FADE IN:
BLACK SCREEN - WHITE HEADING - RED QUOTE
To be a director, or not to be a director?
That is the ultimate question.
- DELTA
INT., HOLLYWOOD, BLACK DIM ROOM - DAY
LEON BLACK, a film-director, is seen lighting up a cigarette.
LEON BLACK
Film, like all great things, requires sacrifice.
MARK GREY
Of all the filmmakers in all the film nor towns,
JARED WOLF
and all the cinema worlds,
LEON BLACK
the greatest art walks into ours.
JOHNNY PEARL
Create film, destroy life
DORIAN NOIR
trade money for passion
ERIC CROSSMAN
trade flesh for money and light.
JARED WOLF
Trade it all,
DORIAN NOIR
again and again
MARK GREY
we would re-live and exchange our minds
LEON BLACK
our bodies and our souls
JOHNNY PEARL
for our films,
ERIC CROSSMAN
we would do it all again.
JARED WOLF
Creators, bar waiters
JOHNNY PEARL
and traitors,
LEON BLACK
we are the Hollywood directors.
INT., FILM STUDIO, SEMINAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS
JULIA, an actress, is delivering a monologue from 'Basic Instinct 2'.
The room is filled with young aspiring Caucasian, male directors.
The leading director in this scene is successful, middle- aged LEON BLACK.
THREE young film-directors, BRADLEY JONES, JOHN MICHEL and ANGLO FLOYD are also present among the directors.
LEON BLACK
Are you ready for us?
JULIA
I'm ready.
LEON BLACK
Great. Let's begin.
Julia begins to act out her monologue.
She puts out a cigarette and drags a chair into the scene, in the same ways that her character, CATHERINE, did in the film.
JULIA
Is that better?
(Pause)
JULIA [CONT'D]
When you think about fucking me... and I know you do... how do you picture it, doctor?
Julia smirks at the director.
JULIA [CONT'D]
Oh, I know you can't answer me, so just think it.
Julia takes a seat and spreads her legs.
JULIA [CONT'D]
"Do you want it straight up? You on top? Me on top? Do you want it from behind... on your knees, my face in the pillow? Do you want to beat me up... just a little?
Not too hard. Oh, a little harder than that. Do you want to cum in my mouth? What if I told you that I masturbate thinking about you? That I make myself cum... thinking about you making yourself cum."
(Pause)
JULIA [CONT'D]
-- I guess we're out of time for today.
Julia gets up, turns around and pretends to exit the room, still in character.
Leon fails to realise that Julia is still in character.
LEON BLACK
Stop. Stop it right there. Did you see that, fellas? She broke character.
JULIA
Oh, no -- it's in the script.
You see, I just got up in the same way that Catherine--
LEON BLACK
The scene is not over until the director calls cut.
JULIA
But the scene wasn't over, it's in the script. Catherine exits at this point, if you look at the script it says--
LEON BLACK
Okay forget about the script.
Fuck the script.
Leon stands up straight, fixes his tie and folds his arms.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
Alright? Fuck the script. The script doesn't exist once you've physically and mentally been assigned to your character.
Leon sighs and scratches the side of his forehead.
He turns towards the young aspiring directors in the room.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
See guys, right there. You're always going to be coaching your actors to do the right thing. As a director, you're going to have to be prepared to put up with a lot of shit. Actors moaning, actors complaining, they've got the wrong lighting on their face, they've got the ugly actors on their left when they want them on their right. They strive for perfection. And that's what all actors do. They're narcissists, alright? In this business you're going to be dealing with a lot of narcissists. But we mustn't let that affect our behaviour, because the director is always right.
He turns towards Julia. He exhales.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
Catherine, we had an objective today--
JULIA
No, actually, it's Julia.
Leon begins to lose his temper.
LEON BLACK
JULIA? WHO THE FUCK IS JULIA?
All the young male actors in the room are in deep awe.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
Nobody gives a fuck about Julia. In my studio, you are Catherine.
You are your character at all times, alright. You see these men? They don't give a fuck about who Julia is and what she does for a living. We're all here to learn. And it seems as if you've got a few things to learn too. Lesson number one, always listen to your director.
Now, what was our objective for this scene?
JULIA
My objective is to convince Michael that I am capable of--
LEON BLACK
To seduce him. Your objective, is to seduce Michael.
Leon walks over to Julia.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
Seduce Michael, seduce me, seduce every man in this room. Your objective is to seduce every man who is watching you. Now, how do we get that done?
He walks behind Julia, leans down and breathes into her hair and holds her coat.
He gives her an apple and a knife, then turns the chair around so it faces all the young directors.
Julia lowers the tone of her voice.
JULIA
I see we're back at using the biblical metaphors again.
(Pause)
JULIA [CONT'D]
An apple it is then.
Julia pulls her short white dress upwards to reveal herself in front of the directors.
She sits down, cuts the apple in half and places one half between her legs.
She gives the other half to her director as he walks off and takes a seat.
JULIA [CONT'D]
When you think about fucking me... and I know you do... how do you picture it, doctor?
Julia removes the apple between her legs and takes a bite.
JULIA [CONT'D]
Oh, I know you can't answer me, so just think it. Do you want it straight up?
Julia begins to spread her legs, mimicking the action of 'burlesque'.
LEON BLACK
Catherine you're too tense.
LOOSEN UP.
JULIA
You on top? Me on top?
LEON BLACK
Don't lean forward like that. HIGHER.
JULIA
Do you want it from behind--
LEON BLACK
YOU'RE NOT SEDUCING ME CATHERINE!
JULIA
...on your knees, my face in the pillow?
LEON BLACK
YOU'RE NOT SEDUCING ANY MAN IN THIS ROOM!
JULIA
Do you want to beat me up... just a little?
LEON BLACK
You're not convincing me. You're not convincing anyone, Catherine.
JULIA
Not too hard. Oh, a little harder than that.
LEON BLACK
No. NO, NO, YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. COME ON! CONVINCE ME CATHERINE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE EVERY MAN IN THIS ROOM WANT TO FUCK YOU.
JULIA
Do you want to cum in my mouth?
What if I told you that I masturbate thinking about you?
LEON BLACK
NO ONE BELIEVES YOU.
The directors in the room begin to cover their faces and mouths from laughter and embarrassment.
JULIA
That I make myself cum... thinking about you making yourself cum.
LEON BLACK
YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE ALL THESE DIRECTORS BELIEVE YOU, CATHERINE.
COME ON.
Julia begins to get irritated by her director so she decides to take her dress off and re-enact the scene.
JULIA
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FUCKING ME...
LEON BLACK
BULLSHIT!
Leon heads towards Julia and slaps her, as she falls to the ground and covers her face in shame.
The young directors in the room are all in awe.
LEON BLACK
ACTING IS INVOLUNTARY PROSTITUTION, FELLAS.
Leon swifts around in a cyclical motion and turns to face all the young directors in the room.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
Do not give into the strippers who think they can act. Everyone can turn sex into money. But not everyone can turn money into art.
Acting is a difficult job, alright guys? Acting is not for exotic dancers. It is not for porn stars, it is NOT for cheap steaks like Julia.
Julia, still covering her face in shame, begins to sob.
Two young directors are seen covering their mouths with clenched fists, whilst another wipes his forehead with a handkerchief.
LEON BLACK
A successful movie requires a successful actress. And WHAT is a successful actress, you may ask? One that effortlessly takes her clothes off? One that is able to seduce every man watching her, between and beyond the lens?
One that always listens to her director?
Leon turns towards Julia, as she in return uncovers her face and looks up at him.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
You're our main attraction.
Get out.
Julia gets up and drops her dress.
She tries to reach for it.
LEON BLACK [CONT'D]
I SAID GET...
