Adjustment Period

TITLE: Adjustment Period (pilot episode for “As the World Burns”)

AUTHOR: Dana O. Crandell

GENRE: Dystopian Fiction/Dark Humor

LOGLINE: 8 days in the life of Dale, a survivor in the midst of an atypical “zombie apocalypse,” as he learns to cope with the limited mentality of the very cooperative “undead” and the very literal way they respond to instructions and other communication. Each day in the pilot is based on at least one situational play on words – a visual and verbal pun. We find out well into the pilot that the bodies of the zombies will eventually and catastrophically lose their cohesive properties. In the end, the puns describe Dale's own comical “deconstruction” and a new protagonist for the series.

SYNOPSIS: After a freak cosmic storm leaves most of Earth's population “zombified,” Dale finds himself lucky enough to be one of the living. During the first 3 days, he's discovered that the reality is nothing like Hollywood predicted. The zombies, rather than eating brains and walking blindly into electrified fences, are simply doing their best to cooperate in the effort to clean up the aftermath of the chaos. They are incapable of speech, however they are responsive and helpful. As they look to Dale for guidance, he learns important lessons in communication with comical results.

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS:

Dale: One of the survivors and our original protagonist. A living, breathing 30-something married man. He has management and organizational skills that surface in the light of the situation. This causes both the living and the undead to see him as an authority figure.

Patricia: Dale's wife, also a survivor, and the protagonist for the series after Dale's final demise. An attractive, healthy, 30-something woman, devoted to her husband. She'll come to light later in the pilot as she searches for Dale, knowing that he'll be helping somewhere in the city.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

US Army Colonel: Only appears in the final scene of the pilot, with one line. A young, fit-looking man in uniform, with an authoritative countenance.

US Army Sergeant: Only appears in the final scene of the pilot, with one line. A more mature soldier, authoritative, but respectful of the younger colonel's authority.

[NOTE: THE CHARACTERS ABOVE WOULD WELL SUITED TO CAMEO PERFORMANCES BY WELL-KNOWN ACTORS- THINK BRUCE WILLIS OR STEVEN SEAGAL. THESE CHARACTERS MAY ALSO BE WRITTEN INTO SERIES EPISODES.]

EXTRAS, WALK-ONS, ETC: Several scenes will require multiple extras as zombies with various injuries and in various stages of deterioration. These actors and actresses should cover a wide range of ages and should be fit enough to withstand long hours in costume and makeup, as well as walking awkwardly for extended periods. The “horde” scenes will be an excellent opportunity for walk-ons.

STUNT TEAM: Dale's character is the only one that encounters significant violence and bodily damage. Most of this violence will be implied rather than displayed. Stunt actors may be required for series episodes.

NARRATOR(S): This pilot will depend heavily on narration, along with title screens. Given that there are 8 days to introduce and wrap up, there's sufficient opportunity for guest narrators. If that proves cost prohibitive, either a strong but not overly loud voice (Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, etc.) or an over-the-top, comedic voice (e.g., Tom Kenny's French voice for Sponge Bob Square Pants) would add wry humor, which would be fitting.

PILOT EPISODE NOTES:

1. There will be very little to no dialogue in most episodes. The zombies have no voices, but some characters will have occasional lines.

2. Most scenes will be outside in a chaotic city environment. Wrecked vehicles, clutter from smashed buildings, broken glass and similar props will be necessary, or heavy use of CGI.

3. Los Angeles, CA would be an ideal setting and shooting venue, as it provides both studio and “on location” opportunities.

4. All scenes are loosely scripted, deliberately. This pilot and series is intended to encourage creativity in all aspects of the process. Each scene is a vignette that should evolve during its production. Ad-lib should be encouraged.

5. All of the content for this pilot was originally created by me on the Vocal.media platform and evolved by way of comments provided by fellow writers on the platform. Following Day 1, each scene is based on a pun that was suggested in a fellow writer's comment. Vocal.media will be thanked and credited, as will each creator who contributed, paired with the name of the appropriate scene on the final credit screen.

NOTE: EACH DAY LISTED WILL BE INTRODUCED WITH A TITLE SCREEN BEARING THE APPROPRIATE INTRODUCTORY LINE, ACCOMPANIED BY DRAMATIC NARRATION OF THE SAME.

[ROLL TITLE AND OPENING CREDITS]

[CUT TO SCENE 1 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN]

Day 3: The Revelation

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A WIDE, OVERHEAD SHOT OF THE CITY AND THE CROWD. BOOM DOWN TO STREET LEVEL WHILE ZOOMING IN ON THE VIEW OF DALE AND THE SURROUNDING ZOMBIES.

NARRATOR: The "Zombie Apocalypse" had been far less traumatic than Hollywood had anticipated. No brains were being eaten. The "undead" simply walked silently among the living and did their part. 3 days after the event, Dale found himself working among a crowd of both, helping free survivors and non-survivors from the wreckage caused by the initial havoc.

ZOOM IN ON DALE, ATTEMPTING TO FREE A SQUIRMING FEMALE WITH HER CRUSHED CHEST PINNED UNDER A CAR WHEEL.

DALE: (Frustrated, turning and yelling to the crowd) Can I get a hand over here?

After a short pause, Dale covers his head and dodges a hail of dismembered hands coming in from all directions.

NARRATOR: Dodging the hail of incoming grisly projectiles, Dale realized some adjustments would need to be made.

FADE TO BLACK MOMENTARILY THEN TO SCENE 2 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN.

Day 4: All's Well That Ends Well

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A MEDIUM WIDE SHOT OF DALE AWAKENING FROM SLEEP INSIDE AN OPEN PARKING GARAGE AS DAWN FILTERS IN.

NARRATOR: Dale was feeling positive. Not only had the Zombie Apocalypse been benign, he had learned a valuable lesson the previous day. While the undead were highly cooperative, they were also very literal. Given the lack of blood flow to their brains, he supposed that was to be expected.

Dale, cheerful but groggy, slowly rises to his feet and stretches.

CUT TO DALE'S PERSPECTIVE AS HE LOOKS AROUND THE SPACE, SEEING HUNDREDS OF ZOMBIES, AWAKE, WITH THEIR EYES GLUED TO HIM.

NARRATOR: Nearby, his willing team of workers, having required no sleep, awaited his orders.

CUT TO MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF DALE

DALE: (cheerfully) Okay, guys and gals, let's move our asses!

CUT TO WIDE VIEW OF ZOMBIES AND PAN SLOWLY AS CHAOS ENSUES. SOME ZOMBIES REMOVE THEIR BUTTOCKS. SOME TWERK. SOME SHIFT THEIR BUTTOCKS TO DIFFERENT POSITIONS.

NARRATOR: Instantly regretting his choice of words, Dale sighed, sitting down on his.

FADE TO BLACK MOMENTARILY THEN TO SCENE 3 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN

Day 5: The Final? Adjustment

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A LARGE HORDE OF ZOMBIES TRUDGING THROUGH THE CITY STREETS, WITH DALE LEADING THEM. STRAGGLERS CAN BE SEEN REMOVING DEBRIS, FREEING TRAPPED BEINGS, ETC.

NARRATOR: The cleanup was taking its toll. Dale had been walking for days and he was pretty sure the rest of the living had fallen behind. Now it was just him and the tireless mob of the undead, trudging forward, rescuing, untangling. Helping.

Dale stumbles, then sinks to his knees, clearly exhausted. Several of the nearby zombies take him by the arms and pull him up.

DALE: Come on, guys, heave a heart!

SLOW ZOOM IN ON DALE AND THE NEAREST ZOMBIES.

The nearest zombies surround Dale, hiding him from view. Dale screams as blood flies.

[BONES SNAPPING. WET, VISCERAL SOUNDS]

FADE TO BLACK MOMENTARILY THEN TO THE HORDE, AGAIN MOVING FORWARD. ZOOM IN ON DALE, NOW WALKING AS ONE OF THE UNDEAD, SMILING.

NARRATOR: Dale liked walking with his friends. Dale liked to help. The hole in his chest let in the cool air. Dale walked. Dale helped.

FADE TO BLACK MOMENTARILY THEN TO SCENE 4 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN

Day 5.5: Spelling is Importunt (spelled as shown, stressed in narration)

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A WIDE SHOT OF A MALL PARKING LOT, SHOWING THE HORDE OF ZOMBIES CROSSING THE LOT AND HEADING FOR THE BUILDINGS. BOOM OUT TO SEE PATRICIA, FRANTICALLY SEARCHING THROUGH THE CROWD.

NARRATOR: Patricia stood in the mall parking lot, watching the horde of walking corpses advance toward the silent buildings. Dale had to be in there, somewhere. She'd begged him not to play the hero, knowing it was futile.

Patricia spots Dale in the throng and fights her way as close to him as she dares. Her shoulders drop as she realizes his state. She stops as Dale notices her and his idiotic smile widens.

PATRICIA: (shaking her head in frustration) Oh, Dale, give me a break!

AN EXTRA NARRATED TITLE SCREEN WIPES IN FROM SCREEN LEFT, READING “A few minutes later...” AFTER NARRATION, DISSOLVE TO A MEDIUM CLOSE UP OF PATRICIA, SHOWING DALE IN THE BACKGROUND, REJOINING THE HORDE. PATRICIA, STUNNED, HOLDS A BRAKE PEDAL IN HER HAND, OBVIOUSLY FRESHLY RIPPED FROM A VEHICLE.

NARRATOR: (after a pause for effect) DALE NEVER WAS A GOOD SPELLER.

FADE MOMENTARILY TO BLACK, THEN TO SCENE 5 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN.

Day 6: It'll All Come Out in the End

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A WIDE VIEW OF THE HORDE, WHICH THEN ZOOMS GRADUALLY IN TO FIND PATRICIA AND DALE WALKING SIDE BY SIDE AMONG THEM. DALE STILL WEARS HIS GRIN. PATRICIA IS OBVIOUSLY STRESSED, WITH A TWITCHY SMILE AND TEARS IN HER EYES.

NARRATOR: Dale was ecstatic. Patricia, devoted wife that she was, had decided to walk with him through the aftermath of the Zombie Apocalypse. If he still had a heart, it would be full. Still, there was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn't right.

Dale's expression changes to one of confusion and his gait slows.

[WET BUBBLING NOISE]

CUT TO A REAR VIEW OF DALE

A wet spot slowly seeps through as a bulge appears in the seat of Dale's jeans. The bulge slides wetly to the left pants leg and then works its way down.

CUT AWAY BEFORE THE BULGE REACHES THE CUFF OF DALE'S PANTS TO A HEAD & SHOULDERS CLOSE UP OF DALE AND PATRICIA.

[WET SLAPPING NOISE]

Dale struggles to look straight ahead, but his eyes shift nervously left to right and back. Patricia studies his expression with a look of concern.

PATRICIA: What's wrong, Dear?

NARRATOR: Dale sincerely wanted to tell her, but he no longer had the guts.

FADE MOMENTARILY TO BLACK, THEN TO SCENE 6 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN.

Day 7: Deconstruction Day

[CUE MUSIC: Patsy Cline: “I fall to Pieces”]

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO A SCENE ON THE EDGE OF THE CRUMBLING TOWN.

Dale and Patricia are seated together on a mound of rubble, facing the horizon. Patricia holds a transistor radio in one hand, the source of the music. In the other she holds a dismembered hand. A ragged, mangy cat picks idly at Dale's leg.

NARRATOR: Patricia tuned the transistor radio she'd found to an automated station, holding Dale's hand in hers. Unfortunately, it was no longer attached to Dale.

Dale looks at Patricia and tries to smile, but the right side of his jaw falls loose.

NARRATOR: A mere shell of the man he once was, Dale tried to cheer her with his boyish grin, but only succeeded in dislocating one side of his jaw.

Dale's tongue drops out, but he catches it with his remaining hand. He attempts to put it back into his cheek, but it falls again. Patricia looks blindly ahead.

NARRATOR: Holding his tongue, he tucked it into what was left of his cheek, but it slipped.

Dale's eyes fall out of their sockets and he catches one, pushing it back into place. Patricia's eyes grow wider and her lip begins to quiver.

NARRATOR: Keeping an eye out, he popped the other back in.

Dale abandons his efforts and stares with his remaining eye at the horizon. A warm glow begins to show on their faces.

NARRATOR: Silently, they watched the fading glow of the burning city on the horizon.

[FADE TO BLACK]

[PAUSE MUSIC]

PATRICIA: (giggling neurotically) Look, Dale! The cat's got your tongue!

[RESTART MUSIC]

[HOLD BLACK WHILE MUSIC FADES, THEN DISSOLVE INTO SCENE 7 NARRATED TITLE SCREEN]

Day 8: The Rescue

TITLE SCREEN DISSOLVES TO AN OVERHEAD SHOT OF A US ARMY CONVOY MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE CITY.

The convoy comes to a halt in front of something in the road.

CUT TO A VIEW IN FRONT OF THE LEAD HUMVEE. PATRICIA IS SITTING IN THE ROAD, MUMBLING INCOHERENTLY TO HERSELF.

NARRATOR: The US Army convoy had come to a halt. The poor woman sitting in front of the lead Humvee had obviously lost her mind. There was a spare one in front of her, lying in a pile of bones and goo.

QUICK CUT TO A WIDER SHOT, SHOWING DALE'S REMAINS IN FRONT OF PATRICIA, WITH HIS BRAIN LYING ON TOP. HOLD, THEN SLOW ZOOM OUT TO INCLUDE THE SOLDIERS AND HUMVEE.

The sergeant gently takes Patricia's arms and pulls her to her feet. She stares ahead blindly and allows him to help her into the back seat of the vehicle. The colonel watches, then surveys the scene in front of them. With Patricia safely in the Humvee, the Sergeant returns to the front of the vehicle.

US ARMY SERGEANT: (pointing to the mound of rubble directly in front of them) Should we back up, Sir?

US ARMY COLONEL: (grimly looking at his watch and the position of the sun) No time.

The colonel signals the vehicle behind them as the soldiers pile back into the vehicle. As the convoy pulls away, all of the soldiers in the convoy break out in song, singing the US Army's unofficial theme song:

Soldiers: (singing) Over Hill, Over dale, we have hit the dusty trail...

Immediately after the words “Over dale” are sung, Patricia is heard laughing maniacally from the back seat of the Humvee.

[CUE MUSIC: “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” (in time with soldiers)]

BOOM UP AND ZOOM OUT TO OVERHEAD VIEW AS THE CONVOY MOVES FORWARD. SLOW FADE TO BLACK.

ROLL CLOSING CREDITS, FADE MUSIC AS PATRICIA'S LAUGHTER CONTINUES.

FINAL CREDIT SCREEN

NARRATOR: What adventures lie in store for Patricia? Find out on [series launch date] in episode 1 of "As the World Burns!"

*** Copyright ©Dana O. Crandell ***

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