DIE BUS RIT. a 5 minute live-action screenplay By Rowen Smith
10 lothian road Rondebosch Cape town 7700 rowen.work@gmail.com 079 647 0077
Draft 2 Product Placement: Wynland Toere
FADE IN: INT. "WYNLAND TOERE BUS STATION" - DAY JACO, a well groomed young man in his early 20’s, is sitting inside the Westliner Bus Station waiting for the bus. MARIAAN, a beautiful young woman, also also in her 20’s, enters the room. The RECEPTIONIST, neatly dressed but rather dull, takes her details and issues her a ticket. Jaco notices her and is captivated by her bleach blond hair and shining eyes as she turns around and sits down in front of him. Jaco peeps at her from time to time from behind a magazine. A bus arrived outside the bus station. The receptionist gives the information over to the passengers. RECEPTIONIST(O.S) Bus 104 has arrived. Mariaan looks at her ticket, takes her bags and leaves the waiting area. Jaco watches her leave and looks downhearted. He notices that she had dropped her bracelet on the seat. He picks it up, in order to return it to her, but the bus had already left. FADE TO: EXT/INT. BUS - DAY - TRACKING The BUS DRIVER, an elderly black man, loads the last few bags while the people board the bus. Jaco stows his bags in the overhead compartment and sits down. As the bus leaves Cape Town he looks outside the window, holding the bracelet and reminiscing about Mariaan. FADE TO: EXT. "SHELL ULTRA CITY" - DAY - TRAVELING The bus stops at a Shell Ultra City in Laingsburg to fuel up. Jaco gets off the bus and lights up a fag. He walks toward the male toilets. Just before he enters, he turns and throws away his cigarette bud. At that very moment, Mariaan leaves the female toilets and walks past him. They just missed each other. (CONTINUED)
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She walks toward the bus driver with her luggage. Meanwhile, Jaco returns and gets back in his seat. The bus driver rounds the passengers up. BUS DRIVER(V.O) Leaving, all aboard! INT. BUS - DAY - TRAVELING A lot of people were dropped off therefore the bus is quite empty. Jaco is sitting somewhere in the front listening to his Ipod. Mariaan boards the bus. As she makes her way through the narrow corridor to her seat, she passes Jaco and accidentally drops her novel on his lap. Jaco is quite shocked gives back the book and smiles at her. She smiles back. The bus departs Laingsburg. INT. BUS - DAY - TRAVELING Jaco wants to go and sit next to her, but he is too nervous. He peeps back at her from time to time, while holding the bracelet. Mariaan removes her handbag from the seat next to her hoping that Jaco might be smart enough and invite himself over. Eventually Jaco gets up. He nervously walks to her and takes the seat next to Mariaan. JACO (Afrikaans accent) Haai, my name is Jaco. MARIAAN (flattered) Hey, ek’s Mariaan, jy kan maar afrikaans praat hoor. JACO My jinne, ’n boere meisie. My Engels is maar power jong. So hoe het jy hier..? MARIAAN (interrupts) Ek was ge-transfer na die een. Jaco is dumbstruck. He wipes his hands on his jeans and grins at Mariaan.
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3. JACO Uh, ek het iets vir jou.
He takes out the bracelet and gives it to Mariaan. JACO Jy’t dit in Kaapstad vergeet. MARIAAN Ag my jinne mamma, jy’s te duurbaar! So waantoe is jy oppad, grootseun? Mariaan grabs his arm with embrace. JACO Ag die familie daar in Winburg, jy? MARIAAN Dis my geheim, hoekom vra jy? JACO Ek het eintlik gewonder of jy weer terug kom Kaap toe, sodat ek jou,(beat)maybe weer kan sien? MARIAAN Ek werk by The Rockwell, vra jy my op n date? An OLD lADY interrupts their conversation. OLD LADY (chirpy) Bly julle nou stil. Die ou mense wil rus! Jaco looks over his shoulder and see’s no other old people on the bus. He whispers MOS in Mariaan’s ear. They burst out LAUGHING. MONTAGE OF JACO AND MARIAAN BEGIN(18:45)- TRAVELING 1. Bus driving along a dirt road.(SUPER: Road Map) 2. Jaco and Mariaan are affectionately talking MOS. 3. Jaco and Mariaan are dancing in the alleyway. 5. Road Map of Traveling bus. 4. Smoke break at another Shell Ultra City. 5. They are eating hamburgers together. 6. They are reading a book together. (CONTINUED)
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7. A movie screens. 7. Jaco’s hand makes its way onto Mariaan’s. 8. They kiss passionately. 9. Mariaan’s scarf falling on the Old lady. 10. Bothered Old Lady’s face. 11. Mariaan sleeping on Jaco’s Shoulder. 10. Jaco falling asleep. MONTAGE OF JACO AND MARIAAN END(00:00) INT. BUS - DAY(06:00) The STEWARDESS, a very petite woman, wakes Jaco up. Jaco immediately looks next to him to see if Mariaan is still there. The seat is empty except for the bracelet. EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY(06:15) The bus arrived in Winburg. Jaco gets off the bus and is welcomed by his MOTHER, a rounded and loving woman and his DAD, a big and firm man. He is very happy to see them, but has a sad expression on his face about Mariaan leaving. DISSOLVE TO: INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY(ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER) SUPER: Two weeks later Jaco is eating brunch with his family. They are all joyfully enjoying the meal. Jaco’s mind is elsewhere. He takes the bracelet out of his pocket and reminisces about the great time he had with Mariaan. FLASHBACK TO: INT. BUS - DAY - TRAVELING SERIES OF SHOTS BEGIN 1. Mariaan dropping her book in his lap. 2. Jaco and Mariaan LAUGHING. 3. Mariaan talking to Jaco.
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MARIAAN ... The Rockwell, het net n paar dae af. SERIES OF SHOTS END BACK TO PRESENT Jaco realizes that he can still find her. He rushes out the front door, gets in his truck and drives off. INT. "THE ROCKWELL HOTEL" - NIGHT Jaco runs though the doorway. He stops at the reception desk and speaks to the HOTEL RECEPTIONIST, a flamboant and upfront homosexual man. JACO (breathless) Can I please speak to Mariaan? HOTEL RECEPTIONIST Mariaan?Ive been working her for 5 years and no bo floozy named Mariaan works here, sorry doll. Jaco turns around. He moves around aimlessly, looking miserable. Someone bumps into him and he drops the bracelet. INT. BUS - DAY - TRAVELING Mariaan is on the bus again, packing her luggage in the overhead compartment. A young and handsome MAN approaches her. MAN Haai daar, ek dink die is joune? MARIAAN My armband! Ag my jinne mamma, jy’s te duurbaar! MAN Ek’s Andre. MARIAAN Jolandie, aangenaam. FADE TO BLACK: THE END