Dirt Page #2

The photogs and vid-hounds fire away at the couple. We MOVE

BACK AND FORTH between the smooth red carpet POV of the stars

and the rough, hand-held scrum that is the press pit.

VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHER POVS

As the photos frame up and FREEZE. We watch them move from

photos of Julia and Holt, to photos of Julia only, as Holt isframed further and further out, until he’s not in the photos

at all.

ONE PAPARAZZ0

Can we get a fashion shot of Julia,

please?

(A nice way of getting Holt out of the shot.)

Julia and Holt greet KIRA KLAY, Julia’s best friend and

fellow it-girl of the moment.

KIRA:

(to Julia)

Hey Sexy.

JULIA:

Look who’s talking.

They pose together for some photos, Kira doing her trademark

wild-child-sticking-out-pierced-tongue thing while Julia goes

for classic starlet.

Holt watches as Julia shimmers her way through an interview

with “Access Hollywood”.

7.

Holt watches the feeding frenzy on Julia. He gets pushed

closer and closer to the velvet ropes, bumping up against the

sweaty paparazzi.

DON KONKEY:

Stands there among the photographers.

He’s not shooting Julia, but carefully regarding Holt. He

sets aside his still camera and flips on his little lapel

video.

LUCY:

Why aren’t you shooting Julia and

Johnny?

DON:

I’m working on something else right

now.

LUCY:

Well, all right....uh, Don?

DON:

Yes, Lucy?

LUCY:

I know you don’t work exclusively

for TCM, but people...associate you

with us.

DON:

I know.

LUCY:

So maybe you could try to...clean

up a little.

Don seems to take no offense.

DON:

‘Kay. Excuse me.

He sidles up to Holt.

DON (CONT’D)

Holt McLaren...

HOLT:

Yeah?

DON:

You were great in Another Word For

Love.

8.

HOLT:

Thanks.

DON:

I mean....really great. Like stop-

the-presses great.

HOLT:

(slightly bitter)

And somehow the presses kept going.

Holt looks at Don with equal measures distrust, disgust and

hope. Maybe this schlub can do something for him. He

doesn’t see the hidden camera.

DON:

Haven’t seen you in the trades

lately.

HOLT:

Uh, yeah...took a little time off.

DON:

Yeah, you did like seven movies in

a row that all bombed.

HOLT:

(smiles)

Yeah, I did. You’re right.

DON:

Countdown, Blow Monkey, Pale

Assassin, The Growling,

Hospitality, 1313 Tellinghouse

Lane...

HOLT:

That’s only six.

DON:

Dead Even. Uncredited cameo.

HOLT:

Wow. Creepy.

DON:

You’re always good. In everything

you do. Authentic.

HOLT:

(oddly flattered)

Thanks.

DON:

Anything coming up?

9.

HOLT:

Um...I’m like, in talks on a really

cool movie. It’s a great script.

We’ll see.

DON:

Sounds pretty vague.

HOLT:

Huh?

DON:

Sounds pretty unlikely. Like the

movie probably won’t happen.

HOLT:

Uh...anyway, take care.

Holt starts to move back toward Julia but the crowd surges

forward with the arrival of JOHNNY COLE...female fans SCREAM

and swoon, FLASHES go nuts.

Julia and Johnny’s publicists slide the two stars together

for photo ops. Johnny snakes his arm around Julia.

Holt stands in the shadows watching Johnny and Julia pose

down in front of the press.

DON:

Hey.

Holt ignores Don. Don’s used to it.

DON (CONT’D)

Holt...

HOLT:

What?

DON:

They have great chemistry. He’s

not very good, but they’re good

together. They look hot together.

HOLT:

What?

DON:

There was a rumor he f***ed her on

the movie...

Holt squints, like he’s not hearing this guy right.

HOLT:

What? What the f***-

10.

DON:

--But I don’t believe it. I could

find out. Definitively. If youwant to know...

HOLT:

What are you-

Don holds a business card in his grubby hand, proffers it to

Holt.

DON:

And maybe you could give me --

y’know -- a little piece of gossip,

or a big one...and that way maybe I

could help you get your career out

of the toilet-

That’s it. Holt turns and SWINGS at Don, just missing, as we

go to-

HIDDEN CAM POV:

And see the familiar tussle of a seemingly irrational movie

star shoving at a paparazzo...

The chaotic camera work/Holt’s angry red face/Julia turning

to see Holt fighting/Julia in her gown trying to break it

up/handlers pulling Julia out/The fans going crazy.

Lucy watches, smiling and shaking her head at Don. He’s a

freak, but he’s a playmaker.

AND IN SLOW MOTION

Don’s business card floating to the red carpet.

BACK TO SPEED:

Lucy pulls Don up to his feet.

LUCY:

Nice work, Don...great work.

I want to see that footage first.

We’ll use it for Star Stalkers.

You let me have it exclusively?

DON:

‘Kay.

LUCY:

Get outta here.

A few SECURITY GUYS are finally getting their asses moving,

Don sees them and starts to beat his retreat from the melee.

11.

FOUR COPS ON HORSEBACK

Ride up. They seem to appear out of nowhere and Don is

startled by them. A white horse, a red horse, a black horse

and a pale horse.

Don makes his getaway, looking back as one of the horses

rears back a little and we see deep into its--

WILD EYES:

Don glances over at the crowd of onlookers, disturbed.

IN THE CROWD:

About the third layer of people back in the crowd, a little

taller that the rest...

A SAD CAT MAN:

Yeah, that’s right. A SAD CAT MAN. Tall motherf***er, too,

about 6’4”, whiskers, cat nose and face, rumpled suit. Sad.

He looks at Don, deeply and...sadly.

DON:

Stares back at Sad Cat Man. Not so much surprised as

embarrassed.

SAD CAT MAN:

Shakes his head, disappointed. And disappears.

12.

ACT ONE:

INT. HOLLYWOOD ATHLETIC CLUB

The “Subliminal Velocity” after-party. The Industry Types

from the screening aggressively noshing on chicken satay and

trying to get close to Julia and Johnny Cole. Pools of LIGHT

surrounded by darkness.

Lucy Spiller glides through the crowd. She appears next to

Johnny and Julia and a house photographer FLASHES. Lucynails every photo op.

IN THE LIGHT:

Johnny holds court, very serious...uses his hands a lot as he

talks.

JOHNNY COLE:

And I’m all, “I know Krav Maga,

b*tch!”

His story completed, Johnny looks around to make sure

everyone has properly appreciated it.

Julia stands there with a glass of champagne, smiling

politely...Holt glowers into his Rolling Rock.

JOHNNY COLE (CONT’D)

Hey, Holt, bummer about that a-hole

paparazzi dude.

HOLT:

Yeah.

JOHNNY COLE:

So, you workin’?

HOLT:

I’m like, developing a couple

things.

JOHNNY COLE:

Right. You were great in Another

Word For Love. One a my all-times.

HOLT:

Thanks.

JOHNNY COLE:

I thought, damn, this guy’s good.

I thought I was gonna have to like,

move aside.

Julia rolls her eyes at the insensitivity of this remark.

13.

HOLT:

I’m gonna go sit down.

JOHNNY COLE:

(homeboy peace-out)

Keep at it...you got mad skills,

dawg!

Johnny Cole regards Holt as he walks away. He nods

drunkenly, raises his beer bottle as if saluting a fallen

comrade.

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