Living in Oblivion Page #5

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WANDA:

Oh, God. Sweetheart, are you alright?

WOLF:

Do I look alright?!

WANDA:

Let me see. Christ, we're going to

be late.

Wanda sits and perfunctorily examines Wolf's eye.

INT. CAR. DAWN

The car is parked outside a rather seedy hotel. JEFF, the

Intern and NICK, the Director, sit quietly in the motionless

car.

NICK:

Should we call up to the room again?

JEFF:

He said he'd be right down.

Nick lets out a huge yawn.

JEFF:

Tired?

NICK:

I'm exhausted. I dreamt I was on the

set all night. I was just trying to

do one shot and everything kept going

wrong.

JEFF:

That's an anxiety dream. Are you

anxious about something?

NICK:

I don't know. Sometimes I wonder

what the hell I'm doing in this

business. It's all just one compromise

and disappointment after another. I

don't know if I have the personality

for it.

JEFF:

Sounds kind of like an identity

crisis.

NICK:

Maybe you're right. Who am I? What

am I really capable of? Maybe I should

just get a job teaching at a women's

college somewhere.

JEFF:

How'd you get into cinematography?

NICK:

I'm not a cinematographer.

JEFF:

You're not?

NICK:

No. I'm directing this movie.

JEFF:

(pause)

How'd you get into directing?

INT. HOTEL ROOM. DAWN

In the dim light of the hotel room, CHAD PALOMINO dresses

quickly. He is young, handsome, with long blond hair. A WOMAN

sits nude on the bed, her back to the camera. The faint sound

of a shower comes from the adjacent bathroom.

PALOMINO:

They're waiting downstairs.

WOMAN:

Go ahead, I'll take a taxi.

PALOMINO:

Oh, OK. Listen, I've got to tell

you, I had a lot of fun last night,

really, but for me, where I'm at

right now in my life, a relationship

is...

WOMAN:

Chad; hold it. This was a one-time

deal. You know it, I know it. There

is no need for melodrama.

PALOMINO:

I just thought you might...

WOMAN:

Look, all I ask is that you don't

mention this to anyone.

PALOMINO:

Hey, that's not my style.

WOMAN:

Good.

PALOMINO:

So, I'll see you on the set.

Palomino slips out the door. The woman falls back onto the

bed, turning her face toward the camera. We see it is NICOLE.

NICOLE:

God damn it.

She lies for a moment, listening to the sound of the shower.

The bedside clock reads 4:30 A.M.

INT. CAR. DAWN

The car pulls up outside a NYC apt building. Jeff, Nick, and

Palomino sit inside.

PALOMINO:

I got two films coming up right after

yours, Nick. One I play a rapist

that Michelle Pfeiffer falls in love

with. The other I'm kind of a sexy

serial killer who shacks up with

Winona Ryder.

NICK:

That's great, man.

PALOMINO:

Yeah, but I'm not into that hostess

twinkie sh*t, Nick.

NICK:

Hostess twinkie?

PALOMINO:

That Hollywood sh*t. It's all fluff,

man. These are the kind of movies I

want to do, right here.

NICK:

I'm glad you feel that way, Chad.

And I just want to tell you, I'm

really happy we can work together.

PALOMINO:

Hey, me too! You're a great director,

man. Your films are wacked! And I'm

gonna be watching you, buddy. Like a

hawk. I want to learn from you, Nick.

I'm gonna pick your brain.

NICK:

Good. Then you can pick my nose.

PALOMINO:

(big laugh)

See what I mean? You're wacked. Hey,

what are we sitting here for?

NICK:

We're waiting for Nicole.

PALOMINO:

Nicole? She's takin' a tax --

(he stops)

NICK:

What?

PALOMINO:

Probably taking a shower or something.

Hey, how was her shower scene in

that Richard Gere movie?

NICK:

Good.

JEFF:

Really great.

The three men sit in silence. WS, showing the car parked

outside Nicole's apt, the men inside waiting.

INT. THE SET. MORNING

A small, elegant bedroom set has been constructed in the

middle of the huge empty space. One wall has a fake window.

The GAFFER lies on the bed staring absently at the AC sitting

motionless beside the camera a few feet away. Neither speaks

for a long moment.

GAFFER:

I think we got nudity today.

AC:

(reads from his

callsheet)

It just says "Scene Six: Ellen and

Damian kiss."

GAFFER:

Could be a kiss with nudity.

AC:

I like Ellen. She's my type.

GAFFER:

Why is that?

AC:

She's pretty. Smart. Kind of kooky.

GAFFER:

Maybe I'll give her a part. That's

right; I'm makin' my own movie pretty

soon.

AC:

Oh yeah?

GAFFER:

Yup. Feature. I brought my script.

The Gaffer tugs a thin, tattered SCRIPT, folded lengthwise,

out of his back pocket.

GAFFER:

Palomino's perfect for the lead. I'm

going to give it to him right during

lunch. Maybe right after.

AC:

Alright.

GAFFER:

Got to be aggressive. You want to

shoot it?

AC:

Sure.

GAFFER:

You ever shot anything?

AC:

No.

GAFFER:

That's alright; got to start

somewhere.

Suddenly the Gaffer reaches out and warmly shakes the AC's

hand.

INT. MAKEUP CORNER. DAY

Nicole sits before the makeup mirror. LORDE, the male Makeup

artist picks up a tube of Preparation H and begins applying

it under Nicole's eyes just as Nick walks up.

NICK:

Jesus, what are you doing?

LORDE:

Shrinking tissue. That's what this

stuff is for. Let that sit for two

minutes, pumpkin; I'll be right back.

NICK:

How'd you get here?

NICOLE:

Took a taxi.

NICK:

Oh. We've been waiting in front of

your apartment for half an hour.

NICOLE:

God, I'm sorry, Nick. Something came

up. I forgot to call. I'm sorry, I

feel like such an a**hole.

NICK:

You're just saying that because you

have Preparation H on your face.

NICOLE:

I never should have gone out last

night. I hate jazz. God, I look

terrible.

NICK:

No you don't.

NICOLE:

Don't bullshit me, Nick.

NICK:

I'm not. You really look beautiful.

Something in Nick's voice makes Nicole glance up at him. He

looks away quickly. The moment is awkward, as if they both

realize he has inadvertently revealed something. Just then

Palomino approaches.

PALOMINO:

Hey! How'd you get here, Nicole?

NICOLE:

I took a cab.

PALOMINO:

Oh, cause we were wondering how you

got here.

Nick looks at both of them in a moment of silence.

NICK:

Alright, good; everybody's here.

We'll do a run-through as soon as

you guys are ready.

PALOMINO:

You got it, Chief.

Lorde reenters as Nick leaves. Palomino sits in the chair

beside Nicole and Lorde immediately begins his makeup. No

one speaks.

INT. THE SET. DAY

The crew is assembled behind the camera. Wolf is now wearing

a black eyepatch over one eye. Nick is on the set, talking

with Nicole and Palomino. Palomino wears a tuxedo and Nicole

is in an elaborate low-cut gown.

WANDA:

Hold it down, hold it down, people.

Actors working.

PALOMINO:

Great shirt, Wanda.

WANDA:

(big smile)

Why, thank you, Chad.

NICK:

OK, let's work out the rest of this

blocking. Wolf --

(notices Wolf's

eyepatch)

What happened to your eye?

WOLF:

A little accident.

NICK:

You going to be alright?

WOLF:

I think so.

PALOMINO:

It looks good on you, man.

NICK:

Nicole is standing here, Chad, you're

there by the chair. Camera is close

on Ellen:
her first line.

NICOLE:

I've always admired you from afar.

PALOMINO:

Admired? That sounds rather

professional.

NICK:

Good! "Professional," that's the

cue; Damian steps up to the bed.

Camera pulls back. The scene

continues.

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