THE LIGHTKEEPERS CROSSWORD
(draft 5)
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.
EXT. LIGHTHOUSE
(M.S)
We see indications that the weather is worsening along with the
lightkeepers mood. Rain batters off the roof of the lighthouse and the
weather vain is blown around, making a creaking noise.
INT. LIGHTHOUSE
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
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. In the background at sea we see a
large boat and a small portion of a tentacle sticking out of the water
and making its way towards the ship.
INT. CONVENIENCE SHOP
A door swings open and the Lightkeeper stumbles through, before forcing it shut.
- 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.
EXT. SHOP
The
Lightkeeper makes his way back to the lighthouse clasping a huge bulb
in his arms. His journey this time is made easier as he is blown along
by the wind, in contrast to the struggle he had against it on his way.
INT. LIGHTHOUSE
We see the Lightkeeper inside once again, he is finishing screwing the bulb in.
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 will see the
boat being pulled under before the lightkeeper. As the boat gets pulled
under he will turn around and quickly notice. He’ll then before lean
forward over his desk and closer to the window.
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 runs his finger over the question once
more before looking back to 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.
- Lightkeeper
“Calamari.”
We now see the Lightkeeper eagerly filling in the answer to his question (“popular Mediterranean seafood dish”)
END.
