live the way I want to and disappoint them, or I live the way they want me to and feel disappointed with my life.
All the rabbits are on board, The Giraffe pops on, The Battobuse takes off slowly.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) I was lucky to have a supporting grandma…
THE BATTOBUSE (O.S.) Battobuses are supposed to fly on the top of the Cloudy Mountain to reach a higher plane of existence.
Fading in and out an image with a mountain reaching the clouds, battobuses flying around its peak.
It’s considered to be an act of courage. It’s our symbol of a fulfilled life. Most battobuses who carry people around, like me, do it because they’re afraid to fly up there. But I do it because I like it. I really, really like it! My father doesn’t want to leave without me. He wants us to leave together and he blames me for keeping him here.
THE GIRAFFE Did you ask him to stay?
THE BATTOBUSE Nooooo! I told him to leave without me!
THE GIRAFFE So he’s staying because he wants to stay.
THE BATTOBUSE He’s not staying because I want to stay?
THE GIRAFFE You’re staying because you want to stay, and he’s staying because, if you’re staying, he also wants to stay. He is always free to leave (pauses) if you don’t chain him to a tree…
THE BATTOBUSE (Laughs out loud on a low tone) He would have left if he really wanted to leave. My mother did. (laughs out loud).
The Battobuse is smiling, watery eyes. It flies fast, up and down vertically, the rabbits are grabbing The Battobuse with their claws, The Giraffe is holding on to The Battobuse’s hair with her teeth. The Battobuse flies over the clouds, propels the rabbits into the air and flies down to get them as they fall. It gives them a roller-coaster-like experience. The Giraffe turns greenish. When The Battobuse lands, the rabbits’ fur is messy, the rabbits are tangled in a pile. The Giraffe jumps off The Battobuse and lies on her back, with a sick face. The Battobuse shifts its eyes to the back, sees the pile of rabbits, laughs out loud once more, bends as in making a wave, throws the rabbits into the air and watches them fall, in order, one next to the other, on the ground. The Battobuse flies away happily, spiraling and circling in the air. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: EXT. DARK FOREST ENTRACE AREA – DAY&NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A lot of creatures (some flying, most walking) are roaming on the road, on the field next to the entrance in the forest. There are weird buildings, differently shaped and differently sized, like kiosks, terraces, houses, a motel. The creatures are trading, selling, chatting, eating, playing, some have big luggage. Many of those species are new, they don’t resemble any species we know. The Giraffe looks around, focuses on a few creatures. A weird big creature holding a big baby who won’t stop yelling/crying. A big winged one lands on a roof. A few smaller fly too close to The Giraffe’s face. The Giraffe almost steps on a family of small creatures. A noisy slow creature (OLD ENGINE, PUFFING, WHISTLING sounds) approaches from the back. The Giraffe spots a safe spot next to a wall and rushes there. The noises subside, we can hear her HEART POUNDING. The Giraffe rests her head against the wall, eyes closed. Fading in and out, an image of Grandma Giraffe HITTING her HEAD ON a DOOR FRAME and collapsing. The Giraffe opens her eyes wide, staring in the middle distance. Next to The Giraffe, next to the wall, the same color as the wall, THE PLACKY is watching still.
THE PLACKY Crowded, huh?
THE GIRAFFE (screams scared) AAAAAAAAAAAAA
The Placky faints. Falls like a wooden board, on its “face”. The Giraffe stays still, watches it. Picks a long blade of grass and touches The Placky’s face. The Placky reacts a little to the tingling. The Giraffe blows air from the distance a few times. The Placky’s hair/fur is blown away each time. The last blow is very powerful. The Placky, eyes closed, on its back.
THE PLACKY (calm but loud) Would you please stop that?
The Giraffe is still, eyes fixed on The Placky. The Placky opens its eyes and looks at The Giraffe.
THE PLACKY Pitch sounds make us plackies faint.
THE GIRAFFE I’m sorry…
THE PLACKY (Opening its eyes wide.) This could be the reason why plackies gave up flying centuries ago…!
THE GIRAFFE I’m not used to crowded places. I just want to cross The Dark Forest.
THE PLACKY Why would you want that?
THE GIRAFFE I want to find the Old Wise Spirit.
THE PLACKY It lives in the Dark Forest?
THE GIRAFFE I don’t know… probably not…
THE PLACKY Then why don’t you take a battobuse and fly over it like everybody else?
It starts raining. The Placky doesn’t move, doesn’t react to the raindrops, stays in the rain, on its “back”, in the grass. The giraffe doesn’t get wet so close to the wall.
THE PLACKY Where does this Spirit live?
THE GIRAFFE I don’t know… but nobody does, yet many find the Old Wise Spirit when they go looking for it. They say the way to The Old Wise Spirit is following your heart.
The Giraffe lies down next to The Placky, sticking her tongue out to catch raindrops, enjoying the rain.
THE PLACKY Mmm. Why did you choose the Dark Forest?
THE GIRAFFE (pause) When I was little my grandma used to tell me stories about this forest. I’ve always wanted to experience it for real. So if I have to follow my heart, this is where I should start.
THE PLACKY Let’s get all the supplies you need.
THE GIRAFFE I’m an herbivore, I don’t need food, I can graze.
THE PLACKY There’s no light at all in the forest, plants can’t live without light. There are dead leaves on the ground, fallen from the trees, but I don’t think your species will find them edible.
THE GIRAFFE It’s ok, I will find something to eat, I can last long without food.
THE PLACKY I have to go underwater before it gets dark, it’s where I sleep. We’ll finish our conversation tomorrow.
The sun is setting, the fireflies wake up; The Giraffe finds a good spot to sleep, behind a house. Night. RAINING sound. The fireflies are flying around in dry areas, by the houses. The Giraffe is closing her eyes. Fading in and out, an image of Grandma Giraffe crying for help trapped in the house while the house was filled with water.
The Giraffe opens her eyes wide, staring in
the middle distance. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: It stopped raining. Voices fade in. Creatures starting the daily routine. The Giraffe is next to the forest entrance. Huge monumental entrance, created between two trees that meet their crowns up high. The trees have huge trunks, 10 times a sequoia, or more. The distance between them grew smaller as they were growing. The space between them is so narrow that light can’t get through the second row from the outside in. The trees have huge tangled crowns, like a roof. On the outside, from above, it looks like a field with unique flowers and beautiful animals. Butterflies, birds, small animals can walk on the branches, they grew that close together. (We see the forest from above when the camera is taking a tour in the neighborhood, and when the Placky imagines flying over it.)
The Placky approaches from the back.
THE PLACKY (lost in thought) Maybe one day I will too see the forest…
THE GIRAFFE I thought you were living here.
THE PLACKY I am living here, but I’ve never seen it. I always wanted to see the forest from above, but not from the back of a battobuse.
THE GIRAFFE How else, then?
THE PLACKY My ancestors could fly, like battobuses. I think it’s still possible. We’ve been taught we can’t. I will fly one day, and see the forest from above.
Fading in and out, the Placky imagining itself flying very close to the blooming trees, between birds and butterflies, swirling gently, in a slow flight, like a happy dolphin in the water.
THE PLACKY Let’s go swim!
THE GIRAFFE I can’t swim.
THE PLACKY I can teach you.
THE GIRAFFE I don’t have time, I have to find the Old Wise Spirit and get back home.
The Placky will follow The Giraffe in silence, about one meter behind, until The Giraffe will enter The Dark Forest. The Giraffe gently picks a firefly. THE FIREFLY is asleep. The Giraffe keeps it between her hoofs (the legs in the middle and walks on her other two legs on the sides). The Firefly is still sleeping. The Giraffe enters the forest with her back a little bent forward. The Placky stops, we see it in the background. The Giraffe can see a few meters in front of her because of the light coming in from the entrance. Huge trunks make this forest feel like a maze. The Giraffe continues walking, the light dims more and more until it’s completely dark. The Firefly lights up. Two little eyes peeking through The Giraffe’s hoofs. The camera goes inside the space between the hooves. A moving tight place, lightened by The Firefly. The Firefly is looking outside (seen from the back).
THE FIREFLY Heeeeelp!
The Giraffe stops, eyes wide open, looking around.
THE FIREFLY Pleeeeease, let me go, where are you taking meeee?
The Giraffe bends and closes one eye to the hooves.
THE FIREFLY I have to go back home. I have a sick brother. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease let me go! Heeeeeelp! Heeeeeeeeelp!
THE GIRAFFE (lower volume) Please, stop yelling, you’re making me look like a kidnapper.
THE FIREFLY You are a kidnapper!!!
The Giraffe bites her lower lip.
THE FIREFLY Leeeeet meeee goooooo!!! Heeeelp!
Fading in and out an image of Grandma Giraffe tied up to a chair, crying for help.
The Giraffe opens her hooves fast and frees The Firefly. It gets darker and darker as The Firefly is flying away.
Complete darkness. (The eyes of the
characters are NOT visible as white dots on a black background.) The
whole screen is black. (At the cinema the viewers will experience the
same feeling as The Giraffe. The sounds will go from right to left, from
left to right, around the viewers.) The screen is completely black.
THE BUG can „see” in the dark. When we see through The Bug’s eyes, the images are black and white. When we see through The Giraffe’s eyes, the screen is black. We never see The Bug in the forest (it’s always Off Screen.) When we don’t have the black screen, the camera in the forest always shows what The Bug sees, no exception. Always black and white images. The Giraffe seems huge, as seen from a little being on the ground.)
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) That was a kind thing you did.
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) And now I’m lost… and I’m scared.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Where do you want to go?
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) I want to go to the opposite exit…
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Then go that way.
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) I can’t see…
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Look! That way!
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) I really can’t see anything in the dark.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Dark?
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) Outside this forest we have light, and, at night we have the opposite, the dark, the same as here.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) It doesn’t change here, so we haven’t named it… It just… is…
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) So you can see me?
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Yes. THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) How do you look like?
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) I wouldn’t know how to describe myself.
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) Are you small, do you have wings?
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Compared to you I’m small. No wings.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) What color are you?
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Color?
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) Come on… color, like blue or red or green or pink. I am blue.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Blue?
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) Maybe you can’t see it because it’s dark…
A very loud laugh, THE huge TREE behind The Giraffe is shaking.
THE TREE (black and white images) You two are so funny.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) Who’s that?
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Relax, it’s just the tree behind you.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) Trees can’t talk.
THE TREE (black and white images) (laughs out loud) (pauses) White light has all the colors of the rainbow in it. Color is the light reflected back by things. If something is black, it absorbs all light. If it’s white, it reflects back all light. If it’s red, it absorbs all light except for the red, we see the red color because red is reflected back for us to see.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) So what color am I reflecting?
THE TREE (black and white images) Everything can absorb or reflect light, but you need the light to make your color visible.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) So The Giraffe is not blue here?
THE TREE (black and white images) Not here.
The Giraffe lies down, next to a root, and falls asleep. (All sleeping sounds except for snoring) (black and white images).
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) I want to go to the light and see the colors. I can’t wait, I can’t wait! FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The Giraffe is sleeping on a root, face up, bent from the back (backwards), mouth open (black and white images).
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Hey! Wake up!!! How can you sleep this much?
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) The Giraffe mumbles something.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Come ooooon.
THE GIRAFFE (black and white images) Please let me sleep till morning.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Morning? FADE OUT:
FADE IN: Black and white images. The Giraffe opens her eyes, tries to see, rubs her eyes, looks around. Sighs.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Come on, let’s go, we have a long way ahead.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) You should climb up on my head and guide me.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) Wait, don’t move, I’m close. (pause) Ready? Go straight forward.
Continuous CLOPPING, DEAD LEAVES, BREATHING.
THE BUG (O.S.)
(black and white images) Stop. Now turn right. (pauses) Slowly. Shhhh.
The camera is on the head of The Giraffe. Black and white images. In front of The Giraffe, a huge branch fallen over a narrow but deep precipice. ANIMAL MOANING AND WEEPING.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black and white images) Please trust me and do what I say. No matter what, you do not take one step in the wrong direction. Do you understand me?
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (black screen) Yes.
The Bug is guiding The Giraffe to a root, continues walking on the huge branch fallen over the precipice. Alternating black and white images with black screen combined with WEIRD SOUNDS, ANIMAL BREATHING close by, a SQUEAK, wings FLUTTERING close by.
THE BUG (O.S.) (black screen) We are approaching the shading trees. The falling leaves might touch you.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (color images, but faint light and pale colors) I can see the leaves falling Wow… It’s so beautiful. We are closing to the exit, where is it? Ah, so many huge trees.
A tree with yellowish leaves, getting a
little light from outside. Falling leaves. A magical moment frozen in
time. They pass by the tree, following the light. They appear on screen,
but The Bug is too small for us to see, then they go off screen by
walking behind a tree.
THE GIRAFFE (breathing in deeply, exhaling) Aaaaa... I missed the light, the fresh air...
THE BUG (black and white images) I don’t see any difference…
THE GIRAFFE (color images) Let your eyes get used to the light a little.
They walk leaving the forest behind. It’s quiet. There are only two stalls on the side of the dusty road. One is selling food. The other is selling clothes. Nobody around, no vendors. Next to the hats area, there’s a mirror. The Giraffe gets very close to the mirror to see The Bug. The Bug (the first time we see it) has its eyes closed. It has two round black dots on its face.
THE GIRAFFE Hey, open your eyes!
THE BUG What do you mean?
THE GIRAFFE Your eyes are closed.
THE BUG They are?
The Bug opens its eyes slowly. And closes the black round dots. The black dots become black thin lines.
THE BUG Woooooooooow, Wuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaah…
It looks at itself in the mirror from all angles. It is happy. Smiling.
THE BUG What are these colors called?
THE GIRAFFE You are bluish-green, with yellow, black and blue dots and small white rings at your feet. Ah, and you have wings.
THE BUG Woooow, yeah, but I don’t know how to use them.
The Giraffe spots grass and rushes to graze. Bends to the ground, The Bug jumps off her head. The Giraffe is grazing, The Bug tries to use its wings. The Giraffe is watching The Bug.
It’s ok, I can walk, I don’t mind... (looking at the grass) What color is this?
THE GIRAFFE Green.
The Camera is zooming out, showing the landscape.
THE BUG (O.S.) And this one?
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) Red.
THE BUG (O.S.) And this one?
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) We haven’t named them all.
THE BUG (O.S.)
Why...?
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The Giraffe is walking away, we can see the stalls and the forest far behind. She’s approaching a precipice. There’s a small kiosk on the left, close to the edge, (bent like The Leaning Tower of Pisa) looking like it’s going to collapse into the precipice. Nobody around. The Giraffe goes to the edge, looks down. Fading in and out an image of Grandma Giraffe falling into a precipice. The Giraffe is staring into the middle distance, with her face oriented towards the precipice. FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
The Giraffe next to a patch of grass. Starts grazing. There’s a striped ball on the grass. Next to the ball, in the ball’s shadow THE SNAIL is looking at her grazing. (As the sun changes position during the day and the shadow shifts, The Snail will also move along with the shadow.) The Giraffe lies down next to The Snail, plucks a blade of grass with her lips and chews it while watching The Snail.
THE GIRAFFE Hi…
THE SNAIL Hi…
THE GIRAFFE Do you know a way around this precipice?
THE SNAIL There’s no way around it.
THE GIRAFFE That’s impossible, it has to be a way around it.
THE SNAIL There are many ways to go around it, but sooner or later each way will end up to a precipice. Better face it now and move on. It’s much easier for you. All you need is courage.
THE GIRAFFE You need something else?
THE SNAIL I can’t use their transportation device. My only chance is to convince somebody to take me along... after I convince THE MITE to take two per transport. It’s easier when you don’t depend on others.
The Giraffe stands up, goes to the small kiosk, bends, and knocks at the small window. THE WEIRD SOMETHING is looking back from the other side of the window. It uses one of its three hands on the side to open the window.
THE GIRAFFE Hello, how can I cross over the precipice?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING You pay two coins and we’ll help you through.
THE GIRAFFE Coins?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING You pay when you’ll arrive safely on the other side. We don’t charge failed attempts. It’s morally wrong. I’m only charging those who arrive from the other side.
THE GIRAFFE Why am I the only one wanting to cross over?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING Too many failed attempts.
THE GIRAFFE (worried) How do I get to the other side?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING You grab a balloon and float with it over the precipice.
The Weird Something is searching in the kiosk. CLATTER, OBJECTS FALLING. It comes out with an inflated green balloon in one of its hands. The Giraffe looks towards The Snail’s ball in the grass.
THE WEIRD SOMETHING Don’t touch the balloon!!!
THE GIRAFFE May I take The Snail with me?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING No.
The Giraffe takes a very close look at the transportation balloon. A little insect is flying inside.
THE WEIRD SOMETHING It’s a Mite. It keeps the balloon flying in the right direction, and at the right height.
The Camera goes inside the balloon.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (the sound is heard the way The Mite would hear it from inside the balloon)(C.U.) Hello!
THE WEIRD SOMETHING (inside balloon sound) (serious stance) The Mite doesn’t speak when it’s at work. (leans towards The Giraffe and whispers) It doesn’t like the sound of its voice when talking from inside the balloon.
The camera goes outside the balloon. THE MITE (inside balloon sound) You should hear yourselves.
The Giraffe and The Weird Something laugh
out loud.
THE GIRAFFE What if the balloon pops?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING It happened… They fell…
THE GIRAFFE What about The Mite?
THE WEIRD SOMETHING The Mite can fly… FADE OUT:
FADE IN: EXT. THE PRECIPICE AREA – DAY
The Giraffe is back by The Snail. It’s noon, the Sun is right on top of them, there’s no shadow. The Snail is hidden in its shell, with its eyes close to the edge of the shell, peeking outside.
THE GIRAFFE They only take one at a time… Two victims per transport might be too much to deal with for that Mite!
THE SNAIL (voice sound like coming from a basement) Let’s kill The Mite. Another mite will take its job.
THE GIRAFFE (laughs hysterically) We can’t do that.
THE SNAIL I know somebody with a fly swatter.
THE GIRAFFE (laughs) Ha ha.
THE SNAIL I will be more precise the next time and I’ll wish for an insectivore…
The light is warm, the sun is setting and the shadow is longer. The Snail comes out of its shell and goes in the ball’s shadow.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The light is cool. It’s not completely dark. The Mite is lying on its back, on the roof of the kiosk, singing. The words are not from any language we know. It is soft, calm, like a ballad. Some other insects join, each making sounds we have never heard in real life from living things. The Giraffe stands close to the small kiosk, watching the music scene on the roof. The other insects notice The Giraffe and fly away. The Mite keeps singing alone.
THE GIRAFFE The Snail wants to see you dead.
The Mite stops singing.
THE MITE Why?
THE GIRAFFE Because it can’t get to the other side alone.
THE MITE It never said it wants to get to the other side alone! It asked me to take two per transport, that’s a totally different thing.
THE GIRAFFE It can’t grab that lace and hold it. Its only hope was that somebody will take it along.
THE MITE Its only hope? What about a basket?
THE GIRAFFE We haven’t thought of that…
THE MITE The Snail kept bugging me about taking two at a time. (pauses) So that snail is staying there for months because it doesn’t know how to communicate what it wants. And it wants to kill me for that (C.U.).
It’s quiet. The Giraffe is standing close to the small kiosk (seen from The Snail’s location). FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The Giraffe opens her eyes. We see the ball and the shadow but The Snail isn’t there. We see The Giraffe sitting up fast (front view). The Snail is on her head, the body seen from the side, the head turned towards the camera. Its eyes/antennas fly downwards as she’s sitting up. The Giraffe has a worried look on her face with The Snail on her head.
THE SNAIL I’ve heard they can put me in a basket and tie up the balloon to it.
THE GIRAFFE (looking up) I thought you were sleeping last night.
THE SNAIL I was, I saw them preparing it.
The Weird Something preparing the basket and the balloon.
THE GIRAFFE We need something called coins to get to the other side. I don’t have any coins. Do you?
THE SNAIL Move the ball aside, please.
The Giraffe kicks the ball slowly. A pile of coins are shining, buried in the ground, in a small hole. The Giraffe opens her eyes wide.
Fading in and out, we see an image of a huge snail eating creatures (one of the creatures is Grandma Giraffe), and burping coins.
The Giraffe opens her mouth as in wanting to ask something.
THE SNAIL Don’t ask.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The basket is taking off, slowly, from the ground. (C.U.) The camera zooms out, we see the green balloon and The Mite flying in it. The Mite produces tiny electrical charges which look like vibrating inside the balloon. On the sky background we see the basket and the balloon flying from the left side of the screen to the right. After leaving the frame, the balloon appears again from the left, with The Giraffe hanging upside down, holding the lace with all her legs. The balloon gets too low in the precipice, going Off Screen.
THE MITE (O.S.) (voice from inside the balloon) You’re too big!
THE GIRAFFE Actually...
The Giraffe looks down, bites her lower lip, opens wide her eyes, closes
them tightly. Climbs a little higher on the lace.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The Snail and The Giraffe seen from the front. Camera zooms out.
THE SNAIL See that old tree? That’s my home!
(The viewer doesn’t see the tree, the viewer doesn’t know how far it is.)
THE GIRAFFE Your home is so close!
THE SNAIL: My home is so far away…
THE GIRAFFE I can take you there, climb on my head.
THE SNAIL I need to walk.
The Giraffe (C.U.) looks down in The Snail’s direction. The Snail (C.U.) looks up with a serious face.
THE GIRAFFE You can’t be serious.
THE SNAIL Thank you for helping me, this part I can handle on my own.
The Giraffe is staring into the middle distance. Fading in and out an image with The Snail being stepped on by a big creature.
THE GIRAFFE I can’t leave you here by yourself.
THE SNAIL Of course you can.
THE GIRAFFE I have to know how your journey will end. Not knowing is the worst, I will imagine horrifying outcomes all my life. I will walk by your side, I will take you home.
The Giraffe takes a step, stops and turns back. The Snail is moving slowly in the same direction. The light dims more and more. When The Snail reaches The Giraffe’s hoof, it’s already dark. CUT TO BLACK:
FADE IN: Full moon, the characters are lit by moonlight.) The Snail is speaking indistinctly. The Giraffe takes another step and waits there, standing, gazing in the middle distance. The Snail barely moves, leaving a slimy trail behind it.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) My friend The Snail// Should be in jail// It leaves a stinky slimy trail…
The Giraffe (is trying to kill the time) runs about 20 meters and lies down in The Snail’s path. Closes her eyes for 2 seconds. She opens her eyes and doesn’t blink. Whines a little. Stands up. Roars. Runs back. She’s tiptoeing 20 meters, then goes back to The Snail. The Giraffe crawling on her belly trying to walk like a snail. The Giraffe grazing. The Giraffe walking like a robot from left to right. The Giraffe dancing like a ballerina from the right side of the screen to left. The Giraffe head standing (head Close Up first). The Giraffe runs 20 meters, bending back like the athletes at the end (slow motion), when they stretch for the finish line. Walks back to The Snail. The Giraffe jumping rope (holds the rope with her exterior legs and jumps on the interior legs). The Giraffe sitting on a rock making funny sounds with her mouth (like farts). The Giraffe meditating. The Giraffe trying to get to a branch with her tongue. Her eyes are now half closed (sleepy). The Giraffe walks 5 meters ahead and lies down. We see through her eyes an image of The Snail in the distance, closing slowly. The Giraffe closes her eyes, drools. Fading in and out, an image of The Snail being stepped on by mistake by a large creature.
The Giraffe wakes up scared, looks around. She notices a slimy trail on her body. She smiles and rushes to catch up with The Snail. She then goes one meter ahead and sits watching The Snail closing. Yawns, smiles eyes half closed. Inhales deeply. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: Fading in and out, about every three seconds, The Giraffe takes a step and stands there, smiling (waiting for The Snail to come from behind). Every step she takes (every new frame), we have more light, until it’s day. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The Snail’s home is an old dried tree, with just a few green branches. It’s swarming with snails. Some are peeking from the tree’s cracks.
THE SNAIL Ho(oooo)me....
Fading in and out an image of a burning branch on which a large number of snails were spitting.
THE SNAIL (O.S.) One day, one of the dry branches caught fire. We were all home and spat on it.
The Giraffe opens her eyes wide (C.U.). Fading in and out an image of Grandma Giraffe shouting from her burning house.
The Snail’s eyes turn towards the tree. You should thank her for helping me get home in one piece.
ALL THE SNAILS IN THE TREE (in one voice) Thaaaank Yoooooooou
The camera zooms out, going up, and we can see the distance they’ve walked together. A very short distance.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
Green grass, flowers, butterflies, solitary
trees. The Giraffe CLOPPING, smiling. She sniffs repeatedly and follows
the smell. She’s on a hill. Behind her, we can see far away in the
distance, on another hill, The Snails’ House Tree and the small tilted
kiosk next to the precipice. CRUNCH SOUND. She stops. She forces herself to stop panting (C.U.). Two short sniffles.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: A very large pink gooey river is right before her. The other side isn’t visible, it’s covered by a white fog. A few (3 or 4) old creatures are standing still on the shore, distanced from one another. Fading in and out a funny image of Grandma Giraffe drowning in the thick-pink-foamy river. The Giraffe approaches one of the creatures standing on the shore.
THE GIRAFFE Good afternoon.
THE OLD CREATURE is “gazing away in the distance”.
THE GIRAFFE Is there a bridge close by, or a battobuse I could take?
THE OLD CREATURE The raspberry smell is so strong at first, but everybody gets used to it in time. I can’t feel it anymore…
The old creatures look hypnotized, staring in the middle distance, no blinking. Their feet are buried into the ground. Plants started growing around their feet. Fading in and out an image showing The Giraffe’s legs buried in the ground. The Giraffe runs away along the shore, panting. Something that looks like a bridge becomes distinguishable in the mist.
EXT. THE FLUFFENTY’S HOUSE - DAY
The house was built over The Raspberry Shampoo River, on a bridge, like the Italian (Venice) bridges for pedestrians, with shops on the sides. But in this case, there was a huge house built all over the bridge. We can see the house through her eyes, as she’s closing to it, running. There’s a huge wooden door at the entrance. The Giraffe looks for a doorbell. She sees a small doorbell about 20 centimeters above the ground. She rings the doorbell. She looks along the building, in the distance. The other side isn’t visible, but a very long part of the building is visible, fading away.
On the door, about 20 centimeters above the ground, there’s a sort of a visor in the door (a round eye-sized “HOLE”). An eye is watching (up and down) through it. Camera shows what can be seen through the hole. The Giraffe’s feet are visible, and her tail.
A DOOR SQUEAK. The huge wooden door opens. The Giraffe is in the doorway, looking inside. It’s dark inside.
THE FLUFFENTY Yes?
The camera looks down, at The Giraffe’s feet and sees The Fluffenty from above, looking at the camera.
THE GIRAFFE Hello, I would like to get to the other side of the river and I would like to ask you…
THE FLUFFENTY Yes, yes… fine…
The Giraffe steps in and takes a few steps. The door closes behind her.
CUT TO BLACK: INT. THE FLUFFENTY’S HOUSE – ROOM 1 - DAY ON BLACK: HOOVES ON WOOD, DOOR SQUEAK. ROOM 1 DESCRIPTION: Small, dark, one door on the opposite wall. No furniture. Wooden floor. No “Holes” in the walls or door. The Fluffenty opens the door on the opposite wall. There’s a blinding white light coming through the door.
THE FLUFFENTY Go on! I have things to do.
The Fluffenty opens a small secret door on the wall in the right by pushing the wall, and leaves. The door closes behind it. There’s no trace of a door anymore.
ROOM 2 - THE WHITE ROOM – DAY ROOM 2 DESCRIPTION: The room is square, all white, without a visible source of light. It just glows. There’s a door on each of the four walls and no furniture. There’s water on the cement floor, about 15 cm deep. All the walls are wet, the doors look swollen, degraded. The white paint on the doors and walls is peeling off. The doors are all white but they’re shaped different. The one in the right has a visible crack on it. In front of the door on the opposite wall there’s a white doormat, under water, moving like a coral. The door in the front was modified to be higher, to keep the wood dry. There are “Holes” in the doors, and walls, all empty. The Giraffe enters room 2, with her eyes barely open, blinded by the light. SPLASH sound. The Giraffe looks down at her feet. The Giraffe walks to the door on the opposite wall, steps on the coral-like carpet and opens the door. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: ROOM 3 DESCRIPTION: On the opposite wall there are two big square windows on the right half of the wall, and a door on the left half of the wall. (Room nr. 4 is elongated, half the size of the opposite wall.) No drapes at the windows, old furniture. In front of the windows, half room long, there are two shelf rows with books. Next to the left wall, on the floor, there’s a medium sized furniture piece with cabinets. There’s a painting of the river hanging on the wall, above the furniture piece. Wooden floor, a doormat at the entrance, a round Persian carpet on the empty area of the floor. Old chandelier. Old fancy wallpaper. There are no other doors on the sides.
There are two “Holes” in the room, one on the right wall, one on the opposite door, we can see The Fluffenty’s eye watching through one of them.
The Giraffe enters the room, sniffs two times, takes a quick look around, and goes directly to the door in front of her. Inhales deeply, and opens it. She left wet footprints on the wooden floor.
ROOM 4 - THE BEDROOM – DAY ROOM 4 DESCRIPTION:
A long room, a little wider than the door, with small square windows high on the left wall. The windows are open, the white small drapes are moving. There’s not much light. On the right side there are wooden planks. Some have traces of wallpaper. On the left side there is a bed with clean sheets. There are shelves on the left side of the opposite wall, next to a narrow door. The door is open.
There is a “Hole” in this wall, about 20 centimeters above the ground. The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the “Hole” (can move its pupil, can blink).
The Giraffe goes by the windows, looks at The pink Raspberry Shampoo River, sniffs two times (no reaction) and looks right, towards the open door.
THE MOOSHKITO (whispering) Sleeeeeeep
The Giraffe opens her eyes wide. (C.U.)
THE MOOSHKITO (whispering) You are sooo sleeeeepy
THE GIRAFFE (backing away towards the door she entered) I was, but this really creeps me out. (pauses) Who are you?
THE MOOSHKITO I am me. Over here!
The Giraffe follows the sound. On the pillow The Mooshkito is watching her.
THE GIRAFFE (laughs hysterically) You wish!
THE MOOSHKITO Why are you resisting me?
The Giraffe goes to the open door on the opposite wall and exits the room. She closes the door behind her. Short sigh (C.U. from the back). The Mooshkito is on her head.
ROOM 5 - THE DININGROOM – DAY ROOM 5 DESCRIPTION: A wide room, with white, very pale yellow and gold patterns wallpaper. Large windows on the opposite wall and on the right wall. White drapes. Old style, but not very fancy. A big round table in the corner between the windows. A big round carpet, Persian style. Wooden floor. There are plates with delicacies on the table. Steaming tea in a cup, a teapot, sugar, salt, white napkins, teaspoon, fork, butter on a plate, sliced bread in a basket, a jar of cookies, a small round white soft cake, a boiled egg in a small egg-cup. The table is set for one. There is a “Hole” in the right wall, about 180 centimeters above the ground. The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the “Hole” (a little pink around the eye can be visible, The Fluffenty’s fur). The Giraffe walks to the table, looks at the table from above, a little bent over the table. She starts to smile. Bites her lower lip with her teeth (C.U.). The Giraffe straightens her back. Stops smiling. Looks towards the door opposed to the one she entered. Goes to the window on the same wall and looks out. (The Mooshkito looks outside as well). Short sigh. She walks to the door. Stops. Looks back at the table. Opens the door very fast and exits. CUT TO: Closes the door as fast, and leans on the door with her eyes closed, face up, for two seconds.
ROOM 6 - THE PEDESTALS ROOM – DAY ROOM 6 DESCRIPTION: The door she entered is on the far left side of the wall. The room is orientated to the right. There’s no door on the opposite wall. There are pedestals (about half The Giraffe’s height) next to the opposite wall, with small objects on them. Behind each of them there’s a paper, protected with glass, the explanation of the object. A black carpet covers the whole floor. We have to turn right, so the opposite wall becomes the left wall. The room is long, with the pedestals on the left, with small windows up high, no drapes. Light spots on the ceiling, over each pedestal. The right wall, opposed to the pedestals is covered in warm-light-green wallpaper with mistletoe pattern. There are many “Holes” in this wall, about 20 centimeters above the ground, some higher. All of them are empty, nobody’s watching.
The Fluffenty’s hand wiping the floor in room 3 with a dry piece of cloth.
The Giraffe opens her eyes, looks right. Her stomach is growling. She sniffs two times, and goes to the first pedestal. There’s a big donut on it. The Giraffe is closing to the donut (C.U.), with a growing smile. She takes it with her lips and eats it. Mouth full, some crumples fall on the black clean carpet. The Giraffe looks down, sees the crumples, chokes and blows away a few more.
THE MOOSHKITO (whispering) You’re so sleepy…
The Giraffe’s eyelids half closed. The Giraffe crosses the room in a hurry, opens the next door (blue door with white flowers), enters the next room and leaves the door open. ROOM 7 - THE CARD GAMES ROOM – DAY ROOM 7 DESCRIPTION: The room is square, relatively small, without windows, with doors on each wall, different sized and different colored doors, some with patterns. A warm-green carpet on the floor. A small round table with a chair in the middle of the room. On the table there is a card tower built from playing cards, but it is not finished.
“Holes” in the walls and doors. Nobody’s watching.
The Giraffe looks at the doors, eyes half closed and walks towards the left one. CUT TO:
ROOM 8 - THE DARK SMALL HALLWAY – DAY ROOM 8 DESCRIPTION: An empty hallway, wooden walls, wooden doors. The wood planks are distanced, light is coming through the spaces.
“Holes” on the opposite wall. Nobody’s watching.
A distant scream. The Fluffenty’s short
scream (adequate for finding the donut on the pedestal is missing).
ROOM 9 – THE BATHROOM – DAY- CONTINUOUS ROOM 9 DESCRIPTION: Big bathroom with a bathtub, sink, toilet, mirror. Big floor tiles black and white, chess table pattern. Wall smaller tiles, the same pattern and color as the floor tiles. No “Holes” in the walls or doors. The Giraffe looks around with sleepy eyes, opens one of the two doors on the opposite wall.
ROOM 10 - THE WARDROBE ROOM – DAY ROOM 10 DESCRIPTION: Wooden floor, white paint on walls scratched by moving furniture. On the opposite wall there’s a door frame, the door is missing. Covering most of the door frame, THE WARDROBE, the only object in the room. Old style wooden wardrobe, painted blue, with green and orange birds, pink and violet flowers.
There are “Holes” in the walls, about 20 centimeters above the ground. The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the hole on the right wall.
The Giraffe closes the bathroom door behind her, her back bent forward. She looks towards the narrow space left uncovered by the wardrobe. Lower lip quivering. She goes to The Wardrobe and starts pushing it. She pushes and pushes, but The Wardrobe doesn’t move. The Giraffe falls into seated position and starts crying, wailing (C.U.). The Mooshkito’s stomach is rumbling. It starts crying too. The Giraffe hears it and suddenly stops with tears in her eyes and mouth open. The Mooshkito stops as well. The Giraffe turns her head to look into the other room. She notices The Wardrobe moved a little, enough for her to pass, squeezing her body through.
ROOM 11 – THE DEER ROOM – DAY ROOM 11 DESCRIPTION: A big room, with two large windows on the left wall. Two doors on the opposite wall, and one door on the right wall, close to a deer trophy hanging on the wall. (The head is not a trophy, it’s a live DEER who’s head is stuck in a small window on the right wall.) There’s a bar desk in front of that window, with plates, with glasses hanging from above, napkins, trays, cruets. As usual, the doors are different shaped, different sized and different colored.
On the wall with the door she entered, The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through a “Hole”. There are many “Holes” in the doors and walls.
The Giraffe is snuffling, snot dripping from her nostrils. The Deer is watching her, eyes wide open. The Giraffe looks at him. He pretends he’s a deer trophy, staying still with a fixed look in his eyes, looking ahead with a dumb face. The Giraffe opens the left door on the opposite wall and leaves the room. The Deer tries to pull his head off that window, but his horns can’t fit through that small space. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The details in the rooms are faded. Sometimes we see through The Giraffe’s eyes. Camera focusing on the doors. She’s running. Different CLOPPING sounds depending on the floor surface she’s encountering. A small square room. Two doors: a pink one and a blue one. Focusing on each of them. Camera closes to the pink one. FADE TO: THE BLURRY ROOMS –B- DAY - (CONTINUOUS)
DOOR SQUEAK. A large room with
clotheslines, full of clothes. The camera goes fast between two
clotheslines, CLOPPING ON FLOOR TILES sound. CUT TO: THE BLURRY ROOMS – C – DAY - (CONTINUOUS) DOOR SLAM. A big room with a big canopy bed. A cat is sleeping on the bed. White light, big windows, white walls, blurry. The camera focuses on the door on the opposite wall, on the right side. Then focuses on the cat. No clopping. The giraffe tiptoeing to the door. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: Another long hallway, with many different sized and different colored doors on the right side. No doors on the left. There’s light coming through the other end of the hallway. Blurry. The Giraffe looks towards the light and rushes in that direction. CLOPPING ON MARBLE.
ROOM 12 – THE BALLROOM – DAY ROOM 12 DESCRIPTION: The room looks like an ancient roman cistern, but small sized. Rows of columns, evenly distanced. The room is made of amber, glowing yellow, shining. No “Holes”. The Giraffe runs between the columns, giving the impression of being lost in a maze. Turns right, stops, looks left but turns right again… CLOPPING ON AMBER. The Giraffe is PANTING (O.S.). A faint WEEPING sound over The Giraffe’s panting. Panting stops. Weeping becomes clear. The Giraffe makes a few turns, following the sound, and reaches a door made of amber. The Giraffe listening at the door. The Mooshkito listens as well. The weeping is a little louder. The door opens when The Giraffe touches it with her head. The Giraffe enters the room. The heavy door closes behind her. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: ROOM 13 DESCRIPTION: On a marble shelf above a chimney, leaning against the wall, there is a MIRROR, a pretty large hand-mirror with a handle, and ornaments around it. The wallpaper is very pale yellow with pale pink flowers, peeling off the wall on the right and opposite wall. The fire is burning in the chimney. The wooden floor was recently replaced with floor tiles. The job wasn’t finished, the floor close to the amber door wasn’t replaced yet. There are pipes on the floor, floor tiles in piles, hammer, a sack, a big recipient. On the opposite wall, next to the chimney, there’s a very small door with a “Hole” in it. There’s a normal sized door on the right wall, a white door with a visible crack in it. The Mirror is crying, a river of tears is flowing on the floor. The river of tears is flowing to the right, flooding the room. The walls are damp.
There are “Holes” in the walls and doors. The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the “Hole” on the small door next to the chimney.
The Giraffe sitting on the wooden side of the floor, leaning her back on the door, looking at The Mirror crying.
THE GIRAFFE Can I help you with something?
THE MIRROR (stops crying, closes its eyes and smiles) Yes. Tell me I am a ballerina.
THE GIRAFFE Ahm… yooou… are a ballerina????
THE MIRROR Do you like my pink dress?
The Giraffe stands up and goes in front of The Mirror. Looks at it closely.
THE GIRAFFE What dress?
THE MIRROR (opens its eyes and starts crying) Aaaaaa…
THE GIRAFFE Ok, ok, I like it.
The Mirror stops crying, closes its eyes, smiles.
THE MIRROR I am so happy…
Fading in and out, an image with The Mirror dancing like a ballerina, in a pink dress, jumping, bending with grace, and turning around on its handle.
THE FLUFFENTY (whispering) You’re lost…!
The Giraffe looks around with short fast head movements.
THE MIRROR (aggressive) What, what do you have? You think you’re better?
The Giraffe opens her mouth to say something and stays like this for about 2 seconds.
THE MIRROR I have the comfort of this room. Unlike you, not appreciating what you have, leaving others behind.
THE GIRAFFE I do appreciate what I have.
THE MIRROR No, you don’t. I wish you had what I have.
THE GIRAFFE But I don’t wish for that.
THE MIRROR Trust me, you’re wrong.
The Giraffe is still, eyes wide open, no blinking.
THE FLUFFENTY (whispering) Don’t believe it! It’s only defending its illusion. You reminded it dreams can come true.
The Giraffe is looking left and right (with The Mooshkito on her head) to see where the voice is coming from.
THE MIRROR You can settle here, live with me in this room.
THE GIRAFFE I could, but I would be sad all my life, thinking of my shattered dreams.
The Mirror opens its eyes, and starts crying.
The camera focuses on The Giraffe’s feet, and then on the white door with the crack in it, as the river of tears flows underneath the door to another room. The Giraffe opens her eyes wide. Her mouth open.
THE GIRAFFE Oh NO! This can’t be true!
The Giraffe stands up and runs to the white door. She opens it. The camera shows the room ahead. ROOM 2. The white room with no visible source of light, with the white doors. There’s a white doormat in front of the door in the right, underwater, moving like a coral. The door in the right was modified to be higher, to keep it dry. The camera zooms out, The Giraffe (from the back) closes the door. The Giraffe turns around, leans to the door, with The Mooshkito on her head.
THE GIRAFFE This is not possible, it can’t be true.
The camera is in front of The Mirror. We see The Giraffe’s reflection in The Mirror, getting closer and closer. The Giraffe notices The Mooshkito on her head, and brings her face very close to The Mirror. The Mooshkito has a big tummy and a happy face. The Giraffe has 4 red mosquito bite-marks on her forehead and ears.
THE GIRAFFE Oh, NO!
THE MOOSHKITO Why are you resisting what is?
THE GIRAFFE You mean I should accept to feed you, or what?
THE MOOSHKITO What options do you have?
THE GIRAFFE I guess I can’t do anything to stop you.
THE MOOSHKITO So I will feed on you anyway. Why resist something that can’t be stopped?
THE GIRAFFE I know a snail who knows someone with a fly-swatter.
THE MOOSHKITO If you can’t call that friend of yours with the fly-swatter, stop thinking about it. Resisting reality hurts.
THE GIRAFFE You’re right, But I’ll catch you off guard one day. Watch your back!
The Giraffe goes to the amber door. Looks at it. It doesn’t have a handle. Pushes it with her body, but the door doesn’t budge. She looks down, lower lip quivering.
THE GIRAFFE This can’t be happening!!!
THE MOOSHKITO Here we go again. (pauses) This is happening!
THE GIRAFFE It will take longer to get home.
THE MOOSHKITO Longer than what?
THE GIRAFFE My grandma could die alone…
Fading in and out an image with a long coffin (without the sign of the cross), being put in the ground.
THE MOOSHKITO Torturing yourself a little?
THE GIRAFFE How could I know if she’s all right?
THE MOOSHKITO You can’t. But you use your imagination to torture yourself.
THE GIRAFFE But I don’t know if she’s fine or not!
THE MOOSHKITO Exactly. Enjoy this truth.
THE GIRAFFE But how can I live not knowing?
THE MOOSHKITO You already did, all the way here, since you left home. But you’re resisting it.
THE GIRAFFE I want to get home sooner.
THE MOOSHKITO Sooner than you actually will? (long pause) Why don’t you go back home then?
The Giraffe looks at The Mirror and sighs.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) (camera looking at the white door) And now I have to do this all over again.
THE MOOSHKITO It’s not going to be the same thing, because you are different!
The Giraffe walks to the white door and opens it. The Mirror starts crying, a river of tears flowing from its eyes.
THE MIRROR Don’t leave…
The Giraffe looks back.
ROOM 2 - THE WHITE ROOM – DAY - CONTINUOUS The “Holes” are empty. The Giraffe enters the white room (SPLASH sound). She looks down at her feet, standing in the lake of tears. She moves a leg slowly. Quivering lower lip. She lies down on her back, floating, smiling. The Mooshkito flies on her face.
THE MIRROR (O.S.) (crying, yelling aggressively) You are always trying to get somewhere else. Guess what! You will never reach that place!
The Giraffe floating, smiling, starts laughing with her mouth closed. Bursts into laughter. Laughs out loud. Turns over (The Mooshkito flies away) laughing, making bubbles from under the water.
THE MIRROR (we hear it from underwater) When you’ll get to the place you want to be now, you will already want to be in the next one.
The Giraffe, floating with the face under water stops smiling and opens her eyes wide. In front of her, close to her face, the carpet opens its eyes wide as well.
CUT TO BLACK:
FADE IN: The Giraffe steps over the coral-like-carpet and enters the room.
The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the
“Hole”. She jumps in, moans with pleasure, rolls a few times left and right and falls asleep, slowly loosing the smile on her face. The “Hole” is empty. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: The “Holes” are empty. The Giraffe opens her eyes smiling, a ray of light on her face (C.U.) The camera distances away, we see about 5 more little round mosquito bite-marks on her face and neck. She jumps on the bed, looks out through one of the open windows and inhales deeply. Exhales humming. Suddenly opens her eyes wide and looks towards the next door. Smiles. Jumps off the bed, and runs towards the door to the next room.
ROOM 5 – THE DININGROOM – DAY The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through a “Hole”, about 180 centimeters above the ground, on the wall in the right, next to the table. The Giraffe is taking bites from every single dish, from the egg, from the roasted bread in the roasting machine… Chewing, eyes closed, humming. There’s a vase with flowers on the table. She picks a blade of grass with her lips. Humming. She puts her face on the clean tablecloth and sniffs two times. A loud noise comes from the next room as if something fell, along with some furniture pieces, that keep falling and make noise. (The Fluffenty doesn’t make any hurting sound.) The Giraffe (eyes wide open) looks towards that wall. The “Hole” is empty. The Giraffe takes sips from all the cups on the table, drinks from all the glasses on the table (orange juice, water, coffee, milk, tea…). Picks a cherry with her lips, chews it and spits the cherry stone back on the plate. Burps out loud. Straightens her back. She has a visible big belly. She looks down and notices her belly. She walks to the next door like a pregnant lady.
ROOM 6 - THE PEDESTALS ROOM – DAY All the “Holes” are empty. She goes next to the first pedestal. There are two crumples instead of the donut she ate the last time. She closes her eyes to the paper and reads for about 4 seconds while her smile shrinks and her eyes grow bigger. She steps back, inhaling with a short sound. Opens her mouth a little.
THE MOOSHKITO (landing on the empty space where the donut used to be) I’ve met all sort of passenger creatures in this house. You’re the first one to eat a work of art.
The expression on The Giraffe’s face remains the same.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: All the “Holes” are empty. The Giraffe enters the room and walks to the table. We can see The Giraffe from the back, C.U., with The Mooshkito on her head.
THE GIRAFFE I want to finish the card tower, but what if it has a meaning the way it is? Left unfinished, I mean…
The Giraffe takes a moment to look at the card tower up close. The camera goes close to the cards, takes a ride through them. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: All the “Holes” are empty. The Giraffe standing still, half lightened, half covered in shadow, The Giraffe lying on the floor, striped with light and shadow from head to toe.
Stripes would also look good...
The Giraffe listening at the bathroom door (C.U.). Knocks and keeps listening.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN: (No “Holes”) The Giraffe is running a bath. RUNNING WATER. On the floor she notices a small bottle. Takes it with one hoof and bends to read the label. It says: Raspberry Bath Foam. Squeezes some in the bathtub. Sniffs the vapors. Humms loudly with contempt, smiles. The Giraffe in the bathtub (her upper half). Her body continues to the left out of frame. She’s playing calmly in the foam. Disappears under the foam, eyes visible only. On the edge of the bathtub, The Mooshkito is looking the other way, at the door. The Giraffe is like a snowman behind The Mooshkito.
THE MOOSHKITO May I look now?
The Giraffe comes close to The Mooshkito from the behind and blows all the water in her mouth towards it.
THE GIRAFFE Yes.
The Mooshkito is soaked, its wings are wet. The Giraffe in front of the mirror, grabbing a hair comb with her teeth and bending to take the comb with a hoof. She stays bent, combing her hair. She combs her tail hair as well. Looks in the mirror one more time, checks her teeth. Smiles. Bends to The Mooshkito. She’s very close to The Mooshkito. The Mooshkito (eyes wide open) bends the other way, its wings are moving under her breath.
THE GIRAFFE (whispering) Bye.
The Giraffe leaves the bathroom. The Mooshkito is on the edge of the bathtub, watery eyes, soaked. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: All the “Holes” are empty. The Giraffe closes the bathroom door behind her. The Wardrobe is covering the door frame.
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) Not again!!!
THE MOOSHKITO (O.S.) (faint voice) Why are you resisting meeee?
The Giraffe opens The Wardrobe’s doors and looks inside. She enters The Wardrobe, lies down on a shelf and closes the doors behind her. She closes her eyes (C.U.). CUT TO BLACK:
OVER BLACK: Low tone loud laughter. FADE IN: Low tone loud laughter continues. The Giraffe jumps out of The shaking Wardrobe.
THE GIRAFFE Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude…
THE WARDROBE Ha ha. It’s ok, I think it’s cute.
THE GIRAFFE It feels so good around you. It feels like home.
The Wardrobe opens its doors.
THE WARDROBE Come in, take a nap.
The Giraffe goes back inside The Wardrobe.
THE WARDROBE (low warm voice) Not everybody feels good about home. The other furniture in this room left. They wanted to see the world. I wanted to stay home. And they called me a coward and a liar for wanting something else.
THE GIRAFFE I think the right path is the one you really want to walk on. You followed your heart, just like me… I left because I really wanted to leave. You stayed because you really wanted to stay…
THE WARDROBE The Hanger didn’t want to leave either. But it was afraid to step up for itself. It chose to leave because it cared more about how the others see it… I bet it’s not happy out there.
THE GIRAFFE It’s not happy, because it didn’t follow its heart, just like The Mirror.
The Giraffe closes her eyes. FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
THE GIRAFFE I’m going to leave now... (Looks at The Wardrobe) HEY! (KNOCKS) (stands in front of The Wardrobe and waits) (KICKS it harder with her hoof)
The Wardrobe looks like a normal piece of furniture. The Giraffe is showing thinking process, looks behind The Wardrobe, at the door frame. The Wardrobe doesn’t cover it anymore. She can pass through. She stands in the doorframe. Looks back to the bathroom door. Looks at The Wardrobe. Looks in the next room.
ROOM 11 - THE DEER ROOM – DAY – CONTINUOUS All the “Holes” are empty.
The Giraffe looking around, the door frame
behind her, The Wardrobe, in the back, moving and covering the door
frame again. The Giraffe smiles back.
The Giraffe takes a step forward, looks at
the small window The Deer has trapped his head in.
THE GIRAFFE Oh…
THE DEER Please help me pull my head out.
The white door (on the wall with The Deer) is closing behind The Giraffe. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: THE LAST ROOM – DAY – CONTINUOUS ROOM DESCRIPTION: The room looks like a kitchen, with tables around it except for the opposite wall where there’s the door out (on the left side of the wall) and a big window (on the right side of the wall). There’s a storage-closet on the right wall, with provisions (flour, cheese, pumpkin, sugar, corn, bottles with syrup, fruit… etc.) There are kitchen tools on the tables, and dough. White short drapes. White painted walls. Wooden floor, wooden old type kitchen furniture.
There are “Holes” in all the doors and walls. All the “Holes” are empty.
The Giraffe is watching out the window. Her eyes get bigger and bigger (C.U.)
THE GIRAFFE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
The camera zooms out, we can see The Deer’s bottom in the back, moving his little tail.
THE GIRAFFE This is the exit!!!!
THE DEER (O.S.) I call it “the entrance”…
THE GIRAFFE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
THE DEER (C.U.) What now?
THE GIRAFFE (O.S.) Nothing… I’m just excited…
The Deer has a tired straight funny face. We can hear CLOPPING, DISHES RATTLING, DOOR SQUEAK, DOOR SLAM, CLOPPING ON WOOD, BREAKING PLATE, OBJECTS FALLING ON THE WOODEN FLOOR, HAPPY YELLING (O.S.).
THE DEER Would you please…
The noise stops. DOOR SLAM. Quiet.
The Deer opens his eyes wide.
THE DEER: HEY!!!! HEY!!!
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
The Giraffe’s legs, running elegantly, like a horse, in slow motion. Camera zooms out, we see her, face looking up, eyes closed, smiling, CLOPPING on the long wooden bridge. Stops. Looks towards the Raspberry Shampoo River. Sniffs two times. Laughs. Turns back. FADE OUT:
FADE IN: INT. THE FLUFFENTY’S HOUSE – THE LAST ROOM – DAY
All the “Holes” are empty.
The sound of the DOOR CLOSING. The Deer’s bottom moving his tail a little. The Giraffe suppresses a laugh. FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
All the “Holes” are empty.
The Giraffe leaning on the door with the back bent backwards, touching the door with her head. She is facing forward, but she’s watching The Deer. The Deer is also facing forward, but watching her.
The Deer is watching her as she’s closing
to him (slow motion). The Giraffe stops a few centimeters in front of The Deer.
THE GIRAFFE (smiling) If you pull your head out, I’ll give you a kiss.
THE DEER (serious) The real meaning of a kiss is lost if you trade it. Or if you ask for it... Or if you forcefully take it... I wouldn’t share a kiss for any other reason than love. ... What, you want to kiss me and you need an excuse?
The Giraffe smiles, turns pink for a few seconds then back to blue. The Mooshkito bites her when she’s pink and feels like drugged, burping a heart.
INT. THE LAST ROOM – DAY.
All the “Holes” are empty. The Deer is waiting for her with the door open. It’s raining. They’re both in the door frame, each one leaning to a side, facing each other. The door is narrow, they are close. The Deer kisses her. They run together outside, in the rain. The door closes behind them. The Fluffenty’s eye is watching through the “Hole” in the exit door, about 20 centimeters above the ground. They stop in the middle of the wooden bridge, looking at each other, caught in a deep look, camera going around them. The Deer starts singing. Soap bubbles are rising from the Shampoo River. The rain keeps falling. The River has huge piles of foam, the wind is blowing the bubbles away which eventually fall on the bridge and pop. The camera is moving through, between the foam piles, following a soap bubble, small pieces of foam (giving the impression of snowflakes) blown away by the wind. The song continues. They run away, camera stays with them running (seen from the back), until they encounter The Hanger, coming back home. The Hanger has a pink purse hanging on one arm, a hat on another arm. With a third arm it holds a red with white polka-dots open umbrella. The camera is on the shore, they approach smiling, laughing, looking at each other with love. In the back, the red polka-dotted umbrella is getting farther away. The Deer steps on the shore, The Giraffe stops and watches the shore. There are vines, with small flowers on the shore, swarming with big blue butterflies. The song ends.
THE DEER Come on!
THE GIRAFFE I wanted so much to get to the other side and here I am…
The Giraffe steps on the shore. Looks back smiling.
They walk away together, towards a forest, very far away, on a hill. The big blue butterflies become more rare until they disappear completely.
THE DEER Why did you want to come here?
THE GIRAFFE I wanted to meet the Old Wise Spirit and ask it to give me spots.
THE DEER Spots?
THE GIRAFFE Giraffes have spots.
THE DEER (C.U.) You are so beautiful.
They are walking through a forest. They stop in a meadow.
THE GIRAFFE (C.U.)
Camera zooms out. The Deer is dodging The Big Blue Butterfly who wants to land on his horns.
THE GIRAFFE That butterfly!!!
The Deer stops dodging, The Big Blue Butterfly stops on a horn.
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY Remember why you left home? What was that wish that made you go look for The Old Wise Spirit?
THE GIRAFFE (eyes wide open) How could you possibly know that?
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY I know because I am the Old Wise Spirit.
The Giraffe laughs out loud.
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY (exaggerated magical gestures) (blinking with all its eyes) I can make one of your wishes come true. So, what is your wish?
The Giraffe looks at The Deer, blushes, smiles.
THE GIRAFFE I want to get back home really really fast.
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY Your wish came true. You are already home. This is the meadow you were coming to every day.
THE GIRAFFE (huge watery eyes, quivering lip) Is my grandma all right?
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY You just missed her. She came here every day since you left.
The Ladybug is watching from a blade of grass.
The Giraffe starts crying, tears, with a huge smile on her face, mouth a little open. She runs home.
The Giraffe and The Deer run away clopping (seen from the back).
THE LADYBUG Why did you lie to her?
THE BIG BLUE BUTTERFLY She needed closure. I gave her closure, she had a beautiful trip, she deserves it. She learned patience, acceptance, respect, responsibility, courage.
THE LADYBUG How could you know that?
The Big Blue Butterfly is staring in the middle distance.
Loud noises approaching. The Big Blue Butterfly and The Ladybug look in the direction the noise is coming from. BRANCHES SNAP, something COLLAPSES ON the GROUND, putting down the grass and the flowers, stopping right in front of them. They watch it from the tall grass, one close to the other. The Placky stands up, all dirty and messy right in front of them, turns around 180 degrees, dizzy.
THE PLACKY: Hi!
The Ladybug and The Big Blue Butterfly SCREAM together. The Placky faints. Black screen.
THE END
The credits part. A short presentation of the characters, at the end of the movie, soap opera type. On a soft music, they are with the back and, as the camera zooms in, they turn their faces to the camera. The names of the characters are written, as if they were actors, not the name of the actors: The Giraffe and The Deer, The Placky, The Mooshkito, The Mirror, The Battobuse, Grandma Giraffe, The Snail, The Fluffenty, The Big Blue Butterfly, Mr. Ladybug, The Wardrobe, The Hanger, The Old Giraffe, The Bug, The Weird Something, The Mite, The Firefly, The Old Creature, The Doormat, The Rabbits...etc.
The actors in CAST, and in a presentation clip at the beginning, with a representative song.
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