The Open Window
Storyboard
Screenplay for The Open Window
Victoria Adekunjo and Tracy Jacks
1. Ext. Outside the house.
A man comes out of a taxi and stares at a house. The house is quite modern, but at the same time looks intimidating with high gates surrounding it and trees and leaves surrounding the backyard of the house. He is wearing a casual outfit which consist of jeans and a shirt. He is holding a hat and a jacket in his left hand; however even with this casual attire he is still tense.
2. The man looks like he is in his late 30’s and he seems very nervous and worried and in his hand he is holding a piece of paper with the address of the house.
With caution, he slowly walks up to the high gates and walks with hesitant steps toward the house.
3. Unbeknownst to him, a young lady about the age of 23 is watching him threw a wide window. She looks at him with a curious glance. As she sees him coming closer to the house she quickly pulls away from the curtains and as the bell rings she goes and answer the door.
Emm, hello, I’m here to see Mrs. Sappleton, but I must have got the wrong place-
But before he could continue the lady quickly interrupted him
No, you’re not. My aunt will be down soon, Mr? Sorry what is your name?
(With sudden recognition)
Oh, you’re Mister Nuttel, I’m Vera. Anyways, my aunt will be down shortly, in the mean time you’ll have to put up with me.
The man, Mr. Nuttel looks more nervous than before and wondered if it was the right thing to go to a stranger’s house and whether it will help him cure his nerve, which he is supposedly diagnosed with. As he entered the house he saw a lot of masculine things and wondered if Mrs.Sappleton was marred or widowed. He could see a window was been left opened and he wonders why they would leave a window open at this time of month.
Mr.Nuttel was so transfixed in his thought he didn’t notice the young girl, Vera, leading him towards a couch with a look on her face which seems to be conjuring something.
Would you like anything to drink?
Mr. Nuttel suddenly surprised by the voice which disturbed the silenced raised his hand to his chest in shock. After a brief breathing exercise and a pregnant pause he managed to answer.
Oh, well do you know anyone around here?
Hardly a soul. My sister was staying here, at the rectory, about four years ago, and
(With a tone of distant regret)
She gave me letters of introduction to some people here.
With sudden interest, she lend towards him.
So, you know nothing about my aunt?
Only her name and address.
That reminds me, around the time your sister came,
(With sorrow in her voice)
Her great tragedy happened just three years ago.
(In surprised but also curiosity)
You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an October afternoon.
As Vera starts to talk the scene starts to fade out, however her voice can still be heard and changes to scene which looks it was from years ago. In this scene there are 3 people.
Out through that window, three years ago from today, her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day’s shooting. They never came back.
Ext. In the woods, it is raining heavily.
As Vera can be over heard through these scenes, the scene shows three men and they were all holding guns and surrounded which trees and grass and in front of them is a greasy mud pit. As they track threw the mud they start to slow down due to the stickiness and the men slowly start to sink into the mud. Screaming could be heard and they started to wave their hands asking and pleading for someone to help them as they start to be sucked into the earth’s core and with a gurgled last breath of one of the men. Silence starts to settle over the woods, as if nothing has every happened.
Slowly they return to the present and Vera’s voice becomes more pronounced.
(No sense of self-possessed and becomes like a lost innocent child)
Their bodies where never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it.
Mr Nuttle looked at her with sympathy, however he is getting more nervous as the story prolongs.
With tears in her eyes Vera took a deep breath as if it was hard for her to relieve the story and continues on.
Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day, them and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walks in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till dark. I remember when my aunt said that her husband always had waterproof jackets, and the youngest brother singing, ‘Bertie, why do you bound.’ Sometimes I get this creepy feeling like they’ll just walk through that window-
She broke off with a shudder. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
7. Suddenly the aunt appears through the door breaking the atmosphere which has appear through the start of the story.
Mrs.sappleton looks like a women in her mid 40’s with growing grey but a smile on her face none the less.
Sorry, I’m late. I hope Vera has been entertaining you.
She has been quite...Interesting.
The breath pause between his sentence suggest that he didn’t know what to say about the way Veras been treating him. In all honestly he believes he should be making he’s exit pretty soon.
Sorry, about the opening window. My husband and brother usually come home directly from shooting and come in through the window. They’ve been out in the woods, so they’ll be making a mess over my poor carpets. So like you men, eh?
As Mrs.Sappleton continue to talk about the shooting and birds, Mr Nuttel didn’t know what to say, he was wondering whether or not to talk to how about the topic of her dead husband. He looks like he wants to interrupt her and many occasion. He feels quite bad and feels even more nervous than before for arriving on the anniversary of her husband’s and brothers’ death.
The doctors said I should take complete rest and avoid anything physical
When Mr Nuttel interrupts Mrs sappleton stops talking and was about to say something but something was caught and the side of her eyes
Here they are at last! They are going to get my carpet so muddy!
8. Slowly music starts to come at the background and Mr Nuttel turns slowly to look at Vera, with a look of sympathetic comprehension. However he sees that she has a look of horror and is staring directly at the opening window.
Mr Nuttel shivers in fright and slowly turns to look at the window.
9. Slowly the camera pans and zooms to the window. The camera goes to Vera horror expression to Mr Nuttel who looks to be in complete fright. In the background you can see 3 shadows and someone says ‘Bertie, why do you bound’
10. Mr nuttel grabs all his belong and runs out of the door, Ext. Going outside to the street
And immediately collapse unto a bewildered cycler, As he is running. Mrs sappleton and Vera watched him run.Mrs sappleton in bewilderment and Vera with slight smirk on her face.
Oh, what happened? The way his running you will think he has seen a ghost!
Slowly the scene fades out with the three shadows still in the background. Waiting.
This part of the work was done by Victoria Adekunjo
