script draft 3

THE LIGHTKEEPERS CROSSWORD

(draft 3)

by Adam Hackers

EXT. LIGHTHOUSE - NIGHT

It’s a dark, slightly misty but overall peaceful evening. A Lighthouse stands by itself on top of a cliff edge. Music can be heard (it’s source is inside the lighthouse)

INT. LIGHTHOUSE - NIGHT

Inside is a lone lighthouse keeper. He is sitting in the top room of the lighthouse, in front of the light itself. In the room there is also a bed, some shelves and a few other bits and pieces, it looks quite homely. The keeper sits at a desk writing down answers to a crossword. He writes them quite rhythmically as the light intermittently covers him. His radio (where the introduction music came from) is still playing.

The lightkeeper becomes stuck on a question and begins to tap his pencil off the desk in frustration. As the light spins, illuminating him on four separate passes we can see his frustration developing. This frustration is further developed as the radio begins to crackle. Soon it starts to annoy him and so he switches it off. However this causes the fuse to blow and the light goes out. 

As soon as the light blows the weather steadily worsens. A flash of lightning followed by thunder and the light patter of rain on metal.

The Lightkeeper lights a flickering candle lantern. He glances to the window and leans back confused by the sudden change in weather and noise level.

Camera cuts to looking up at the lightkeeper. He gets up and disappears off screen. We hear the lighting of a match and faint flickering light enters the scene and the lighthouse keeper follows

He looks to his crossword, its not quite as easy to read without the larger, more powerful light. He lowers his face close towards the crossword and squints with the lantern close in his hand.

EXT. LIGHTHOUSE

***Possible Edit

Cut to outside shot of lighthouse, camera follows the spiral of the staircase down the lighthouse, the viewer can see the light coming from each window as he makes his way down the stairs.***

The Lightkeeper opens the front door of his lighthouse with great difficulty and takes a couple of difficult steps out of the door, when he lets go it swings violently shut.

INT. CONVENIENCE SHOP

A door swings open and the Lightkeeper stumbles through, before forcing it shut.

1. LIGHTKEEPER

“hmmph” (relieved sigh)

He gathers himself together before heading towards the shop counter. The Lightkeeper points from behind the counter. 

We are now introduced to a new character, the shopkeeper. Seeing the lightkeeper, he pauses. He looks astonished that this ragged old lightkeeper has made his way through the storm just to get to the shop. 

The lightkeeper points again, this time with more urgency. 

2. Lightkeeper

“hmmm!”

The shopkeeper follows his hand and picks up a lightbulb from the shelf.

The Lightkeeper shakes his head and raises his hand in disapproval.

3. LIGHTKEEPER

“no no.”

His other hand remains pointing at the same spot and he nods his head forward as if to urge the shopkeeper to have a closer look at the shelf.

(Camera now in P.O.V on shelf) The shopkeepers hands brush aside several small, unidentifiable boxes (containing light bulbs) and raises his eyebrows in astonishment.

INT. LIGHTHOUSE

The Lightkeeper is once again indoors and has his arms wrapped around a huge box. He Sets it down on the table.

Next we see that the item in the box is a large bulb, which he proceeds to attach, though the sheer size of the thing makes it quite a challenge. (We can still hear a chaotic racket from outside.).

He soon gets the light up and running again, stands back and places his hands on his waist, with a look of satisfaction.

Behind him we see what has been going on in the darkness; We see a boat being pulled under by some monstrous tentacles! This will happen in stages as the light spins around, illuminating it as it passes.

We go back to the lighthouse keeper, who has been watching all of this. To begin with he appears to be in shock. However after a few passes of the light his face starts to turn from shocked to a more satisfied, but at the same time curious look. He then turns to his desk and picks up a book. He flicks through the pages until he finds the right one. He runs his finger down a page looks back and forth between the book and the goings on outside. The expression on his face is now a look of joy. Slowly, as if thinking whilst speaking, he lets out the word

1. Lightkeeper

“Calamari.”

He closes the book and sets it on his desk beside the crossword. It is revealed that the book is a seafood cooking book.

We now see the question, which is - “popular Mediterranean seafood dish”, before the Lightkeeper eagerly fills in the answer.

END.