Set in a fantasy version of the Blue Mountains, NSW, Full Moon Over Faulconbridge is a story of reconciliation and healing, and deals with the themes of respect for the earth, respect for each other and the misuse of power. Currently in the form of a pilot episode and series bible.
Full Moon Over Faulconbridge was co-written by Victor Spiegel.
SAMPLE
Full Moon Over Faulconbridge One-Hour Pilot Episode CAST LIST: Primary Characters: BERNARD ROBYN MARGARET MERV MICK CHRIS DAVE KELLY Secondary Characters: MASTER AGATHA (NOT IN PILOT) WARGON PRIME MINISTERS/GOVERNORS: SIR HENRY PARKES, WHITLAM, FRAZER, FISHER, BLIGH, PHILLIPS, MACQUARIE, GORTON, MENZIES, DEAKIN, SCULLIN, LYONS, MCMAHON BULLIES 1 & 2, PARK PENTATHUS (NOT IN PILOT) INDIGENOUS ELDER FADE IN: 1 EXT: CORRIDOR OF OAKS - PREHISTORIC ERA 1 An indigenous ELDER is turning something over in his hand as he sits crosslegged at the future site of the Corridor of Oaks, Faulconbridge. A FIRE is burning in a stone circle. Nine CROWS are perched in various locations, watching intently. The background is lush, prehistoric and very green. His temporary hut is made of leaves and bent branches. The stooped and ancient elder inspects the object, which is revealed to be a SHE-OAK SEED, looking at it closely and then holding it away from him. He exhales slowly. ELDER (SPEAKING DARUG WITH SUBTITLES) Just a seed. He looks out across the thick vegetation, takes a deep breath, kneels down and digs a small depression in the rich soil. He gently places the spiky pod into the receptive earth. An odd melody - with the incongruous timbre of a bamboo flute - echoes through the canyon and soft evening light accompanies the slowly setting orange sun and grey purple clouds. Several birds land and hop forward. The elder stands. Crows and black cockatiels flap and settle around the aged man as he listens to the melody. Pensively he throws a log on the fire and raises his arms out and wide. ELDER (CONT'D) It is done, Sky Father. (to himself) But why? What is the point of this? He throws a pinecone into the coals. The fire suddenly explodes releasing thousands of white and red incandescent sparks. The crows scatter. The gathering purple-gray storm clouds rumble in the distance. The shaman looks up apprehensively. He is about to apologize for his curiosity when blurry images appear inside the clouds. The projections clarify momentarily: people in strange clothing, strangely shaped dwellings, long ribbons of black and grey, metallic chariots, and men and women walking quickly and purposefully in every direction. He shakes his head. ELDER (CONT'D) None of my business. He pats the earth where he planted the seed as a shaft of sun lights the mound with an uncanny glow. Throwing dirt over the fire, he stands for a moment looking out at the lush forest in the onrushing winds of a monsoon, and then hobbles slowly back to his hut. MONTAGE THE SHE-OAK SPROUTS AND GROWS IN TIME LAPSE. BLIZZARDS. BLINDING SNOW BLANKETS THE LAND. THE FREEZING BITE OF THE LAST ICE AGE SEEPS INTO ROCKS AND CREVICES. THE SHE-OAK ENDURES, GATHERING ELEMENTAL STRENGTH AND KNOWLEDGE. THE DEEP FREEZE TRANSFORMS THE LAND INTO CLIFFS AND VALLEYS OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WE SEE A TIME LAPSE OF PEOPLE COMING AND LEAVING OVER THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES, THE TREE GROWS... ...And becomes part of The 'Corridor of Oaks' in its contemporary state: a park by a freeway. A train whistles past. A branch falls from the she-oak. A MAN in Shaolin-style robes stoops, picks up the branch and runs his fingers over it, eyes closed. He inspects it closely and nods. CUT TO The Shaolin man is hand-carving the she-oak branch. He then puts it into a lathe, then chips away at it, hand-drills holes at precise points, tests the sound and adds more holes. He blows away the shavings, polishes it and when he has cleaned it, puts his lips to it and plays a beautiful melody. His hands begin carving glyphs into it. CROSS FADE TITLES AND CREDITS 2 EXT. BLUE MOUNTAINS BUSH - LATE AFTERNOON 2 A large CROW is perched on a Eucalyptus branch. Its rainbow colored eye looks quizzically at us and then the crow lifts off winging its way over the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. It dips and rises in the green-blue canyons until... 3 EXT. BLUE MOUNTAINS BUSH - A CLIFF OVERLOOKING A VALLEY -3 SUNSET ...we reach a CLIFF where MARGARET - a middle-aged housewife who is worried about her weight and attractiveness - and MERV - a middle aged, typical Aussie bloke - are having a "picnic." They stare vacantly away from each other as the FULL MOON begins to rise. Storm clouds flex their muscles. Fog spills into the canyon as the crow floats above it and lands on the cliff. MARGARET pops the cork on a wine bottle. MERV Maggie! That's the good stuff! I was saving it for a special occasion! MARGARET So our anniversary doesn't count as a special occasion? MERV What's to celebrate? Twenty whatever years? Margaret grabs the cake knife and cuts the cake, putting slices on the paper plates. MARGARET It's twenty-seven years. And I've told you a thousand times, Merv, don't call me Maggie. MERV Yes, Ma-a-argaret. (Beat noticing Margaret's LOCKET) God that thing's ugly. Why do you wear it anyway? MARGARET None of your business. I don't have to tell you everything. MERV Yeah, but you've had it since before the wedding, and you never seem to put it down. You made me miss the footy so you could bring me to this bloody lookout. Well I'm looking out, and there's so much fog I can't see a thing. You say we never do anything any more, we never talk. So, come on, Maggie - talk! MARGARET You wouldn't understand. And I told you not to call me Maggie. MERV Oh, here we go. MARGARET Here we go what, Merv? What? MERV Nothing. Are we done celebrating now? Bottle teeters, falls and breaks. MERV (CONT'D) Bitch! That cost me two hundred bucks! MARGARET That's all you care about, isn't it? I'm fine, by the way. MERV Well as long as you're fine. I'm starving- did you cut the cake? MARGARET (indicating the lamely iced slices of chocolate cake) Help yourself - you always do. 4 EXT. CORRIDOR OF OAKS - SUNSET 4 BERNARD, intent on reciting his mantra with sacred beads, trips and falls face first into the mud. Groaning, he picks himself up. He wipes the red clay from his perfectly unkempt robes. He sighs, and walks over to a stone water fountain, washing off the mud as best as he can. He sits and pulls out a roll of suede, which he unwraps to reveal a beautiful flute. The patterns on the outside are worn and undecipherable. He places it on his lips and blows. The light in the grove shifts to an odd angle. The trees and grass blades are illuminated from within. The birds and insects fly in from every direction to be part of the ancient song. A MUM and DAD and their 7 year old daughter CARRIE are riding bicycles through the park. The daughter slows down and pauses when she hears Bernard's playing. She listens, transfixed with a smile on her face. Bernard smiles back but the mum doubles back and hurries her along. The Mum gives Bernard a dollar. MUM Come on, Carrie, don't bother the nice man. CARRIE (riding away) He smells, Mummy. MUM Sssh! Bernard stops playing and watches the family ride off. He looks in his swag for something to eat but his last packet of bread is mouldy. He sighs, stands and walks, finding a suitable spot where the energy is right. He begins a slow Qi Gung movement meditation, full of flowing movements and gentle forms. As he gains momentum and energy, the Qi Gung flows seamlessly into powerful martial arts moves, he spins and ducks and weaves with an almost magical agility. Suddenly, he hears a sound. A scream? He stops. Listens. From Bernard's POV, we see a YOUNG MAN (early 20s, white t shirt, jeans, short hair) arguing with a YOUNG WOMAN (early 20s, leather jacket, vinyl skirt, heels) on the other side of the park. They have reached screaming pitch. The young man slaps the young woman on the face. BERNARD Hey! The young man turns toward Bernard, the young woman turns her head away. Bernard walks towards the couple. BERNARD (CONT'D) If you hit her again, I'm gonna stop you. YOUNG MAN Butt out. BERNARD (To young woman) You ok? YOUNG MAN She's fine. The young woman nods. BERNARD Sure? YOUNG WOMAN (nods again, tears on cheeks) Fine. YOUNG MAN Piss off. Bernard shrugs and turns to walk away. YOUNG MAN (CONT'D) Fucking homeless loser. Bernard tenses. He turns around, falling naturally into combat stance. His eyes are full of rage. He moves towards the young man, who flinches. From Bernard's POV, the whole world TURNS RED. Bernard moves right up to the young man and moves to hit him. The young man flinches. FLASHBACK TO: 5 INT. MARTIAL ARTS DOJO 5 Bernard is standing in line at a Martial Arts grading. He sees his girlfriend, ROBYN, flirting with another student, GREG. He is paired with Greg to spar. They trade a few blows, Greg pins Bernard to the ground and whispers 'loser' in Bernard's ear. Bernard flies into a rage, throws Greg off him and kicks him with enough force to slam him into the wall. CU on horrified faces of other students, disappointed face of the martial arts MASTER. 6 EXT. CORRIDOR OF OAKS - SUNSET 6 Bernard shakes his head as he comes out of the memory. He uses a breathing technique to calm himself down, and with great difficulty he walks away. The young man recovers his composure and sniggers. YOUNG MAN Ha. Told you he was a loser. YOUNG WOMAN Yeah. As the man leads the woman away, she turns to mouth a silent 'thank you', but Bernard doesn't see. Internally fuming, he walks back to his swag near the fountain and crawls into it for the night. He looks up at the branches above him, where the CROW is silhouetted against the full moon. 7 EXT. BLUE MOUNTAINS BUSH - LOOKOUT ABOVE CLIFF- SUNSET 7 Another CROW sits on a branch at a lookout above the cliff overlooking Margaret and Merv's picnic spot. The crow is reflected in the compact mirror of ROBYN TREADWELL, cute, perky, ambitious in her late twenties, who is looking at herself in the mirror, straightening her hair and applying makeup. MICK & CHRIS, early twenties, are halfway through setting up video and sound equipment. As Mick reaches down to unlock an equipment case, Chris spots a puddle and his inner two-year-old takes over. CHRIS Hey, Mick! Look at me! I made a rainbow! Chris splashes Mick. MICK Thanks, Chris. Now my pants can share the rainbow. CHRIS Sorry. But they're just so shiny! I thought: there's puddles! Puddles splash. See the shiny? MICK Yes. Astute of you, Chris. There are puddles. And they do indeed splash. Would you like a demonstration? Mick splashes Chris deliberately. CHRIS Okay that's it - you're dead now! Enthusiastic splashing and shouting. Distant thunder, slight drizzle. ROBYN Stop it! Can we just get the shot? We gotta get this in before the storm hits. MICK (play-acting the child) But he started it! CHRIS And are you sorry? MICK (laughing) Not really. Splashing ROBYN Oh, for God's sake. MICK Okay, okay... We're sorry. CHRIS (chuckles) Sort of. MICK Sound. CHRIS Rolling. WITH CHRIS'S CAMERA ROBYN Hi, I'm Robyn Treadwell from Aussie Weekender. Welcome to the Blue Mountains, without doubt Australia's best-known national park. Easily reached from the centre of Sydney and well-serviced by public transport, these panoramic escarpments are magnets for abseilers, bush-walkers and families just wanting to say they've been there. There are cafŽs and restaurants offering expansive views. The Glenbrook trail is popular with the mountain biking set. Katoomba hosts the enchanting Winter Magic Festival. Not to mention the spectacular natural surroundings - including the World Heritage listed Three Sisters formation. The Blue Mountains is also known for historic buildings like the Old Academy, and its many quaint antique shops, for all you collectors. I'm about to check out the Faulconbridge lookout - let's go. CHRIS Okay, got it. Chris swings the camera around and zooms in on Margaret and Merv. CHRIS (CONT'D) Hey... Check out this old couple... Mick, come here! ROBYN Chris, we don't have time to - CHRIS Hey, possible smooching situation here... Oh, they're standing up... I - I think they're arguing, actually. MICK Let me see! From POV of TV camera, the ledge that Margaret and Merv are standing on cracks down the centre. CHRIS Hey, did you see that?! 8 EXT. BLUE MOUNTAINS BUSH - A CLIFF OVERLOOKING A VALLEY -8 EVENING The moon rises. Mist has crept in. A tremor. The rocks on the cliff wobble slightly. MARGARET Hey, did you just feel the rock move? MERV Ha. I told you: you need to lose weight. MARGARET (If looks could kill) Oh that's so typical. Do you even know what feelings are? MERV (general mumbled argumentative sounds) Huh. Only feeling I've been doing lately is between me and myself. MARGARET That's disgusting. MERV Well pardon me for having a libido. Another tremor. MARGARET (stands up) I'm serious. It's a minor earthquake or something. MERV stands too. He steps out towards the edge to see if he can see what's going on. MARGARET (CONT'D) Don't step out onto the - MERV makes a dismissive gesture. MARGARET (CONT'D) Bloody hell. If you fall, I'm not coming down to get you. MERV You'd be delighted, wouldn't you? MARGARET How dare you- MERV Oh come on. What are we even doing here. You don't want to have cake with me, and I don't wanna have cake with you. I've missed the Panthers kick off, instead we're standing here arguing, getting bitten by flies and surrounded by creepy birds... Another tremor, a proper one this time. Merv yelps, as he loses his footing and begins to slide over the edge. MARGARET Merv! Oh you idiot. MERV Help me, Margaret! MARGARET Alright, don't be such a cry baby. Here. Margaret twists the picnic blanket and offers it like a rope to Merv. MERV Don't be so keen to help. I mean, I'm only dangling off the edge of a bloody cliff. Aw, Jesus, hold it still, will ya? You're holding it all wrong. MARGARET You want me to let go? You want to die? MERV (mumbling under breath) At least I wouldn't be married. MARGARET What? MERV Hey - watch it...it's slipping. Hold it tighter! MARGARET Okay, so tell me Merv - why should I? MERV What? Bloody crazy woman! Give me your hand! MARGARET I'm just wondering what you've done to deserve my help. MERV (to himself) Jesus. I'm close to plummeting off this cliff and she wants to discuss the relationship. Typical woman. (to Margaret) Pull tighter! MARGARET Fine. Have it your way. Margaret loosens her grip slightly. MERV Hey - Maggie - Margaret! I'm sorry. Please, I just need a hand...then we can talk, okay? No bull. MARGARET It's too late for that now, Merv. (Margaret thinks to herself) It's been too late for years. MERV What? Margaret! What the bloody hell do you mean? Cracking rock, Merv is slipping. MERV (CONT'D) Maggie! Please! Don't do this! MARGARET GET OFF MY DRESS! Margaret shoves Merv. He scrabbles and scrapes for purchase. MERV (falling) Aah! MARGARET Oh God. Merv falls bumping and swearing into the canyon mists. CROSSFADE