Finding Audrey

MY SERENE AND LOVING FAMILY – FILM TRANSCRIPT

INTERIOR. 5 ROSEWOOD CLOSE. DAY

The camera pans around a cluttered family kitchen.

AUDREY (VOICE-OVER)

So, welcome to my documentary. This is the kitchen. This is the kitchen table. Frank hasn’t cleared away his breakfast, he’s revolting.

ANGLE ON: a scrubbed pine table bearing a used cereal bowl, a plate covered in crumbs, and a pot of Nutella with a spoon sticking out.

AUDREY (VOICE-OVER)

These are the kitchen cupboards.

ANGLE ON: a range of Shaker kitchen cupboards painted grey. The camera pans slowly across.

AUDREY (V.O.)

This is stupid. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be filming. This is the window.

ANGLE ON: a window to the garden, where we can see an old swing set and a brand new fire pit, still with tags on. Camera zooms in on the fire pit.

AUDREY (V.O.)

That was my dad’s birthday present. He should use it really.

Camera swings shakily to door.

AUDREY (V.O.)

OK, so I should introduce myself. I’m Audrey Turner and I’m filming this because . . .

(pause)

Anyway. My mum and dad bought me this camera. They were all, like, ‘Maybe you’ll become a documentary maker!’ I mean, they got super-excited and they spent far too much on this camera. I was, like, just get me the cheapest thing, but they wanted to, so . . .

The camera moves jerkily through to the hall and focuses on the stairs.

AUDREY (V.O.)

That’s the stairs. You can see that, right? You’re not a moron.

(pause)

I don’t even know who you are. Who’s watching this? Dr Sarah, I suppose. Hi, Dr Sarah.

The camera moves unsteadily up the stairs.

AUDREY (V.O.)

So we’re going upstairs now. Who lives in THIS house?

Camera focuses on a black lacy bra draped over the banisters.

AUDREY (V.O.)

That’s Mum’s.

(beat)

Actually, she may not want you to see that.

Camera turns a corner and focuses on an ajar door.

AUDREY (V.O.)

That’s Frank’s room but I can’t even go near it because of the stench. I’ll zoom in.

Camera zooms in on an area of floor space covered with trainers, dirty socks, a wet towel, three Scott Pilgrim books, a half-empty bag of Haribo, all thrown on top of each other.

AUDREY (V.O.)

The entire room’s like that. Just so you know.

Camera moves away along an upstairs landing.

AUDREY (V.O.)

And this is my mum and dad’s room . . .

Camera focuses on a half-open door. From inside the room we hear a voice. This is MUM, Audrey’s mum. She is talking in a low, urgent voice which, nevertheless, we can hear.

MUM (V.O)

I was talking about it at book group and Caroline said, ‘Does he have a girlfriend?’ Well, he doesn’t! Is THAT the problem? If he had a girlfriend, maybe he’d be out more, instead of hunched over that screen. I mean, why DOESN’T he have a girlfriend?

DAD (V.O.)

I don’t know. Don’t look at me like that! It’s not my fault!

AUDREY (V.O.)

(sotto voce)

This is my mum and dad. I think they’re talking about Frank.

MUM (V.O.)

Well, I’ve had an idea. We need to throw a party for him. Set him up with some pretty girls.

DAD (V.O.)

A PARTY? Are you serious?

MUM (V.O.)

Why not? It would be fun. We used to throw him some lovely parties.

DAD (V.O.)

When he was EIGHT. Anne, do you know what teenage parties are like? What if they knife each other and have sex on the trampoline?

MUM (V.O.)

They won’t! Will they? Oh God . . .

The door closes slightly. The camera moves closer to pick up the sound.

MUM (V.O.)

Chris, have you given Frank a father-to-son talk?

DAD (V.O.)

No. Have you given him a mother-to-son talk?

MUM (V.O.)

I bought him a book. It had pictures of . . . you know.

DAD (V.O.)

(sounds interested)

Did it? What kind of pictures?

MUM (V.O.)

You know.

DAD (V.O.)

I don’t.

MUM (V.O.)

(impatiently)

Yes you do. You can imagine.

DAD (V.O.)

I don’t want to imagine. I want you to describe them to me, very slowly, in a French accent.

MUM (V.O.)

(half giggling, half cross)

Chris, stop it!

DAD (V.O.)

Why should Frank have all the fun?

The door opens and DAD comes out. He is a handsome man in his early forties, wearing a suit and holding a scuba-diving mask. He jumps as he sees the camera.

DAD

Audrey! What are you doing here?

AUDREY (V.O.)

I’m filming. You know, for my project.

DAD

Right. Right, of course.

(calls warningly)

Sweetheart, Audrey’s filming . . .

Mum appears at the door, dressed in a skirt and bra. She claps her hands over her top half and shrieks when she sees the camera.

DAD

That’s what I meant when I said, ‘Audrey’s filming.’

MUM

(flustered)

Oh, I see.

She grabs a dressing gown from the door hook and wraps it around her top half.

MUM

Well, bravo, darling. Here’s to a great film. Maybe warn us next time you’re filming?

(glances at Dad and clears her throat)

We were just discussing the . . . er . . . crisis in . . . the Middle East.

DAD

(nods)

The Middle East.

Both parents look uncertainly at the camera.