From: Chris [mailto:ninebuddhas@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, February 3, 2013 6:57 PM
Subject: Do Us Part -- A Short Dramatic Film
Do Us Part is a short, dramatic film in three scenes. The title of course is a reference to traditional wedding vows through which a bride and groom pledge themselves to each other for richer or poorer, through sickness and in health, for better or for worse till death “do us part.”
In Scene 1, the audience is introduced to Walter, a successful police officer who retired due to early onset Alzheimer’s, and his wife Robbie (a University instructor), who is moderately younger than her husband. The audience is introduced to Walter’s police career through a series of photographs, commendations, awards and his badge and gun kept in a place of honor. Before Walter was stricken with Alzheimer’s and retired, Walter was a dedicated public servant and both Walter and Robbie were loving spouses and caring parents to their one child, Carolyn (who is now grown).
In every way, Walter is a sympathetic character in that he has led an admirable life that has been cut short at a relatively young age by dementia which leaves him physically fit but mentally unaware and unable. But the focus of the scene (and the film) is his wife Robbie whose life has been destroyed as completely by her husband’s incapacitating disease (which puts him in a condition requiring ongoing care). Little can be done medically to treat Walter’s disease and give him back his life – what he needs is someone to be with him so that he won’t hurt himself.
Robbie could of course salvage her own life, but to do so, she would have to abandon her husband.
In Scene 2, we are at dinner with Walter, Robbie, Carolyn (their daughter) and Jack who is introduced as one of Robbie’s former colleagues from the University (but whose actual relationship with Robbie is ambiguous to Carolyn and to the audience. In this scene, Carolyn (who is sympathetic both to her father’s needs and to her mother’s needs – which arguably are conflicting) simultaneously explores what her mother’s actual relationship is with Jack while trying to work through what an appropriate relationship would be (with the most significant stumbling block being the infeasibility of Robbie having a substantive relationship of any kind outside of her husband’s presence – because what her husband needs from her is for her to be with him). Like Carolyn, Walter seems to be evaluating what Robbie’s relationship is with Jack (although Walter is doing so without vocalizing his constrained understanding).
In Scene 3, we begin with Robbie and Jack in bed together. In short time, their romantic machinations cause the headboard to bang up against the wall. And then in short time, the banging is compounded by a second (similar) thumping which initially seems to also be related to their sexual congress. However eventually it becomes clear that the second thumping is Walter pounding on the door. When Robbie and Jack, realize that it is Walter at the door, Jack reacts like a young boy caught by his parents, but Robbie encourages him to ignore Walter and to keep going.
At this point, the perspective of the scene changes from inside the bedroom to outside the bedroom door. Walter continues to pound on the door with one hand, but the audience first sees that in his other hand he holds his service revolver. He pounds on the door again, and for the first time shouts out: “My bed.” At this point, he breaks open the door and steps in with gun in hand. Robbie and Jack cover themselves with a sheet and hold their hands out as if to say “Don’t shoot.” At his point, there is a gunshot, Robbie screams, and it is revealed that Walter has shot himself and lay dead in the doorway.
We are seeking actors for the following roles:
Walter: male, 40 to 65. Open as to race.
Robbie: female, 30 to 60. Open to race.
Jack: male, 30 to 60. Open to race.
Carolyn: female, 18 to 30. Open to race.
Appropriate age will be based in part on the age of other actors selected for each role. The bedroom scene between Robbie and Jack will be appropriately, artistically, and modestly depicted (and we’re open to discussion with the actors interested in those roles as to the specifics of how that would be accomplished). There is no monetary compensation, but all involved will receive a digital copy of the film and title credit.
Shooting Schedule: We’ll be shooting on Saturday, February 16. If need be, we will complete shooting on the morning of Sunday, February 17. We intend to rehearse on the evening of Friday, February 15 (although the rehearsal date and time is flexible).
If you want in: let me know what role or roles you are interested in, send me a headshot or photo and resume (if you have them), and let me know if you have any conflicts from Friday February 15 at 7:00 PM through Sunday, February 17 at 2:00 PM.
This is going to be a great film. I hope you want to be part of it.
Chris Raboin
Nine Buddhas Pictures
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