Girls spec script sample

Girls Spec Script Sample By Allyssa Bujdoso

P.O. Box 2582 Chicago, IL 60690 859-468-9378

ACT I INT. HANNAH’S LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN AREA - DAY - LATE MORNING LAIRD--mid 30’s, wearing mismatched thrift store clothing and a corduroy mustard colored long sleeve button up shirt that is left open, is seen hunched over behind the couch counting out pills in his palm with his index finger.

Whispering the numbers he looses count as he becomes startled by the sound of Hannah groaning, and he begins scratching a red, raised blotchy rash that is on half of his face. He continues to hide and tries to recount the pills.

HANNAH--24, stretches in the doorway of her bedroom dressed in ratty underwear, a tee shirt and an old bathrobe. She walks to the restroom and takes pills out of her medicine cabinet and begins counting them.

HANNAH One, two, three, four, five, six...

She shrugs to herself in the mirror while making a "meh" face and takes her pill and puts the bottle back in the cabinet.

Hannah walks back towards her bedroom and stops cold as Laird is sneaking out of her apartment. He shuts the door quietly but she notices the click. Hannah stops turns around and watches as the lock turns in to place. She immediately grabs her cell phone.

HANNAH (CONT’D) Hi, this is Hannah Horvath, and um I think there, like, might be a mistake with my medication. Not like I got the wrong medication just that I don’t have the right amount, of pills not the milligram.

Lamictal. Horvath, H-O-R-V...

She pauses her explanation and listens while pacing her apartment, head cocked to the side in extreme concentration.

HANNAH (CONT’D) Um, yes, but see I just filled the prescription four days ago and...

No I didn’t sell the rest!

Obviously I’ll just have to come in or something so you can see for yourself that I’m not like a crazy person.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

She starts walking around the apartment, curiously scanning to see if there was an intruder.

HANNAH (CONT’D) I mean even though I’m on the drugs I’m not crazy. I just think I might be hallucinating an intruder, which is crazy, so there must have been a mistake with the amount of pills you gave me. Hello? Hello?

Hannah pulls the phone away from her ear and "Call Ended: 2:12" flashes on the screen of her I phone. She throws her phone on her bed and prepares to get dressed, her Mac shows pictures and side effects of the rash that 0.08% of people that take Lamictal get.

Hannah is seen in the background scratching the top of her underwear line on her lower back, and turning to try and see if there is a rash.

OPENING CREDITS INT. SHOSHANA’S SOHO APARTMENT - LATE MORNING SHOSHANA--22, is curled up on her couch wrapped in a kimono robe with her hair in a top knot, makeup less, and in deep thought on her lap top filling out her OkCupid profile.

While MARNIE--24, looking a little rumpled in her work uniform with a moderately bad hair day, about to leave for work.

SHOSHANA Do you think it’s a pathetic idea to list rom-coms as favorite movies on a dating website? Or like romantic? Or like does it allude to impossible expectations?

MARNIE I know nothing. I can’t even get Charlie to return a phone call. Or even a text message, I’m the last person who should be doling out advice on what entices men to communicate with women, even if it is in the form of a dating website message.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

SHOSHANNA Ugh! RUDE! You know in Bridget Jones Diary, when Hugh Grant wouldn’t pay any attention to her, she just showed up to the party in a playboy bunny costume, you could totally go to Cali and like do that!

MARNIE Uh, thanks Shosh... I’m not sure he’d appreciate me crashing the opening of the new corporate offices of Forbid. I think I’ll just go to work, I mean he’ll be back soon, right?

SHOSHANA (Reluctant to commit to an answer) Mmmmmmmmm. Oh-my-gee. I just finished uploading my answers on here and I already have Quiver Matches!

MARNIE Yeah not hearing from him in two weeks is not a good sign. What’s a Quiver Match?

SHOSHANA It’s like the people you have the most in common with, you’re like basically totes guaranteed to be compatible with them.

MARNIE (hesitantly) Who’re you matched with?

SHOSHANNA I don’t know let’s see!

Shoshanna clicks the tab and immediately a dejected and sulky looking Ray pops up as the number one match.

SHOSHANNA (CONT’D) UGH! It’s like the universe is constantly rubbing my nose in this break-up. It’s not like I didn’t try to love him!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

MARNIE Well, look there’s two more guys on there. Let’s look at them.

SHOSHANA The next guy actually looks like Ray. Marnie, reluctantly sits down next to Shoshanna.

MARNIE Here, lemme see.

Shoshanna passes the Mac over to Marnie, and reservedly takes a sip of coffee.

MARNIE (CONT’D) This guy doesn’t look so bad, why don’t you message him?

SHOSHANNA His profile says he works at a coffee shop... not that I’m against baristas... He just looked at my profile, he just messaged me!

MARNIE Good luck. I have to get to work, I’ll see you later.

EXT. SOHO STREET - DAY - LATE MORNING Marnie is walking towards the subway line and dialing Charlie on her phone. It’s ringing and ringing, no answer.

Voice mail picks up.

CHARLIE (V.O.) Hi, you’ve reached Charlie and now that I’m in California running my own business things are a little hectic, but leave your name, number and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m less busy. Beep.

Marnie, shaking her head hangs up angrily and stops with a quick pivot of her heel, looking around, wounded, she sighs and flips her phone horizontally. She begins typing out a text message,

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

CU: "Even though texting is NOT my preferred form of communication, I have been trying to reach you with urgent news. If you’re not dead, or in a horrific accident, we’re over! This is only the millionth time I’ve tried to call you in two weeks. Nice Charlie, really nice."

She turns and throws her phone in the bottom of the bag and we can hear the train from underground, she brushes a single tear off her cheek and rushes towards the entrance to the station.

INT. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT- OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD - NIGHT JESSA--25, is walking towards a boarding gate, she pauses to shift the bag on her shoulder and her rolling suitcase as she looks down at her ticket verifying the gate number. The airport screen over the gate agents reads "ONE WAY FLIGHT NEW YORK, LA GUARDIA." Jessa walks over to the gate agent, hands them her ticket and proceeds to be waved through the gate, she walks down the tunnel towards the plane.

INT. SHOSHANA’S SOHO APARTMENT - A FEW MINUTES LATER Shoshanna is bent over the key board intent on getting to know this new man. He messages her asking "Wanna fuck?"

SHOSHANNA Ugh! Like I’d have sex with another random stranger!

She slams the Mac book shut and gets off the couch as if to get away from the computer.

INT. HANNAH’S BEDROOM - LATER IN THE AFTERNOON Hannah is sprawled across her bed bouncing in between working on her novel, researching drug side effects of Lamictal, Facebooking and snacking on barbecue potato chips dipped in peanut butter.

A friendship notification pops up from Adam on Facebook, to which she immediately accepts, and then a relationship request pops up directly after.

HANNAH (decidedly) Huh...

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

She begins to look through his profile and clicks his friend list. Hannah picks up her phone and calls Marnie.

HANNAH Hey, so what are you doing?

MARNIE (V.O.) Just going through yet another break up with Charlie. I can’t believe he is doing this again! Am I going to be alone forev-HANNAH (interrupting) Marnie! Adam just sent me a Facebook friend request and I’m his only friend on Facebook! Not only that but he then followed that up with an extremely unprecedented relationship request! Should I accept?

MARNIE (V.O.) Hannah, can’t you see I’m in crisis mode here? Just accept it instead of doing the Hannah-y thing and freaking out. Do not get all crazy about this. It’s not like you’re still taking that medication that made you crack.

HANNAH (defensively) You know that was stress and medication induced! It was not atypical of my psychological profile. You have to stop throwing that in my face every time you go through a hard time! Aside from that, I’m just not sure I’m ready to make that kind of commitment right now.

MARNIE (V.O.) (tersely) Fine.

HANNAH Fine.

Pause.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

HANNAH (CONTD) I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. How did Charlie end it?

MARNIE I ended it! What else was I supposed to do? Two weeks and not a single word.

HANNAH Just get through work and we’ll all do something later, you can come over if you want and we can eat ice cream and binge watch old episodes of Laverne and Shirley.

MARNIE Deal.

HANNAH OK see you later.... feel... better.

As Hannah is hanging up the phone she hears a knock at the door, and waddles out of her bedroom to answer it.

HANNAH (yelling through the door) Laird, no you can not buy any of my new medication off of me! You better not be here to do anything but to borrow a cup of sugar!

She throws open the door in a huff. Adam is leaning against the frame, shirtless, and carrying his bike on his shoulder.

He brushes past her and strides into the apartment with his bike.

Can I set it on the just hack they want

ADAM this down? I can’t leave street because people through the bike chain if to steal it.

Hannah awkwardly leans against door, and in an attempt at being sexy she leans her head to the side and back exposing her neck, throat and decolletage while jutting one hip out in her version of a sultry pose.

HANNAH Sure, are we going to play "Damsel in Distress" again?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

She immediately loses her balance some and stumbles out of the doorway to let Adam in.

Adam rolls his bike into the apartment and gives Hannah an inquisitive look, his lips in a lopsided and half pursed with appraising eyes.

ADAM (Voice rising to a higher octave on the end.) Nooooooo.

Adam leans the bike against a wall and then strides over to Hannah.

ADAM(CONTD) Did you get my relationshippy request thing on Facefuck?

Before Hannah can say something, Adam whips out his phone and proceeds to hit refresh on the browser over and over again on the Facebook relationship request page.

ADAM(CONTD) See, it says sent but it also says I’m still single, which is impossible because you would accept it. So we gotta email them or call that Mark Suckerwhatever to complain.

HANNAH (cautiously and slightly drawn out) I don’t think so. I mean what form would I even receive it in? It’s not like they send you flowers with a cute "Do you like me? Do you love me? Check yes or no" country music reference in the alert. They don’t send chocolate either.

ADAM Do you want chocolate? I can get you chocolate. Chocolate ice cream?

HANNAH I can’t eat chocolate for a few weeks, I think I broke my serotonin output transmitters and neurons. I have to go cold turkey so my body can start to re-establish production of it.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.

ADAM That’s bullshit, you just need more sunlight and some exercise, like running. Have you been taking your medication? Are you counting?

HANNAH I’m not going to fall apart just because you took an Adam home break, for some quality Adam time for a few days. I didn’t fall apart, see? Still just one part.

Hannah opens her arms and gestures to her body to show that there are no visible cracks in her exterior, but does it with too much conviction and it fails to convince Adam.

Adam just stares at her blankly while furrowing his brow. He finally turns away from analyzing her and flops down on her couch with his shoes still on, kicking up his feet on the arm of the couch.

ADAM I know. You just were so on top of it with my leg, I felt that weird couple-y obligation to ask.

Adam starts hitting refresh on his Face book page on his phone again.

Hannah suddenly looks panicked at the phone in his hand.

HANNAH Actually, you know I’ve been having trouble with getting my refill.

They know you better than me, since you picked it up for awhile. Can you grab my refill for me? That would be a normal couple-y obligation thing, like bringing me soup and making me grilled cheese.

Care free Adam tosses his phone back in his pocket.

ADAM Normal couple-y obligation. Those all sound like things that couples do for each other... when they live together.

Adam jumps off the couch and walks over to Hannah, he puts his hands on her shoulders and looks down at her.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.

HANNAH (talking over Adam) While you’re out can you get me some soup and a french brioche grilled cheese? The pharmacy woman hung up on me.

ADAM(CONTD) Yeah kid, I’m gonna move in, I’m going to take care of you. I’ll even wipe your ass if you’re too depressed or busy counting to do it yourself. I’ll never forget all the things you did for me when I got hit by that bus.

HANNAH (softly chortling) Wait. What? No. You can’t move in.

Adam, you can’t move in. You can’t move in.

ADAM Why not?

HANNAH (progressively picking up speed and pitch of tone) Because... you know I’m not really even back on my feet, yet. I’m taking this new medication and... and it’s weird and I think pills are missing but I thought I took them. And I could get a flesh eating disease from the medication, if my stress levels continue to rise. My cortisol levels are off the charts. And you know how susceptible I am to side effects of drugs and pharmacological phenomena!

ADAM That’s all in your head, I’m telling you running a mile a day drastically improves your immune system.

HANNAH (voice rising more, whine-y) I’m allergic to running. There is an 8% chance I could get it and I don’t want my skin to eat itself!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

11.

Adam leans down to hug Hannah and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek. Straightening back up, with his arms still wrapped around her, she leans her head on his shoulder and he looks upwards.

ADAM Hey, if you got a flesh eating disease, could we make zombie porn and sell it to pay your medical bills?

HANNAH Adam! Gross. Gross! Can you check my back and see if this spot is turning necrotic?

Hannah playfully pushes away from him, and walks back towards her room.

ADAM The pills are probably just here somewhere, you were probably counting them and misplaced them. I could find them if I was living here.

HANNAH (defensively) I haven’t been counting!

ADAM Just think it over kid, I mean I can keep coming here to help you. but how are you going to pay rent without a roommate?