Johnny Lightning Screenplay Sample

               OPENING IMAGE

               THE CLACK OF A PROJECTOR STARTS.
           
               BLACK AND WHITE SUPER 8 MM HOME MOVIE BEGINS

               Cheering parents yell encouragements to their boys.

               EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD GRASS FIELD - DAY

               The year is 1964 Peter Carney, 11, is dressed in Youth
               football gear running down the chalked field during a game.
               The image shakes as it focuses on Peter wearing number 00.

               GENE CARNEY, Peter's father is yelling.

                                   GENE CARNEY(V.O.)(FILMING)
                         Let's go double O ... Run Peter,
                         Run.

               Music plays introduction instrumental to James Bond.

               FILM STRIPS GROWS TO FULL SCREEN

               Peter, still running, he is on defense.  He is shorter but
               huskier than the rest of the boys. The opposing team is
               running the ball right at Peter.  Brian Studnicky,(STUDS),
               number 20, is the ball carrier.

                                                        SERIES OF CUTS:

               PARENTS ON THE SIDELINE YELLING

               BARRY STUDNICKY'S FACE

               Barry Studnicky, Stud's father, dressed in a police chief
               uniform, yells for his son.

                                   BARRY STUDNICKY
                         Run Studs... Go, Go, Run, Yeah.

               BACK ON THE FIELD

               STUDS cuts toward Big Kid and PETER goes to tackle.

               BIG Kid, a enormously large, fat kid with big silver braces,
               who's face oozes from his face mask is standing a few feet
               from Peter.

               GENE STANDING ON THE SIDELINE FILMING

                                   GENE CARNEY
                          Let's Go "P".

               SIDELINE, PARENTS TAKE NOTICE OF GENE

               BACK ON THE FIELD

               BIG KID, comes up on Peter's blind side.

               BIG KID'S FAT OOZING BRACED FACE GROWLING

               STUDS RUNNING, CUTTING

               ON THE FIELD

               PETER runs into Big Kid who cracks Peter out of the play.

               GENE CARNEY

                                   GENE CARNEY (CONT'D)
                         Oh...(wincing)

               BACK ON THE FILED

               PETER flies and lands helmet first.  The parents momentarily
               hush, then continue to cheer.

               Music fades.

               STUDS runs by untouched.

               GENE CARNEY

               GENE Takes the 8 mm camera from his eye leaving a ring.

                                   GENE CARNEY (CONT'D)
                         ... That one's gonna smart.

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)(JERSEY ACCENT)
                         I liked football, but I didn't like
                         playing.  My dad always supported
                         me but he wouldn't let me quit.

               PETER FACE DOWN ON THE FIELD

               GENE ON THE SIDELINE

                                   GENE CARNEY
                         Get up Carney... Come on Peter...
                         You're hungry... Make your move.

               BACK ON THE FIELD

               PETER, dazed, lifts his head out of a divot.  With a tuft of
               grass stuck in his face mask.

                                                               FADE TO:

               INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

               PETER sits at a desk in his 6th grade class. 6TH GRADE TEACHER
               hands a clean piece of paper to each student.

                                   6TH GRADE TEACHER
                         I want you all to write your full
                         name in the top right corner of the
                         paper before we begin.

               PETER writes his name.

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)
                         I hated my name growing up. It is
                         so important to have a good name.
                         Peter just wasn't cool like Bobby
                         or Billy.


               TOP OF PETER'S PAPER

               PETER writes: Peter J. Carney, then crosses through it.  Then
               he writes, John Peter Carney, then crosses through that one.
               Then he writes Jonathan P. Carney and crosses through it a
               third time.

               Finally he writes: Carney, Johnny P.

               DICK raises his hand.

                                   6TH GRADE TEACHER
                         Yes Dick?

               THE CLASS

               Class chuckles.

                                                                CUT TO:

               INT. 6TH GRADE CLASS, AFTER SCHOOL - DAY

               GENE stands before Peter's teacher with Peter by his side.
               6TH GRADE TEACHER looks perturbed and hands Peter's paper with the
               various names written along the top to Gene.  GENE reads the
               names to himself then looks at Peter.

                                   GENE CARNEY (TO TEACHER)
                         Well... He's not a bad boy...

               He puts his arm about his son's head and shoulders and pulls
               him close.

                                   GENE CARNEY(CONT'D)
                         ..He might be a little confused...
                         But, Essentially, those are his
                         names.

               GENE and PETER turn and walk out.  As they are walking
               through the doorway, PETER turns to the teacher and gives her
               "That Smile"
                                                              CUT BACK:

               EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD GRASS FIELD - DAY

               The whistle blows.

               PETER marches toward his father.

               The sounds of the game and sideline parents fade as Peter
               approaches his Dad.


               PETER AND GENE ON THE SIDELINE

               GENE, reaches out and crabs Peter by the face mask.  Their
               eyes meet.

               PETER'S FACE THOUGH HIS DIRTY FACE MASK

                                   GENE CARNEY
                         "Johnny P" Get back out there and
                         show em "Johnny P"...

               PETER looks up at his father with eyes that say I'm done.

               PETER AND GENE

                                   GENE CARNEY (CONT'D)
                         Listen Peter... Carneys don't
                         quit..... You don't stop until the
                         whistle blows... You got it!

               PETER nods affirmative.

                                   GENE CARNEY (CONT'D)
                         You'll quit when the game is over.
                         And "WE" never let our team mates
                         down.

               GENE turns his son around and kicks him in the rear.

               GENE AND THE SIDELINE

                                   GENE CARNEY (CONT'D)
                         (Yelling) Keep your eyes open.

               PETER runs back onto the field.

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)
                         He would say that I needed to do
                         other things in my life besides
                         school work to make me more
                         rounded.

               PETER LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER THROUGH FACE MASK

               BACK ON THE FIELD

               PETER, Looking behind, runs into his team mate number 55,
               BOANNA.

               BOANNA laughs and pulls the grass out of Peter's face mask.
               PETER points at Big Kid.

                                   GENE CARNEY (YELLING)
                         Let's Go... For God's sake, use
                         your head.

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)
                         And so... I kept playing.

               James Bond music starts to play again.

               Another play and PETER rushes the pass but cannot get around
               BIG KID.

               The ball is thrown.

               BIG KID STOPS TO WATCH THE BALL'S FLIGHT

               THE FIELD

               BOANNA gets on his hands and knees behind Big Kid.  PETER
               gets a running start and sticks his head into Big Kid's chest
               and his fist up under Big Kid's face mask sending him over
               the back of BOANNA. 

               REFEREE BLOWING THE WHISTLE

               THE FIELD

               PETER and BOANNA get up quickly and together turn their backs
               to Big Kid and walk away.

               BIG KID gets to his feet with arms flailing in protest trying
               to retaliate against Pete and Boanna.

               The unaware REFEREE steps in and scolds only BIG KID, then
               signals for Big Kid to be ejected.

               Music fades

               GENE SHAKING HIS HEAD

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)
                         I played until.... One day...

               THE SIDELINE

               BARRY STUDNICKY walks by Gene and slaps him on the back.

                                   BARRY STUDNICKY
                         I guess they say if they're not
                         cheating, they're not trying.

               GENE watches his son on the field.

                                   OLD PETE(V.O.)
                         That's when my father finally
                         supported my decision to quit and
                         let me do other things....

               BOANNA and PETER bump helmets.

                                   OLD PETE (V.O.)
                         Oh by the way, this is a true life
                         story.... Well, almost true.