Valerie Miller Treatment Project 1

T206

“The Last Dance”

Twelve years ago, MAXX was at the annual Father-Daughter Dance at the age of eight dancing with her FATHER. The room is full of her best friends and their fathers, they are all spinning around having a joyous time. Time seems to slow down as Maxx feels her father’s grip on her loosen, and he falls to the ground. Everyone rushes around the two trying to see what has happened. Maxx is clutching her father’s shirt and trying to shake him awake. A TEACHER calls 911 and shortly MEDICS arrive. They take Maxx’s father away, and he is pronounced dead.

Two years ago, Maxx refuses to go to her high school prom, because she doesn’t want to be reminded of the sadness of the last dance she went to with her father. Her friends all try to get her to go, but she ends up staying at home reading Harry Potter novels. Maxx likes Harry Potter because he has to deal with having no parents, and even though Maxx has a mother, she still feels like she can relate.

In present day, Maxx is a junior in college at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is a pre-med student and is minoring in fine arts. She has been dating her current boyfriend for two years now, and they are talking about getting engaged. She is still close to her mother, and goes to visit her every weekend. Her friends call her crazy for going to visit so often, because she is too old to be so homesick.

While Maxx is home one weekend, her MOTHER comes up and tells her that she has breast cancer, and will be getting surgery as soon as possible to try and delay the effects. Maxx is completely heartbroken and heads back to school.

When she gets to school, she immediately calls her best friend LIANA. Liana knows all about Maxx’s family situation and a look of despair appears on her face. Liana tells Maxx that everything will all work out, and that she will be there for her no matter what. She tells Maxx about a party that will be happening later that night, and it will cheer her up if she goes.

Maxx sits in her bedroom alone for a while and contemplates going to the party. She is nervous to go because of the large amount of people

getting caught drinking recently, but she wants to go and have some fun. She calls her boyfriend , GENE and invites him to the party, but he is unable to go due to studies. Maxx calls Liana and she comes over to get dressed with Maxx.

At the first scene of the party, there are four people sitting in the middle of the floor, playing a game that looks like spin the bottle. Maxx is confused, because she hasn’t seen this sort of thing since high school. She looks to Liana and Liana pulls her away to another room. She tells her that that is the room the cops would see if they were to look inside.

In the next room, there is a bar set up, and Maxx gets a Cosmo. She is about to pay for the alcohol, when JAQUE tells her that girls don’t pay. Maxx is appreciative and goes to sit down with Liana to drink their drinks. She sends a text to her boyfriend saying that everything is okay.

A little while later, Maxx realizes that Liana is acting strange: she seems unresponsive . She lays her down on the couch, and looks in her eyes. She realizes that someone must have put something in Liana’s drink. She leaves the room to go find some help, and when she gets back, Liana is missing.

Maxx runs around the house trying to find Liana, to make sure she is safe, but she cannot find her. Jaque notices Maxx scurrying around, and asks her the problem. Maxx tells him the situation and he runs around with her searching the house and the backyard for Liana. When they don’t find her, Maxx runs out of the house, yelling down the street for Liana.

A cop hears Maxx’s yell, and comes over to see what is the matter. Maxx tells the cop about the situation, and the cop offers her a ride back to her apartment to see if her friend is there. Maxx gladly accepts the ride because she is feeling a little bit lightheaded from the drinks.

After a while, Maxx notices that she is in the woods, not downtown Seattle where her apartment is. She looks at the cop, and asks what is going on. The cop stops the car, and tells Maxx that he must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. By now, the alcohol is fully in Maxx’s system and though she is a bit hesitant, believes him. She falls asleep in her seat, and the car drives onward.

The next morning, the sun is shining on Maxx’s face. She looks around her and realizes she is in a cabin in the middle of the woods. She can

see Mount. Rainier in the background, and hopes that she isn’t too far from home.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices a girl, and realizes it is Liana. Liana is asleep on a couch in the corner of the room. Maxx shakes Liana awake and asks her what is going on. Liana shrugs and tries to fall asleep but Maxx sits her upright.

As they become aware of their surroundings, Maxx notices that the door is unlocked. She grabs Liana and they run out the door.

After about ten minutes of running, they stop to see where they are. They notice a man in the shadows hiding behind a tree. As they look closer, they see it is Jaque. They ask him what is going on and Jaque tells them that he followed them after the party the night before, and had seen them get taken away. Liana and Maxx are told that they are in Snohomish county, which is less than an hour from Seattle.

Maxx calms down, and then wonders why Jaque was following them. Jaque offers them a ride back to Seattle, and Liana instantly runs off with Jaque to hop in the car. Maxx knows it’s a bad idea but she doesn’t want to get separated from Liana again. She reaches for her cell phone to call her boyfriend, but realizes that it is missing. Liana, Maxx and Jaque hop in the car and start heading back to Seattle.

Jaque drops them off at campus, and they walk back to their apartment complex. Maxx is completely engulfed in confusion. She finds her cellphone laying on top of her bed with a text message from an unknown number saying “You will be mine”.

The Last Dance

By Valerie Miller

INT.ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYM- DAY 1

Twelve Father-Daughter couples are dancing in the gym. We

focus in on YOUNG MAXX and her FATHER who are smiling.

Father is spinning Young Maxx around in circles.

FATHER

Maxi-bear, thank you for inviting

me here tonight.

Father winks at Young Maxx. Young Maxx curtsys.

FATHER

You are such a beautiful dancer.

Young Maxx spins around in another circle. We ZOOM IN on her

smile.

MAXX

Daddy can we go get ice cream after

this? I want a giant superman ice

cream cone!

FATHER

Sure Maxi-bear. I’ll get you the

biggest ice cream cone they have!

But I bet you won’t be able to

finish it all!

MAXX

I bet you a quarter that I will be

able to!

FATHER

It’s on

Father stops talking. We ZOOM IN on Father’s hand

around Young Maxx’s shoulder. The hand loosens its grip and

in SLOW MOTION Father falls to the ground. Young Maxx tries

to shake Father awake with no response. TEACHERS 1 AND 2

rush over to the scene.

TEACHER 1

Is he breathing?

TEACHER 2

Checks Father for pulse

TEACHER 2

I don’t think so. Call 911!

MEDIC Arrives on scene and check Father for pulse.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 2.

MEDIC

He is dead.

Shot fades as we see Young Maxx clutching her father.

INT. MAXX’S BEDROOM- NIGHT 2

Ten years later we see that Maxx has grown into a beautiful

young woman. She is sitting on top of her bed talking on the

phone to LAURA and MACK.

LAURA

Maxi are you sure you don’t wanna

come?

MAXX

Yea. I don’t do too well at dances.

MACK

Maxi you have to come! I just like

can’t imagine going without you!

Maxx

I don’t even have a dress guys.

MACK (cont’d)

Ohmygosh I totally have one you can

wear!

MAXX

Really guys I’d rather stay home.

LAURA

But what about boys!

MACK

Ohmygosh yea! I know Leon didn’t

ask anyone else to the dance after

you turned him down! I’m sure he

would still go with you! He was

telling me that he thinks your eyes

are like starlight. Apparently he

likes you.

Maxx sprawls out on bed.

LAURA

Yea! I know Chandni tried to ask

him to prom and he totally refused

her. You could totally have like

the perfect prom experience! Like I

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 3.

LAURA (cont’d)know he would treat you the best!

Come on sweetie. These are the last

two weeks of your senior year in

high school and you won’t even go

to your only senior prom! How often

do you get to go downtown Seattle

and grind people at the EMP? Shit

girl why don’t you just go?

MAXX

The last dance I went to was

picturesque too. My dad died,

remember?

LAURA

Hey girl, we didn’t mean to remind

you of that. You know we love you

and we just wanna take you out to

have some fun.

MAXX

I know guys, I’m gonna stay in

though. Have fun and take a lotta

pictures kay?

Maxx hangs up the phone and walks over to her bookshelf. She

grabs the fifth Harry Potter book and lays down on her bed.

MAXX

Harry how do you always deal with

things so well? Maybe it’s because

you didn’t know your father.

Scene ends as we watch Maxx read her novel.

EXT.UW SEATTLE PARKING LOT 3

Two years later we see Maxx as a student a the University of

Washington. Maxx is siting on a bench reading a book. Her

boyfriend, GENE runs up to Maxx.

GENE

Baby?

MAXX

Hmmmmmmm?

GENE

Baby?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 4.

MAXX

Yes?

Maxx puts down book.

GENE

Baby?

MAXX

What?

GENE

Can we fuck the sun?

MAXX

What?

GENE

I decided that the sun is annoying.

It has been shining for a week,

which is completely unheard of. So

if we go and screw it, maybe it

will be so happy that it will want

to go to sleep for a while and not

come out and bother me.

MAXX

Are you serious?

GENE

No.

Gene Laughs

GENE (cont’d)

What I meant to say was Happy

Anniversary.

Gene pulls out a large bouquet of flowers from behind his

back.

MAXX

Thanks love.

Gene and Maxx share a tender kiss.

GENE

Well I’m gonna head to class so

I’ll see you later baby.

Gene exits the scene. Maxx starts walking to her car and is

yelled at by two girls, HENRIETTA and JASARA.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 5.

HENRIETTA

Maxx!

JASARA

Where are you headin? Your mom’s

house?

MAXX

Maybe.

JASARA

You are always there!

HENRIETTA

Darling, you are too old to be

visiting your mom this often. She’s

gonna become a leech and expect you

to take care of you when she’s

older!

MAXX

Well I mean, I would want my kids

to take care of me when I get old.

HENRIETTA

But, your mom is taking our social

security away! By the time you are

retired, there won’t be any to go

around so it won’t be important.

MAXX

Anyway...

JASARA

Okay girl, just be safe getting

home okay? Tell your mom hi for me.

And bring back some cookies!

MAXX

Will do!

Maxx gets into her car and drives off.

INT. MAXX’S LIVING ROOM 4

Maxx and MOTHER are sitting in the living room, drinking

coffee and eating a slice of cake.

MOTHER

Maxx?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 6.

MAXX

Yea, Mom?

MOTHER

I need to tell you something.

MAXX

What is it?

MOTHER

Well I went to the doctor about a

month ago for my annual exam, and

they found something.

Mother sets down coffee cup.

MAXX

What?

MOTHER

Sweetie, I have breast cancer.

Maxx spills her coffee in her lap. Mother rushes to clean it

up with a napkin.

MOTHER

Oh dear, please be careful.

MAXX

Well are you going to get them

removed? Do you need to do some

kind of chemotherapy? Anything?

MOTHER

I am going to try and get surgery

as soon as possible, but I want you

to finish your schooling so that

you can make a good future for

yourself.

MAXX

Mom, I can find a way to get the

money to go to school. You have to

go get treated. I can’t lose both

my parents. I just can’t.

Scene fades as we watch Maxx and Mother hold each other,

crying.

Valerie Miller Postmortem Project 1

T206

After writing the treatment for “The Last Dance” I found

extremely difficult to write the script. I had assumed the script

would go smoothly after finally figuring out a story, but that really

wasn’t how it happened. I did end up using a plot from the previous

weekly assignment, and incorporated it into a story that had already

been formed in my head. I feel like the story I did would make more

sense as a television show, and less as a movie or short film.

After going over the script, I realized that I based the

characters on people that I know. I hadn’t intended it to be that way,

but writing the dialogue formed the characters into people that I see

in my everyday life. I had this vision in my head of who the people

would be and what they would look like, but as soon as a started

writing dialogue they seemed to change. I don’t really know if that is

a common occurrence, or if I should have changed the dialogue to suit

the character I had in my head.

This for me, was a very hard assignment. I love to write, but

writing in the perspective of someone watching the entire thing was a

bit strange. I’ve written smaller pieces from this perspective, but

with project this large, I had to go back and check make sure I was

writing from the correct point of view. I feel like this is something

you can get better with from practice, this was just a first for me.

I was telling my mom about the plot for my story, and she told me

that she thought it was a little dramatic. I intentionally wrote it

that way , and some of the word choice is corny for a reason. If I

were to put this mini-series on any channel, it would be on Lifetime.

My grandma loves to watch lifetime movies, and I feel like this is

something she would enjoy, along with anybody who likes that sort of

thing. Further along in the treatment, past the point of my script, I

feel like the demographic could possibly shift to a younger age group,

due to the content.

Overall, this project was a challenge, but I learned from it,

which makes it all worthwhile.