Random Scene
Cold Open from my Outer Limits sample (circa 1996). Enjoy the cheese:
FADE IN:
EXT: SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT
The San Francisco skyline in the moonlight.
EXT: SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY HALL - NIGHT
The marquee reads “SAN FRANCISCO BALLET WELCOMES STEFAN
RASMUSSEN!”.
INT: SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY HALL - NIGHT
A majestic hall during a ballet performance. Onstage, STEFAN
RASMUSSEN, Eastern European and in the prime of his life,
lifts a young BALLERINA in an elegant, fluid motion.
Suddenly he throws her in a stunning move, causing the CROWD
to GASP. Stefan completes his spectacular performance and
bows in triumph. MUSIC SWELLS and the CURTAIN FALLS.
ON CROWD:
Tuxedoed BUSINESS LEADERS, refined SENATORS’ WIVES. The full
house is awed for a moment, until ecstatic APPLAUSE erupts.
BACK TO SCENE:
The CURTAIN RISES and dancers take a curtain call, the
APPLAUSE increasing with each dancer. Finally, Stefan
Rasmussen emerges and moves downstage with a haughty
swagger.
ON CROWD:
The wild APPLAUSE increases and becomes a standing ovation.
Cries of “BRAVO!” ring out.
ON STEFAN RASMUSSEN:
Holding his head high as roses fall at his feet. The world
is his oyster, and he knows it.
INT: DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT
The dressing room is well-decorated and features a couch in
a corner. Stefan removes his stage makeup at a large mirror
as the half-undressed ballerina GIGGLES and grabs him from
behind. She is half his age. She pulls a grinning Stefan
toward her and they fall onto the couch, Stefan on top.
BALLERINA
Oh, Mr. Rasmussen! You were
magnificent!
STEFAN
Of course.
She gazes into his eyes, worshipping him. He forms a cocky
smile and kisses her deeply. He pulls back, looks at her
again, her eyes still closed.
STEFAN (CONT’D)
You want me. Don’t you.
BALLERINA
(trembling)
Yes…
Stefan begins to kiss her. A loud KNOCK on the door.
MAN’S VOICE (O.S.)
Time to hit the road!
The door opens and a large BODYGUARD steps inside. The
ballerina is surprised and embarrassed. Stefan doesn’t care,
continues to caress her.
STEFAN
Where is our next performance?
BODYGUARD
L.A. Just down the street from
Malibu.
Stefan stops, disgusted. He stands and steps back to the
mirror, leaving the half-dressed ballerina shocked and hurt.
The bodyguard raises an eyebrow, looks her over. Humiliated,
she reaches for a robe, anything, to cover herself. Finding
nothing, she clutches her knees to her chest.
BALLERINA
What’s going on?
STEFAN
Something quite inconvenient,
my dear.
The ballerina doesn’t understand. Stefan finishes wiping his
makeup off with a towel, tosses the towel to the ballerina.
He walks out into a throng of SCREAMING FANS.
STEFAN(O.S.)
No autographs! Absolutely not!
The ballerina covers with the towel, looks at the bodyguard.
BALLERINA
What’s in Malibu?
BODYGUARD
Mrs. Rasmussen.
The ballerina’s eyes bulge. She is crushed.
EXT: RUNWAY - NIGHT
A Lear Jet takes off into the night sky.
INT: LEAR JET - NIGHT
Stefan reclines in a large chair aboard the plane, next to a
wide-eyed REPORTER and a few BODYGUARDS. The reporter speaks
into a microcassette recorder, points it at Stefan.
REPORTER
You’ve generated enormous
interest with your debut tour,
Mr. Rasmussen. Your American
fans have seen all the hype,
but what they really want to
know is, “Who is Stefan
Rasmussen?”
STEFAN
I know exactly who I am. I am
the dance. We are each other.
Without the dance, I would
cease to exist. And without me,
the dance world would be
nothing!
The reporter, taken aback at the arrogance, looks at him.
REPORTER
Do you really believe that, Mr.
Rasmussen?
STEFAN
It doesn’t matter if I believe
it, or if you believe it. What
matters is that it is true.
The reporter can’t believe the nerve. Stefan scoffs at him.
STEFAN (CONT’D)
Your questions are inane!
Enough! End of interview!
He waves a hand, dismissing him. Suddenly the plane banks
wildly. Everyone looks around in panic.
EXT: LEAR JET - IN SKY - NIGHT
The plane banks again, then dives sharply, out of control.
INT: LEAR JET - NIGHT
CLOSE ON STEFAN:
As his eyes bulge. Someone SCREAMS offscreen.
CUT TO:
RACING IMAGES:
1. Stefan stands onstage as roses fall at his feet.
2. Stefan looks into a mirror at himself.
A huge CRASH erupts offscreen.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT: HOSPITAL LAB - NIGHT
CLOSE ON STEFAN:
As his eyes open. His face is bandaged and scarred, and
rests behind a glass panel. His eyes move and change focus
as he looks around.
STEFAN’S POV:
Filled with computer monitors and high-tech machines, the
lab looks more like a NASA lab than a hospital room. Amongst
the machines, Stefan finds a human - MARK, a young lab
assistant, working at a computer. After a moment Mark looks
up, sees that Stefan’s eyes are open. He seems surprised.
Nervous, he presses an intercom button.
MARK (INTO INTERCOM)
Dr. Witter, I… I think you’d
better get down here.
CLOSE ON STEFAN:
Unsuccessfully trying to turn his head. He grimaces in pain.
MARK (O.S., CONT’D)
Don’t try to move, Mr.
Rasmussen. Just relax.
STEFAN
What in Hell happened?
ON MARK:
Very uncomfortable.
MARK
Your plane crashed. We’ll fill
you in later, but now you need
to rest. And try and relax.
CLOSE ON STEFAN:
STEFAN
(frustrated)
Try to relax! Try to relax!
He moves his eyes, looks around again.
STEFAN’S POV:
More machines, more monitors. Then, a gurney with a BODY.
Mangled and completely disfigured. And above the shoulders,
a blood-soaked cloth hiding where the head would be.
CLOSE ON STEFAN:
As he turns his eyes away quickly. Stefan looks at Mark and
makes a face, sickened.
STEFAN (CONT’D)
Who is that?
ON MARK:
He looks down, thinks for a moment. He finally speaks.
MARK
Mr. Rasmussen, I’m afraid…
that’s you.
ON ENTIRE SCENE:
The glass panel in front of Stefan’s face is just one side
of a square glass box. Stefan Rasmussen is a severed head.
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