For what it’s worth, anyway.

I won’t go into the details of what it was shot on, or how it was shot, or what it was edited with, or any of that, because none of it is important.

As a bonus, after the break, you can see the original script. Again, for what it’s worth.

INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT

The apartment is dimly lit. We hear the sound of something being chopped on a cutting board.

INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM – NIGHT

A modest table is set. Two candles burn. There are two places set, one on each end. Salads in bowls rest on plates at each place.

A framed picture of a couple rests on the table. In the background, we see the WOMAN in the photo standing in the kitchen chopping something.

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN – NIGHT

The woman continues chopping. She has a sad, frustrated look on her face. She is totally focused on the chopping. We see that she has been chopping carrots, an unusually large amount of carrots.

We hear the sound of a door open.

INT. APARTMENT ENTRY WAY – NIGHT

A MAN enters the apartment. He is disheveled and dressed as if he is returning from work. He tosses a briefcase down onto the couch as he passes.

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN – NIGHT

The woman continues to chop carrots. The man enters the kitchen and tosses his keys down on the table. He looks around the kitchen, and then at her.

MAN

Hey honey, do we have any carrots?

WOMAN

I told myself I’d just chop carrots for the salads while I waited for you.

MAN

Huh.

The man looks around the kitchen briefly, then opens the fridge and pulls out a beer.

MAN

Yeah, I was running a little late.

WOMAN

Really?

MAN

Yeah.

WOMAN

You’re late? I didn’t notice.

MAN

I got hung up at work. This project I’m working on is a real–

WOMAN

I didn’t notice you were three hours late. Again. I totally overlooked it.

MAN

I’m sensing a little sarcasm.

He opens the beer and takes a drink.

WOMAN

Are you? Are you sensing a little sarcasm, honey? Is a little sarcasm coming through?

MAN

Okay, okay, what did I do?

WOMAN

What did you do? Look around! How long does it look like I’ve been waiting for you! How many weeks ago did I tell you I had this planned? How many times did I remind you?

MAN

Whoa, wait, did you even tell me we had it planned at all? I don’t remember you mentioning a carrot chopping contest. You win, though.

The woman slams the knife down onto the cutting board. Carrot shavings and slices go all over the floor. She picks her hands up from the board, shaking.

WOMAN

I am trying to stay calm.

MAN

Try harder.

WOMAN

Jesus christ!

MAN

Hey! Don’t take this out on me. I was working my ass off all day to bring home the kind of money it takes to buy all these carrots. So get off it.

WOMAN

Would you drop the carrot thing? It’s just a little irritating.

MAN

Oh is it, is it irritating? So is all the shit you’re giving me.

WOMAN

Oh my god! How often do I get to do this kind of thing? And you’re just throwing it right in my damn face!

The man puts his beer down on the table and gets up. He walks over to her.

MAN

Hey, hey, hey. Come on. Let’s put the carrots away, run and grab a bite, and catch a movie or something. Okay? My treat.

WOMAN

This is just completely meaningless to you, isn’t it? All the work I do?

The man snickers.

MAN

You mean all the carrots you chop?

WOMAN

Oh fuck you!

MAN

What? WHAT?

He picks up the cutting board and slings it onto the ground.

MAN

Look! See that? I worked my ass off to pay for that! And for that table, and for all these damn carrots! I don’t want to hear it from you every time I’m a little late! You want to complain? Get a job!

WOMAN

I swear to god. What is wrong– I just wanted to do something special! You remember special? As in, not eating in the living room out of a sack full of burgers?

MAN

Oh, that’s funny. Fine. Go ahead. Do something special. Have yourself a great time. Chop more carrots, go nuts. I’ll go get some of my classy hamburgers.

He storms out of the room. She follows.

INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS

WOMAN

Wait.

MAN

I could go see a movie!

WOMAN

Would you please wait?

MAN

Maybe I’ll go back to work! Who knows!

WOMAN

Just stop it! You’re acting like a child!

MAN

And you’re acting like a bitch.

WOMAN

Maybe. But could you please not storm out? Just go in the other room, I’ll leave you alone, please just calm down. I want us to save this.

MAN

Save what? There’s nothing to save. Don’t leave those candles burning.

He grabs his things back off the couch.

WOMAN

Please. Please. Don’t do this.

He stops at the door and turns back towards her.

MAN

It’s done.

He walks out and slams the door in her face. She walks up to the door and puts her hands against it.

EXT. APARTMENT STEPS – NIGHT

The man trundles angrily towards the stairs. He stops suddenly and pats his pocket.

MAN

Car keys! Damnit!

He looks over his shoulder at the door and pauses. After a moment, he continues walking towards the stairs.

MAN

Screw it.

INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

The woman lays her back against the door and holds her hands to her face in shock. She slides down the door slowly.

WOMAN

Oh, god.

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

The man walks angrily down the street, muttering to himself.

MAN

You’re acting like a child, let’s try to save this, yeah, okay.

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN – NIGHT

The woman is on her knees, sweeping carrot slices into a trashcan. Her face is tear stained, and tears continue to roll down her face.

After a moment, she stops and collapses onto the ground, crying.

EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

The man continues walking with a purpose.

INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM – NIGHT

The woman is seated at the table. Both candles have burned down to the bottom. The lettuce in the salads has started to turn brown.

She stares down for a moment, then leans over and blows out the candle in front of her.

EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

The man walks down a dank alleyway. He looks around as if he has wandered somewhere unfamiliar to him.

He stops and looks around.

MAN

This isn’t right.

After a moment, he pauses and turns around to walk the other way. As he turns, he BUMPS straight into a shadowy, faceless figure.

He is STARTLED and TURNS TO RUN. The figure SLAMS its arm into his chest and RUNS HIM straight back INTO THE WALL.

VOICE OF SHADOWY FIGURE

Drop it!

MAN

What?!

The figure PRODUCES A GUN and PUSHES IT into his stomach, PULLING THE TRIGGER almost immediately afterwards. The shot ECHOES LOUDLY. The man lets out a PAINED SCREAM.

We see the briefcase FALL out of his hand and HIT THE GROUND. The shadowy figure GRABS IT and SCURRIES DOWN THE ALLEY with it, out of view.

The man SLIDES down the wall slightly, CLUTCHING HIS STOMACH. He LOOKS down and OPENS HIS HANDS to reveal a large blood stain on his shirt.

He continues to slide down the wall.

FLASH TO:

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN – NIGHT

We see the woman on the floor cleaning up the spilled carrots, and the man walking up behind her.

FLASH TO:

EXT. APARTMENT STEPS – NIGHT

The man glances back at the door, then turns around and walks back towards it.

FLASH TO:

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN – NIGHT

The man and woman hug on the floor of the kitchen.

MAN

I’m sorry.

FLASH TO:

EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

The man continues to slide down the wall, clutching his stomach.

WOMAN (O.S.)

I’m sorry, too.

FLASH TO:

INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM – NIGHT

The man and the woman sit at the table eating. The woman looks up and catches eye contact with the man. She flashes a sly grin, then giggles.

FLASH TO:

INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

The man and woman sit on the couch next to each other, under a blanket, watching TV. She is resting her head on his shoulder.

FLASH TO:

EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

The man slumps over and falls onto the ground. He lies motionless.

We see him laying there still for a few moments.

INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM – NIGHT

The woman lays her head down on the table sobbing. The second candle burns into the melted wax and flickers itself out.

EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT

We see the man laying on the ground still.

TRACK BACK AWAY FROM MAN SLOWLY TO SHOW ENTIRE ALLEY

Reactions were mixed, but we proved it’s possible.

It also affirmed our need for the recast.

Onward!

Auditions are being held starting Thursday, January 12th, with rehearsals hopefully beginning the following week, and pickup photography scheduled to begin January 23rd.

It’s going to be close.

We have to reshoot roughly half of The Last Regret.

There’s nothing wrong with the footage we have; in fact, it looks amazing, and the rough cut has gotten nothing but praise (for the most part.) There’s just an issue that requires us to reshoot.

I’ll go into it more later.

The tentative deadline for beginning full-on production of Addict is March 1st, with photography beginning in late April or early May.

This is fun.

Yeah.

That’s respectable. The script was eight pages, so it’s only a couple minutes off of what the expected running time would be. Honestly, I was feeling five minutes, so the fact that it’s edited into over six is surprising.

Yikes stripes.

Although, I must say, this break has been great. While on vacation, I haven’t thought (much) at all about the movie, which will give me a fresh perspective later this week when we start back up.

It makes me smile. And smile big.

I love this movie.

That’s all I can ask for. Anything else is icing on the cake.