CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE 16 BARS a Thesis
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE 16 BARS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Screenwriting by John Reyes Cadiente May 2013 The thesis of John Reyes Cadiente is approved: Rappaport, Jared H, MFA Date Krasilovsky, Alexis R, MFA Date Sturgeon, Scott, MFA, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to: My family. With their unconditional love and support, anything is possible. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page…………………………………………………………………………… ii Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………….iii List of Tables …………………………………………………………………………….iv Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………v 16 BARS ………………………………………………………………………………….1 iv ABSTRACT 16 BARS by John Reyes Cadiente Master of Arts in Screenwriting When Jake, a witty high school student with a knack for hip-hop music, gets kicked out of his home and sent to a continuation school, he must now find his way back by surviving the school and ultimately becoming his own man. v OVER BLACK CHEERS of hundreds of rowdy teenagers uproar with excitement. HEAVY BREATHING of a boy who awaits to be brought on stage. EMINEM'S "TILL I COLLAPSE" plays. FADE IN. DREAM SEQUENCE INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT It's dark backstage. JAKE, 17 and short, breathes heavily and jitters behind the curtains. He wears a hoodie over his head similar to a boxer whose about to enter a ring. The song kicks it up a notch when a low rumbling of GUITARS and DRUM thumps build up. A hear thumping rhythm develops. The crowd outside sings along with the backing vocals. YO LEFT... YO LEFT... YO LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT! Jake looks down at his SCUFFED UP NIKE'S to catch light underneath the curtains hitting it. The song jumps into the beat with no raps. BOOM, BOOM, CLAP! BOOM, BOOM, CLAP! The rowdy crowd outside STOMPS and CLAPS along the beat. Jake realizes a corded microphone wrapped around his wrist. He holds it tightly in his grasp. The curtains split apart to reveal a blinding spotlight beaming at his face. Jake turns away. The song cuts out abruptly. The crowd disappears. Complete silence. Jake peeks and sees nothing but empty space. Perplexed, he removes his hood. He wants to speak through the microphone but realizes it's no longer in his hand. Instead he finds a black bandanna wrapped around his wrist. The spotlight ahead of him moves sporadically at every direction. 1 HELICOPTER PROPELLERS crescendo over Jake. Wind gushes on his face. END OF DREAM SEQUENCE CUT TO: INT. SILVERLAKE HOME - DAY A suburban house in Silverlake. It's surrounded by palm trees and a steel gate surrounds it. Jake awakens to the helicopters hovering outside his window. He looks at his alarm clock. It's 4:56 AM. He drags himself off. Jake opens the blinds and reveals POSTERS OF HIP HOP LEGENDS plastered on his wall. JAKE Let's drop the beat shall we? He turns on the radio. "BIG BOY'S NEIGHBORHOOD" plays while he does his daily push-ups. Various letters from prestigious colleges scatter across his desk. A framed picture of him and his Father smiling happily displays above the letters. A decathlon medal hangs from the picture. Jake finishes and heads for his closet. He slides it open to find a black bandana hanging from a hook. He takes a long pause, then grabs the black jeans nearby. INT. BATHROOM - LATER Jake appears clean and decked out like he was straight out of a Levis ad. His WRIST begins to shake. He panics for a moment, then opens the mirror cabinet to grab a prescription pill case. He takes a blue pill out and gulps it down. INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING Jake's little brother, Peter, an 13 year old walking talking encyclopedia, sits in front of the TV screen. We only focus on his facial expressions. Jake enters and kneels beside him. JAKE You ready to head out buddy? 2 PETER Yeah sure, let go get my stuff. Peter reluctantly stands up revealing to us an ARM SLING with a CAST underneath it. Jake's cheery mood recedes. INT. HALLWAY Jake struts across the hall with his backpack over his shoulders. He hears a fuss in his parent's bedroom along the way. Jake leans closer to their door. INT. PARENT'S BEDROOM Jake's parents, MARY ANN and DAVID, both on their 40s, stand toe to toe in the middle of the room. MARY ANN Just give him time, hun. Maybe he doesn't know-- DAVID Doesn't know what? He's throwing away everything we've worked for, everything I worked for! David storms to the door with disgust. DAVID (CONT'D) He's going to become a bum like his Uncle! INT. HALLWAY Jake stands in the hallway with his back against the wall. His Father steps out and glares at him. Jake can't look him in the eye. DAVID (CONT'D) You got something to say for yourself? Jake fidgets and barely shakes his head. His Father towers over him then marches away. Jake looks up again to find his Mother inside giving him a reassuring smile. Jake tugs on his bag and looks off. INT. JAKE'S CAR - DAY Jake owns a RED RUNDOWN '92 FORD TEMPO. The mesh seats have rip marks like a dog chewed through them. A rosary hangs from the rearview mirror. 3 Jake and Peter hop in. JAKE Are you ready ride? Jake starts the ignition. He puts a cassette player with an aux cord into the car's stereo system. He jacks in his CD player. TUPAC's "SHORTY WANNA BE A THUG" bumps through the speakers. JAKE (CONT'D) Yeah buddy, that's what I'm talking about. Peter rolls his eyes and shakes his head to the side. They take off. EXT. SUNSET JUNCTION - DAY The strip is a unique place where indie clothing stores and cafes stand side by side. The LOCALS walk carefree in the streets and sit happily in front of the establishments sipping their lattes. Jake swerves his Tempo around the corners with the windows rolled down. Locals gaze awkwardly at him as he attempts to rap along Tupac's lyrics. JAKE (CONT'D) I TELL YOU IT'S A COLD WORLD, STAY IN SCHOOL/ YOU TELL ME ITS A MAN'S WORLD, PLAY THE RULES (Offbeat) AND FADE FOOLS... Jake gets this far into the lyrics, then starts mumbling gibberish. Peter picks up where Jake fades off and shows his rap skills. Peter I'M SITTING GETTING BUZZED/ LOOKING FOR SOME LUV FROM THE HOMIES... Jake smiles and gives Peter a brotherly nudge. JAKE & Peter CUZ SHORTY WANNA BE A THUG! Jake gets off the strip and turns into a hillside residential area. EXT. HILLSIDE - DAY 4 The sun don't shine on this side of Silverlake. Only rows of pale concrete houses with lawns as torn as Jake's car seats. Jake comes to a stop sign with the initials "HKZ" written underneath it with a thick marker. Across the street, a GANG OF HISPANIC TEENS sporting dark sunglasses and white tees gather on the corner. They mess with an enraged PITBULL behind a chain- link fence. Jake glances at Peter's broken arm and starts to breathe like a dragon. The Pitbull BARKS. Peter notices Jake's mood. Peter Hey. Jake grips his steering wheel harder as he sees one of the members poking the pitbull with a TWIG. The Pitbull WHINES while each hispance member smiles disgustingly. Inside Jake's head, he hears a faint cry of Peter screaming his name. Peter (CONT'D) Big Bro? Jake grits his teeth as the Pitbull fights back and bites the twig off their hands. Peter waves his hand at Jake's face. Jake remains transfixed. Peter cranks up the BASS from the car stereo. Peter (CONT'D) (to himself) This should bring you back. Inside Jake's head, he hears his HEARTBEAT thumping along a rhythm. Jake snaps out of his trance as the TUPAC song fades in. Jake sees his brother's concern and regains composure. JAKE Sorry, I was just a little bit caught up in the moment. Peter Hey man, its okay. Where we need to be is just over this block. JAKE But those guys... 5 Peter Don't let them get to you. Sometimes you have to look through them. (beat) Not at them. Jake takes one last glance then drives on through. EXT. MIDDLE SCHOOL - DAY Orange paint covers the buildings. A mascot of a LION winks happily on the side of it. Hyperactive kids run inside. Jake pulls up in front. INT. JAKE'S CAR Peter staggers to get out. Jake helps him with his things. Before Peter leaves, he extends his fist to Jake. Peter Take it easy. Jake bumps his fist with his. JAKE Go hard. Jake takes a moment to watch Peter walk up the STEPS. SIRENS echo from the distance. Jake sees a police car speeding from the rearview mirror and zips right passed him. A CHIRP BEEP comes from Jake's cell phone like a walkie-talkie. NELSON (V.O.) Ayo J? Where you at? Jake chuckles and chirps back. JAKE I'm on my way. EXT. BACK ALLEY - DAY An alley behind a liquor store in the hills. A TERRITORIAL TAGGING OF A GANG 6 plasters all over the wall. NELSON, 17, huge and overweight, tip toes in front of the marking with a Krylon spray can at hand. Jake's tempo parks in distance facing downhill towards Nelson. INT. JAKE'S CAR Jake shuts off his engine. He spots Nelson, then shakes his head.