Screenplay [Shourtney]

Scene 1 - The Pitch

Hey, how you guys doing?

Man, it feels so good to be back and writing again. I've been busier than ever, and a month off of here was truly so helpful in inspiring me to write fanfiction again. I'm glad to be back and writing!

Anyway, for now, let's start with Courtney's POV and see ya!

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JANUARY 2025

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"You look gorgeous, sweetie," Laura remarks as she finishes tying up my hair. "Look at you! All dazzled up and ready to hit the party."

"The only thing I kinda wanna hit is the hay, to be honest," I reply, sighing. "Thanks for this though, Laura! I hope that by now, our client finally understands what it means to have a neat hairstyle for a period drama."

"Oh, dear, they just wanna be included in every gosh darn thing, don't they?" she mumbles, making me chuckle. "Get them out with a punch, honey. Tristan, Penny, and I will see you in a bit."

I take my clipboard and look at myself in the mirror on my desk. Laura's the best hairstylist in this entire building, and she managed to make me feel like Keira Knightley running through some meadow with some bright green dress. It's really essential that the hair for a period drama is done perfectly, because that's how people back then did it. I show the Kardashian agent my hair, and he takes notes before we reach to a consensus that the Kardashian-Jenner family will not be creating a period drama. Too much work, they said, but they've done a whole fake reality show already so I don't really understand how they're complaining about too much work.

"Hey, Courtney!" Beatrice greets me in the hallway, pushing up her glasses as she walks with me to the conference room. "We have a lot of stuff to do this weekend, but I was hoping if you could come to my baby shower this Saturday? It's nothing crazy, just a family-friendly thing."

"Girl, you know me, I got you," I assure her, taking the invitation from her hands and reading it. "Ooh, free tacos? RSVPs don't mean a thing."

"That's why I love you, Court!" she exclaims before squeezing my arm, giving me a hug, and heading into the break room.

I arrive at the conference room just in time to lay out the handouts of today's presentation. I was honestly a bit nervous about this, because this is just the first time someone told me to write a major film. Sure, I've been working for this place ever since I started getting my degree in film, but when you skip a college year for being capable already about film stuff and graduate early... everyone has high expectations. Look at that two-year degree holder go, she has a plate full of opportunities ahead of her. Once she writes a blockbuster, she has enough money to send her grandkids to college.

The pressure is real. I didn't really expect myself to be the stellar kid in class, but when you've worked for years with people who studied in film for years... you have nothing to lose but your pride. Karl Marx said that, I think. No... probably not...

"So good afternoon, everybody," I practice saying as I set my laptop up for the presentation. "My name is Courtney Miller, I have been working here since January 2024, and it is my absolute pleasure... honor... thing, to, uh, be here, presenting to you the next Best Picture of 2027."

That sounded stupid. Again. "How is everyone doing? I'm Courtney Miller, your resident, um, weirdo..."

Again. "Hi, hey, how are you all doing? I'm Courtney Miller, and I'm here with a--- you know what, we'll get to it when we get to it."

I take a few deep breaths. I've been to VidCon. I've gone to a bunch of presentations. I've went on tour too. Sure, this is just my absolute dream: to write a film I've written for most of my life. It's alright, I tell myself as my co-workers and supervisors enter the conference room, greeting me with either a smile or a hug. I've done this many times now, but the one difference is that I'm writing the film. And if it goes well, it'll be produced. And I don't even know what's gonna happen after this presentation goes well.