In Control - Updated Screenplay

 Here is the working model for the new screenplay for 'In Control' -- I have edited the vast majority of the screenplay, cutting out the unnecessary dialogue and scenes whilst adding a more visual development of Jess' character. 

‘In Control’ Screenplay

SCENE ONE - INT: BEDROOM

[JESS is asleep, she stirs - she sits up and gets her phone out. She scrolls through photos of ‘thinspiration’ on social media - photos of underweight girls. As JESS looks at the photo’s, she looks like she's in some sort of trance]

[JESS gets out of bed, then starts looking in the mirror: she lifts her pyjama top and checks her belly, pinching at ‘fat’. She then does the same with her legs, before trying to wrap her hand around the top of her arm. (Body checking) As JESS body checks, she looks distraught, on the verge of crying - disappointed? Angry? Hopeless?]

[MONTAGE: JESS is shown to be exercising in her bedroom - situps and star jumps, the plank, etc. She is shown to be exhausted afterwards, falling to the floor.]

END OF SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO - INT:KITCHEN

[JESS and MUM are sat at the dinner table. MUM is eating her food, whilst JESS is pushing it around her plate, clearly uncomfortable. MUM is watching JESS - looking disappointed]

MUM

Jess - are you going to eat that?

JESS

No.

MUM

(sighs) Why not honey? Don’t you like it?

JESS

I’m not hungry

[JESS gets up from the table, storming out of the kitchen. She is clearly distraught. MUM appears to be worried about her daughter, and almost accepting defeat.]

END OF SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE - INT:BEDROOM

***SILENCE OTHER THAN DIEGETIC SOUND

[JESS wakes up, counting calories? -- long lasting shots of her getting out of bed and body checking - she appears to be lethargic, a shell of a person - completely devoid of emotion. Shorter montage of her doing sit ups in front of the mirror before getting out a tape measure and measuring her arm and thigh. She then pulls out the draw under her bed.]

[The draw contains Uni Prospectus’ - the thing that is motivating JESS for the future. Tweets/Quotes appear as the audience realise she is thinking about the student’s in the photographs and how they are only happy because they are thin. FLASHBACKS of JESS as she body checks - with tweets overlapping.]

[JESS appears to be sad, hopeless - it is obvious she wants to go to university and getting better, her illness is stopping her; JESS sits on the floor, flicking through her favourite uni’s booklet - starting at each page longingly. She has a protein bar in the draw - picks it up and looks at it - as though she is considering eating it. She shakes her head, putting it back into the draw and pushing it back under the bed.]

END OF SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR - THERAPY

EXT:DR FORD’S OFFICE

[JESS stands outside FORD’s office, she raises her fist - hesitating before knocking. She takes a moment, glancing around - trying to get ahold of herself. She knocks after an extended period of time. FORD opens the door.]

FORD

Hi, Jess - come in

[JESS walks into FORD’s office and sits down. He closes the door behind her.]

INT:DR FORD’S OFFICE

[a small room - two chairs facing each other - JESS is sat on one, DR FORD on the other. DR FORD is writing something down in a notepad - JESS appears anxious, playing with her fingers]

FORD:

Jess, I'm going to be honest with you here

JESS:

okay

FORD:

you have lost 4 kilos in the past two weeks, and I can tell that you are not getting any better mentally. [JESS bites her lip anxiously, FORD looks serious, almost pained with what he is about to say] I am considering admitting you to an inpatient facility

JESS:

[Obviously shocked, horrified and worried] what? Why? I'm not even underweight anymore!

FORD:

you may not be underweight but you will be if you carry on like this, and besides, the anorexic mechanisms are still very strong. [pauses] I spoke to your mum yesterday

FORD:

[sighs] Jess, your mum and dad don't think you’re going to get any better. In fact your mum told me she feels as though she is watching fade away right there in front of them, and they can't do anything to stop it

JESS:

what do you mean?

FORD:

your mum believes if you are not admitted as an inpatient then you might die within the next year

[JESS appears shocked, hurt by what FORD said.]

JESS
Why would she say that?

FORD

Your mother believes you are not willing to recover - that the only option is to give you the tube

[JESS appears stressed - jigging her knee and fiddling with her hair]

JESS:

I just - I don't see the point in getting better

FORD:

[leans forward] and why is that?

JESS:

I'm only going to be more miserable, I'm never going to get to do anything on that list you made me write - I just, I think it's all pointless

FORD:

but why do you think those things, Jess?

JESS:

[shrugs] I don't know

FORD:

that's your anorexia, Jess. It's making you feel as though you don't have a purpose other than counting calories and losing weight. If you commit to recovering now - really put your all into it - you will have a chance at being happy

JESS:

but I'll be fat [sounds defeated]

FORD:

will not let you get above a BMI of 21 - you will not be fat, you'll be healthy. If you don't listen to me - you'll end up in hospital or you'll die. And then you really won't achieve anything on that list

[Jess bites her lip, thinking and considering]

END OF SCENE FOUR

FADE OUT

END OF FILM -- CREDITS