La La Land Page #12

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Sebastian listens. Takes it in.

MIA (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Look -- he's going to find a way to open

it and you're going to love it. Ok? How's

Dad?

On Sebastian. He thinks...

73 INT. REHEARSAL SPACE - DAY

Sebastian enters. Keith's combo is assembled.

It's a sign-up practice room in the West Valley. There's a

drummer, electric bassist, and trumpeter: COLE, MALCOLM and

TOM. They're more polished in their looks than Sebastian.

Well-groomed beards, tighter jeans.

KEITH:

Sebastian.

Sebastian approaches.

KEITH (CONT'D)

Didn't know if I'd see you today.

SEBASTIAN:

(a bit awkward)

Well... Here I am.

A moment. Then --

SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)

Where's the piano?

Keith gestures -- to an electronic keyboard. Sebastian winces.

Revision 46.

KEITH:

Here's the deal. We've got distribution

with Universal, got our own imprint.

We're about to go on the road. We can cut

you in for 1K a week while we tour, plus

an equal share of any merchandise or

ticket revenue that comes in. Sound good?

We see Sebastian's face. Taken aback.

KEITH (CONT'D)

Sebastian?

SEBASTIAN:

Yeah, that...that...

(beat)

...sounds good.

A moment. Keith smiles.

KEITH:

Let's play, see how it feels.

He pulls out a guitar. Cole starts on drums. Keith joins in.

Malcolm and Tom follow suit. Sebastian listens. It sounds like

modern jazz -- electronic in feel, but still jazz...

Sebastian approaches the keyboard. Joins -- slowly, one step

at a time. Then begins playing out a bit more, his fingers

starting to race. Malcolm gives Keith a look: "Damn". Keith

gives Malcolm a look back: "I told you so." Bit by bit,

Sebastian eases into the groove. This isn't so bad...

Then -- Keith moves to a LAPTOP. Introduces a DRUM-MACHINE

SAMPLE.

Sebastian, into the music, is caught off-guard. Uneasy now.

This isn't him...

Keith plays a riff on his guitar. Tom echoes it on bass, then

Malcolm on trumpet. Now it's Sebastian's turn. He hesitates.

And then -- finally -- he plays the riff...

It doesn't feel so bad. The guys build on the riff. Sebastian

keeps up with them, trying to let go of his presuppositions.

After all -- these guys can play...

The music builds, the whole thing swelling and finally

CARRYING US TO --

A73 LATER:
Sebastian and Keith sit across from each other as

the other players pack up. Sebastian looks pensive. Noticing --

Revision 47.

KEITH (CONT'D)

I know. It's different.

Sebastian stays silent. Then, leaning in --

KEITH (CONT'D)

But you say you want to save jazz. How

are you going to save jazz if no one's

listening? Jazz wouldn't exist if people

hadn't gotten tired of what they were

listening to before.

(then,)

I mean, do you really think a bunch of

ninety-year-olds in a basement is the

future of the form? Traditionalists whined

when Kenny Clarke started dropping bombs.

If traditionalists had their way, we'd

still be playing Dixieland.

Sebastian considers this. As much as he might make a play of

resisting -- we can tell the words are getting to him...

SEBASTIAN:

You're holding onto the past. But jazz is

about the future.

A moment. Then --

KEITH:

I get it. I got it wrong. Last guy wasn't

as good as you. But you're a pain in the

ass, man.

Sebastian nods. Knows he can't argue with that.

Another beat.

KEITH (CONT'D)

If it's not your thing, just let me know.

I don't want you uncomfortable and trying

to change this into something it's not.

But if you want it -- the job's yours.

Sebastian looks at Keith. A moment. He's really weighing

this. And on that -- his look of uncertainty -- we're --

74 OMIT

75 OMIT

76 OMIT

77 OMIT

Revision 48.

77pt INT. SEBASTIAN'S APARTMENT - DUSK

The door opens. Mia enters. Takes a deep breath. Hears piano.

Steps forward and sees Sebastian at his piano -- playing a

melody we've heard before. [CITY OF STARS AS DUET]

She smiles. Sebastian begins to SING. Mia sits down beside

him and begins to SING as well. They share a duet -- simple,

unaffected, hopeful -- the music just perhaps suggesting

their uncertainty about what they might be about to do...

As the vocals give way to instrumentation, we're --

A77 OMIT

B77 OMIT

C77 OMIT

78 INT. DINER - DAY

Sebastian and Keith hunched over paperwork. Sebastian signs...

A78 INT. COFFEE SHOP / STUDIO LOT - DAY

Mia handing the Manager her apron. She's done with the job...

80 INT. PRACTICE SPACE - DAY

The band rehearsing in their new PRACTICE SPACE. We see

Sebastian play, see Keith sing this time...

79 INT. CAFE - DAY

Mia hunched over her script, obsessively fine-tuning it...

81 OMIT

82 OMIT

83 INT. DESIGNER CLOTHING STORE - DAY

Sebastian gets dressed up in a new suit...

84 INT. BLACK-BOX THEATER - DAY

We follow Mia through a BLACK-BOX THEATER in North Hollywood.

The space is small, simple -- but perfect. We see her haggle

with the OWNER -- and then light up. They shake hands...

85 INT. GREEN ROOM - EVENING

Sebastian and the band in a green room, waiting. Sebastian's

wearing the new suit. Looking sharper...

Revision 49.

86 INT. VINTAGE SHOP - DAY

Mia looking for PROPS. Another wild assortment -- a TOP HAT,

a CANE, a DIORAMA of London, rolled-up MAPS, an old GLOBE...

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