Been thinking a lot recently about unrealised ideas. Below is the in-progress script I began last year for a high budget film about an aspiring actress/dancer who discovers performance art and her life is transformed. The start of the script is based on John Travolta's Staying Alive.
WORKING TITLE: Staying Live
Synopsis:
The protagonist, Laura is an aspiring performer (dancer/actor). She’s taking dance classes and going on auditions with little success. To support herself she works in a night club as a cocktail waitress, she can’t even get a gig as a dancer in the club like her friend Jane. At the start of the film we get a glimpse into Laura’s hand-to-mouth existence and see her envy of her friend Jane’s success in both an audition and at the club.
On a notice-board at her dance school, Laura spots an advertisement seeking performers with a certain body type for a performance in a prestigious art gallery and she goes for it. She, Jane and Deborah (her mentor/dance instructor) are all offered roles. Laura thinks she’s finally getting lucky and that her career is about to blossom. Unfortunately, the opportunity is not quite what she expected and is very demanding and demeaning work. They all have to have their hair cut and dyed and to be fully waxed. They stand completely exposed and as motionless as possible for hours in high-heeled shoes that are the wrong size so their ankles swell and feet blister – all for the perfect photo. The photos are taken at the direction of the artist who is always mysteriously absent from the shoots/rehearsals which are run by her assistant.
(Scene idea: the girls talking ‘backstage’ as they change. Unlike Laura and her two friends, some of the other girls come from modelling background and others from a fine art background. The models say they would never have put up with this shit for a regular modelling gig, but they were willing to do more because it was ‘for art’. The artists explain that they were interested in being part of a performance art piece but gripe about the lack of criticality of the work, how it doesn’t compare to 70s feminist performance art. Laura listens and is curious, but doesn’t completely understand the arty girls.)
One night Laura has a surreal dream that Jane takes over the performance by pulling a colourful scarf and beads from her vagina. This is sort of day residue as we have seen Jane perform a burlesque number in the club using a similar scarf but in a different way. When she’s getting ready for the performance she confides in Deborah about the dream, and one of the arty girls overhears and laughs and says that would be awesome, better yet she should pull a scroll out just like Schneemann did.
Laura is intrigued by this and googles Schneemann which propels her to learn more. Montage sequence: Laura stretching in empty dance studio, wrapping her feet and ankles in bandages (à la Flashdance) intercut with shots of her at the library searching the stacks (à la Legally Blonde) for books on feminist performance art.
Before the day of the gallery performance Laura has a dream. The dream sequence merges canonical performance art pieces with hollywood musical dance numbers and original songs.
By the end of the film Laura becomes a performance artist and finds love.
Characters:
LAURA/ MODEL 1 (scroll-reader)
JANE/MODEL 2
DEBORAH/MODEL 3
MODEL 4
DIRECTOR
ADDITIONAL DANCERS/MODELS 5-12
DIRECTOR’S ASSISTANT
SCENE 1 / Opening Credits: INT – THEATRE – DAY
DANCERS & MODELS doing 80s jazz/pop choreography like the start of Staying Alive (1983)[1]. DIRECTOR and ASSISTANT eye up dancers, choose dancers to go through to next round, dismissing the others. Montage of wide and medium shots of dancing groups and close-ups of DIRECTOR and ASSISTANT is inter-cut with shots of JANE and LAURA as they stretch, warm up and mentally prepare for their turn. JANE and LAURA’s group takes to the stage, LAURA fumbles almost immediately and steps out discouraged and upset. JANE goes onto next round. Shot of LAURA at back of theatre watching in envy.
SCENE 2: EXT – LONDON STREET - DAY
LAURA exits stage door into crowded streets. She walks for a while (dissolve shots) into shot of LAURA entering Dance Studio (camera pulls up to reveal sign above door).
SCENE 3: INT – DANCE STUDIO – DAY
DEBORAH is warming up in an empty dance studio. LAURA enters.
LAURA
Hi.
DEBORAH
Hi. You’re here early. Class doesn’t start for another half hour.
LAURA
I know. I got out of my audition early.
DEBORAH
How’d it go?
LAURA
I fell flat on my ass on the first turn.
DEBORAH
Oh, shit… at least you’re putting yourself out there. That takes courage.
LAURA
Not sure if it’s courage or temporary insanity.
DEBORAH
(consolingly)
Cheer up, kid, there’ll be other auditions. You’re just learning, be patient with yourself.
LAURA looks forlorn.
DEBORAH
(jokingly)
Quit feeling sorry for yourself, it’s bad for your complexion!
(more serious now, but smiling)
Come on show me the routine they had you do…practice makes perfect!
LAURA puts her stuff down and starts to dance – she’s competent but awkward.
DEBORAH
(encouraging and passionate)
Look in the mirror at yourself, you love to dance! Give it some attitude!
LAURA gives it a bit more pizzazz and is noticeably better.
DEBORAH
That’s it! You’ve got potential, real potential here.
Other classmates start to arrive and gawk at her. LAURA starts to look more exhausted.
OTHER CLASSMATE
Why does she get private lessons?
SCENE 4: EXT – LONDON STREET - SUNSET
LAURA runs across street in front of traffic and enters council flat.
SCENE 5, INT – (MONTAGE) LAURA’S HALLWAY/ BEDSIT/ BATHROOM/ HALLWAY/ CLUB – EVENING
LAURA walks up flights of stairs and passes trashy (possibly tranny) homeless person sitting on steps.
Enters Bedsit, throws her bag down and takes off her jacket, hangs it up, then pulls off her top.
LAURA is in the shower, her back to the camera – she’s washing her leotard, tights and bra with a bar of soap as she showers.
LAURA walks down stairs, again passing homeless person.
Establishing shot of night club, extras dancing, LAURA is carrying a tray of drinks, navigating a circuitous route through crowd, trying not to spill them. LAURA brings drinks to a table, change is left on the tray for her to pocket. Male and female clientele take turns winking or otherwise flirting with her. She does spill a few drinks discombobulated by the crowds of dancers. She heads to the bar to pick up a new set of drinks.
LAURA
(to bartender)
I need another round of my last order. Last one ended up on the floor like my ass did at my audition earlier.
BARTENDER
Tough break.
(fixes drinks and hands them to LAURA bemused)
Better hurry it up, the entertainment’s about to start.