CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE Jacked In A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Screenwriting By Joseph Jesus Murillo May 2012 The thesis of Joseph Jesus Murillo is approved: __________________________________________ __________________ Jared Rappaport Date ___________________________________________ __________________ Alexis Krasilovsky Date ___________________________________________ __________________ Kenneth Portnoy, Ph.D. Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii Signature Page ii Table of Contents iii Abstract iv Script v iii ABSTRACT Jacked In By Joseph Jesus Murillo Master of Arts in Screenwriting Jacked In is the story of Jason Wizord, a disconnected tech-junkie and competitor in the first International Virtual Games Tournament as he stumbles on a plan to knock off the competition and the rest of the world's population using the very devices he created to unite them. iv FADE IN “JACKED IN” blinks across the screen then flashes white. CINDY KIM, a tall Asian woman in her early twenties reports from a small broadcasting room with holo-screens hovering behind her. CINDY KIM Welcome everyone, I’m Cindy Kim and this is Jacked In. The screen suddenly splits as a picture of MATTHEW QORTEX, 46, tall, slender and stern-looking appears beside Cindy Kim. CINDY KIM (CONT’D) With the first international virtual game tournament set to start tomorrow. We should learn a about whose behind it all, Matthew Qortex. The screen dissolves to reveal a picture of Qortex with ASTERA MAGIS, 53, an elegant-looking, dark-skinned woman on his arm. CINDY KIM (CONT’D) Married briefly to Astera Magis, a philanthropist most notably known for her battle with Victis Disease, which swept the planet ten years ago. The screen goes black. CINDY KIM (CONT’D) Despite having helped hundreds battle the disease, she eventually became one of its victims six months before Qortex could complete the P.E.A. A device that would save millions. The screen changes again, showing a large watch-sized touch screen computer strapped to a wrist. A small holo-screen hovers above it. CINDY KIM (CONT’D) But from this tragedy Qortex sped up development of the P.E.A. Which constantly keeps our brain stimulated and connected man and machine on a new level with virtual reality. Two white lights suddenly shine through the holo-screen. The lights sharpen to car head-lights as they pass through the screen sending digital pixels into the air. The pixels stop and fly back together reforming the screen after the car passes. EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT NEW YORK CITY 2050 C.E. Holographic billboards blink and flash over a speeding electromagnetic hover rail. CORPORATE HEADS in clean minimalist style suits and YOUNG ADULTS layered with luminescent clothes and gadgets pass each other staring at mini- holoscreens hovering in front of them. A Bugatti Veyron races down the street with electricity shooting from its tires. A Koenigsegg Agrea bolts after it clipping a parked car. The car flips over next to an OLD MAN with mechanical legs and laser burns on his face. INT. KOENIGSEGG AGREA - CONTINUOUS CHESTER KNOWLES, 23, wearing a racing helmet grips the leather steering wheel tightly as he takes the car around a corner. SPEEDY, An LED display on the center dash lights up, “SPEEDY” scrolls across it. Speedy (digital voice) Get behind him and ride his current, it’ll turbo charge the engine! Chester I know! Don’t tell me how to drive. SPEEDY (DIGITAL VOICE) Then stop driving like your grandma! Left turn two hundred yards. Chester sees three enormous flashing arrows signaling a hard left. CHESTER I have an idea, discharge when I say so! (CONTINUED) 2 CONTINUED: SPEEDY (DIGITAL VOICE) What are you planning, Chester? He shifts gears and floors it. The car catches up on the Veyron as they approach the curve. CHESTER Hit it now! EXT. AGREA - CONTINUOUS Lightning shoots out from the tires of the Agrea as it rounds the corner on the inside at nearly invisible speed. The Veyron clips the backside of the Agrea, making it smash into a classic year 2000 style diner scattering its ELDERLY PATRONS. EXT. P.E.A. STATION, TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT Beat up compact cars line the sidewalk which has sections being repaired. A mix of deteriorating and cutting edge buildings shine with ads and billboards for Qortex Inc. products. Chester Knowles, wearing a black hoodie with illuminated thread stitching it together stands at an ATM looking device next to a hotel entrance. “DISCONNECTED” flashes on a holo-screen floating over Speedy, his P.E.A. Chester watches the screen change to “LOSER.” SPEEDY (DIGITAL VOICE) That bastard cheated! Newspapers and trash blow down the street behind Chester. CHESTER Don’t worry about it, at least we lost in style. SPEEDY (DIGITAL VOICE) Opponent has sent a message. CHESTER What’s it say? (CONTINUED) 3 CONTINUED: SPEEDY (DIGITAL VOICE) Opening file. Chester looks at the download bar filling on the screen. CHESTER What file? Speedy blinks erratically and starts to smoke. CHESTER Speedy? Electric bolts spark out of Speedy and Chester suddenly buckles under his own weight and convulses on the concrete. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. JASON’S APARTMENT BUILDING, LOS ANGELES - DAY COLLEGE-AGED TENANTS walk out of the graffiti-stained building towards their cars or the hover-rail station. INT. JASON’S WORK ROOM - DAY Computers and circuit boards litter the room; computer designs, car concepts and gadget specs cover the walls. JASON WIZORD, 25, drools on his work desk sleeping like a rock with headphones hanging off his head. A framed picture hangs on the wall over his head: Jason and JESSE MAGIS, 26, beautiful in a white hospital gown, her dark hair stand out as they kiss in a recovery room. A P.E.A. on Jason’s left wrist blinks on as “ARTEMIS” scrolls across the screen. ARTEMIS (digital voice) Crap! We’re late! Wake up, Jason! Jason’s bloodshot eyes struggle to open as he rubs his dark brown hair. JASON What, Artemis? (CONTINUED) 4 CONTINUED: ARTEMIS (DIGITAL VOICE) You slept in! It’s 9:15! Jason’s eyes widen as he falls out of his chair. JASON You were supposed to wake me up! ARTEMIS (DIGITAL VOICE) What do I look like, your assistant? Frank’s calling again. Jason tosses the headphones on the ground. JASON No time. ARTEMIS (DIGITAL VOICE) You haven’t talked to anyone in weeks. Jason runs to the bathroom, tossing Artemis on the bed. EXT. LOS ANGELES COLISEUM - DAY Thousands of people flood through the original archway entrance to the coliseum. The walls begin to rise as they extend away from the archways to a staggering 500 feet. Four towers with holo-projectors encasing the tops stick out of the remodelled stadium. EXT. COLISEUM ENTRANCE - CONTINUOUS Jason pushes through the crowds of people towards the registration area. He looks up at the Olympic rings over the archway. INT. SPORTS ARENA - CONTINUOUS The ROAR OF THE CROWD RESOUNDS in the coliseum as FANS take escalators to the seats at the top of the stadium walls. USHERS in gold and black uniforms check tickets with their P.E.A.’s and form a line to an elevator that goes down 60 feet to another seating area. 5 INT. PLAYING FIELD- CONTINUOUS Jason steps out onto the football field size arena with simulator style P.E.A. stations lining the wall. He looks up at the 200,000 people who pack into the 560 foot tall arena. QORTEX (LOUDSPEAKER) Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the first ever Virtual Games Tournament! JASON You ready for this, Artemis? ARTEMIS (DIGITAL VOICE) I was designed ready. HARLEY NEWECH, 23, a petite woman with bright green eyes and even brighter red hair walks up behind Jason. Harley There you are, It’s been forever. Jason walks away not acknowledging he heard her. QORTEX (LOUDSPEAKER) Six years ago I created the Personal Electronic Assistant, but if it weren’t for gamers it would have never become the phenomenon that it is today. BLAKE (DIGITAL VOICE) Give up on him already, he only has eyes for Artemis. Harley looks down at BLAKE, the P.E.A. secured to her wrist. HARLEY I’m going to switch you off. QORTEX (LOUDSPEAKER) Five years have past since the P.E.A.’s went global and connected us in a way never imagined. Harley walks over to her P.E.A. station. (CONTINUED) 6 CONTINUED: QORTEX (LOUDSPEAKER) Today’s two stage tournament will usher in an age of international gaming the world has yet to experience. An enormous holo-screens show crowds gathering around Meenakshi Temple, Matsumoto Castle, the Louvre and the Forbidden City. Jason turns back to the computer screen. QORTEX (O.S.) Today, ten thousand of the worlds top gamers will compete in the first of three tournaments with a grand prize of a hundred million in credit. Jason looks up at the holo-projectors as they light up. A virtual transparent office building constructs itself in the center of the field. JASON One hell of a way to celebrate your birthday, right? He looks back down at the computer screen to see a weapons and body armor load out screen and makes his selections. ARTEMIS (DIGITAL VOICE) Can’t think of a better way. An M-36 assault rifle with an ACOG scope materializes on his back followed by the rest of his ordered equipment. Jason taps Artemis’ screen and a health meter appears on it. He sprints towards the virtual building’s entrance. INT. FRANK’S POLICE CRUISER - DAY A picture of Jesse, Jason and FRANK MAGIS, 55, tall but slouches wearing a leathery-metallic like trench coat is stuck to the visor above Frank’s head as he scans the street for a parking spot.