DENNIS BERKLEY
Dennis Berkley walks in slowly in the steps he just rehearsed.
JERROD NARCISSI
“I think they are waiting for us…” (Under the bright light.)
DENNIS BERKLEY
Dennis looks around, his eyeliner not very far away from the tree where Dragon waits.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Cut!” … … “One more time.”
Dennis steps away from the bright light.
Jerrod repeats the same dialogue and action again, in the same tone and temperament.
EXT. TALL TREE- DAY (cont’d)
Dragon looks really puzzled.
All this looks like a stage drama, like a theater play but without a stage and an audience. There are two magic black boxes surrounding the actor, and it seems they are performing for these black boxes. These cameras service as actor’s audience.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Cut!” (the director smiling yelled,) “Print! Check the Gate!” “Moving on”.
Everybody starts to run around and continue their busy work.
EXT. TALL TREE – DAY (cont’d)
As he looks down, Dragon realizes out that everybody seems to be gathering around his tree.
To Dragon the camera appears to be a large cannon pointing in his direction.
Unsure of what to do, he nervously unties his pants drawstring, and reties it tightly.
At this point, everyone was focused on Dragon.
The camera zooms in tight on dragon’s face.
Jack climbs up the tree and passes a sword to dragon.
Dragon studies the sword, unsure of what to do with it.
WHITE DRAGON
(Weighing the sword in his hands, he thinks to himself,) “this feels really too light to be a real weapon?”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Camera!” (the director yells, staring at dragon high in the tree. )
Everybody looks at the teleprompter that focuses on a close up of Dragon.
Dragon’s nervousness intensifies as the cameras move in closer.
Confused about what he is supposed to do, he stars blankly at the director.
The Director waits for Dragon’s response.
Dragon continues his blank expression.
JACK FELLSTEIN, the Assistant Director
“Jump and attack him!” ( screaming in a deep low voice. )
Frightened, Dragon jumps immediately.
A stuntman on the other bush cues dragon to use his sword.
Dragon thinking that the fake sword was useless, throws away the sword and lungs at Jarrod with the fist and palm.
Jarrod tries to counter Dragon’s attack but fails.
Dragon launches three powerful kicks dazing Jarrod. His right leg first kicks Jarrod’s arm. His second kick knocks Jarrod’s sword away, while his left leg kicks his chest knocking Jarrod to the ground.
Jarrod collapses in a dazed stupor.
DENNIS BERKLEY
Dennis, angered by Jarrod’s defeat, runs at Dragon in revenge.
Dragon jumps up and spins around in midair, kicking Dennis in the head.
Jarrod gets back up instantly and throws a punch at the dragon.
Dragon jumps high in the air riding on Jarrod’s fist. He proceeds to do one complete flip while delivering a roundhouse kick to Jarrod’s cranium.
Everyone is frozen with shock.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“… … Is the camera still rolling?”
The cameraman nods with his mouth wide open.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE (cont’d)
“Play it back!”
Jarrod and Dennis are helped off the ground by a couple of grips. As they raise Jarrod pushes Dragon aside.
DENNIS BERKLEY
Dennis begins to talk but notices that everyone was staring at the monitor but him.
Dragon walks over to where everyone was looking.
He is amazed because he is seeing himself on the monitor, jumping and hitting Jarrod in the same fashion he just did.
WHITE DRAGON (CONT’D)
“What a magic mirror!” he thinks to himself, looking back at the camera.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Replay that again!!” (the Director roars . )
Dragon looks, at the monitor and watches himself doing the same moves again!
Everyone looks up from the monitor and stars at Dragon.
LEGGY MIGLIAIA (THE CENTIPEDE)
Leggy Migliaia doesn’t seem to share the same excitement at the others.
JACK FELLSTEIN, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
“How high can you jump?”
Dragon responds by turning around and jumping back up to the tree, which is 24 feet in height. He completes the jump by only taking one step and a leap.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“No, No! Wait for the camera!”
WHITE DRAGON
“Wait for who?!”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE (cont’d)
“wait for Camera!”
WHITE DRAGON
“Wait for the what?” (Dragon is very confused.)
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“The camera! is he hard of hearing?” (screams.)
WHITE DRAGON
“Of course I AM NOT!” (rebuts.)
Everyone laughs out loud except the director.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Everybody wants to be a comedian. Did SAG send you!”
WHITE DRAGON (Áo Áng)
Dragon is continuing his confused response pattern replied.)” Who?”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“You got a name, right?!”
Dragon thinks the question over twice.
He stands high on the tree, holding one fist and makes a bow with his other hand. Looking down at everyone under the tree, loud and gently he exclaims:
WHITE DRAGON (ÁO ÁNG)
“I am the third Prince from West Sea Dragon Palace, Áo Áng is my name, and people call me White Dragon!”
There is a temporary silence around, they never see the sea dragon chasing tides and driving the waves and surf, they never know that the sea dragon can see and hear under the sea, but now they hear how Áo Áng is talking, it’s like sound wave all over their ear drums.
The trees are waving their leaves, and there are birds flying up and away in flocks.
And then everybody explodes into laughter and applause.
The Director almost loses himself because he cannot decides to be mad or laugh. Guessing the way he acts was like Broadway Show Theatrical, he figures that the Dragon could be a struggling actor who just moved here from New York. He can’t remember if he has ever heard of any Broadway Show about a West Sea Dragon though. Perhaps, it must have been a one time running show that got canceled, he figures.
The Director of photography aims his Camera to the tree.
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
(yells:)” “Never Mind! Just jump and do some kicks!”
WHITE DRAGON (ÁO ÁNG)
“How many kicks?”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
(raises his eyebrows) “How about, seven!”
Dragon nods and with one flying high jump he spins his left and right legs kick five times each, while he twisting his waist.
As he descends from his jump he adds a few more kicks, landing the final one directly in front of the Director. Every kick was a full extension of his leg kicking out, and a short foot drawing back.
The entire set can not believe what they just witnessed.
JACK FELLSTEIN, the Assistant Director
(stuns for a moment spoke slowly to Dragon,) “How many more kicks can you complete in the air?”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
( amazed, dials his cell phone:) “Mr. Pulpo, Can you come to the set immediately, there is something here you have to see.”
JACK FELLSTEIN, the Assistant Director
“Print.” (commands to the Director of photography, then he turns to Dragon and said : )
“Try it again. This time kick exactly seven times.”
DIRECTOR JOHN KLEVE
“Never mind.” (put the cell phone into Jack’s palm:) “Get the writer! I want this script rewritten right away!”
jarrod narcissi
“What’s going on here? What are you trying to do? ” (winking his eyebrows. )
DENNIS BERKLEY
“What now?!”
JOHN KLEVE, DIRECTOR
“That’s a wrap for today! We will shoot tomorrow at 11 am.” The Director exclaimed, “I need to change the script a little bit.”
JARROD NARCISSI
“A little bit of what?!”
JOHN KLEVE, DIRECTOR
“The earthquake has just shocked down everything, the audience need to see this kind of, new change.”
Jarrod pulls off his microphone, and walks into his dressing room fuming with anger.
JACK FELLSTEIN, the Assistant Director
(Everybody loves to get a half day of work. Before the Assistant Director could say,) “that’s a wrap” (most of the crew was packed up had gone home.)
Shining in her jewelry, Leggy Migliaia’s garments reveal her slender legs and voluptuous breast as she approaches Dragon.
He stars at her with a smile. Her beauty enamors him. Her eyes are bright green protected by very long eyelashes. Her body is very curvy and one can get lost in her essence.
Leggy Migliaia does not say a word as walks past. Her steps are smooth and silky.
EXT. Hollywood- night
JEFF SWAN, special fix tech (A young man wearing glasses and goatee comes up and taps Dragon on his back)
“I’m Jeff Swan, special fix tech, What’s your name?”
WHITE DRAGON
“Áo Áng.” … … “What’s special fix do?”
JEFF SWAN, special fix tech
“Áo Áng?! No, that won’t work. As a stage name, let’s name you White Dragon or something like that,” (says with a smirk.)
WHITE DRAGON
“Stage name?” … … “Why do I need a stage name?”
