A perfect normal day script version 6

A perfect normal day
By
Xiaoyu Liu
xiaoyu.liu2012@ntu.ac.uk
(+44)07709 712736



EXT. STREET OF NOTTINGHAM DAY
It’s a typical cloudy and moody Wednesday morning in a quiet
neighborhood in Nottingham UK. ANN, 67, just goes back home
with two bags of groceries in her hands.
A young couple walks pass her, they are Ann’s neighbor
Mr.and Mrs. Li.
MRS.LI
Hi Mrs. Russell,How are you?
Ann gives them a brush off, she keeps her head down, walks
even faster.
IN. ANN’S HOUSE DOORWAY DAY
She fishes out keys from her pocket, opens the door.
ANN
Am home. I got Ravioli today. That
check out boy was...( roll eyes and
sigh) The voucher had just expired
two days ago. God the room is
filthy.
Ann takes off her coat, starts to do the cleaning. She wipes
the dinning table, mops the floor and waters the plants on
the table. (MONTAGE SEQUENCE)
ANN
At long last someone came to pick
up that dog. How many times has
that stupid mutt ruined your orchid
and yet that Greek woman just
rattles on about how isn’their
little Bobby so adorable? (mimic
her voice) Guess what,she had a
stroke and may not be able to walk
again. (gloating)
Ann sits on the sofa, takes several pills out from a box on
the tea table and swallows them. She looks out of the
window, sighs.
2.
INT.ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Someone’s knocking at the door.
ANN
Who is it?
JOEY
Postman, open the door please.
Ann slowly walks towards the door and opens it with a
impatient countenance on her face. Outside is a postman,
JOEY, 30. Today is the first day of work in this
neighborhood.
JOEY
Good morning
ANN
I don’t know you. where has
MR.Miller gone?
JOEY
MR.Miller retired last week.He
asked me to keep an eye on you and
I am Joey, nice to see you.
ANN
I don’t like you young man.
Wait..You look familiar.You must be
some kind of wanted man on tele!
JOEY
No no no madam I am definitely
not.I am Joey[U+FF0C]Joey Smith.
Nice to see you.
Joey doesn’t seem to be upset with the comment,instead, he
looks at Ann with a gentle smile.
ANN
Oh my God stop that smile.You’d
better watch out young man, I don’t
think you wanna mess up with my
husband,right Martin?
Ann pauses for half minute, but there is no response. She
then grabs the box and shuts the door.
Ann opens the box, it appears to be a silk scarves from her
niece Rachel.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
ANN
Guess what is it Martin? silk
scarves from Rachel. Oh right she
went to Italy with her husband for
honeymoon. Have you ever heard a
man allergies to everything? Last
time they came over for dinner a
cockroach scared the hell out of
him.ennn.. Does it suit me?
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM EVENING
Ann is sitting on the sofa with an old photo album on her
hands,the television is on.
ANN
Look at you in that uniform, what
year was that? 1963? It really has
been a long time.
CAMERA ZOOM IN, CLOSE UP TO ANN’S FACE. IT IS TENDERNESS IN
HER FACE WHEN SHE LOOKS AT THE OLD PHOTO FROM ALBUM.
The camera moves on the wall, there’s a old newspaper
clipping with the headline: "Local fire fighter,37,died
after saving 3 people’s lifes"
Fade to black
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
ANN opens the door, Joey is standing outside with a big
piece of cake on his hand.
JOEY
Morning Mrs.Russell.
ANN
What?
JOEY
My mum made this strawberry cheese
cake, please have a try
Mrs.Russell!
ANN
You call it cake? Don’t make me
laugh young man. I don’t wanna end
up in hospital.
Ann shuts the door. Joey looks at the cake, shrugs
4.
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Ann is standing by the window, Joey walks pass.
JOEY
Good morning Mrs.Russell
Ann doesn’t reply, she turns around and draws the curtains.
EXT.THE PAVEMENT OUTSIDE ANN’S HOUSE DAY
Ann is on her way back home with two bags of groceries on
her hands. She is a little short of breath. Joey
JOEY
Let me help you Mrs. Russell.
Joey takes the bags before Ann responds him. Ann looks at
him, feels touched.
INT.ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Ann’s watching at the newspaper. Someone knocks at the door.
Ann opens the door, Joey stands outside with a painful face.
JOEY
Hi Mrs. Russell, I just fell down
and hurt my ankle, can I sit awhile
in your home?
ANN
Come on in. I got something for
you.
JOEY
Thank you Mrs.Russell.
ANN
You can call me Ann.
The kettle is boiling. Ann makes tea for Joey. They sit on
the sofa, start chatting.(With background music) Ann seems
less defensive and for the first time in years, she smiles.
FADE TO BLACK
Type words
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
"It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn’t make
everything all right. It didn’t make anything all right.
Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in
the wake of a startled bird’s flight.
But I will take it. With open arms. Because when spring
comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I
just witnessed the first flake melting."
’The kite runner’--Khaled Hosseini

Location hunting log

Location can be a key point of filming. In my story "A perfect normal day“, the leading character Ann is a elderly lady who lives in a old and shabby detached house. In order to find the location with a limited budget I made a effort on liaison. Belong is the log of finding a suitable location:

12-06-2013  

Ask course mate Tango and Gao about house but they are planning to move to a apartment next month, not suitable for target house. 

17-06-2013

Ask friend Shellina

Shellina's mom got a house but is under decoration, not available under September.

02-07-2013

Ask tutor Roger

Roger will consider about this but doesn't reply since. 

05-07-2013

Ask student servers (accommodation)

House under renovation, not available until September. 

08-07-2013

Ask agency " come 2 Nottingham"

Only house available is under bad condition,  £100 for 2 days.

12-07-2013

Ask course mate Saadet, she gave me her friend Una's number.

14-07-2013

Contact with Una and she showed me pictures of her house.

16-07-2013

Visit Una's house

Interviews of Female director Ann Hui (About film the way we are)

A perfect normal day script version 5

A perfect normal day
By
Xiaoyu Liu
xiaoyu,liu2012@ntu.ac.uk



07709 712736
EXT. STREET OF NOTTINGHAM DAY
It’s a typical cloudy and moody Wednesday morning in a quiet
neighborhood in Nottingham UK. ANN, 58, just goes back home
with two bags of groceries in her hands.
IN. ANN’S HOUSE DOORWAY DAY
She fishes out keys from her pocket, opens the door.
ANN
Am home. I got us Ravioli for
dinner.That check out boy He’s got
a nerve...The voucher had just
expired two days ago. How
ridiculous was that? Look how
filthy the room is..cleaning for us
today.
Ann takes off her coat, starts to do the cleaning. She wipes
the dinning table, mops the floor and waters the plants on
the table. (MONTAGE SEQUENCE)
ANN
At long last someone came to pick
up that yapping little dog.How many
times has that stupid mutt slunk
into our garden and ruined your
orchid and yet that Greek woman
just rattles on about how isn’their
little Bobby so adorable? Guess
what,she had a stroke and may not
be able to walk again. Some people
might say she brought it on
herself.
Ann walks into the bedroom, takes several pills out from a
box on the bedstand and swallows them. She looks out of the
window, sighs.
INT.ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Someone’s knocking at the door.
ANN
Who is it?
JOEY
Postman, open the door please.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
Ann slowly walks towards the door and opens it with a
impatient countenance on her face. Outside is a postman,
JOEY, 21. Today is the first day of work.
JOEY
Good morning
ANN
I don’t know you. where has
MR.Miller gone?
JOEY
MR.Miller retired last week.He
asked me to keep an eye on you and
I am Joey, nice to see you.
ANN
I don’t like you young man. With
your furtive eyes and sullen face.
Wait..You look familiar.You must be
some kind of robber or swindler on
the tele!
JOEY
No madam I am definitely not.I am
Joey and today is my first day.Nice
to see you.
Joey doesn’t seem to be upset with the comment, in fact, he
looks at Ann with a gentle smile.
ANN
Oh my God stop that creepy
smile.You’d better watch out young
man, I don’t think you wanna mess
up with my husband,right Martin?
Ann pauses for half minute, but there is no response. She
then grabs the box and shuts the door.
Ann opens the box, it appears to be a silk scarves from her
niece Rachel.
ANN
Guess what is it Martin? silk
scarves from Rachel. Oh right she
went to China with her weedy little
husband for honeymoon. Have you
ever heard a man allergies to
everything? Last time they came
over for dinner a roache scared the
hell out of him. What a pussy...
what do you think..? is it good on
me?
3.
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM EVENING
Ann is sitting on the sofa with an old photo album on her
hands,the television is on.
ANN
Look at you in that uniform, what
year was that? 1963? It really has
been a long time.
CAMERA ZOOM IN, CLOSE UP TO ANN’S FACE. IT IS TENDERNESS IN
HER FACE WHEN SHE LOOKS AT THE OLD PHOTO FROM ALBUM.
The camera moves on the wall, there’s a old newspaper
clipping with the headline: "Local fire fighter,37,died
after saving 3 people’s lifes"
Fade to black
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
ANN opens the door, Joey is standing outside with a big
piece of cake on his hand.
JOEY
Morning Mrs.Russell.
ANN
What?
JOEY
My mum made this strawberry cheesy
cake, please have a try
Mrs.Russell!
ANN
You call it cake? Don’t make me
laugh young man. I don’t wanna end
up in hospital.
Ann shuts the door. Joey looks at the cake, shrugges
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Ann is standing by the window, Joey walks pass.
JOEY
Good morning Mrs.Russell
Ann doesn’t reply, she turns around and draws the curtains.
4.
EXT.THE PAVEMENT OUTSIDE ANN’S HOUSE DAY
Ann is on her way back home with two bags of groceries on
her hands. She is a little short of breath. Joey
JOEY
Let me help you Mrs. Russell.
Joey takes the bags before Ann responds him. Ann looks at
him, feels touched.
INT.ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Ann’s watching at the newspaper. Someone knocks at the door.
Ann opens the door, Joey stands outside with a painful face.
JOEY
Hi Mrs. Russell, I just fell down
and hurt my ankle, can I sit awhile
in your home?
ANN
Come on in. I got some ointment for
you.
JOEY
Thank you Mrs.Russell.
ANN
You can call me Ann.
The kettle is boiling. Ann makes tea for Joey. They sit on
the sofa, start chatting.(With background music) Ann seems
less defensive and for the first time in years, she smiles.
JOEY
I am feeling much better, thank you
very much, and also, I just a nice
time chatting with you.
Joey walk out of Ann’s house with a limp, but after Ann
closes her door, he immediately walks as normal.
INT. ANN’S LIVING ROOM DAY
Ann closes the door with a smile on her face.
ANN
Clever move,son!
Fade to black

Article review: < Feminist film thory > by Anneke Smelik

In this article Anneke retrospect the rudimentary stage of the feminist concept of films. “Early feminist criticism was directed at stereotype of women, mostly in Hollywood’s films (Haskell 1973; Rosen1973) such fixed and endlessly repeated image of women were considered to be objectionable distortions that would have a negative impact on the female spectator.” She then gave further explanations by citing standpoints of famous feminist theorists such as Laura Mulvey’s ‘male gaze’ from her book < Visual pleasure and narrative cinema>, the early “counter-cinema” feminist point of views from Chental Akerman, Peter Wollen and Sally Porter.

“A feminist critic who also approached the question of female desire within psychoanalytic discourse was Kaja Silverman(1988).Drawing on Lacanian psychoanalyses, Silverman argued that each subject is structured by lack or symbolic castration. In western culture it is, however, the female subject who is made to bear the burden of that lack in order to provide the male subject with the illusion of wholeness and unity.” Anneke described the “ woman desire” from feminist subject.  As an important part of my research I believe that only when there is a fully understanding of “women” and respect the natural distinctions can it be raised to the level of gender equality. Women have their special need, particularly on sentiments. In Chinese cinema it became a history of battle that women’s desire and liberation against traditional paternity and feudalism. In contemporary Chinese films humanistic concern is the major point. Although the tough time of wars and revolution have gone, the unique situation and the one child policy changes people’s life style and family structure completely. Woman nowadays are undertaking the arduous task of jobs, social responsibility and still, taking care of the family. In the film <Gone is the one> the female leading is the representative of modern women. she takes care of her sick mother and keep working hard as a writer, however, she could not get any support from her husband. The women’s desire of two generations are well set in this film.  

Seven Characteristics Mark China's Ageing Population

Report from newpaper as a background research of my story “a perfect normal day" 

A report issued by the China National Committee on Ageing states China entered an 'Ageing Society' in 1999. China has the largest number of aged population in the world, accounting for one-fifth of the global aged population.

The report estimates China is experiencing a speeding-up of the ageing process.

From 2001 to 2100, the population's ageing process can be divided into three phases. The first is from 2001 to 2020 in which the Chinese population's ageing speed will be fast. The second phase is from 2021 to 2050 in which the population's ageing speed in China will be faster than in the previous decade. The third phase is from 2051 to 2100 in which China will be a stable, seriously ageing society.

The pressure of an ageing society in China is becoming more and more apparent.

[guangzhou.gov.cn]

The report points out that compared to other countries, China's ageing society has the following characteristics.

China has a huge number of aged population. In 2004, the population older than 60 years in China was 143 million. It will reach 200 million in 2014, 300 million in 2026, 400 million in 2037, and it will reach its largest number in 2051, after which it will be stable between 300 million and 400 million.

According to United Nations' estimates, China will always be the country with the one of the largest numbers of aged population in the world, accounting for one-fifth of the global aged population before 2050. In the second half of the 21st century, China will be the second largest country after India in number of aged population.

The speed of growth of the ageing population in China is rapid. It usually takes more than 45 years for developed countries to reach a population proportion of elderly above 65 changing from 7 to 14 percent. However, it has taken China only 27 years to complete this process of change, and its quickening will remain rapid.

China's ageing situation is not balanced over the whole country. The ageing process is more serious in eastern areas than western areas. Shanghai was China's earliest city to enter an ageing society which started in 1979, that is 33 years earlier than the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region which entered an ageing society in 2012.

There is a sharp difference between rural and urban areas. The population's ageing level in rural areas is 1.24 percent higher than in urban areas. The situation of rural areas containing more aged persons than urban areas won't change until 2040. This is one of the areas where it is apparent China's ageing situation is very different from that of developed countries.

The aged population of women is larger than men. At present, there are 4.64 million more aged women than aged men. The difference of the population between aged women and aged men will reach a peak of 26.45 million in 2049. During the second half of the 21st century, there will be 17 million to 19 million more aged women than aged men. In addition, among the number of aged women that surpass aged men, it is estimated between 50 percent to 70 percent are women over 80 years.


China's ageing process is faster than its modernization process. Many developed countries entered the state of being an ageing society after they became affluent or well-developed. It's called "Affluence before Ageing”. China, however, entered an ageing society before it became affluent or well-developed, which is called 'Ageing before Affluence'. GDP per capita in developed countries when they entered ageing society reached on average between US$ 5,000 and US$10,000 but the GDP per capita in China when it entered an ageing society was just above US$1,000, which is the level of a country with an income lower than 'moderate' level. The financial capability of China to confront the costs of an ageing society is rather weak.

(Source: china.com.cn/ Translated and edited by womenofchina.cn)