The Family By Sean Heppinstall

INT.SHARP HOUSEHOLD - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY. DAYTIME Steady slow tracking shot up the stairs. There are the occasional couple of framed pictures, slightly faded and clearly a decade old. The pictures show a family: a mother and father, and there two similar looking sons. The two boys are smiling happily at the camera. We approach a closed door and from behind it you can two muffled voices. The voices become gradually louder, suggesting an argument before there is a loud bang. TITLES EXT. SHARP HOUSEHOLD - FRONT DOOR. EVENING A pan shot of MICHAELS FRIEND approaching and knocking on the front door. A few seconds pass before LUCY SHARP opens the door. LUCY Oh hello, if youre looking for Micheal I dont think hes here, but feel free to check his room. MICHAELS FRIEND Well he said he was coming back here, and okay thank you. INT. SHARP HOUSEHOLD - DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY. EVENING MICHAELS friend shuffles past LUCY, before politely removing his shoes before walking upstairs. He jogs slowly up, looking around at the framed pictures of the family in the darkened hallway before he sees MICHAELS closed door. He opens the door slowly and enters quietly. The door closes independently behind him, the shot remains on the door and after a few seconds MICHAELS FRIEND shouts for Lucy.

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INT. SHARP HOUSEHOLD - KITCHEN. DAYTIME A few days earlier... We see three people, two male and one female. It is the mother , LUCY SHARP and her two non identical twins MICHEAL and HARRY. LUCY places down two plates of toast in front of her children. LUCY There you are, I hope you two are sorting out what universities you want to go to today. Walks away from the table. HARRY Yeah I have, Im going to the one dad recommended. MICHAEL looks around the room uninterested. LUCY What about you MICHEAL? MICHAEL I dunno really, university seems like a drag. LUCY Whys that?! I think youd be passing up a really good opportunity if you didnt go. MICHAEL I want to do what I want to do, I want to go into work more than another few years of the same old crap. The sounds of a door opening and closing come from the front of the house, the noise of footsteps across the wooden floor gets increasingly louder before the kitchen door swings open. DAVID SHARP enters the room, he looks around, visibly tired and on edge. He walks over to LUCY and gives her a hug before turning to his two children, before speaks LUCY interrupts

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LUCY I dont think youll be best pleased about MICHAELS intentions for the future. DAVID Why, whats he planning to do? LUCY Not go to university for starters. DAVID Youre joking right? That is absolutely ridiculous, how do you expect to get anywhere do you want to be a failure? MICHAEL sighs heavily and rolls his eyes before standing up from his chair. He looks elsewhere from his parents so he doesnt have to look at them when he leaves the room. DAVID lunges to try and grab his arm but MICHAEL shrugs it off and storms out of the house. DAVID looks back, clearly angered, before approaching HARRY. DAVID Im so glad you dont think like him HARRY. HARRY smirks, before he too leaves the household. INT. SHARP HOUSEHOLD - LIVING ROOM. LATE EVENING. All of the family are back at home, and sitting in their large living room. There are 2 sofas and one singular chair, all positioned towards the 50 inch plasma screen which is displayed on the wall. DAVID occupies the chair, whilst MICHAEL has one sofa solely to himself, with LUCY and HARRY sharing the other. It is quiet, and the family are all fixated with what theyre watching. Suddenly LUCY SHARP rises, causing her family to turn and take notice. LUCY Im now gonna get going to the book club, dont wanna be late.

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DAVID OK, do you need a lift there? LUCY Nah, Ill be OK thanks LUCY walks rapidly out of the room before they can say goodbye. INT. LOCAL BAR. LATE EVENING/NIGHT LUCY enters with a tracking shot following her to the front of the bar where she is greeted by a couple of her friends. FRIEND 1 Hiya, how are you? Do your family still believe your excuse of going to the book club? Laughs to the other friend. LUCY Yeah, they do. I couldnt face their reaction if I told them the truth. FRIEND 2 Why? LUCY Because as soon as they began to criticize me, Id lose it. Ive already given up so much for them. FRIEND 1 We understand, you deserve a bit of free time. LUCY and her two friends walk from the bar to a seat and share a few laughs. A good deal of time passes and there are POV shots of LUCY downing drinks. EXT. LOCAL BAR. NIGHT LUCY and her friends exit the bar with LUCY clearly being held up by her mates. The outside of the bar is quiet and the street is very dark, with only street lights giving sketchy visibility. (CONTINUED)

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From around the corner, a taxi pulls up beside the girls and they all clamber in. LUCY looks at her friends. LUCY I really hope my kids or husband dont see me like this. Sobs to herself. FRIEND 1 If youre quiet Im sure youll be fine, you need to panic less. INT. COLLEGE - CORRIDOR. DAYTIME. The bell to signal the end of a lesson rings, and MICHEAL exits with a few of his friend clearly laughing and happier than when he was at home earlier on. MICHEAL Where do you wanna go for lunch then lads. MICHAELS FRIEND I dont mind, should we just go to the college cafe? I cant be bothered to walk anywhere else. MICHAEL Yeah sure. MICHAEL and his friends then turn around and walk in the opposite they have just come from and a mid shot, quickly turns into a long shot before they all disappear out of site. INT. COLLEGE CAFE. DAYTIME/LUNCH It shows instantly MICHAEL and his friend sitting around a table. One more friend joins shortly after. FRIEND 3 So whats the latest then MICHAEL? Your parents still trying to change ya?

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MICHAEL Yeah, Im getting sick of the constant harassment, apparently Im incapable of making decisions on my own. They all laugh, but you can clearly see the annoyance on MICHAELS face. FRIEND 1 I think you better off just leaving em. MICHAEL Believe me, if I had money Id do it in a heartbeat. FRIEND 2 I feel for ya buddy, having to deal the same old shit every day. MICHAEL I know, I dont reckon I can take much more if Im honest. HARRY walks past and glares at MICHAEL, clearly having heard how much MICHAEL dislikes and slates his family. MICHAEL stands up and follows his brother quickly after this, HARRY then breaks into a jog with MICHAEL reacting with same movement. The scene fades as both exit the college. EXT. SHARP HOUSEHOLDS STREET. DAYTIME MICHAEL finally catches his angered brother, tugging him back by the shoulder to get his attention. HARRY swivels round to avoid falling over before taking a few steps back from MICHAEL. HARRY Did you really mean everything you said back at college? MICHAEL Yeah, I did, can you not see how controlling our parents are??

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HARRY All I can see is them trying to help us out, and you showing no respect. MICHAEL I knew youd defend them. Always have to be the favourite dont ya? HARRY Yeah, surprisingly I do, and they arent going to be happy to find out youve been slagging them off! HARRY storms into the house, slamming the door behind him. MICHAEL turns round frustrated and kicks the telephone box near him before leaving the suburban estate.