DANCING (Music Video)

by

Kouralilly and Emma Conner

Based on the song "Dancing" by Peter McVeigh

FADE IN:

EXT. STREET - NIGHT.

FOOTSTEPS.

A MAN gets into a car. His outfit is somber: dark overcoat, dark hat, dark suit and dark gloves.

A JINGLING of keys. The car door CREAKS shut. RUMBLING of the ENGINE starting.

INT. CAR.

Close up of black leather gloves gripping the steering wheel.

The car pulls away.

We pan up to the man’s face. His gaze is intense, but he doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to the road.

There are more pressing things on his mind.

He makes a turn and is dazzled by oncoming headlights.

SQUEAL of tires - a crash!

CUT TO BLACK:

FADE IN:

WHITE.

The sound of a STRUMMING GUITAR as the MUSIC BEGINS.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT.

A WOMAN walks over to the phone, picks it up and answers it. She is casual at first.

Her expression goes blank.

She sinks down into the nearest chair. Her face is a mask of shock.

In b.g. a little girl stands in the doorway, watching all of this.

Slowly, the Little Girl’s face comes into focus. She is understandably confused by her mother’s devastation.

Her gaze drifts to a photograph on the mantelpiece.

LITTLE GIRL’S POV

We are now looking directly at the photo: it shows the Man, Woman and Little Girl sat on the grass somewhere on a fine summer day. All three are smiling, innocent of any notion of impending tragedy.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY.

The Little Girl is placing a photo of herself, dressed for a dance recital, and a white rose upon her father’s grave.

We linger upon the Little Girl and the grave for a BEAT in MS before cutting to a WIDE SHOT, revealing the Girl’s father standing approx five yards behind her.

Hesitantly, the Man steps towards his daughter.

The little girl straightens up and turns around sharply, as though she heard his footsteps.

Nothing behind her but grass and trees.

The Little Girl turns back to face the grave and starts crying.

MS OF MAN AND LITTLE GIRL.

The man, frustrated but still determined, steps forward once more and keeps going until he is standing beside his daughter. Her tears slow a little as though she can feel his presence and is calmed by it.

The Man reaches out to the photo and touches it.

The Girl looks at the photo as well.

She closes her eyes.

Then...

CUT TO:

INT. ROOM.

The girl is dancing, leaving the room an indistinct blur around her. Her face beams with joy.

She dips, whirls, rises, incredibly accomplished for her age.

In b.g. is the Man, mirroring her every step with the same joy and grace. She cannot see him, but judging from the smile on her face she knows he is there.

INTER CUT: The girl - now a woman - is walking down the aisle on her wedding day. She is alone until she gets halfway down the aisle. That’s when her father appears at her arm to give her away.

INTER CUT MONTAGE: Vignettes of woman going through life - she’s waking up in the morning and making coffee, she’s teaching a classroom with sunlight streaming in the windows, she’s at a restaurant with friends, she’s walking by a photo of her father in her own home. Her father is in the background leaning against a wall or otherwise part of the environment. He will be always be beside her, an ever-watchful shadow-spirit.

INTER CUT: Girl dancing with her groom at her wedding.  Over the groom’s shoulder we can see her father watching, approving.  She closes her eyes.

FADE TO:

WHITE

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY.

The Little Girl opens her eyes and wipes the tears from her cheeks.

She is smiling.

WIDE SHOT OF THE TWO OF THEM ONCE MORE.

FADE TO BLACK.

END.