High Ceilings
When I write, I try to write something that is or feels original. If it's not wholly original, I try to take the familiar and add something unfamiliar to it. I try to add a twist or spark of originality, that can only come from me. If it doesn’t have that, I try to write with something to say, or something that is packed with emotion. And If it doesn't have that, then it's at the very least got to have a group of characters that I have an emotional connection with or who I want to hang out with, and see their story play out.
With this, it probably isn’t strong enough in any of those areas, although in reading it back I do quite like the characters and would happily spend more time with them in their world.
As it is, the short script/film feels like a scene that you could take out of probably any kind of standard Hollywood spy or crime thriller, which was part of the fun in writing it and part of the exercise. This is probably the main reason I stuck it in the drawer and decided never to make it or try to pitch it to get it made.
If anything, it's a fun little short that looks at the details, how they can trip you up, that the devil sometimes really is in the details and often time the problem you expect to encounter, isn't the one that hits you. It oftentimes comes from out of left field and a direction you didn't expect.
Have fun with it and enjoy.
Oh and if you ever wanna make it, let me know.
Cx
High Ceilings
A Short Film
Written By
Chris Patrick
INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
--It’s grand, it’s like a palace. Opulent with a lovely long conference room table.
--THREE HOTEL STAFF stand there, waiting patiently, wearing aprons etc. One of those is MURPHY (Male 30s) who looks strangely out of place. The other two are POOLE (Female 20s) and BOWES (Male 30s) and look more in place.
Poole is staring at the table.
POOLE:
Nice room.
BOWES:
You think? I’m not a fan. Ceilings too high.
POOLE:
That’s a problem.
BOWES:
Aye. Don’t trust a room with a high ceiling. I like it low so I can touch it and know whats what.
Poole shakes her head, smiling.
BOWES:
Besides, it’s must be a bitch to clean.
POOLE:
How’d they get the table in the room?
Murphy glances at them.
MURPHY:
They build the room around it, didn’t you know that?
BOWES:
Good one.
Murphy gives a hint of a smile.
--WE CLOSE IN on Murphy and see that he’s wearing an EARPIECE.
GALLAGHER: (V.O.)
Give me a cough if you can hear me Murphy.
Murphy smiles.
MURPHY:
What are you going to get the other guys to do, tug on their ear?
Bowes and Poole look at each other and smile, half laugh.
Murphy coughs.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN - DAY
--GALLAGHER is there, (Female 40s), wearing headphones. DAVE (20s) is next to her, with a COMPUTER.
GALLAGHER:
How are they sounding?
DAVE:
Good. Although I don’t like the sound of that cough Murphy has. He should get it checked out.
GALLAGHER:
Hear that Murphy? You’ve got a concerned third party here.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
--Poole laughs.
POOLE:
That makes one.
They laugh.
Then they fall silent. Bowes looks a little nervous, sweating. Breath a bit heavier.
CUT TO:
INT. VAN - CONTINUOUS
--Dave looking at the computer.
DAVE:
You OK in there Bowes? You’re heart rate’s getting a little high.
Gallagher gives a concerned look.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
--Bowes smiles nervously while Murphy and Poole look at him.
BOWES:
I’m fine. I told you I wasn’t a fan of high ceiling rooms.
Murphy gives him a reassuring pat.
MURPHY:
Keep it calm. Nothing bad’s going to happen, you’ll be fine.
GROANS all around. Gallagher, Bowes, Poole and Dave all groan. Murphy looks innocent.
MURPHY:
What?
POOLE:
You had to say it man.
BOWES:
Aye that was a rookie move Murph, come on tae fuck.
GALLAGHER: (V.O.)
I forget, do you like tempting fate or...?
MURPHY:
Very funny.
DAVE: (V.O.)
That’s textbook foot in mouth Murph. Anytime someone says things are going to be OK or they make plans. Bad shit happens.
GALLAGHER: (V.O.)
He’s right.
DAVE:
Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, The Avengers eh--
BOWES:
Woah, woah Dave. Spoilers man. Christ.
DAVE:
Sorry.
MURPHY:
You guys need to relax. It’ll be fine. It’s day time, you ever see shit going down in a film during the day?
Silence, everyone thinking.
DAVE:
He’s got a point.
Murphy gets all serious.
MURPHY:
I know this guy. Been following him since my career started. I know every little detail, everything. How he dresses, how he likes to breathe, how he likes to eat. Even how he likes his coffee. He doesn’t like creating a mess when the sun’s up. “Night time makes it easier to clean shit up.” He always says it.
POOLE:
Obviously he hasn’t walked his dog at night.
They laugh.
MURPHY:
We’re going to be fine. We’re just ears, that’s all. Just ears.
INT. VAN - CONTINUOUS
--Gallagher looks out of the car and then pats Dave.
GALLAGHER:
OK guys. It’s show time. They’re heading up. Just listen.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
--Murphy nods. They all look and go silent get ready.
INT. VAN - CONTINUOUS
--It’s silent. Then Gallagher looks at Dave.
GALLAGHER:
You bring any food?
DAVE:
No.
GALLAGHER:
Damn it.
DAVE:
Sorry.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
--And it’s show time as THE DOOR OPENS. And GORDO enters. He wears a suit and is this ball of energy. Murphy, Bowes and Poole all tense up.
--Coming in with Gordo is LYDIA, his partner and some SUITED MEN and WOMEN, with briefcases etc. One of the suited men, the one who does all the talking, is called James.
Gordo looks around.
GORDO:
Well this place is better than taking a shit in a barn man! Look at it. It’s a fucking palace.
LYDIA:
I like the ceilings, they’re so high.
JAMES:
We got the very best room for our negotiations Mr Ma--
Gordo starts to laugh.
GORDO:
Mr nothing. Gordo, don’t call me Mr. Reminds me of school teachers.
LYDIA:
Gordo didn’t like school.
GORDO:
School didn’t like me. Apart from Sex Ed. That came in handy.
LYDIA:
I’m still waiting for you to demonstrate this.
Gordo cackles.
GORDO:
You feel that James? You feel that heat between us? That chemistry? Drives me crazy.
Everyone sits at the table, except Gordo, who sees Murphy, Poole and Bowes.
GORDO:
Look at these bunch of helmets, all lined up like Russian Dolls. Ha! These for me?
JAMES:
They’re there to get you food, drinks, coffee. Would you like something?
GORDO:
Yeah yeah yeah. (He clicks his fingers at Bowes) What’s your name?
BOWES:
Finlay. Brooks.
GORDO:
What did your parents lose a bet with a baby name book?
He starts laughing. Then he slaps Bowes on the face.
GORDO:
I’m just fucking about with you. It’s a lovely name.
He smiles at Bowes who smiles back. Then Gordo sits at the table.
GORDO:
Right, let’s get to business.
JAMES:
Would you like something?
GORDO:
Coffee, yeah I’ll have a coffee.
James signals to our three undercover waiters. Murphy, Poole and Bowes get to work. Making coffee. After a few moments.
JAMES:
Would you like to see what we have?
GORDO:
Aye crack it open, it’s never too early in the day.
One of the other suits takes a briefcase out and clicks it open. It’s filled with COCAINE. Gordo stands, stabs a knife into it and takes a little taste.
Murphy and co pass around the coffee. Gordo sits, licking the knife.
GORDO:
Mmm. It’s sweet. Much are they asking for it?
JAMES:
Well--
GORDO:
Sorry. How rude of me. Would you like some?
He sticks the knife out to Bowes.
BOWES:
Me?
GORDO:
Aye. You want a little?
BOWES:
Um...no thank you sir.
GORDO:
Ah come on, it’s good for you. I’ve got a Dr friend who said he prescribes it. Go on.
Bowes looks at Murphy. Gordo sees. And he spins around to Murphy.
GORDO:
You the boss? You the big boss man?
MURPHY:
Yes.
GORDO:
Let your boy have a little taste. I bet you see him clean dishes quicker than he’s ever done.
MURPHY:
It’s protocol.
GALLAGHER: (V.O.)
Everything OK?
Murphy coughs.
GORDO:
You lot are no fun.
Gordo lets it go. Murphy puts his coffee down in front of him.
Bowes, Poole and Murphy take their positions at the back again.
JAMES:
So, we had a few distribution thoughts.
GORDO:
I’m listening.
While James starts to talk. Gordo takes a drink of his coffee. ECU of Gordo has he tastes the coffee, all other sound drowning out. He looks down at the cup as it’s pressed against his lips. He lowers it down. Then puts up his hand.
The conversation stops. Everything does. Nobody moves or says a thing.
GORDO:
Who made this coffee?
Murphy, steely eyed. After a moment steps forward. Gordo is friendly, upbeat almost.
MURPHY:
I did, sir.
GORDO:
You did?
MURPHY:
Yes. Is there a problem?
GORDO:
No. It’s good. It’s perfect. It’s exactly how I take my coffee.
MURPHY:
High praise, sir. Glad I made it just right.
GORDO:
I’m not being cute when I say it’s exactly how I take my coffee. It’s exactly, how I take it.
And with that last sentence, his tone has changed. Like a dark cloud has just pressed down on the room.
GORDO:
Did I tell you how I take it?
Murphy doesn’t say anything.
GORDO:
Because it’s like you know how I take it, but I don’t recall telling you how. I don’t take my coffee like a regular. See I like it sweet. Proper sweet. I’m a five sugar, plenty of milk, kinda guy. See, I took my teeth out when I was 21 and got some fakes, so I can do and eat what I like and not choke on a tooth while I’m at it. So it surprises me that you know exactly what I put in. Unless this coke is going to my head which it isn’t because it’s good not that good. So my question is, how do you know how I like my coffee?
Everyone in the room is tense. Poole and Bowes, reaching for their guns, as are Gordo’s muscle.
MURPHY:
Lucky guess.
Gordo is right up against Murphy now.
GORDO:
Have we met?
MURPHY:
No.
GORDO:
You work in a coffee shop? Starbucks or that?
MURPHY:
No.
GORDO:
Then how did you know my order.
It’s silent. It’s silent for a long time it seems. Nobody says anything then--
--BOWES TAKES HIS GUN OUT AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. Guns are firing, suits are hitting the ground and the place is SHOWERED in WHITE POWDER as the briefcase is pierced with bullets.
--Gordo takes a shot at Bowes and he goes to the ground. Poole fires at James and takes out Gordo’s muscle before she TAKES A HIT.
Murphy moves for his firearm when--
--BANG BANG. And he falls to the ground.
Everything quietens down again.
Gordo moves to Murphy and BANG BANG. Fires two rounds at him.
Gordo turns around and surveys the room. It’s fucking chaos. He’s been hit also but still standing.
He puts his gun away. Lydia’s been hit also and is slumped in the table. Gordo closes the briefcase and then starts to move away.
But he stops and goes back. Picks up the coffee and drinks it again. When--
--BANG BANG.
Bowes, last thing he does, is fire at Gordo who falls to the ground.
Bowes then stands up, slowly and starts to walk out of the room, covered in red and white.
BOWES:
Fucking high ceilings.
And he limps out of the room. Which is an utter mess. And we:
FADE TO BLACK.