Scripts: Twisted Tales - Txt Msg Rcvd
Shooting Script Extract Part 1
1: MONTAGE - INT. ALEX’S CAR/EXT CAR - GENERAL MONTAGE
ALEX IN HIS CAR PULLS OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY. WE THEN SEE A RAPIDLY CUT MONTAGE SEQUENCE THAT ILLUSTRATES JUST HOW RELIANT ALEX IS ON HIS MOBILE, AS HE SPENDS HIS DAY DRIVING BETWEEN VENUES. ALEX'S MOBILE IS STATE OF THE ART - A SUPERCHARGED VERSION OF THE SONY P900.
ALEX IS CONSTANTLY TAKING AND RECEIVING CALLS, SENDING AND RECEIVING TEXTS, PICTURE MESSAGES AND EMAILS, CHECKING HIS CALENDAR ETC - SOMETIMES WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC, SOMETIMES WHILST DRIVING.
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2: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 1 - DAY - GENERAL MONTAGE:
ALEX IS STANDING BY A WHITE BOARD THAT HAS FOUR KEY POINTS LISTED ON IT -
1 - Don't say you're from a call centre
2 - Don't say there is any money involved
3 - Always mention the free carriage clock, but not in the first thirty seconds, never sound desperate.
4 - Don't allow questions to go negative.
HE IS LECTURING A GROUP OF TRAINEES.
ALEX
Now I travel right up and down the country...
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3: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 2 - DAY - GENERAL MONTAGE:
ALEX
but don't think that means you lot are just some statistic...
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4: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 3 - DAY - GENERAL MONTAGE
ALEX
because, believe it or not, we are relying on you guys from Crawley.
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5: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 1 - DAY
ALEX
...from Coventry.
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6: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 2 - DAY
ALEX
...from Warrington.
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7: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 1 - DAY
ALEX
Let's move on to point four. A very important cold calling technique. Don't allow the 'callee'
(HE INVERTS COMMAS WITH FINGERS) to say the dreaded 'N' word. 'Would you like to buy life insurance?'. 'No'. 'Oh...Bye'.
MIMES PUTTING THE PHONE DOWN.
ALEX (cont’d)
Who can give me an example of a question that cannot have a 'no' answer?
A MALE SMART ARSE TRAINEE REPLIES FROM THE AUDIENCE
TRAINEE 1 (SMART ARSE)
How about a night of full on mad sex with Kylie Minogue?
AUDIENCE OF TRAINEES SNIGGER...
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8: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 2 - DAY
ALEX IS AT THE FRONT OF THE GROUP, HOLDING A SMALL, QUITE
HARD, BALL.
ALEX
A volunteer to illustrate this point?
ALEX POINTS TO A NERVOUS MAN IN THE AUDIENCE, INDICATING HE SHOULD COME FORWARD. THE NERVOUS MAN (TRAINEE 2) JOINS ALEX IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE, LOOKING UNCOMFORTABLE.
ALEX (cont’d)
This ball (HE HANDS IT TO TRAINEE 2)... Is our (DOES INVERTED COMMAS) conversation. And the aim
is to keep The 'ball', or our 'conversation' in motion. Understand?
TRAINEE 2 NODS.
ALEX
Off you go...
TRAINEE 2
(THROWS THE BALL)
Do you want to buy some life insurance?
ALEX
(CATCHES THE BALL AND DOESN'T RETURN IT)
No! Duh! See, end of conversation.
AUDIENCE SNIGGER. TRAINEE 2 IS DEEPLY EMBARRASSED, STARTS TO RETURN TO HIS SEAT. ALEX GESTURES BEHIND HIS BACK, TAKING THE PISS OUT OF HIM. AS WE...
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9: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 1 - DAY
ALEX, WITH TRAINEE 1 (SMART ARSE).
TRAINEE 1 (SMART ARSE)
So would you like your wife well cared for after your death?
ALEX
No.
ALEX CATCHES THE BALL AND HOLDS IT UP.
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10: INT. TRAINING CENTRE 3 - DAY
ALEX WITH A FEMALE TRAINEE (TRAINEE 3) - SHE IS DOING BY FAR THE BEST - SHE WANTS TO WIN - THE PACE OF THE QUESTIONS AND THE BALL THROWING BOTH GROW INCREASINGLY FAST.
TRAINEE 3
What level of income would you be happy for your family to live on if you were to pass away?
ALEX
Thirty thousand at least.
TRAINEE 3
And what do you think is the best way to provide them with that income?
ALEX
Dunno, life insurance maybe?
TRAINEE 3
So would you be interested in buying some life insurance?
ALEX
No.
ALEX CATCHES THE BALL AND HOLDS IT UP.
ALEX (cont’d)
And you were so close.
LATER. ALEX IS PACKING UP. HIS MOBILE SITS ON A TABLE. HE CAN SEE ONE OF THE TRAINEES LOOKING AT IT ENVIOUSLY - ALEX ENJOYS THIS. IT SPRINGS TO LIFE - 'THE LONE RANGER' THEME CHIMES OUT - ALEX REACHES ACROSS AND SEE HE HAS A TEXT MESSAGE FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE - IT READS 'U'.
© 2005 Tom Jamieson and Nev Fountain. All Rights Reserved.
