THE RIVALRY TALES

"ONCE MORE WITH FEELING"

Written by
Gianna Jackson

Contactgiannajackson@gmail.com
Gjacksdirects1@gmail.com

EXT. RIVALRY HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT

In front of a common two-story building, a canopy sign reads:
RIVALRY HIGH SCHOOL. HOME TO THE RIVALRY LEMURS.
INT. RIVALRY HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF AUDITORIUM
A large sign a door reads: AUDITIONS IN PROGRESS.
PUSH IN PAST THE DOORS TO REVEAL THE AUDITORIUM
A large, dim-lit, empty space. FIVE FIGURES sit in the front
row and face an empty spotlight cast onto the stage.
OOOHHFF!

VAL (O.C.)

VAL, 15, clad in a yellow polka-dot dress, green flats and a

green head-band over her black hair stumbles into the center
of the spotlight.
She squints against the spotlight and spots JESSIE, 15, clad
in a bright-pink circle scarf, dark jeans and a blue T-shirt
at the bottom of the stage. Jessie gives Val a thumbs-up.
VAL (CONTD)
(clears her throat)
A-hem.
VOICE (O.C.)
Hey, hey you.
Val glances at the audience.
Down here.

VOICE (O.C.) (CONTD)

Val looks down.

ZOOM IN
Large, round eyes and a wide mouth appear on the microphone.
MICROPHONE
Try not to break any windows this
time, sweetheart.

2.
CLOSE ON VAL
Her eyes bug out.
CUT TO:
EXT. VALS HOUSE - DUSK - ONE WEEK EARLIER
A large, plain two-story estate with a small, open front
yard. The sun sets behind the house.
INT. VALS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM/TROPHY ROOM - NIGHT
Val focuses as she kneels next to a table and lowers the
final piece onto a foam DNA model.
VICTORIA (O.C.)
(screeching laugh)
AAAH-HAA-HAA-HA!
The DNA model crumbles to dust on the table. Vals face
drops. She turns to eye VICTORIA, 17, posh and catty.
Clad in a bright-purple, sequin dress and pearls, Victoria
poses in the center of the room in front of a large two-sided
ACHIEVEMENT WALL. A PHOTOGRAPHER snaps her photo.
One side of the wall reads: VAL, with a few awards spread
apart. The other side reads: VICTORIA, with an overlay
clutter of awards.
VICTORIA (CONTD)
(giggles)
He-hehe-hee! Being the star of an
article for Rivalry Post is like a
dream come true!
Victoria strikes a pose as the Photographers camera FLASHES.
CLOSE ON VAL
She rolls her eyes.
The Photographer points to a shelf in front of the
achievement wall on the side marked VICTORIA.
PHOTOGRAPHER
How about a few in front of your
trophies?

3.
VICTORIA
Sure, thing!
Victoria turns, gives Val a mischievous smiles and slides a
hand full of awards onto Vals side of the shelf. A picture
frame falls to the ground. CRACK!
ECU ON
A broken framed photo of Val.
Whooops!

VICTORIA (CONTD)

Victoria picks up the broken frame.

VICTORIA (CONTD)
For the next most influential,
recognized and charitable teen of
all of Rivalry County, I can be
kind of clumsy sometimes.
Val TAPS her foot and groans.
VAL
(angry)
GRRRRRRRRR. Moom! Victorias just
broken a picture of me.
VANESSA, 40, enters and spots the broken frame.
VANESSA
Aww well, looks like it couldnt
have been helped.
VAL
B-but she-PHOTOGRAPHER
Hey, how about a family photo?
VICTORIA
(sweetly)
Oh, how wonderful!
Vanessa and Val join Victoria in the center of the room.
Victoria moves a large ballerina-like statue to the center of
the shelf.

4.
VICTORIA (CONTD)
(to Val)
I hope you dont mind, sis but I
moved a few of the trophies around
for a photo.
The photographer takes notice.
ECU SHOT ON
A trophy engraving. The Photographer reads it out loud.
PHOTOGRAPHER (O.C.)
To Victoria Rains, the angel who
danced her way into our hearts.
Val folds her arms.
VAL
(under her breath)
PPufff! Shes no angel.
VICTORIA
(to photographer)
People called me a ...talented and
dynamic dancer...known to dazzle
people with my presence on the
stage.
Victoria smiles.
VICTORIA (CONTD)
And in life in some ways. Its an
experience I try to pass on to
everyone, including my beloved
little sister.
Val TAPS her foot fast against the floor.
VAL
(under her breath)
How about I dazzle you?
The Photographer SNAPS a few shots. Val steps out of frame.
VANESSA
Victoria has a point, Val. Youd
benefit from an extra curriculum
activity. Especially if you want to
stand out on your early college
applications.

5.
VICTORIA
(laughs uncontrollably)
Ahhaa-haa-haaaaa-haaa! Val?! But
she couldnt get into a club even
if she tried.
Val steps closer to Victoria.
VAL
Just watch me.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE - VALS ATTEMPT TO JOIN A SCHOOL CLUB
-- In the schools ceramics studio, Val spins the pottery
wheel too fast. WOOOSH! The wet clay spits out all over the
room, the students and their projects. SPLAT!
TILT UP
On a male instructor covered from head to toe in clay. He
frowns, wipes clay from his eyes and points to the door.
-- At color guard practice in the school gym, Val spins her
flag a bit too much.
She slips and tangles the other students and their flags up
into a giant ball. Val pokes her head out.
TILT UP
On an angry female coach. She points to the door.
-- At band practice in the schools music room, Val sits in
the middle of the trombone players. Val SNEEZES.
VAL
HHHHAAAAA-CHHHHEEEWW!
The end of the trombone flies forward. BRRAAANNG! The music
stands around Val TUMBLE like dominos to the floor.
TILT UP
On the female music instructor, pinned to the chalkboard. She
points to the door.
END OF MONTAGE

6.
INT. RIVALRY HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - DAY
An endless row of lockers line either side of the hallway.
High school students move along the hall.
LOW ANGLE ON
A classroom door. JANITOR LEO, 82, pulls a bucket of water
and mop over to the door. He dips the mop into the water and
SPLASHES it onto the floor.
Val swings open the classroom door and it SLAMS into Janitor
Leo. He SLINKS to the floor. Val stalks down the hallway
unaware of Janitor Leo.
JANITOR LEO (O.C.)
(in pain)
My booones!...All of my bones.
VAL
This is pointless!
Val shoves a group of students out of her way and stomps up
to a locker. She opens it.
ECU SHOT ON THE INSIDE OF VALS LOCKER DOOR
A large, slashed zero on a photo of Victoria sticking out her
tongue.
TILT DOWN
To another photo of a large building. Underneath it reads:
IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL OF THE MILLENNIA RIVALRY MEDICAL.
VAL (CONTD)
(sighs)
Bye-bye dream.
JESSIE (O.S.)(FX ECHOING)
Did someone say, magic?
Val rolls her eyes and sticks her head inside of her locker.
VAL
(slightly muffled)
No, no one said magic.

7.
HIGH ANGLE SHOT
A large cloud of smoke appears next to Vals locker. POOOF!
Students in the hall wave away the cloud of smoke.
MOVE IN TO REVEAL
Jessie steps out of the cloud of smoke.
JESSIE
(choking cough)
Cahhhhkk-cahhhkk-caaaahhkkk!
Val faces Jessie.
VAL
Not really in the mood for thisweeks-new-trick, Jessie.
Jessie straightens up.
JESSIE
But its a good one this time.
Val squints and folds her arms. Jessie pouts and clasps her
hands together.
JESSIE (CONTD)
Pwwweeeeess?
VAL
Oh, all right.
Jessie smiles and turns to SHUFFLE through her backpack.
Ah!

JESSIE

CLOSE ON
A large, circular disk Jessie pulls out of her backpack.
JESSIE (CONTD)
(clears her throat)
A-hheemm!
Jessie POPS the disk out into a Magician's top hat. Jessie
WIGGLES her fingers over the top hat.
JESSIE (CONTD)
Abbbera-gaaabbbbaa...

8.
VAL (O.C.)
Youre saying it wron-Shhhhhhh!

JESSIE

Jessie WIGGLES her fingers even more.

JESSIE (CONTD)
Abbbbbbbreerragaaaabbbbba...Booooom!
PULL IN
As Jessie reaches into the bottomless hat.
REVEAL
A horseshoe. With a thousand-watt smile, Jessie hands the
horseshoe to Val.
JESSIE (CONTD)
Its for luck! And arm mussel
strength.
Jessie flexes her arm and lifts the horseshoe like a weight.
VAL
Thanks, but I dont need arm
strength. I need a club to join!
Val takes the horseshoe and tosses it over her shoulder. It
lands a few feet behind her on the ground. CLINK!
JESSIE
(gasps)
Heey!
Val SLAMS the door to her locker shut. Jessie moves to pick
up the horseshoe and spots a flyer that reads DRAMA CLUB
SIGN-UP on the wall behind Vals locker.
VAL (O.C.)
Ive been trying all day, but Ive
been kicked out of all the clubs
that were looking for members.
Jessie points to the flyer.
JESSIE
Oh, look the drama club still has--

9.
Val ZIPS next to Jessie, WHIPS out a pen and signs the flyer.
JESSIE (CONTD)
Hmm...I wonder why theres only a
handful of people on the list.
VAL
Who cares? Ill finally show
Victoria that Im club material,
too. No more hiding in the shadows,
for me.
Val steps to the side and into single ray of light. She
squares her shoulders, sticks out her chest and puts her
hands on her hips. Jessie steps behind Val and pouts.
JESSIE
When are they gonna fix these
lights?
Val and Jessie look up as the ray of light flickers. Val
rolls her eyes and steps out of the light.
VAL
Its only drama club. I can handle
sleeping through Shakespeare for
the rest of the semester.
MRS. FLIP, 40, approaches from behind Val and Jessie. She
snatches the flyer off of the wall and looks it over.
MRS. FLIP
Well, Miss Rains, Im happy to see
youll be taking part this year in
the school play.
Vals face drops.
What?

VAL

Mrs. Flip holds up the flyer and waves it back and forth.
MRS. FLIP
Auditions are next week. Come
prepared to sing and dance.
VAL
(stutters)
B-b-b-but-Misses Flip zips off around a corner. Vals face drops.
Jessie smiles and slams a hand across Vals back. SMACK!

10.
JESSIE
This is great news! I can help you
with a your audition exercises.
VAL
(meekly)
Exercises?
JESSIE
Yeah, like lung health and
expansion for singing. Flexibility
and reflex for improv stage
direction change. Oh! And dancing
and rhythmic balance.
ZOOM IN VALS FACE
Her eyes bug out.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE - VALS DAYDREAM OF JESSIES EXERCISES
-- For lung health and expansion, Jessie pushes Val off a
bridge with a bungee cord around her ankles.
CLOSE ON VALS MOUTH
As she screams.
AHHHHHHH!

VAL

-- For flexibility and reflex, Jessie pushes Val down a

mountain. Val flails as she slides to the bottom on skis.
CLOSE ON VALS MOUTH
She screams.
VAL (CONTD)
AHHHHHHHHHHH!
-- For dancing and rhythmic balance, Jessie shoves Val onto
fire-heated rocks. The flames rise up through the rocks and
surround Val.

11.
CLOSE ON VAL ENGULFED IN FLAMES
She screams.
VAL (CONTD)
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
END OF MONTAGE