Behind Closed Doors
written by
Tom Clark
Callum Wilson
EXT. ZARNA OUTSIDE LIBRARY - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT
Zarna walks down out of a library and begins to walk down the
road.
CUT TO:
EXT. JAMES OUTSIDE HOME - DAY
ESTABLISHING SHOT
Meanwhile James exits his house slamming his door and picks
up his mobile phone.
JAMES
Yo bruv what you saying
(pauses)
You coming out or what?
(another pause)
Safe cuz in a bit
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
ESTABLISHING SHOT
James and his mates loitering outside a corner shop listening
to music loudly, smoking and kicking rubbish about. James
notices Zarna along the street walking down the road.
LONG SHOT
JAMES
(shouts out loud)
Oi bruv you blown up any buildings
today?
James mates egg (encourages) him on as Zarna makes an attempt
to walk past and ignore him. James is agitated that he hasn't
got a response, he shouts again
JAMES (CONT’D)
(shouting again)
Did you fucking hear me? Fucking
illegal immigrant cuz
2.
LONG SHOT
James's friends further encourage him by laughing. James then
picks up an empty drinks can and throws it forcefully at
Zarna's back. Infuriated, she then turns back around.
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT
ZARNA
(in a sarcastic tone)
Trying to act hard and cool in
front of your mates are we? Trying
to be a big man? Just cause you got
a small dick doesn't mean you have
to compensate for it.
His friends then act in a way to provoke James even further
by making noises.
JAMES
(in a threatening manner)
Say that again
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT
ZARNA
Oh so you're deaf as well as stupid
now? Are all Chavs completely
useless now?
Jame's friends grow silent
MEDIUM SHOT
JAMES
(pushes her quite hard and
grabs her hair clamping
down on the hijab she is
wearing and speaks more
quietly and threatening)
What the fuck even is this? Why the
fuck are you wearing a carpet on
your head, you shouldn't even be in
this country
(grabs her even hijab
harder and is visibly
hurting Zarna)
3.
LONG SHOT
One of James's mates notices that people who are walking by
are beginning to take notice of what is going on, and
attempts to get James to calm down
FRIEND
(puts hand on James's arm)
Thats enough bruv let her go
JAMES
Fuck should i do that for?
FRIEND
Look
(gestures with his head to
look around them)
Let her go James man. not worth it
James reluctantly let's go of Zarna, and she rushes off. An
awkward atmosphere remains with James as he lights a
cigarette
MEDIUM SHOT
JAMES
Come on bruv lets move
James and his friends move away from the street to loiter
somewhere else.
CUT TO:
INT. JAMES HOUSE - AFTERNOON
James enters his house looking agitated and angry when a loud
voice of his father is heard. He sees his dad sitting with
one of his mates.
DAD
(shouting loudly annd
aggressively)
Where the fuck have you been
JAMES
The fuck do you care for
4.
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT
DAD
Don't fucking talk to me like that
you little cunt
DADS FRIEND
Have some respect for your elders,
ungrateful little shit
JAMES
He doesn't deserve any respect
prick.
James dad grabs him by the scruff of the neck violently and
pulls him close
MEDIUM SHOT
DAD
(whispers in threatening
tone) Listen here you
little prick A) you have
respect for my mates, and
B) don't you ever fuckin
talk to me like that
again, you're lucky I
even let you stay in this
house
JAMES
I can smell you're breath you
fucking alcoholic.
(Jokingly)
Cut down on the beers you might cut
down on that fat you have.
MEDIUM SHOT
James breaks free and runs upstairs. He enters a dimly lit
room and slowly approaches a bed with someone in it.
MEDIUM SHOT
JAMES (CONT’D)
(softly speaking)
How are you doing mum
5.
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT
MOTHER
(cough)
Its been a hard day. You're father
hasn't been much help as usual
(cough 3 times)
JAMES
Don't worry. I'll get us both outta
here soon. It'll be alright
MEDIUM SHOT THAT THEN MOVES INTO A CLOSE SHOT
James walks to and sits on the stairs and thinks. He enters a
blank state of thought. A short while after his is jolted
back to consciousness by his Dads loud laughter.He leans
round the corner to see an article on TV about the rising
amounts of refugees in the country.
MEDIUM SHOT
DAD
(ranting to his mate)
They don't fucking learn do they?
They're not fucking welcome here
and they never will be.
(chuckles)
well not if I have anything to say
about it anyway.
DADS FRIEND
Government don't give a fuck though
do they, long as there sitting in
their country manors. If I had my
way they'd all be sent back to
fucking Syria or wherever the fuck
they come from.
James enters a thoughtful state of mind and thinks about what
he did..
CUT TO:
INT. ZARNA'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON
Long shot
Zarna returns home looking roughed up and open the door to
the house to be greeted by her parents, who are unsuspecting
of what she has experienced once again.
6.
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT
FATHER
Welcome home dear
How's you're day been?
ZARNA
(nervously)been a long day
FATHER
(walks over to her)
Has it happened again?
Medium shot
ZARNA
(quietly and agitated)
What does it matter, its not like I
can do anything about it anymore.
FATHER
(puts hand on shoulder and
tries to reassure her)
Listen Zarna I've told you, you
can't let these people get to you,
you just have to get on with it and
pull through.
ZARNA
Its not like you understand, it
happens to me every week, I can't
just walk on and leave it anymore.
FATHER
Now Zarna you know....
ZARNA
(Cuts off her father)
No you know what, I'm done, I'm
going upstairs.
CUT TO:
INT. ZARNA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - AFTERNOON
MEDIUM SHOT
Zarna is on her computer suspiciously talking to a stranger
on a skype call, who seems to be comforting her.
7.
CLOSE SHOT OF THE MESSAGING CHAT
ZARNA
(sounding agitated)
Its the third time this week
AMIR
Thats why i keep saying, come with
me man. Where i'm going we don't
treat people like dat.
ZARNA
I know, its just difficult with my
family and that.
AMIR
Yeah but at the end of the day,
they dont know whats happening do
they, like, they dont understand
you like I do.
ZARNA
Well..........they might do, i just
cant tell anymore
AMIR
Then come with me like I've been
sayin! Aint nobody gonna be treatin
you like shit there.
ZARNA
I don't know what to do anymore.
AMIR
Make a decision, you can come with
me to a new better life, or stay
and be miserable.
Zarna sighs and holds her head.
Long shot
Screen fades out to black. Cuts back to Zarnas hand and two
tickets fall lower down her hand. She walks towards a blurred
figure in the distance. They embrace then screen cuts to
black.

Behind Closed Doors Script with the shots

  • 1.
    Behind Closed Doors writtenby Tom Clark Callum Wilson
  • 2.
    EXT. ZARNA OUTSIDELIBRARY - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT Zarna walks down out of a library and begins to walk down the road. CUT TO: EXT. JAMES OUTSIDE HOME - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT Meanwhile James exits his house slamming his door and picks up his mobile phone. JAMES Yo bruv what you saying (pauses) You coming out or what? (another pause) Safe cuz in a bit CUT TO: EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS ESTABLISHING SHOT James and his mates loitering outside a corner shop listening to music loudly, smoking and kicking rubbish about. James notices Zarna along the street walking down the road. LONG SHOT JAMES (shouts out loud) Oi bruv you blown up any buildings today? James mates egg (encourages) him on as Zarna makes an attempt to walk past and ignore him. James is agitated that he hasn't got a response, he shouts again JAMES (CONT’D) (shouting again) Did you fucking hear me? Fucking illegal immigrant cuz
  • 3.
    2. LONG SHOT James's friendsfurther encourage him by laughing. James then picks up an empty drinks can and throws it forcefully at Zarna's back. Infuriated, she then turns back around. OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT ZARNA (in a sarcastic tone) Trying to act hard and cool in front of your mates are we? Trying to be a big man? Just cause you got a small dick doesn't mean you have to compensate for it. His friends then act in a way to provoke James even further by making noises. JAMES (in a threatening manner) Say that again OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT ZARNA Oh so you're deaf as well as stupid now? Are all Chavs completely useless now? Jame's friends grow silent MEDIUM SHOT JAMES (pushes her quite hard and grabs her hair clamping down on the hijab she is wearing and speaks more quietly and threatening) What the fuck even is this? Why the fuck are you wearing a carpet on your head, you shouldn't even be in this country (grabs her even hijab harder and is visibly hurting Zarna)
  • 4.
    3. LONG SHOT One ofJames's mates notices that people who are walking by are beginning to take notice of what is going on, and attempts to get James to calm down FRIEND (puts hand on James's arm) Thats enough bruv let her go JAMES Fuck should i do that for? FRIEND Look (gestures with his head to look around them) Let her go James man. not worth it James reluctantly let's go of Zarna, and she rushes off. An awkward atmosphere remains with James as he lights a cigarette MEDIUM SHOT JAMES Come on bruv lets move James and his friends move away from the street to loiter somewhere else. CUT TO: INT. JAMES HOUSE - AFTERNOON James enters his house looking agitated and angry when a loud voice of his father is heard. He sees his dad sitting with one of his mates. DAD (shouting loudly annd aggressively) Where the fuck have you been JAMES The fuck do you care for
  • 5.
    4. OVER THE SHOULDERSHOT DAD Don't fucking talk to me like that you little cunt DADS FRIEND Have some respect for your elders, ungrateful little shit JAMES He doesn't deserve any respect prick. James dad grabs him by the scruff of the neck violently and pulls him close MEDIUM SHOT DAD (whispers in threatening tone) Listen here you little prick A) you have respect for my mates, and B) don't you ever fuckin talk to me like that again, you're lucky I even let you stay in this house JAMES I can smell you're breath you fucking alcoholic. (Jokingly) Cut down on the beers you might cut down on that fat you have. MEDIUM SHOT James breaks free and runs upstairs. He enters a dimly lit room and slowly approaches a bed with someone in it. MEDIUM SHOT JAMES (CONT’D) (softly speaking) How are you doing mum
  • 6.
    5. OVER THE SHOULDERSHOT MOTHER (cough) Its been a hard day. You're father hasn't been much help as usual (cough 3 times) JAMES Don't worry. I'll get us both outta here soon. It'll be alright MEDIUM SHOT THAT THEN MOVES INTO A CLOSE SHOT James walks to and sits on the stairs and thinks. He enters a blank state of thought. A short while after his is jolted back to consciousness by his Dads loud laughter.He leans round the corner to see an article on TV about the rising amounts of refugees in the country. MEDIUM SHOT DAD (ranting to his mate) They don't fucking learn do they? They're not fucking welcome here and they never will be. (chuckles) well not if I have anything to say about it anyway. DADS FRIEND Government don't give a fuck though do they, long as there sitting in their country manors. If I had my way they'd all be sent back to fucking Syria or wherever the fuck they come from. James enters a thoughtful state of mind and thinks about what he did.. CUT TO: INT. ZARNA'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON Long shot Zarna returns home looking roughed up and open the door to the house to be greeted by her parents, who are unsuspecting of what she has experienced once again.
  • 7.
    6. OVER THE SHOULDERSHOT FATHER Welcome home dear How's you're day been? ZARNA (nervously)been a long day FATHER (walks over to her) Has it happened again? Medium shot ZARNA (quietly and agitated) What does it matter, its not like I can do anything about it anymore. FATHER (puts hand on shoulder and tries to reassure her) Listen Zarna I've told you, you can't let these people get to you, you just have to get on with it and pull through. ZARNA Its not like you understand, it happens to me every week, I can't just walk on and leave it anymore. FATHER Now Zarna you know.... ZARNA (Cuts off her father) No you know what, I'm done, I'm going upstairs. CUT TO: INT. ZARNA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - AFTERNOON MEDIUM SHOT Zarna is on her computer suspiciously talking to a stranger on a skype call, who seems to be comforting her.
  • 8.
    7. CLOSE SHOT OFTHE MESSAGING CHAT ZARNA (sounding agitated) Its the third time this week AMIR Thats why i keep saying, come with me man. Where i'm going we don't treat people like dat. ZARNA I know, its just difficult with my family and that. AMIR Yeah but at the end of the day, they dont know whats happening do they, like, they dont understand you like I do. ZARNA Well..........they might do, i just cant tell anymore AMIR Then come with me like I've been sayin! Aint nobody gonna be treatin you like shit there. ZARNA I don't know what to do anymore. AMIR Make a decision, you can come with me to a new better life, or stay and be miserable. Zarna sighs and holds her head. Long shot Screen fades out to black. Cuts back to Zarnas hand and two tickets fall lower down her hand. She walks towards a blurred figure in the distance. They embrace then screen cuts to black.