Fabric (16pages in pdf format) by Anthony Cawood

“A newly hired accountant searches through a village balance sheet to weed out inefficiencies. But is cutting corners always wise?”

Anticipation; it’s an experience vital for any script reader. Not to mention film audiences everywhere. Want to experience that tingly, edge-of-your-seat sensation?

Then crack open a script. And stop. Page One.

There it is. Can you feel it?

Before reading a single paragraph – anticipation’s the emotion you crave. That foreboding sense of things to come; the ebb and flow of narrative.

Now, imagine sitting in the theater. The lights dim; your dreams and hopes soon to appear. I hope this movie’s really good. You focus attention on the screen. And before you know it, the story grabs you by your very soul. Anticipation rules the day. Your sense of wonder; riveted. What’s going to happen next? That’s the best question of them all. What a captivating feeling!

The undercurrent of Anthony Cawood’s script Fabric, Anticipation is a gift to any script reader. One that keeps on giving.

The hero of our story: Jeremy Saunders – a newbie 20-something accountant, hired by a tiny village to audit its stumbling finances. When we first meet him, nebbish Jeremy’s hard at work at his PC – scrutinizing questionable payroll activity. The suspicious sum: “twenty thousand pounds a year” – an exorbitant amount being paid to some local man named Pater. And Pater’s “services” are suspect: winding the one and only church clock in town. One single time. Every day.

Though he presents his findings, Jeremy finds his concerns rebuffed by superiors: Pater provides an “essential service”, Old Man Gutherie claims. That of ‘clock winder’? How can this be? Unsatisfied by Gutherie’s dismissal, Jeremy’s bean-counter mind rebels. So he strikes off to tour the village, interviewing reluctant town folk everywhere. His mission: to uncover the suspected scam – in search of ‘truth’ and ‘clarity’.

As they say – game on.

As the day winds towards a close, Jeremy’s quest for Pater widens. Eventually, he tracks the elusive man down – meeting Pater at his very door.

And so, the mystery is laid bare. Who truly is Pater? Does he exist? And what do his “services” actually mean? A delicious underdog fantasy, Fabric weaves anticipation into a lyrical tale. One filled with wonder, and a pevertedly satisfying moral twist: “Be careful what you wish for. Pursue one’s questions, if you dare…”

Are you a director with imagination? Then give fairy-tale Fabric a whirl. Anticipation is a beautiful ingredient. One that will fill your audience’s hearts. Not to mention, the silver screen.

Budget: A small challenge, due to the rural setting. You’ll need some creativity to pull this one off, but the story is so worth it. 😀

About the writer: Anthony is an award winning screenwriter from the UK with 2 features optioned and over 30 short scripts optioned, or purchased, including 8 filmed. Outside of his screenwriting career, he’s a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to his films and details of his scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.

About the Reviewer: California über reader/reviewer KP Mackie is working on a historical feature.

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This screenplay may not be used or reproduced for any purpose including educational purposes without the expressed written permission of the author.