first draft

1. ‘PROMISE’
By Emily Capon and Rukayyah Robun
[Street Address]
[City, ST ZIP Code]
[phone]
[email]

2. FADE IN:
[FAMILY SCENE/ 1]
[Camera shows shots of ELLIE in bedroom doing her makeup-drops
powder puff – DAVE drops teabag in mug in kitchen. Camera then
shows DAVE takes a drink of tea. ]
[LEAVING HOUSE SCENE /2]
[DAVE goes to ELLIE’S room]
DAVE
‘I’m going to the shop; I’ll be back in 15 minutes for your
injection.’
ELLIE
[SAT ON BED ON PHONE, SIGHS] ‘Ok.’
[INTRODCUTION OF SAM SCENE /3]
[LIFTS LAPTOP SCREEN- OVER SHOULDER SHOT SHOWING ELLIE TYPE –
‘HOW DO DEAL WITH CANCER’ ON GOOGLE. PHONE ALERTS THAT SHE HAS
A MESSAGE, WHILE SCREEN STILL LOADING SAM TEXTS SAYING ‘I’m
here’.]
[SAM COMES OVER SCENE / 4]
[Over the shoulder shot of Ellie opening the door]
[Close up of Sam when door opens]
[INTRODUCTION OF PROM IDEA SCENE / 5]
[ELLIE is sat down adding a detail to her prom dress; SAM
brings them both a drink and smiles watching her]
SAM
‘Fixing it up?’
ELLIE
‘Improving it would be a better way to put it.’
[SAM raises eyebrows and takes a deep breathe]
SAM

3. ‘I see, you know I’d like to take you to the prom Ellie.’
[ELLIE looks up at SAM]
ELLIE
‘I can’t even promise tomorrow Sam, it would be unfair of me
to trust my body two weeks.’
[SAM LEAVES SCENE / 6]
SAM
‘Right, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have… (Gets up from his seat) I
have to…goodbye then. [Leaves cup on side table]’
[DAD RETURNS SCENE / 7]
[Shot of DAVE walking through front door, SAM is walking out
of the back]
[DAVE walks into lounge to check on ELLIE]
[Shots faster and handheld]
[As he opens the door ELLIE looks up – shot of the cup on the
side]
DAVE
‘I know exactly who’s been here. But the question is why he
was here? You know, if he has the smallest of colds it would
make you seriously ill.’
[ELLIE gets up from sofa]
‘Don’t walk away from me Ellie; you know how serious this is.’
ELLIE
‘But Dad I just…’
DAVE
‘Never mind you just, you’re too weak’
[Paces up the stairs, struggling at the top.]
[Close up shot showing her struggling to catch her breath,
ELLIE collapses on her bed.]

4. [PASSING OF TIME SCENE / 8]
[Close up shot, ELLIE head falls back out of shot]
[Same shot but her head lifts up into shot]
[SANDY COMES OVER SCENE/ 9]
[Knock at the door, ELLIE’S wearing a scarf covering her
hairline]
SANDY
‘Hi you, it’s me again.’
Ellie
[ELLIE under covers]
‘Is it that time of the week already’
SANDY
‘I’m afraid so sweetheart.’
[Sits by side of bed]
ELLIE
[Rolls over and holds SANDY’S hand]
SANDY
‘So, have you heard from your fancy man?’ [Laughs, sorting out
injection]
ELLIE
‘It’s been over a week since we last spoke. Dad went mad when
he came around before.’
SANDY
‘He is only trying to protect you though, isn’t he?’
ELLIE
‘I know, but with my time being so…precious’ [almost crying]
SANDY

5. ‘Yes, I see. [PAUSE] You are very brave and I shouldn’t really
say this, but if it is weeks and not months you need to do
what you think is right…Don’t have regrets.’
[Gets a phone call, has to leave suddenly]
[SAM CONTACTS ELLIE SCENE/ 10]
[ELLIE’S phone starts to ring, its SAM calling – she answers.]
[Voice over of ELLIE speaking to SAM]
[SHOTS OF HER MOVING MEDICINE AND DOING MAKE UP]
ELLIE
‘Hi. Yeah it’s fine, I’ll see you soon? Okay, bye.’
[SAM ARRIVES SCENE/ 11]
[DAVE OPENS THE DOOR AND LOOKS ANGRY, SAM IS CARRYING FLOWERS]
DAVE
‘You again? Why don’t you just leave my daughter alone?’
SAM
‘Sir, I didn’t mean any harm I’m just here as a friend.’
DAVE
‘She’s got me. She doesn’t need you. You don’t understand how
ill she is! She needs rest and her medication nothing else,
okay?’
SAM
‘I understand, I’m sorry. Can you at least let her know these
are from me? [HANDS HIM FLOWERS] These are her favourite.’
DAVE
[DAVE takes the flowers and shuts the door, and throws them in
the bin]
[ELLIE comes into kitchen and stands facing DAVE]
ELLIE
‘You didn’t have to do that.’
[DAVE tuts and turns the other way]

6. DAVE
‘I’m here to protect you; I’ll do anything I have to. I’m the
one organising your medication, hearing you cry at night, me
not him!’
[ELLIE has a desperate laugh]
ELLIE
‘You don’t understand.’
[DAVE turns back to ELLIE, looking confused]
DAVE
‘What could I not possibly understand? You’re ill, you’re
seriously ill.’
ELLIE
‘I’m ill dad not dead, that’s enough There are things I want
to experience.’
DAVE
‘What is it? We can sort it out, I’ll buy it.’
ELLIE
‘That’s just it; it’s not something you can buy. Your money
can’t make me happy. You don’t understand the feeling of
knowing you could be days, weeks, and months away from death
without ever feeling someone’s love. I don’t just mean being
told it for someone’s reassurance, I could go through the
whole of my life without feeling the love you and mum shared.’
DAVE
‘What me and your mother had is not what you need right now.
All this talk of love and the unseen bond between two people
it’s nonsense, you need pills 3 times a day and a daily iron
injection and rest nothing else.’
[ELLIE pushes past DAVE and picks up one flower out of the
bin]
ELLIE
[Looks at DAVE] ‘This is what I need right now, not your
bullshit every day.’

7. [CRYING SCENE/ 12]
[ELLIE cries upstairs carrying one flower while DAVE sobs down
stairs]
[SCHOOL SCENE/ 13]
[SCHOOL BELL RINGS, SHOT OF PUPILS FEET]
[LOCKER SCENE/ 14]
[SAM stood by his locker trying to find something, LUCY STOOD
WITH KATIE WISPERING ABOUT SAM]
LUCY
‘Sam, would you like to come to prom with me?’
SAM
‘Sorry, I haven’t heard from Ellie yet’
LUCY
‘No one’s heard anything from her in 3 weeks there isn’t much
chance she’ll be going to prom.’
[PARK SCENE/ 15]
[DAVE struggles walking up the hill, SAM walks down the hill
in the opposite direction]
SAM
‘MR McCarthy? Are you ok?’
DAVE
‘I’m tired but I don’t need your help.’
SAM
[Speaks calmly] ‘Ok, that’s fine’
[Both set off to walk]
DAVE
[DAVE turns around and pleas] ‘No wait.’

8. [SAM turns around]
‘You really like my daughter don’t you?’
SAM
‘Like you would not believe. I’ve known her since primary
school; we’ve always looked out for each other.’
[Shot of DAVE’S face and then back to SAM]
[Spoken slowly] ‘All I wanted to do was to be there for her…
just help.’
[Shot of DAVE’S face, head drops knowing he’s made a mistake]
SAM
‘Look if there’s anything I could do…’
DAVE
‘It’s too late for that [Pause] sorry [Turns away]’
[SAM turns away]
[DAVE turns back]
DAVE
‘Sam.’
SAM
‘Yes?’
DAVE
‘There is something else you can do.’
[Shot of SAM showing a questioning facial expression]
[DRESS SCENE/ 16]
[DAVE in ELLIES room]
DAVE
‘I know you’d love to be at your prom tonight, and I would
have loved to have seen you in your dress.’
ELLIE

9. ‘It’s alright dad, I’m a bit too tired for all that dancing
anyway.’
DAVE
‘Would you do me a favour though? And put the dress on for one
photo?’
ELLIE
‘That’s a bit morbid isn’t it?’
DAVE
‘Come on, just one. I’ll go set the camera up down stairs.’
[PROM SCENE/ 17]
[Shot of ELLIE coming down the stairs]
[DAVE holds ELLIE’S hand down the last 3 stairs]
DAVE
‘You look beautiful; you look just like your mother. So all
you need now is a dance partner.’
[ELLIE looks at DAVE confused]
[ELLIE walks into the living room with SAM stood in a suit,
See’s prom decorations]
DAVE
‘I’m going to the pub for a couple of hours; you’ll be alright
won’t you?’
ELLIE
‘Yes dad, Thank you.’
[DAVE puts his coat on and walks out the door]