Rain of Mercury - Patrick Thibodeaux
BLACK SCREEN
We open to the sound of audio equipment being set up. Light clinks and swivels.
CREW MEMBER 1
(v.o.)
This will be an interesting one.
JORDAN
(v.o.)
Oh yeah, he seems to be the quiet pretentious type. But this will be fun. A cool, leveled headed interview.
INT. PODCAST ROOM- DAY
We see a large room; a lounge that was recently transformed into a podcasting/recording studio. A table sits in the center of the room, filled with various swagger and knick-knacks. A large poster with the Host’s face covers the wall behind the table.
The Host, JORDAN LASKO(36) is getting comfortable in his seat, a cushion swivel chair. He adjusts the complicated mic sitting in front of him. While everyone is attuninng their equipment, a young man, JEREMY SCHOULER (27), barely walks through the door before being noticed by JORDAN.
JORDAN
Oh, hi Jermey!
JEREMY
Um, hello-
JORDAN
Hey, real quick- if you’ve seen my podcast, we do this thing where we record our guests walking in and sitting down. Do you mind stepping outside for a moment.
JEREMY hesitantly points out to the hallway. JORDAN nods in approval.
JORDAN LASKO
(while JEREMY awkwardly leaves)
Thank you so much! You’ll know when to come back in!
JORDAN squirms in his seat as he waits a few seconds for the silence to settle. He then beckons to his crew.
JORDAN
Alright, we’re rolling.
We see two men behind a desk, covered by a wall of camera and audio recording equipment. They nod and turn their equipment to rolling. JORDAN nods in affirmation. He falls still for a moment before reanimating.
JEREMY
Hello everyone, and welcome back to The Lasko Experience! You all know me as Jordan Lasko, and this is the 13th episode. Today is going to be quite the special episode, for we have a very elusive, but exciting guest. Today we’ll be having Jermey Schouler, an indie film director who’s best known for his… hit… film Mordread. Let’s give a big welcome…
After a brief moment of silence, JEREMY slowly opens the door and peaks his head through.
JORDAN
Hey Jeremy, welcome to the show!
We can hear applause from an off-screen audio track.
JEREMY
Uh, hi. Hello.
JORDAN waits as JEREMY finds his seat and scooches it towards the table. He starts again as JEREMY is still adjusting his mic.
JORDAN
So how have you been? How are things going?
JEREMY
Um, things are well. I’ve been really dedicating my time to the upcoming film.
JORDAN
I understand man. The grind never stops for creatives like us.
JEREMY smiles genuinely.
JORDAN
Now to start us off. Because you’re a filmmaker, and I ask all my filmmaker guests this, what is your favorite film?
(before JEREMY has time to answer)
Mine has to be Scream. It’s funny but also really scary. At least pointing out all of these horror tropes makes it better, you know?
JEREMY
I mean, yeah, it’s funny.
JORDAN
I know right! Now guessing from your previous movie, and seemingly your upcoming one are both in the horror genre, is your favorite film horror?
JEREMY
You can say that.
JORDAN smiles politely at his guest.
JEREMY
My favorite film is probably… E. Elias Merhige’s Begotten. 1990. Brilliant piece of storytelling, and interestingly done too.
Beat.
JORDAN
Um, I don’t think I’ve heard of it.
JEREMY
Hm, okay. Of course.
Beat.
JORDAN
Anyways, you’re best known for your recent film Mordread, but is there anything else our audience may know that you’ve done?
JEREMY
Oh yes, I did this film before Mordread called The Peck Paradox. Have you heard of it?
JORDAN
Um… I think I saw it on your IMDB, but I haven’t heard of it.
JEREMY can’t help but let his shoulders sag a bit from his otherwise strained rigid posture.
JEREMY
Oh, okay, haha.
(quietly, more to himself)
That makes sense.
JORDAN
What was that?
JEREMY
Oh, nothing.
JORDAN stares at JEREMY with a slight smug. Beat.
JORDAN
Well, I’m sure there are plenty of people excited for your newest movie, called Rain of Mercury, from which according to my research, has an odd history to say the least?
JEREMY
It certainly seems to have grown the mythos around it.
JORDAN
I had to do some serious research about this movie. Like seriously, I had to have two of my producers help me!
JORDAN points to the crew behind the cameras. One smiles, while the other continues focusing. JEREMY smiles politely, slightly embarrassed.
JORDAN
Like, how are you getting this off the ground without a big studio funding you guys?
JEREMY
Well, since it’s an indie piece, we’re using crowdsourcing.
JORDAN
Oh wow. That must be really hard.
JEREMY
It is, but we’re managing.
HOST nods in fake understanding. Beat.
JORDAN
So, it seems your film is a remake? From what I’ve found, it’s been done before several dozen times, with the first attempt being around the 1930’s!?
JEREMY
Yeah, the concept of Rain of Mercury was created around that time by German expressionist Lance Schulzt. But it couldn’t get enough funds to finish because of its “occultic themes”.
JORDAN
Occultic themes? And Lance Schulzt? Oh my god, are you related?
JEREMY
What? No, my last name is Schouler. His is Schulzt.
JORDAN
Oh… my bad. Anyways, it apparently was made in the 70’s though, right?
JEREMY
Yep, for the most part.
JORDAN
Yeah, and the production was all crazy, like they tried to use real Mercury for some rain or fog scene. Like, how would that even work? Pretty fucking insane.
JEREMY
Oh yeah. It’s one of the most important parts of the film. What other way would you reveal the otherworld?
JORDAN
What? Um, well… have you seen it? It seems really hard to find. From what I’ve read, there aren’t too many surviving copies nowadays.
JEREMY
I’ve seen it, and I think it’s good. It’s so incredibly interesting.
JORDAN
Oh really? Well of course you, you probably wouldn’t be remaking it otherwise, haha.
JEREMY
Of course.
JORDAN
Well, apparently there were many other attempts made throughout the 80’s and 90s too, but they didn’t end well.
JEREMY
Rain of Mercury has had a turbulent history. Something I aim to correct.
JORDAN
Despite all of these supposed curses, production mishapts, etc, you still want to make this film? I’m just begging to know why? Why do it?
JEREMY
I don’t believe that this concept has been cursed, or shouldn’t be done. Rather, it’s been wrongly engaged with, and I think now is finally the right time to properly handle it.
JORDAN
That’s pretty noble. And I think with your spirit, there will definitely be people out there who will want to see it.
JEREMY
I know for sure there’s people out there who need to see it.
JORDAN
Well, for all this talk about this mysterious movie, I still don’t quite know what it’s about. If you don’t mind, could you give us a run down about what it’s about, without spoilers perhaps?
JEREMY pauses to carefully think to himself.
JEREMY
Um, sure.
He leans back in his seat and narrows his brow. His eyes move back and forth; he’s clearly struggling to put this into words.
His mouth hangs open, as if there’s too much to say.
JEREMY
Well, it primarily centers around these characters who come in contact with this goddess, or witch of some kind. It’s vague, and I’d like to keep it that way. Either way, she’s celestial, mystical, powerful. You understand, right?
Host politely, yet artificially smiles. One can easily tell that he does not, at all, care.
JORDAN
I think I’m getting it, yeah.
JEREMY
And like all the others, it revolves around the discovery of this new truth. And let me tell you. It’s amazing, mind-blowing really. You will really have to experience its beauty, its absolute perspective on reality, you know? You have to understand this, right?
JEREMY appears as if lost in his own world.
JORDAN
Uh, you started talking about this truth. What is it? Like, a government conspiracy, secret society?
JEREMY
Oh, you won’t get it yet. It’ll be revealed in the film. And once it is, it’ll reopen your perspective on this reality. It’ll help you accept the true reality.
JORDAN
Haha, true reality? I don’t think I’m catching on…
JEREMY
Of course you aren’t
JEREMY’s tone sharpens. The room’s atmosphere drops.
JEREMY
There’s no way most people, people like you and your audience, will be able to understand. You all will be trapped, stuck in the cesspool reality.
Host begins to look uncomfortable.
JORDAN
Um… alright.
JEREMY looks to calmly contain a furious rage. Insanity can be seen in his eyes.
JORDAN
Is something wrong? Was it something I said? I tend to do that a lot…
JEREMY shoots up from his seat and smacks his mic. It flings across the table. JEREMY points to JORDAN and the two production crew members behind the cameras.
JEREMY
I won’t be sorry for you all who won’t be able to see this truth be brought forth to this reality. For this brilliant being. Now if you excuse me, I have to finish shooting the last sacred scene. Goodbye.
JEREMY rushes out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Everyone recoils at the sound. JORDAN’s mouth hangs slightly open. After a long while of silence, everyone in the room relaxes.
CREW 1
What was that about?
CREW MEMBER 2
Seems that movie has definitely done something to him. Jordan, what do you think?
JORDAN is still trying to recover.
JORDAN
Do you think that’ll sound good in post?