Music Tech

Music Tech

Fade In

INT. – OUTSIDE JJ’S HOTEL ROOM – MORNING

SANDRA, mid-thirties, is standing outside the hotel room. She talks into the camera.

SANDRA
Hi. I’m Sandra Grove and today I’m here to meet up and coming indie-rock band ‘Chasing Shadows’ as they record their debut album ‘As Far As They Reach’.

SANDRA turns and knocks on the door. JJ, eighteen, opens the door.

SANDRA (continued)
Hi, there.

JJ (smiling)
Hey. We’ve been expecting you. Come on in.

JJ holds the door open. The camera follows SANDRA as she walks inside the hotel room. JJ closes the door.

Cut to
INT. – JJ’S HOTEL ROOM – MORNING

JJ and SANDRA stand in the middle of the room. BENNY, seventeen, is sitting with his back against the settee. He has a guitar in his hands. APRIL and ZACK, both seventeen, are standing next to the television.

JJ
This is Benny. As you can see, he’s our guitarist.

BENNY
(puts hand up to them) Hey.

JJ
(points to APRIL) That’s my gorgeous girlfriend, April. She happens to be our bassist.

APRIL
Hi.

JJ
And last but not least, we have Zack. (pauses) What do

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you do again?

ZACK (sighing)
Hilarious, JJ.

BENNY
He’s our drummer.

JJ
(turns to face the camera) He’s a bit shy.

Cut to
INT. – RECORDING STUDIO – MORNING

JJ is standing in the middle of the room, singing into a microphone. He has a seat of headphones on. He finishes singing the song, then he removes the headphones and faces the camera.

JJ
I think my voice sounded dodgy towards the end there.

Cut to
INT. – HOTEL CAFÉ – MORNING

JJ and SANDRA are sitting at a table together, with SANDRA conducting an interview with JJ.

SANDRA
You’ve all known each other a very long time. What made you decide to form a band?

JJ
Well we’ve always shared a love of music. I love writing songs and performing. One day, we thought we’d give it a shot. Look at us now.

Cut to
INT. – RECORDING STUDIO – MORNING

BENNY is standing in the middle of the room, playing the guitar to the song that JJ was previously singing. He has a set of headphones on.

Cut to
INT. – HOTEL CAFÉ – MORNING

BENNY and SANDRA are sitting at a table together, with SANDRA conducting an interview with BENNY.

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SANDRA
What’s it like playing at gigs? And what is the largest crowd you’ve ever played to?

BENNY
Gigs are amazing. I love them. I think it’s a great feeling knowing that the people in the crowd are there to see you. They’re our amazing fans. The largest crowd we’ve ever played to was about a thousand people. Normally, we get around six hundred, which is a decent sized crowd. We’ve got another gig in a few days, which’ll be good.

Cut to
INT. – RECORDING STUDIO – AFTERNOON

APRIL is standing in the middle of the room, playing the bass to the song that JJ had sung to previously. She has a set of headphones on.

Cut to
INT. – HOTEL CAFÉ – AFTERNOON

APRIL and SANDRA are sitting at a table together, with SANDRA conducting an interview with APRIL.

SANDRA
You’ve been on tour quite a lot these past few months. Do you find yourself missing the people back home?

APRIL
Touring is quite hectic. You don’t get a lot of time to yourself to think about that really. I miss my family, but I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do and for that, I am happy.

Cut to
INT. – RECORDING STUDIO – AFTERNOON

ZACK is sitting in the middle of the room, playing the drums to the song that JJ previously sung. He has a set of headphones on, with a pair of drumsticks in his hands.

Cut to
INT. – HOTEL CAFÉ – AFTERNOON

ZACK and SANDRA are sitting at a table together, with SANDRA conducting an interview with ZACK.


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SANDRA
You’ve all got squeaky clean reputations. There must be something you’ve done that you’re not telling us.

ZACK
(smiles) No. There’s nothing secret about us. We just like to have a laugh and make good music…

Opening Titles

Cut to
EXT – FRONT OF COLLEGE – MORNING

Students are walking towards the main entrance, whilst others are locking up their bikes in the bike shed. JJ, BENNY, APRIL and ZACK are walking towards the main entrance. JJ is holding APRIL’S hand. They pass a group of girls, who scream in excitement. JJ puts his hand up to them.

BENNY
(faces JJ) Why do you get all the attention?

JJ
Because I’m amazing.

They walk inside the building. FREDDIE, seventeen, comes onto the grounds. He has his rucksack on his back. He stops and looks at the main entrance. He takes a deep breath, then walks towards it. School bell rings.

Cut to
INT. - MR SMITH’S CLASSROOM - MORNING

JJ, BENNY, APRIL and ZACK are sitting at computers, along with three students. There is a spare computer next to JJ. Headphones are connected to each of the computers. MR SMITH, late thirties, is standing at the front of the class with FREDDIE, who is standing nervously.

MR SMITH
All right, everyone. I’d like to introduce you to Freddie.

FREDDIE puts his hand up to them.

MR SMITH (continued)
He shall be joining us from now on. Please be kind to him and treat him with the respect that he deserves. (faces

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FREDDIE) You may sit down.

FREDDIE walks across the room and he sits next to JJ, who nods to him.

FREDDIE (whispering)
Hey.

MR SMITH
I have taken some of the thriller opening sequences made by the Media studies students and stripped the sound off them. I want you all to try and compose your own soundtrack for them. Work your magic, people.

They all switch the computer monitors on and put on the headphones. They load up the correct software and begin composing the soundtracks. JJ watches FREDDIE as he begins work on his own.

JJ
Some decent work you’ve got going on there.

FREDDIE
(removes the headphones) Sorry?

JJ
I was just saying that you’ve got some pretty decent work going on there.

FREDDIE (smiling)
Thanks.

JJ
You’re Freddie, right?

FREDDIE nods.

JJ (continued)
I’m JJ.

FREDDIE
You look familiar. You’re the lead singer of Chasing Shadows.

JJ
That’s me.

FREDDIE
You’re playing a gig tonight, aren’t you?

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JJ
Yeah. Just down the road. Sold about five hundred tickets so far. (brings out a ticket) Take this.

FREDDIE takes hold of the ticket.

FREDDIE
Aw, dude are you sure? I can pay if you want?

JJ
Nah, it’s cool. Think of it as a gesture of good will.

Cut to
INT. - COLLEGE CANTEEN - MORNING

JJ, BENNY, APRIL and ZACK are sitting at a table, talking to each other. There is a spare seat at the table. JULIAN and CHRISSIE, both seventeen, are standing close to JJ’S table. JULIAN rubs CHRISSIE’S arm.
FREDDIE walks to a vending machine. He puts some money inside it and makes a selection. A can of coke comes out of it. FREDDIE picks up the can, opens it and takes a sip. JJ looks across to FREDDIE.

JJ (loudly)
Freddie! Over here!

FREDDIE turns around. He sees JJ sitting at the table with BENNY, APRIL and ZACK, and walks over to them.

JJ (continued)
Freddie, my man. Take a seat.

FREDDIE
(sits at the table) Cheers.

JJ
Freddie, I’d like you to meet Benny, April and Zack.

FREDDIE
Hi. (takes a sip of drink) Great fan of the music.

JJ smiles.

APRIL
So, what made you come here?

FREDDIE
I have no idea actually. My Mum said we were moving, so

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here I am.

ZACK
That’s a little weird.

BENNY (nods in agreement)
Yeah.

They hear the noise of CHRISSIE slapping JULIAN across the face. The room falls silent, and all the students turn to face them.

CHRISSIE (angrily)
What is your fucking problem?! Keep your hands to yourself, yeah?

JULIAN
Calm down. I was only joking.

CHRISSIE
Prick.

CHRISSIE storms off. The room fills with chatter again. FREDDIE takes another sip of drink. He becomes aware that
JJ is glaring at JULIAN. APRIL looks across to BENNY and he nods.

BENNY
(faces FREDDIE)I’ll show you around.

FREDDIE and BENNY get to their feet.

FREDDIE
It was nice meeting you.

APRIL
And you.

FREDDIE puts his rucksack on his back, then he walks away with BENNY. JJ faces APRIL. She realizes his intention.

Cut to
INT. - COLLEGE CORRIDOR - MORNING

FREDDIE and BENNY are walking slowly down the corridor. FREDDIE has his hands inside his trouser pockets.

FREDDIE
Why’d JJ go funny back there?

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BENNY
He hates people like that. There’s nothing to worry about. He’ll be fine soon.

FREDDIE
Do you know the girl?

BENNY
Her name’s Chrissie. We’re in the same Drama group. Her biggest problem is that she never knows when to shut up.

Cut to
INT. – COLLEGE LIBRARY - MORNING

JJ and APRIL are standing in an empty aisle, quietly talking to each other. APRIL has a textbook in her hands.

APRIL (whispering)
You can’t honestly expect me to do this, JJ.

JJ
Oh, come on. You know I wouldn’t ask you to get involved if I didn’t think there was another way. (pauses) He can’t get away with treating people like this.

APRIL (sighs)
All right. I’ll do it.

JJ
Thanks, babe. I love you.

JJ leans forward and kisses APRIL on the lips. She responds. JJ pulls away.

JJ (continued)
I’m not expected back in lesson for a few minutes yet. Wanna have some fun?

APRIL smiles. She puts the textbook on a shelf. She walks towards the door. JJ smiles as he walks after her.

Cut to
INT. – OUTSIDE THE BOYS TOILETS – AFTERNOON

FREDDIE is standing with his back against the wall, listening to music on his iPod. He is waiting for BENNY to finish in the toilet. BECKY, seventeen, walks down the corridor. She smiles at FREDDIE as she passes him. BENNY comes out from the toilet. FREDDIE takes the headphones