Screenplay:
MAKING IT
1st Ten Pages

FADE IN:



INT. CONCERT STAGE - NIGHT

MICHAEL is gyrating on stage with his shirt open, revealing
his buffed body.  He is a black man, mid-twenties, dread
locks.  His sensuous moves drive the women crazy just like
Elvis did.  But his music is from the islands - Soca.  

His publicist, JULIE, Caucasian, is enjoying the show from
the wings.  Michael's manager, FREDERICK, a veteran in the
business, comes up behind her, his face lined with worry.

			   FREDERICK
	 Just got off the phone with one of
	 the kid's sisters.

			   JULIE
	 Whatever it is, it will have to 
	 wait three more nights.

A beat; she is still swaying to the music.

			   JULIE (CONT'D)
	 Whoever thought that Michael Stone
	 was going to be the next big thing? 
	 We have a real gold mine here.

			   FREDERICK
	 You must have a checkbook for a
	 heart.

She turns to him for the first time, her hand pressed against
his chest, her eyes flaming arrows.

			   JULIE
	 You don't get to the top by being  
	 sentimental.  Three more nights,
	 Frederick.  I mean it.

Julie leaves Frederick in the wings, his back against a wall,
his head raised as if calling on God.  How is he going to
break the news to this boy?



INT. MICHAEL'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

There is a KNOCK on the door and a glum Frederick lets
himself in.  Michael is changing into casual clothes.

			   MICHAEL
	 Hey, Freddie.  What you thought of
	 tonight?

Michael is too ecstatic to notice Frederick's face dragging
on the ground.

			   FREDERICK
	 Fine... as always.

			   MICHAEL
	 Fine?  Fred, my man, I was more
	 than fine.  I was scorching.  The
	 audience was hot and we were
	 feeding off each other's energy.  I
	 could have stayed on that stage all
	 night.

Frederick manages a weak smile, admiring Michael as if he
were his own son, yet sad because of the news he brings.

			   FREDERICK
	 I'm happy for you, kid.

A beat.

			   FREDERICK (CONT'D)
	 Sit down, Michael.

Only now does Michael notice Frederick's solemn mood.  He
sits down, his eyes wild with fear.  Maybe he has lost a
record deal or something.

			   FREDERICK (CONT'D)
	 I spoke with Mary a little while
	 ago....

Whew!  Michael breathes a sigh of relief.

			   FREDERICK (CONT'D)
	 They want you to come home.

Michael's face hardens as he looks past Frederick.

			   FREDERICK (CONT'D)
	 I took the liberty of making
	 reservations.  Your plane leaves in
	 two hours.

He holds out the plane ticket.

			   MICHAEL
	 Cancel it.

Michael gets up, crosses to the dressing table and sprays on
cologne liberally.

			   FREDERICK
	 Michael....

			   MICHAEL
	 I have to finish this tour.

			   FREDERICK
	 Your father could be dead by then.

			   MICHAEL
	 I could live with that.

Frederick is horrified by his heartlessness.

			   FREDERICK
	 Why do you hate him so much?

			   MICHAEL
	 I'll go home when the tour is over,
	 right Fred?  Now would you just
	 drop it?

A beat; he pats Frederick's shoulder and exits the room.



INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Michael is having rough sex with a CALL GIRL.  She is
uncomfortable and tries to ease him off her.

			   CALL GIRL
	 Take your time.

He pays her no mind.

			   CALL GIRL (CONT'D)
	 You're hurting me.

Still he continues... until she manages to shove him off.

She leaps out of bed and grabs her clothes.

			   CALL GIRL (CONT'D)
	 They don't pay me enough for this
	 shit.  You singers are the worse.

She storms out.  Michael lies on his back, breathing heavily.



EXT. ROAD - DAY

Michael is speeding down the highway in his Jaguar, some
angry Rock song blasting from the stereo. 
He exits onto a country road and reduces his speed.  He stops
in front of an abandoned house.

Hesitating, he gets out the car, and slowly approaches the
house as if it were to come alive and swallow him any moment
now.  He climbs the steps and pushes the front door open.  We
go back twenty years.



INT. FRASERS' FAMILY HOME - NIGHT (TWENTY YEARS AGO)

It is a modest home.  The family has just the bare essentials
but everything is clean and neat.

FIVE-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL is seated at the dinner table with:



LOUISE -

A thin, strong woman who struggles to look her best though
failing by contemporary standards.



MATTHEW -

Twenty, handsome, surrogate father of his younger siblings.



SHARON -

Eighteen, forward, opinionated and not afraid of an argument.



DAVID - 

Seventeen, easy to get along with but below the calm exterior
is wisdom beyond his years.



ROGER -

Fifteen, a bit creepy, always looking for the easy way out.



LIZ -

Twelve, curvaceous, the most beautiful of the siblings, and
vain about her appearance.



MARY -

Seven, a picture of innocence.

Michael is humming, his head bobbing to the music within,
while he eats.

Louise has seen much hard times with her family and it shows
by the lines on her face, the dark circles under her eyes and
her prematurely grey hair.  No one could guess her age.

			   LOUISE
	 Stop that, Michael.  You are
	 eating.

He stops humming but moves his hands and head as he continues
to dance.

			   ROGER
	 Can I have some more peas, please?

			   LOUISE
	 There isn't any more.

			   ROGER
	 But I saw it.

			   LOUISE
	 That is for your father.

Sharon rolls her eyes.

			   SHARON
	 Like he'll be sober enough to care.

			   LOUISE
	 Don't talk about your father like
	 that.

			   MATTHEW
	 How should we talk about him, Mama? 
	 Just take a look around you.  Why
	 should your children be going
	 through such hell with that man?

			   LOUISE
	 The good Lord said that whatever he
	 joins together, no man shall
	 separate.

			   MATT
	 I think the good Lord will make an
	 exception in this case.

			   SHARON
	 The first opportunity I get I'm out
	 of here.

David puts the rest of his peas on Roger's plate and leaves
the table.  

Michael's head is still bobbing, slower now as he absorbs
what is going on around him.



INT. BOYS' BEDROOM - NIGHT

Michael is awakened by VOICES and other NOISES.  He slides
off the top bunk of his bed and follows the noise.

KITCHEN

Michael stands unnoticed at the door, petrified by his
father's drunken state.  He could never get used to it.

DESMOND, thin from drinking, and looking much older than his
forty-five years, is swaying in a chair, arguing with Louise.

			   DESMOND
	 I don't want no food.

			   LOUISE
	 You need to get more than that
	 alcohol in your belly.

Desmond sweeps the dishes off the table.  Michael flinches.

			   DESMOND
	 You eat it.

Louise gets the broom and is about to clean it up when
Desmond grabs her around the waist.  He pulls her to him,
tries to kiss her on the mouth but she struggles.

			   LOUISE
	 Let... me... go!  You are hurting
	 me!

			   MICHAEL (O.S.)
	 Leave her alone!

Michael's outburst startles them.  His little fists are
clenched, his mouth is pouting and his eyes are filled with
angry tears.

Desmond is amused.  Louise pulls away from him and tries to
soothe her son.

			   LOUISE
	 Sweetie, go back to bed.  It's all
	 right.

			   MICHAEL
	 He's hurting you, Mama.

			   LOUISE
	 I'll be fine, baby.  You go on back
	 to sleep.

Desmond ambles across, still amused.

			   DESMOND
		 (taunting)
	 What you gonna do, big man?  Huh? 
	 Knock me down.

He raises his fists to Michael like a boxer and laughs at his
own joke.  His laughter quickly turns to a yell of pain.

He looks down and sees Michael's teeth firmly gripping his
leg.

			   DESMOND (CONT'D)
	 You little....

Desmond yanks Michael away by his collar and pulls out his
own belt.  Louise grabs Desmond's arm.

			   LOUISE
	 No, Desmond.  He's just a child. 
	 He didn't mean anything by it.

Desmond shoves Louise causing her to fall.  Michael rushes
over to her.

			   MICHAEL
	 Mama!

MICHAEL -

Leans over his mother and at the same time -

DESMOND -

hits him with the belt on his back.  Michael screams and -

LOUISE -

Instinctively wraps Michael under her as Desmond is about to
hit Michael again.

DESMOND -

hits Louise instead and both she and Michael scream.



THE OTHER CHILDREN -

rush to the kitchen and -

MATTHEW -

pulls his father away and punches him several times.

			   LOUISE
	 That's enough!  Matthew!

David restrains Matthew.  Desmond falls to the ground and
passes out.  They are speechless.

			   LOUISE (CONT'D)
	 Honor your father and your mother
	 so your days will be long in the
	 land.

She starts to nurse her husband.

			   SHARON
	 Do unto others before they do unto
	 you.

			   LOUISE 
	 Now look at what you've done. 
	 Things will never be the same
	 again.

			   SHARON
	 Thank God.

			   LOUISE
	 Come boys.  Help me put your father
	 to bed.

They do not move.

			   LOUISE (CONT'D)
	 I said, come help me take....

One by one, the children begin to move away, Matthew leading
the way, followed by Sharon and Michael, David and Mary and
Roger and Liz.

Louise is flabbergasted.  What on earth is wrong with them?



INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Sharon is having an argument with her mother.

			   SHARON
	 Mama, it was you he was defending. 
	 You can't just let him leave like
	 that.

			   LOUISE
	 We reap what we sow.

			   SHARON
	 Your husband should be the one
	 leaving....

			   LOUISE
	 Watch your mouth, young lady.

Sharon storms out the room.