fetch by sam gill
TRANSCRIPT
FETCH
EXT. SPACE
TWIN GIGANTIC YELLOW STARS fill the frame. They dance, forever locked in each other’s orbit. Mountains of silent flame leap between them.
They’re catastrophically beautiful.
We reverse slowly through a window until we find ourselves inside---
INT. SPACESHIP, CREW MEMBER QUARTERS - CONTINUOUS
--- a cabin so tiny that a broom closet would be an upgrade.
A WEATHERED GREEN TENNIS BALL drips with DROOL, held by an off-camera man.
An IMMEASURABLY CUTE DOG sits, staring at the ball. He’s trying to be patient, but his whole body shakes with anticipation. His eyes dart between the ball and his Master.
His MASTER, a young man in his early 20s, wears a disheveled crew uniform with the same fondness a baby might wear a bib.
MASTERReady, boy?
The Dog’s head jackhammers up and down, as if to say “YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!!!”
The ball is thrown---
INT. SPACESHIP, A LOUNGE - CONTINUOUS
On a FUTURISTIC TV a sportsman plays tennis.
The DOG’S TENNIS BALL flies into shot and bounces off the TV as if the sportsman’s hit it himself! The TV crowd CHEER---
INT. SPACESHIP, GALLERY - CONTINUOUS
A QUITE OVERPRICED PORTRAIT OF MODERN ART hangs crookedly.
RICH PEOPLE (O.S.)(unimpressed)
Hmm...
The tennis ball flies into shot and bounces off a corner of the portrait, straightening it---
RICH PEOPLE (O.S.) (CONT’D)(now ‘getting’ the art)
Oooh!!!
INT. SPACESHIP, HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
In SLOW MOTION, the Dog SNATCHES the ball right out of the air!
INT. SPACESHIP, CREW QUARTERS - MOMENTS LATER
The Dog drops the ball at his Master’s feet and sits like a good boy.
The Master picks up the ball, smiles and THROWS it again.
This time we hold on the Master’s face, watching him react to the Dog’s off-screen journey. He WINCES, stifles a LAUGH and hides his face in his hands.
The Dog returns with the ball in his mouth, tail wagging proudly.
The Master grins and nods to the “ball”... The Dog looks down and realizes he’s got AN APPLE in his mouth.
...He swallows it.
INT. SPACESHIP, ATRIUM - MOMENTS LATER
A luxurious spit roast pig platter is being served by a WAITER to an ENTIRELY-WAY-TOO-RICH LADY. In the pig’s mouth sits the DROOL COVERED TENNIS BALL.
The lady sees the ball and gasps! The waiter grins meekly.
The Dog SOARS THROUGH THE FRAME, snatching the ball---
INT. SPACESHIP, CREW QUARTERS - MOMENTS LATER
The Dog faithfully drops the ball at his Master’s feet. The Master picks up the ball and rubs his Dog’s face.
Dog and Master grin at each other. Best friends. Family.
MASTERYou and me are so gettin’ thrown out the air-lock. ...You can doggy-paddle in space, right?
2.
The Dog nods in affirmation and the Master casually throws the ball straight up in the air...
It floats back down in SLOW MOTION. The TWIN STARS through the window silhouette the ball as it descends.
MONSTROUS DUAL FLARES suddenly whip out from the stars, LASHING AT THE SHIP just as the tennis ball lands back in the Master’s hand!
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
The ship SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY AS A MASSIVE EXPLOSION ROARS from off-camera! The cabin LURCHES to one side, CATAPULTING EVERYTHING ACROSS THE ROOM!
The Master lets go of the tennis ball to grab the Dog, who in turn grabs the ball.
ROBOTIC VOICE (OVER COMMS)(too calm, in that way computers tend to be)
Full evacuation. Full evacuation. All passengers and crew to life pods. Full evacuation, full eva---
The Master holds his Dog tight as the ship GROANS AND SHAKES.
MASTERIt’s okay, boy. Light feet. Here we go.
INT. SPACESHIP, ATRIUM - MOMENTS LATER
Red lights strobe, klaxons sound and grates spew smoke as the Master and his Dog run...
INT. SPACESHIP, LIFE POD LAUNCH STATION - MOMENTS LATER
The waiter and several crew members desperately fumble into a life pod just as the Master and his Dog arrive---
MASTERWait! WAIT!!!
They don’t.
The Waiter, apologetic and afraid, SEALS THE DOOR and the pod jettisons into space.
Doors to two of the three remaining life pods HISS CLOSED AND LAUNCH.
3.
The door to the final remaining pod is still open, but as they run towards it---
The ship ROCKS AND MOANS---
They fall to the floor as SPARKS RAIN from the ceiling...
ROBOTIC VOICEShip critical. Auto-evacuation protocol initiated.
The door to the final pod BEGINS TO CLOSE! It’s too far... They’re not gonna make it...
IN SUPER SLOW MOTION:
The Master looks at his Dog. The Dog wags his tail and nuzzles his Master’s face. The Master smiles...
He pulls the GREEN TENNIS BALL out of his Dog’s mouth and regards it for a moment...
He looks into his Dog’s eyes, and through the hideous cacophony of the ships malfunction we hear him say:
MASTERFetch.
He THROWS the ball under the ALMOST-CLOSED POD DOOR... The Dog faithfully gives chase and belly-slides underneath!
INT. LIFE POD - CONTINUOUS
The Dog grabs the ball, holding it proudly in his mouth. He turns around, ready to bring it back home to his Master---
WHEN THE DOOR TO THE POD CLOSES AND SEALS SHUT!
His tail slows to a stop. Ball still in his mouth, he puts a paw on the window in the door...
His Master’s outside, unable to get in. He smiles faintly at his boy as the life pod LAUNCHES AND ROCKETS THE DOG TO SAFETY.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
The Dog’s pod, a speck of dust in the frame, flees its warped, doomed parent-ship as it heads into the infinite emptiness of space.
4.
INT. THE POD - CONTINUOUS
The Dog trots in circles, whining. Distressed.
He stops. Gathers himself. Looks around.
He sees the life pod’s NAVIGATION CONSOLE and LEAPS onto it.
He uses his nose to rapidly press a series of buttons---
NAV COMPUTERNavigation Computer online.
The Dog’s tail wags triumphantly!
NAV COMPUTER (CONT’D)Flight path: Escape trajectory. For manual override, please say: “Manual Override.”
He flicks his head to throw the TENNIS BALL---
It bounces off THE FLOOR and a CHAIR before smacking into and dropping a MICROPHONE HEADSET PERFECTLY ONTO HIS HEAD!
DOG...Woof?
NAV COMPUTER(emotionlessly robotic)
Vocal pattern recognized: Dog. Who’s a good boy? You are. Presenting fibre-rich protein treats.
A panel opens up, revealing TWO METALLIC HOSES. One squirts a watery goop into a bowl, the other blasts out a PILE OF DOGGIE TREATS.
He DIVES out of shot. We hear MANIC CRUNCHING AND CHEWING. He POPS back up, face covered in crumbs.
Then the Dog’s ears perk up - he’s heard something! There’s a WHIRRING, a HUMMING... He puts an ear to the floor, following the sound to...
A PANEL hidden beneath a seat reads: “Engine Access. Place hand here to open.”
The Dog looks down at his non-human paws, then back at the panel.
He puts a paw in the handle... then SMOOSHES his face against it to approximate a human hand. It HISSES and opens!
5.
Inside, going deep into the bowls of the pod, are layers of SPINNING, CHURNING MACHINERY that click and interlock like cogs in a watch.
The Dog thinks for a moment, then---
DOGWOOF, WOOF, WOOF!!!
FLIGHT COMPUTER (O.S.)Vocal pattern recognized: Dog. Who’s a good boy? You are. Presenting fibre-rich---
The Dog rushes off screen... and returns with THE METALLIC WATER HOSE dangling in his mouth! He throws it down the hatch, where it TANGLES in the cogs, stopping them from turning.
The ship’s lights DIM, the computer screens go into standby mode.
EXT. THE POD - CONTINUOUS
The engines splutter and die as the pod loses power.
INT. THE POD - CONTINUOUS
The Dog’s at the airlock window--- he can see the Master’s ship, tiny and distant in the darkness.
He starts sniffing under seat pillows and looking in cabinets, before finding and opening a locker with his snout.
Inside is A LARGE SPACESUIT!
The Dog looks at it, sizes it up, cocks his head... then looks to the left and sees...
A MUCH MORE APPROPRIATELY SIZED KIDS’ SPACESUIT!
The Dog wags his tail, excited.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON: The Dog’s face, which is now INSIDE the spacesuit. Reflected in the spacesuit’s visor, we can see his Master’s ship, an eternity away but directly ahead of him.
Looped around the Dog’s helmet is a LARGE SATCHEL. Mysterious chewed wires poke out from it...
6.
The Dog GULPS, then uses the suit helmet to HEAD-BUTT the giant “EMERGENCY AIRLOCK OPEN” button---
The airlock opens, SUCKING THE DOG OUT OF THE POD and rocketing him towards his Master!
In the weightless vacuum of space... HE SOARS.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
The Dog’s eyes are closed. He slowly opens them, peeking... Composing himself, he tries to doggy-paddle through space.
Getting the hang of it, he starts to confidently SUMMERSAULT AND DANCE! He’s an acrobat! He’s SUPERMAN!
Suddenly he catches sight of the GIANT BOTTOMLESS INFINITY OF SPACE BENEATH HIM... and he delicately doggy paddles again.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
SUPER WIDE TABLEAU - the Dog bullets through space towards the ship his Master’s stuck on as the Twin Stars rage. Ominous. Omnipotent.
The Master’s ship starts GLOWING, getting hotter and hotter as it’s drawn closer and closer to the Stars...
INT. SPACESHIP, AIRLOCK CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The Master stares out a window into space. Debris from the ship BREAKS OFF and obscures his view.
He can’t see his Dog’s coming for him.
A SPACESUIT hangs by the airlock door. He doesn’t put it on.
His hand runs over the “Emergency Release” lever...
INT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
The Dog PANTS AND PANTS, the temperature rising as he gets closer and closer to the ship and the Stars...
But in his mind’s eye, he’s not in space at all---
The Dog sees all the runs he’s ever been on... He’s running in slow motion down a SUBURBAN STREET, through a PARK, he’s JUMPING INTO HIS MASTER’S ARMS...
7.
Suddenly, SOMETHING HITS THE HELMET, shaking the Dog out his dream and obscuring his vision!
It’s A NEWSPAPER!
INT. SPACESHIP, AIRLOCK CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The Master takes his hand off the “Emergency Release” lever and sits down next to the airlock.
He pulls something out of a pocket. A letter? A photo? He stares at it as the ship rumbles and continues to break apart. The faintest smile graces his lips...
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
The Dog’s floating through a SWARM OF LETTERS, NEWSPAPERS AND PARCELS that have escaped the ship’s cargo hold! A MAIL-BOT floats past and the Dog’s instincts kick in---
DOGGRRR...!!!
He starts to SPIN uncontrollably! HE’S A CANINE GYROSCOPE---
DOG’S POV: The Master’s ship flies IN AND OUT OF VIEW as the Dog tumbles end over end, round and round---
The Dog desperately tries to reach into the SATCHEL around his neck...
INT. SPACESHIP, AIRLOCK CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The Master’s holding a PHOTO of the Dog.
He’s a puppy, trying to get the tennis ball... but he can’t because the Master’s GOT IT IN HIS OWN MOUTH!
The Master laughs at the photo, at the memory--- THUNK!
Startled, he looks up from the photo to see HIS ACTUAL DOG HAS FLOWN RIGHT INTO THE WINDOW! He’s splayed across it like a starfish.
The Master’s jaw drops, ASTONISHED. His boy is amazing. His boy is a miracle. His boy really IS smarter than other dogs!
The Master reaches out to the Dog, smiling, crying...
8.
The Dog reaches out with the suit... Then his head POPS down from the visor, wriggling around in the body of the suit, before reappearing in the visor with something in his mouth:
THE GREEN TENNIS BALL! He’s fetched it!
The Master laughs...
The Dog scuttles up the ship’s window and out of view. There’s a CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK and a HISS... and the spacesuit with the Dog inside STUMBLES AND FALLS DOWN A LADDER.
The spacesuit wriggles and squirms on the floor, before the Dog LEAPS OUT OF THE VISOR AND INTO HIS MASTER’S ARMS, licking his face, whining with delight.
They embrace tightly as the ship moans a death rattle...
The ship’s lights die. Sparks and spreading flames provide the only illumination.
This is the end.
The Master, still holding his boy in his arms, looks out the window--- now all that can be seen is the DEEP ORANGE GLOW OF THE STARS.
EXT. SPACESHIP - CONTINUOUS
The ruined spaceship is a dwarfed silhouette. The Twin Stars DOMINATE the frame. They are blazing, soundless Gods.
INT. SPACESHIP, AIRLOCK CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The Master reaches into the Dog’s spacesuit and pulls out the tennis ball. He regards it, then turns to his Dog.
MASTEROne last round?
The Dog looks at the ball... then JUMPS OUT OF HIS MASTER’S ARMS. He grabs the LARGE SPACESUIT NEXT TO THE AIRLOCK and tries to pull it towards his Master. He nods to it, suggesting his Master put it on.
MASTER (CONT’D)There’s nowhere to go, boy...
The Dog grabs the SATCHEL he tied around the neck of his own spacesuit. The Master picks up the bag, looks inside---
9.
MASTER (CONT’D)...Uh, and... and this is what exactly?
EXT. SPACE - MOMENTS LATER
The Dog and his Master are in spacesuits, facing each other, holding on tight.
The Master wields a contraption that’s PROPELLING THEM THROUGH SPACE---
DOGWOOF-WOOF-WOOF!!!
FLIGHT COMPUTERVocal pattern recognized: Dog. Who’s a good boy? You are. Presenting fibre-rich protein treats. Vocal pattern---
--- The Dog’s ripped the machine that dispenses treats out of the pod and brought it with him! Every time he barks, the machine BLASTS out treats with such force that it adjusts their course as they SPIN AND PIROUETTE back towards the pod!
Behind them, THE SPACESHIP EXPLODES, SENDING DEADLY, SILENT CHUNKS OF DEBRIS HURTLING TOWARDS THEM!
MASTERUh, boy? ROLL OVER!!!
Obeying the command, the Dog WOOFS to fire another treat-blast and they TWIST AND ROLL IN A MAJESTIC ARC, barely managing to dodge the debris!
They soar through the cloud of floating mail, past the mail-bot, past a floating luxurious spit roast pig platter and, in the distance, the LIFE POD BECOMES VISIBLE...!
We see the Dog through his Master’s eyes--- HIS BOY’S A HERO.
EXT. THE POD - MOMENTS LATER
The Dog and his Master are treat-propelled into the pod...
INT. THE POD - MOMENTS LATER
A SPACESUITED HAND shoves the airlock release back into the “Closed” position. We hear the HISS of the door shutting, and air refilling the pod---
10.
A PAW pulls the METALLIC WATER HOSE free from the pod’s internal machinery---
EXT. THE POD - MOMENTS LATER
The engines ROAR back into life---
INT. THE POD - MOMENTS LATER
The Master sits in one of the chairs. He’s wrecked, laughing and sobbing...
He’s holding the tennis ball.
MASTERDamn dog fetched me...
(then)Come.
The Dog LEAPS into his Master’s lap, tail wagging.
MASTER (CONT’D)Sit.
The Dog obediently sits. He’s home. Safe.
MASTER (CONT’D)(through tears)
...Stay.
THE END.
In loving memory of Rosie, Jack, George and all the other loyal tail-waggers who are out there somewhere, ball in their mouths, still waiting for their masters to come home...
11.