Rainbow Serpents
Short Film
Email: tarapatwardhan@hotmail.com
‘Rainbow Serpents' is a short movie about the comings and goings of time spent at a hippie music festival. It's about friendship, jealousy and impatience. Of course a few illicit substances were thrown in to spice things up. It's about twenty first century dwellers getting reacquainted with the flower children of decades gone by. This is my first ever film script.
Rainbow Serpents (A short film by Tara Patwardhan)
SYNOPSIS‘Rainbow Serpents’ is a short movie about the comings and goings of time spent at a hippie music festival. It’s about friendship, jealousy and impatience. Of course a few illicit substances were thrown in to spice things up. It’s about twenty first century dwellers getting reacquainted with the flower children of decades gone by. This is my first ever film script.
A bunch of sound engineers/deejays and their groupies are gathered at a music festival in Gippsland. The weather is dry and sweltering. A few cars and a caravan are parked under the shade of eucalyptus trees. A couple of tents are set up near the cars. There are deck chairs strewn about. Some sort of marquee as well. You see a lake and decorated dance floor in the distance. You can hear daytime, chill- out music like ‘Unstable Elements’ in the background.
There are six characters in this short film. Farebi Jalebi (25), Tashito (19), Electrypnose (20), Dr. Feelgood (23), Smeagol v/s Packman (32) and Cookie Monster (21). There’s an unsettled vibe in the air. It seems like an argument between the characters, is about to begin.
1. EXT.CAMPSITE.AFTERNOON.Farebi Jalebi, Tashito, Cookie Monster and Smeagol v/s Packman are seated on deck chairs at their campsite. They are munching on lentil burgers and Doritos.
FAREBI JALEBI
(Dropping his burger, standing up and
stomping off)
I’ve had it with this bull shit!TASHITO
(Holding onto her hat and running
after him)
Wait! Stop over-reacting!FAREBI JALEBI
(Getting huffier by the minute)
OVER-REACTING? Really? Am I?TASHITO
Yeah. I really think you are.
Anton and me are just friends.FAREBI JALEBI
Is that so? He’s Anton now, is he?TASHITO
Ummm, yeah… That IS his name.
FAREBI JALEBI
(Jeeringly…)
Stop patronising me! I’ve seen the
way you look at that git!TASHITO
(With exasperation…)
OH MY GOD! Will you stop!?!
You have nothing to be worried about.
I love YOU! He’s just a friend. And
I find him attractive… So what? Why
should you be threatened, Zack? We’re
better than this.FAREBI JALEBI
Haaa! I KNEW you found him attractive!
Who’s the crazy one, now?!Just then Electrypnose (aka Anton) walks past them…
ELECTRYPNOSE
Tasha! Did you hear me play?
How good was I?FAREBI JALEBI
(Getting hysterical…)
CAN’T YOU GET ENOUGH OF HER!
WHY DON’T YOU JUST LEAVE HER ALONE!ELECTRYPNOSE
(Quite confused…)
What…?TASHITO
(Rushing towards Farebi Jalebi
to calm him down)
Shhhh… Take it easy. You’re high!FAREBI JALEBI
No I am NOT!ELECTRYPNOSE
It’s cool, Tash. We all know he’s
an odd ball.FAREBI JALEBI
(Edging towards Electrypnose, but
finding it hard as Tashito’s grip
is pretty firm)
What did you call me, arse-hole?
ELECTRYPNOSE
Oh, so you’re deaf as well, ya dick-
head? I called you an odd ball, which
means loony, barking mad, a mental
hospital runaway!FAREBI JALEBI
(Breaking free and charging towards
Electrypnose)
THAT’S IT! I’M GONNA GET YOU, YOU S.O.B!TASHITO
(Holding her head in her hands)
Ohhhh, no no no no no! RUN, ANTON!
(To herself)
He’s going to pulverise you.We follow Farebi Jalebi chase Electrypnose down the broken road, past the dance-floor, dodging bewildered hippies as they whiz past. They land up at the lake. Electrypnose, with nowhere to run, is beginning to panic a little. Farebi Jalebi swings at him. Electrypnose misses his punch by millimetres. Electrypnose then aims for Farebi Jalebi and scores- right on the stomach. Farebi Jalebi collapses on the sand and we think he’s out cold. Electrypnose uses this opportunity to escape, but in the nick of time, Farebi Jalebi extends his hand out and trips Electrypnose. Getting up, Farebi Jalebi pulls him by the leg and drags him towards the water.
ELECTRYPNOSE
(Screaming…)
HAAAAAAALP! HAAAAAALP!TASHITO
(Rushing in moments later and
tries to break the fight up)
LET HIM GO, ZACK! LET HIM GO, NOW!FAREBI JALEBI
And of course, it’s still all
about HIM!
Tashito is about to yell some more, as Electrypnose whimpers. They manage to lose their footing on the slippery surface and all collapse into the lake.
TASHITO
See, Zack! Look what you’ve done
now!
FAREBI JALEBI
How typical! Blame the nice guy!
2. EXT.DANCE FLOOR.AFTERNOON.
We see a tripped out Dr. Feelgood, on the dance floor, swaying nonchalantly to the music. He’s smoking a camel light cigarette. A fly sits on his forehead and he brushes it away after a few seconds. He’s about to sip on a tall glass of watermelon juice, when Electrypnose, trying to escape Farebi Jalebi, succeeds in knocking the juice out of the glass, and onto his South Park tee shirt.
DR. FEELGOOD
(Clearly bummed out)
Awwww, c’mon, Anton!ELECTRYPNOSE
(Growing fainter as he runs away)
Sorry buddy…Dr. Feelgood decides to go for a stroll. He wanders off to the edge of the party, where the loos are and washes off the remnants of the juice, so as not to attract any more insects. He sees a fairy like creature, with turquoise hair and wings of silver in the distance, towards the woods. Is she real or a figment of his imagination? He wonders… And scampers behind her. Suddenly, there’s a flash of some kind, and a startled Dr. Feelgood, loses his balance and trips on a collection of wires. BOOM! The entire party’s music goes silent (as the wires were the key to all the sound). Panicking, Dr. Feelgood fumbles with the wiring and manages to reconnect it, quickly enough. Voilà, the music is back on. Phew, close one! However, in the confusion, the fairy has disappeared and poor Dr. Feelgood is left alone again.
3. EXT.CAMPSITE.AFTERNOON.
Smeagol v/s Packman and Tashito are sprawled out on a straw mattress, by their tents. Smeagol v/s Packman is rolling a joint, as Tashito looks on with interest.TASHITO
I love the way you make those.
They always taste better when
you make em.SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
The key is strawberry paper,
little one. And why are you
being so nice to me? What d’ya
want?TASHITO
(With fake outrage)
What makes you think I want
something! I’m generally a nice
person.
SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
Haaa! I beg to differ. Look at
the stress you caused my mate,
Zack.
TASHITO
Christ, I can’t get into that again!
You are all a bunch of over-reactors!The party’s music goes off and they pause for a moment, wondering what has happened. Then it comes back on and they
resume their banter.SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
(Sparking up the doobie)
Sure you don’t want anything from me?TASHITO
(Putting on her most winning smile)
Well… Actually… There’s a little
thing…SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
Spit it out, why don’t ya?TASHITO
I was wondering if I could play first
tonight?SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
(Inhaling deeply and passing it
to Tashito)
No, you most certainly cannot.TASHITO
What? Why not? What difference
does it make?SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
It makes a HUGE different. I’m
opening act. It’s always been
that way. You’re new to this
scene. You can’t mess with the
programme.TASHITO
Oh, whatever! It’s good to stir
things up once in a while.
SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
No it’s not. I like order. My
entire night’s planned around
playing first. There’s this tent
I shall be visiting after I’m
done (He smirks at her and winks)TASHITO
(Laughing)
Ok, in that case. You gotta help me
convince that fool, Feelgood to
switch.
SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
We have a deal.Just then Dr. Feelgood, the prodigal son returns. He’s heartily chomping on a lollipop.
TASHITO
Talk of the devil…
Chuck us a few lollies, will
ya? Man, I have the munchies!DR. FEELGOOD
(Throwing her some lollies
out of his pocket)
What were you saying about
me?TASHITO
Aww, nothing. Just how awesome
you are and how lucky any girl
would be to have you?
DR. FEELGOOD
(Clearly pleased)
Really?TASHITO
And how you wouldn’t mind letting
me play before you tonight.DR. FEELGOOD
(Jumping out of his trance)
What?! No! You can’t mess…TASHITO
(Cutting in)
With the programme… Yeah, yeah,
I know!SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
Quit fighting about stupid things
like set times. We’ve got more
important things to worry about.
The weed’s gone missing!
TASHITO
Have you checked inside your
shoe?SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
Duh! Of course I have. That’s
the first place I looked. You
always treat us like idiots.TASHITO
(Bemused)
I wonder why…DR. FEELGOOD
I knew I shouldn’t have left
all of it with you! You’re so
bloody careless!SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
(Getting aggravated)
ME? CARELESS? You’re the one
who can’t stop walking into
walls!DR. FEELGOOD
At least that’s better than
wetting the bed.SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
ONE TIME! ONE SODDING TIME!
Will you ever let that go?
TASHITO
Guys, calm down! There’s no
need to get your knickers in a
twist. I’m sure it’ll turn up.
SMEAGOL V/S PACKMAN
Stop pretending you don’t love
it. We know you’re a drama whore.TASHITO
No, I am NOT! How dare you?Just then a gust of wind blows past, knocking Smeagol v/s Packman’s cowboy hat off his head, revealing a nice, juicy bag of weed. They have a good laugh.
4. EXT.CARAVAN.AFTERNOON.Cookie Monster is lying on the bed, inside the caravan, talking on her mobile phone. She tends to fiddle with the numerous bracelets on her hand, a lot. A can of beer lies opened next to her. She slides the phone higher and begins lighting an incense stick.
COOKIE MONSTER
I’m loving it!(She pauses and hmms
a bit). It’s so beautiful out
here. The costumes, the colours…
Insane. But the heat’s
getting to me. (She pauses
again, listening to the speaker
on the phone). No I haven’t.
SPF 40, mum!(With irritation)
I really have things under
control, you know!
Yeah, she’s fine……… What? Yeah,
she loved it. Swear she did.
Now? Hang on, I’ll get her.
(Reluctantly, she rises
from the bed, walks towards the
door and turns the knob)
Shit! What? Nothing, mother.
Arrrgh, this wretched door won’t
open. Uhhh, yeah I have.
I AM turning it the right way.
Jeez! You know what? I’m
hanging up now. Yes,
I’ll call before Dad comes home.
(She slams the flip phone shut
and exhales a cry of agony)
Fuck, this goddamn thing! OPEN!
(She screams out to her friends,
whilst banging on the door)
HAAAAAALP! GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!!
Up beat music gradually fades out her screaming. The camera pulls back and we are taken to the outside of the caravan, which seems to be vibrating, with her banging and yells for help. We see Tash, Smeagol v/s Packman and Dr. Feelgood arguing away, completely oblivious to Cookie Monster’s predicament. As the camera pulls out even further we see Farebi Jalebi continuing to chase Electrypnose and heading straight for their very neatly set up campsite… Fade out…
~THE END~
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