This was the original script I wrote for my Team Animation project. |
If you would like to view the completed animation of this screenplay, go to the following address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPPlLDzaK0 Enjoy! “Redheads and Watersheds” FADE IN: 1 EXT- SOUTHERN U.S. MARSHLAND IN WINTER- EARLY AFTERNOON We pan across beautiful scenery of a marshland, perhaps somewhere in Canada or Northwestern U.S., as the NARRATOR begins. NARRATOR (sounding very knowledgeable) Marshes, a wonder of the natural world. In these secluded areas, land and water come together in almost perfect harmony to create the ideal environment for many plants and animals to call home. But, not every animal that comes to the marsh lives here year round. Migratory birds often find these wetlands particularly desirable as resting grounds during their long exodus across the North American continent. On their journey south to escape the blistering cold of winter, waterfowl such as this Redhead Duck use these marshlands to- We pan past Roy the Redhead Duck as he grills something (maybe a small fish or clam) on an outdoor barbecue. In the background is a 1960’s style ranch house with a long driveway and a mailbox with Roy’s name on it. We pass Roy, and then pause as the Narrator realizes how out of place the adolescent drake is. NARRATOR (obviously shocked) What the…?! Roy continues on, casually flipping his food on the grill with a spatula, oblivious that he is now at the center of the Narrator’s attention. NARRATOR (shouting) Hey you! What are you doing?! Roy jumps in surprise and immediately finds a hiding place behind the barbecue grill. He glances around nervously for the source of the voice before staring directly at us. He points to himself questioningly as he slowly creeps from his hiding place, almost holding his spatula defensively. NARRATOR (sternly, but not angry) Yes, you! What are you doing there? Roy smiles and scrapes the fish off the grill and flips into onto a plate, sprinkles with salt, and adds a small garnish of wild celery (also part of the Redhead diet) before proudly displaying it for us to see. NARRATOR (trying to regain his composure) Oh. Well…Redheads, like other pochards, are diving birds who rely on these marshes for their food supply, which usually consists of many aquatic plants or the occasional invertebrate dwelling beneath the water’s surface. As the narrator drones on, Roy loses interest and eats his lunch. He, like the other ducks, is preparing for the migration, just not in the same way. Images or video of the real life ducks appear on screen as a backdrop to the Narrator’s dialogue. NARRATOR (getting back into his narrator flow) During the migration season these ducks can gather in large flocks called “rafts” far from the shore as they graze. Then, almost as if they are of one mind, they take flight! As other ducks in the far distance take flight, Roy grabs the barbecue grill and prepares to empty the ashes (or other trash) onto the ground next to the water. It is time to go. NARRATOR (sternly) Hold it! Roy freezes in place, still holding the container of ashes/trash. NARRATOR I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Roy shakes his head with a confused look on his face, as if to say “You wouldn’t?” NARRATOR No. You could damage the watershed. You do know what a watershed is, don’t you? Roy excitedly nods his head. Dropping the trash, he leads us over to an old shack with “Water Shed” written across the door. He opens it to display dozens of plastic bottles of, you guessed it, water. NARRATOR That’s not what a watershed is. Roy slumps and, with a frown, shakes his head as if to ask, “It’s not?” NARRATOR (almost amused the duck’s ignorance) No. A watershed is an area of land that drains or channels water to lakes, streams, underground reservoirs, or even wetlands like marshes and swamps. Every piece of land on Earth acts as a watershed, filtering the water as it flows, and damaging it can negatively affect our world’s water supply. Roy is shocked at this information. He points quizzically at what he was about to dump onto the ground. NARRATOR Yes, even that little bit there can contribute to the damage our watersheds are receiving. Small contaminates can collectively travel with the water as it travels from streams to rivers and out into the Earth’s oceans, negatively affecting plants, animals, and even humans on the other side of the globe! Proper disposal of garbage and other waste products helps to reduce the number of pollutants entering our water supply. Roy zips over to a large recycling bin and disposes of his trash. NARRATOR (clearly pleased) That’s better. Now, you’d better hurry. The others are heading off without you. Roy looks up to the sky and sees the ducks in the distance flapping away. Pulling out a pocket watch, he realizes that he’s running late and hurries off. 2 EXT- ROY’S HUMMER Roy pops into view behind the wheel of an oversized Hummer with an Airstream trailer in tow. Before the Narrator can say anything to him, he speeds off. NARRATOR (muttering blandly to himself) Not exactly what I had in mind… From above we see Roy’s Hummer and trailer racing down the highway. NARRATOR (back in his standard voice) The Redheads in flight are a wondrous spectacle. Like other migratory birds, these ducks work together to reach their destination. Flying in the familiar V-formation is a wise and energy efficient way to travel long distances. Each bird in the formation breaks the air resistance for those flying behind and slightly above, allowing those at the rear to expend less energy. Whenever the lead duck becomes exhausted, he simply drops back, allowing another to take his place at the front. Roy is at the head of a formation at this point, but drops out to quickly refuel his Hummer. Before the flock moves on, he is back on the road at the rear of the formation. Almost in fast forward, we watch as he moves his way back to the front of the formation, only to drop out again to refuel and return to the rear. NARRATOR More than anything, however, the formation helps keep track of everyone in the flock and ensures that everyone reaches their destination safely. 3 EXT- HORICON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE—LATE AFTERNOON Roy pulls into the parking lot and excitedly leaps out, making a bee line for the water. NARRATOR At last, after a long, tiresome journey, the ducks have arrived at the midpoint of their trip: The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. Fatigued by their trek across North America, these stalwart creatures eagerly anticipate a soothing dip in the cool waters of the marsh. Running toward the water, Roy pulls out a rubber duck-shaped inner tube and hops into it. As he jumps out over the water, time seems to stand still. Puzzled, he hovers unnaturally above the marsh. NARRATOR But, imagine if you will, what would happen to this beautiful marshland if the rest of the world neglects to care for the watershed. In a flash, the beautiful scenery vanishes and what replaces it both shocks and repulses Roy. The once green wetland has mostly dried up. It is now a grey and brown wasteland. In the area where tall stalks of cattails once grew, now only piles of unearthed rock dwell. What water remains is murky and dark with the faint glimpses of a rainbow-like sheen that usually announces the presence of oil. There is a bit of foam floating on the surface from soap that had washed in through the watershed. In the background, new condos or other structures are being erected in an area once covered in water. The dust being kicked up by the construction crew turns the sky tan. What is intriguing is the lack of garbage, or what we would consider litter. Roy is obviously displeased and squeezes out of his inner tube. Quickly judging the distance, he leaps onto shore. NARRATOR Not very pleasant, is it? Roy shakes his head in disappointed agreement. NARRATOR No one, single person is responsible for caring for this delicate ecosystem. It is one of many storage areas for our world’s water. It flows here from many places, some hundreds of miles away, picking up any number of sediments and debris in its path. Some of these are naturally occurring, but human interaction can cause even the most mundane of particulates to be dangerous to the wetlands. Animal waste products, plant litter, and soil can be expected in any natural environment, but excess amounts from farming and gardening combined with fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals can be detrimental to the world’s wetlands. Unfortunately, these are only a few of the possible sources for the marshes destruction. Household cleaners, paints, and even automobiles that leak chemicals or use too much fuel are also hazards that threaten these areas through the watershed. Roy is notably disheartened. He slumps, saddened by his participation in his home’s annihilation. NARRATOR (compassionately) Oh, don’t worry, my redheaded friend. In a flash, the environment is returned to its natural beauty. Roy is happy again. NARRATOR That was only a glimpse at what may happen if we all aren’t wise enough to properly care for our watershed. Roy nods in agreement. 4 BANK OF MARSHLAND (FLORIDA)—MIDDAY Some time has passed since we last saw Roy. Roy, made wiser by recent events, sits in a lawn chair beneath the awning attached to the back of his Airstream trailer. Hitched to that trailer is no longer a gas-guzzling Hummer, but a hybrid. With his laptop in front of him, he surfs the web for information on how to protect the watershed (gaggle.com). NARRATOR (proudly) That’s right. With the right amount of initiative and know- how, you too can help to protect the world’s wetlands through watershed conservation. THE END |