Broadcast News Page #2

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She advances furiously on her Father since even this strung out,

even with two additional pen pal letters to get off, she had

enough sense of duty to kiss him good night before storming from

the room. She exits the room INTO BLACK.

Stay on BLACK as we begin MAIN TITLES:

OVER EXT. SMALL MID-WESTERN CITY - DAY

Emerging from the blackness -- Jane Craig -- now a

twenty-eight-year-old woman -- a long speed walker wearing a

jacket to which reflecting stripes have been glued -- the kind

of gear only possessed by someone who runs at off-hours. The

Jacket itself is a wish-I-had-it souvenir from some important

news assignment, the sort of treasure you love about all else

yet never mention. She stops running as she feeds quarters into

the first of a phalanx of newspaper machines -- getting seven

different papers before moving on.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY

As she enters from the bathroom, having showered and dressed.

The sun is jus now rising. She sits next to her phone.

INSERT:
JANE'S ROOM

The Filofax book is almost an additional character -- a crucial

hand-fashioned tool of Jane's trade. She flicks at a page --

takes down a typewritten sheet scotch-taped to it showing the

room number of her crew and reporter.

ON JANE:

As she dials one room number.

JANE:

(into phone)

Hi...It's me...

INT. DUPLICATE MOTEL ROOM - DAY

ANGLE ON CAMERAMAN -- his equipment in evidence though

essentially asleep holding his bedmate's hand, as he listens

to Jane.

JANE'S VOICE

(voice over)

It's thirty minutes before you have

to meet me in the lobby -- nudge

your wife.

BACK TO SCENE:

JANE:

There's probably no time to eat...

but there's a cafeteria at the bus

depot once we get down there. I

love working with you two...It

saves me a call.

She dales.

INT. DUPLICATE MOTEL ROOM

Where Aaron is switching his TV from station to station,

monitoring the early morning news. His PHONE RINGS.

AARON:

Hi. Turn on your TV...

Good Morning America, the

Morning News and Today are all

about to talk to Arnold

Schwarzenegger and I think he's

live on at least two of them.

BACK TO SCENE:

JANE:

At six o'clock on the wake-up

news they used the wrong missile

graphic.

AARON:

(Austrian accent)

Now listen, Arnold just said that

he's been making three million a

movie now. But he's not ever

gonna change. He's still the same

person when he was making two

million dollars a movie. He feels

no different. He also bought a brand-

new condo with Maria, they gonna

furnish tastefully.

JANE:

A half hour in the lobby.

AARON:

(Austrian accent)

Okay, I'll see you in the lobbies [sic].

She hangs up -- takes the phone off the hook and lays it on the

bed for a moment's solitude. She sits stiffly, palms on top of

her legs. It looks like someone with unusually good posture,

waiting for something, and now we BEGIN TO SEE the first signs

redden and she begins to cry. Now she sobs -- then miraculously

shakes it off and exits quickly to the bathroom. This crying

episode is clearly part of her morning routine.

INT. BUS STATION - DAY

Jane standing behind her husband-wife - camera-sound team

as they train their attention on Aaron; who is getting ready to

do a stand-up. There is a DERELICT off to one side. Aaron holds

his microphone at the ready.

AARON:

Ready.

CAMERAMAN:

Your hair's a little funny.

AARON:

It's an ethnic curl, I can't do

anything about it.

CAMERAMAN:

In front of a little -- it's a bit...

You want a mirror?

AARON:

No -- Don't worry about it. Let's

do this.

Jane nods her assent.

CAMERAMAN:

Okay.

AARON SEEN THROUGH CAMERA

AARON:

In other times, for other purposes,

there might be a band and bunting

here at the bus depot for J.D. Singer's

return from war. He...

JANE:

(interrupting)

I'm sorry. But look at how

wonderful his face is.

She points to the derelict.

AARON:

Oh, you mean use him...That's

nice. Okay.

CAMERAMAN:

I'll put him in the low corner of

the frame -- good.

AARON:

In other times, with other purposes,

there might be a band and bunting

here at the bus depot for J.D. Singer's

return from war. Last week he was

decorated by a president for heroism

in a war. But it was the civil war --

in Angola -- and he was in it for the

money.

He puts the microphone down.

AARON:

Thanks.

He passes a vending machine and checks the stray hair.

INT. GATE AREA - DAY

Jane in the distant b.g. on the phone. Aaron and crew shooting

as the bus pulls up, hisses to a stop and tired, rumpled

passengers exit the bus. J.D. SINGER, strong, 9'6" figure

emerges and is displeased to find a camera trained on him.

He reacts with all the grace of a short mercenary.

J.D.

Go 'way.

J.D. gets his luggage from the compartment under the bus. The

crew shooting.

AARON:

Just a few questions?

J.D.

No.

He starts walking -- the four person newsteam staying with him.

AARON:

We came from Washington.

J.D.

Move away from me.

AARON:

(holding out

microphone)

How long has it been since you've

been home.

J.D.

(moving)

F***. F***. F***. Fuckes. Snot...

Fuckee. You want to use that?

AARON:

It depends on how big a news day it

is.

They reach Jane. She calls to him.

JANE:

J.D. I'm Jane Craig. I spoke to

you in Angola. I gave you some

sugarless gum and Handi-Wipes.

As he reacts to her:

INT. JANE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Jane sitting next to Aaron making detailed timing notes as she

screens the material shot that day on a portable monitor unit.

AARON:

Where's where I asked him about

being scared?

(then)

You should work on your speech.

JANE:

No. It makes me nervous to think

about it. Let's do this.

She consults her notes and goes back to the exact spot.

AARON:

(on tape)

All this business of war -- do you

get scared?

J.D.

(on tape; he smiles)

Uh-uh.

(then)

I'm a little freaked right now about

seeing my father though.

He laughs self-consciously and turns briefly away.

JANE:

I love that turn away.

INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY

Jane is at the lectern in the darkened auditorium as two large

monitors display some taped news pieces she has assembled. On

the lectern is a sign telling us we are at the Conference of

Local Television News Broadcasters.

JANE:

(in darkness)

There's a point I'm trying to make

about these pieces coming up.

A WOMAN'S OUTLINE blacked out from behind -- her VOICE

ELECTRICALLY DISGUISED.

WOMAN:

(o.s.; angrily)

I don't think any client of mine

makes less than fifty thousand dollars

a year which means they can afford the

best and you're damn right I feel good

that that includes me.

CUT TO:

ANOTHER ANGLE - ANOTHER WOMAN

in blackness, her VOICE DISGUISED.

WOMAN TWO:

(o.s.)

No. You'd be surprised at who a

working girl meets. I've been a

working girl for what? -- over a year

anyway and that must be a thousand

men and I don't think there's an age

or type that hasn't been in there.

INTERVIEWER'S VOICE

(voice over)

Policemen? -- Doctor? -- Lawyer...?

WOMAN TWO:

(o.s.)

Oh, sure. Television reporters.

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