Perception or The Oatmeal Cookie & Michelle's Mind
[Insert a few opening credits]
Zoom out to see more of the scene.
[Insert more opening credits]
Zoom out to see more of the previous scene.
[Insert more opening credits]
Close up on the face of HOLDEN, a 27 year old German man.
INT. JAIL/OFFICE – NIGHT
Table and chairs are under a bright light in a plain room. Holden, very dirty and a bit bloody, is looking down. U.S. SOLDIER enters the scene. Door SLAM is heard.
U.S. SOLDIER
What happened that night?
Silence.
INT. JAIL CELL
Grey brick wall. (Lighting to make a shadow of bars.) Holden is shoved in and hits the wall.
U.S. SOLDIER (O.S.)
You might wanna clean yourself up.
A rag is thrown into the cell.
Close up on Holden’s face. He wipes the blood off his face with his hand. He looks at the bloody hand.
FLASHBACK:
INT. KITCHEN
Camera shows blood on a small hand. View from the back of a MAN. BOY, age 10 with blonde hair, kneels on ground looking at a broken picture frame of a woman. His hand is bloody. The man lets a belt unravel. The boy trembles. Camera turns to wall with shadow. Shadow reveals whips from man to the boy. Cries are heard.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. JAIL CELL
Holden sits on the ground against the grey wall. He gets up and goes to the bars.
HOLDEN
Excuse me. May I have some paper
and a pencil?
U.S. SOLDIER
What for?
HOLDEN
Entertainment.
A booklet and a pencil are thrown into the jail cell.
FLASHBACK:
EXT. FIELD – DAY
Holden and MERRILL walk through a field.
HOLDEN (V.O.)
Late 1932, many changes were happening.
HOLDEN
I hear a lot of Jewish people are
leaving Germany, Merrill. You too?
MERRILL
No, my parents aren’t worried.
HOLDEN
Yeah, Hitler promises many things.
MERRILL
Holden, are you going to join the
Youth?
HOLDEN
I haven’t then, why would I now.
Camera zooms out of them walking and talking in the field.
HOLDEN (V.O.)
The choice to join the Hitler Youth
wasn’t mine to make.
INT. LIVINGROOM
Holden’s FATHER listening to the radio.
Holden walks into the scene.
FATHER
(calm and not facing Holden)
You will serve the fatherland, just
like your grandfather and I.
HOLDEN
Why?
FATHER
You’ve been playing around long enough.
The Führer needs you, and you will
follow him.
HOLDEN
Not interested.
The father slaps Holden.
FATHER
Do not disgrace this family and
your mother.
The father does the sign of the cross and the boy turns and stares at the radio.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. JAIL CELL
Holden sits against the grey wall and shivers. The U.S. Soldier looks over sympathetically.
U.S. SOLDIER
Smoke?
Holden nods and gets up towards the bars. He is given a cigarette and a flame lights it. Close up on Holden’s eyes with the flame reflected. Close up on the flame. Close up on Holden’s eyes with flames.
FLASHBACK:
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
Text on screen displays “May 1933.” People are around the fire throwing Jewish books into the flames. ERICH, approximately the same age as Holden (mid-teens), notices a book in Holden’s back pocket. He grabs it.
ERICH
It’s best to get rid of all
Jewish books.
Holden looks saddened.
HOLDEN
At least let me throw it into the
flames.
Holden tosses the book into the fire.
ERICH
Yeah!
EXT. BUILDING – DAY
Text displays “1939.” Holden is wearing a military uniform and holds a duffel bag. He walks towards a building where Erich is leaning against a wall and smokes. Erich looks up at Holden.
ERICH
Holden?
HOLDEN
Erich!
ERICH
Holden!
Erich is excited. He throws his cigarette on the ground and steps on it. Erich grabs Holden’s arm.
ERICH
You finally joined!
[Insert Mozart music] Erich spins with arms moving with the music. He hums the tune and they walk off to the left of the scene.
EXT. BATTLEFIELD – DAY
Mozart music is still playing. The scene opens with Erich and Holden entering from the right. They are both holding guns walking through dead bodies.
Upward camera view, Erich happily shoots a few bodies. Camera down view of the dead.
Upward camera view, Holden is serious and shoots the bodies. A BODY is slowly crawling away.
ERICH
Got a live one over there!
Erich nods. Holden hesitates, then shoots the body.
They continue to shoot (view of feet passing bodies).
Music fades out.
HOLDEN (V.O.)
I don’t know how long I was at war
for.
[Insert actual war footage]
HOLDEN (V.O.)
I know it was more than a year.
I did what I was told.
INT. TRAINYARD
Text displays “1942.” A LETTER SOLDIER hands out letters to some men.
LETTER SOLDIER
(calling out)
Wilhelmina… Baum… Godard…
HOLDEN (V.O.)
The day I got back, I didn’t receive
any letters. Not from my dad. Not
from Merrill. How could she write me
anyways. I wondered where she was.
EXT. GRASSFIELD – NIGHT
Rustling is heard from the corn field. Out come 4 JEWISH people followed by Erich and another SOLDIER. Holden stands at the spot where they exit.
The 4th Jew is Merrill. She looks right into the eyes of Holden, shocked.
Holden is surprised, and then nervous.
The Jews are all on their knees. GENERAL OSTHEIM stands in the distance. Erich and Holden hold up their arms to shoot Jew # 1 and 3. Jew # 3 gets up and RUNS.
MERRILL
(quietly to Holden)
Please. Help us.
General Ostheim shoots Jew # 3. She falls down.
Erich shoots Jew # 1.
They turn their guns to the other 2.
Erich grabs the chin of Jew # 2. She is teary.
ERICH
(to General Ostheim)
General Ostheim, can we have fun
with these first?
MERRILL
(whispers to Holden)
Please. Holden.
GENERAL OSTHEIM
Nein.
Holden looks at Merrill with fear and shoots both women.
General Ostheim grabs Erich’s shoulders.
GENERAL OSTHEIM
Good.
He then grabs Holden’s arm, happily.
GENEAL OSTHEIM
Good. Now let’s celebrate!
A soldier brings ou
t a bottle of alcohol.
GENERAL OSTHEIM
To finding every last Jew!
The four cheer and drink.
EXT. BUILDINGS – NIGHT
Pan down from lamp post to see Erich and Holden walking through the city streets. There are other Nazi’s walking in the distance. There is a twig snap heard. Their guns rise and they walk towards the building.
ERICH
(smiling)
Jew hunting. Jew hunting.
Erich moves to the bushes to reveal a young JEWISH MOTHER holding a BABY, and wearing the Star.
Erich points his gun. He grabs the baby and throws it onto the grass. Baby cries. Erich pulls out the Jewish mother.
ERICH
Come here.
He throws her onto the ground. He flips her skirt and grabs her thigh. She slaps him in defence.
ERICH
You bitch!
He aims his gun at her head Gunfire is heard.
Blood comes out of his mouth. He falls over wheezing. Holden stands in the distance with a gun pointed to where Erich was. Holden goes over to Erich. He looks at him in the eyes. Erich dies.
Holden picks up the baby and hands it to the woman. He rips off her star.
HOLDEN
Get out of here.
She runs away.
Planes are heard. A bomb drops. Holden runs.
Multiple bombs drop and debris flies onto his face.
NAZI SOLDIERS are shooting outwards. They are shot. Holden falls down from the next bomb.
Camera view: looking at the sky. Footsteps are heard. U.S. SOLDIER comes out and stands near Holden’s body.
U.S. SOLDIER
This one’s alive.
2 AMERICAN SOLDIERS come out and drag Holden’s body (same as intro scene).
END FLASHBACK.
INT. JAIL CELL
Holden sits on the cell ground with his pencil on the paper writing.
HOLDEN (V.O.)
Many soldiers have the same story as
I did. I didn’t choose to be in this
war. I killed innocents so I would not
die.
Holden stops writing. He looks up.
Flash images of a happy Merrill, the crawling body, Erich, Jew’s #1, 2 and 3, and Merrill being shot.
Holden gets up.
INT. STAIRCASE
U.S. Soldier holding a newspaper walks down the steps and walks to the
JAIL CELL
The U.S. Soldier’s eyes widen. The newspaper is thrown on the ground.
Close up on the New York Times: “Hitler is Dead.”
View into the cell with feet dangling from above.
FADE OUT.
The Ride
Michelle Hoogwoud
**I wrote this probably back in 2003. This is based on a true event that happened to me in 2002.
FADE IN:
EXT. GROCERY STORE – NOON
MIRANDA walks out of the building, and enters the parking lot. ON A WIDER ANGLE Miranda walks towards her car and starts it up. Music PLAYS. The car exits the parking lot.
There is a pedestrian walking outside the grocery store parking lot. ANGLE ON the WOMAN’s full profile. She wears skanky clothing and has a big bag filled with stuff.
The Woman is farther behind the car.
The woman puts her hand up
WOMAN
(yell) Hey!
Miranda stops the car at the upcoming stop sign.
She is listening to her music, and heard nothing.
The woman runs up to the car, and knocks on the passenger’s window.
CUT TO:
KITCHEN AT HOME – ANYTIME
Miranda and her MOTHER are near the fridge.
MOTHER
Remember this is your first job
in a new location. Please don’t
talk to strangers and come straight
home.
MIRANDA
Okay.
CUT TO:
PARKING LOT.
Miranda rolls down the passenger’s window.
MIRANDA
Hi.
WOMAN
Hey, could you give me a lift?
My ride was supposed to come
And I don’t want to be stranded.
MIRANDA
Did your ride forget to pick
You up? Is it an emergency?
WOMAN
Ummm… Yes.
CUT TO:
EXT/INT CHURCH LIKE SCENE – DAY
FATHER figure or a priest at an alter. Whatever the scene works.
FATHER
Remember my children.
Help each other out, especially
when they are in need.
Make sure the video angles are of from behind Miranda’s head, close up on Father, and front view of her in the distance.
CUT TO:
PARKING LOT.
Miranda unlocks the door.
The Woman gets into the passenger’s seat.
Miranda begins to drive.
WOMAN
Man! These boots are killing me!
Miranda looks down at the woman’s boots.
MIRANDA
So where do I need to go?
WOMAN
13872 34th street.
Thanks for giving me a ride.
Miranda nod’s her head.
WOMAN
How are you?
MIRANDA
I just got off work.
WOMAN
Where do you work?
MIRANDA
Extra Foods Grocery.
WOMAN
Ohh! I just came from there!
They have some good stuff!
CUT TO:
GROCERY STORE
The woman put some food into her big bag. Or just a scene of stuff entering the bag.
CUT TO:
THE ROAD/INT CAR.
MIRANDA
Where do you work?
WOMAN
Hmmm… here and there, it all
depends on the clients. Do
you like your job?
MIRANDA
Not really, yourself?
WOMAN
I find it can be a pain. It hurts
at times. In the end it’s all
worth it. I get paid on the spot.
EXT. HOUSE.
The car then pulls outside a house.
WOMAN
Not many girls would pick me up.
Thanks (smile)
The woman then gets out of the car, and closes the door.
WOMAN
You’re cool.
A MAN exits the house.
Miranda sits quietly in her car.
MAN
(yell) I told you to be here 30
minutes ago!
WOMAN
I’m sorry.
MAN
Who’s that? She’s pretty
cute.
WOMAN
She’s nobody Glen!
Miranda then drives the car away.
Camera angles car leaving the street.
Music plays at an above angle of car leaving, or ground angle.
FADE OUT.
That last script was based on a true event. It actually happened. I was 18 years old and I worked in the bakery of a grocery store. The woman that jumped into my car was a prostitute. I didn’t know she was one until I was pretty much almost home from my drive. I was like “holy crap! Did this actually happen?”
My car had no speakers because they blew; I had recently gotten the car and I cranked it up right away, and they blew. Thanks to e-bay they were replaced a few months after. The whole time the woman was in my car it was music-less. Awwwwkkkkkwwwaaaarrrddddddd, lol!
Okay, without further ado, here is the ninety-something page feature script!
So, stop, have a snack. Sleep… before you start something long and new.
“Perception”
or r />
“The Oatmeal Cookie”
Written & Created By
Michelle Hoogwoud
2008 to 2010 (on and off, editing and re-writing)
FADE IN:
[Insert title scene displaying “The Messed up Perception of Jon”]
EXT. MOVIE THEATRE – NIGHT
A sign shows the title “Wonderful: Starring Sandra Hazelmere.” A limo pulls up to the theatre. JON CASTILLO, age 23, very clean cut and skinny, exits the limo with SANDRA, age 23 and very beautiful like a model. The PAPARAZZI crowd on the sides of the red carpet. FLASHES from cameras strobe the carpet. Jon and Sandra take two steps forward. PAPARAZZI 1 cuts them off from their path.