Frame By Frame

Synopsis:  A tricky warlock, Doldrum has a video camera that captures souls and he sells these lives on his enchanted DVDs.   One such soul he has captured was that of Prince Jordan, a modern day alchemist that only knew of the prophecies warning him about his trickery and sly ways.   Jordan had his mind on other matters, mainly impressing women with his sleight of hand.  A movie buff named Bronwyn buys his DVD and notices that he is the only character that seems to hate his redundant, repetitive, mundane existence.   Her latent theurgic power is unleashed and she is one of the chosen to battle Doldrum.

~*~CAST~*~

Doldrum:  

Prince Jordan Buble:

Queen Conchita Buble: (his mom)

King Chad Buble: (his dad)

Bronwyn Levy:

Gabriel Levy: (her dad)

Ann Levy: (her mom)

Miriam Levy: (her grandma)

Cliff Brisby:

Kazuki ‘Kazu’ Nakamura:  

Laila Chowdry:  

Mariah Xiao:

Claymore ‘Clay’ Newton:

Nevaeh Wing:  

‘Foretold our fate, by the gods’ decree, all hear and none believed the prophecy.’--Anonymous, Title quote from Grimm, El Cuegle  

Scene 1--Be Wary of Unusual Men

Chad:   Jordan, you must be careful before going out into the wild world.   Legend has it there’s a warlock out there gaining more and more strength sealing souls into enchanted DVDs.    He uses a video camera under the egis of an amateur film student or nature photographer.   He can take many forms.   He’s been around for thousands of years living off the essense of others for millennia.  

Conchita:  Yes !   They call him Doldrum !   

Chad:  (Shudders)  That name gives me the shivers, it does.   (quivers again)  I don’t know if there are any magic users in this world any longer to stand against that type of villainy.    If there are, their ability probably lies latent, just waiting to be awakened.   

Jordan:  (a bit proudly, maybe with some arrogance)  Why should I have to concern myself with a warlock that may or may not exist ?   I have more important things to do.   

Conchita:  (holds him by the shoulders)  You’re an alchemist, Jordan.   Don’t take it lightly.  

Chad:   Be careful.   (he hugs his son, but they both have a sense of foreboding while he leaves the estate)  

(On the way to school, Jordan is distracted by a rather contagious Latin song called ‘Coca Cola Bottle Shake’.   He can’t help but smile, laugh and clap to the beat.  This salesman knows how to draw a crowd, gimmick and flamboyance or not.)

Doldrum:  See anything that catches your eye, young man ?  (He notices the royal insignia on Jordan’s pocket)  

Jordan:   No but I wouldn’t mind dancing to a beat similar to that.  

Doldrum:  It’s your lucky day today then.   Go on...I’ll film you.   This will go viral on Youtube.   You’ll be famous the world over.   (he puts on Bailar, which starts out slow but then picks up the rhythm and beat and gets into the real salsa flavor.)

Jordan:  Yes, I’m definitely feeling this one !   Me gusta mucho !   

Doldrum:   (under his breath)  Now you belong to me, Jordan Buble.   

(Jordan is sucked up into his camera and turned into a jewel case DVD.)   

Doldrum:  At long last, more fuel for my youth.   You will be extremely valuable.   I can feed on you for eons, wizards lead ripe, exuberant lives.   Pity yours will be lived on on this DVD.    (shrug)  Sacrifices have to be made, I suppose.   The more your DVD is played the more powerful I become.   Soon, oh, so very soon, I will be invulnerable and indestructible.    

Bronwyn:   Hey, sir !   Sweet set of DVDs you got there !   

Doldrum:   I have all sorts, even rare, limited edition Blu-Ray discs.    

Bronwyn:  (low whistle)  You’re not kidding.   I’ll take (eyes wandering until a DVD captures her attention) this one right here.   

Doldrum:  That’ll be 9.95.   

Bronwyn:  Even for a snazzy Blu-Ray like this ?

Doldrum:   I can go lower, if you’d prefer.   

Bronwyn:  No way, this is a superb deal, Sir.   (Pays him and goes off dancing to ‘Worth It’)

(Scene shift)

Scene 2--Dinner at the Levy’s

Miriam:  Bronwyn !  You’re back !  

(Bronwyn hugs her grandmother affectionately.)  

Bronwyn:   It’s good to be back home.   (inhales deeply)  What’s for dinner, it smells incredible !  

Ann:  We made bulgogi, your favorite !  

Bronwyn:  How did you know I wanted Korean tonight ?   

Gabe:   I actually suggested it.    

Bron:  Dad, you rock my socks !    (kisses them both)   

Ann:  What’s that in your hand ?   

Bron:  Just a new DVD.   I earned enough money to buy it.   The rest of it I put in the bank.   

Gabe:  That’s my girl.   Always put away enough for a rainy day.   You never know when you might need it.   

Bron:  I was thinking of watching it over the weekend.   

Miriam:   Did you finish all your homework ?   

Bron:  You betcha, grandma.   

(They all sit around the table talking about the events of the day and laughing.  Bron talks about her friends at school and their lives.)

(Scene shift)

Scene 3--Just a Nightmare, Perhaps ?  

Bron:  (yawns)  Man, I am beat.   It’s been a long day.  (kisses all her parental figures goodnight, takes a bath and snuggles into bed with a Yoshi teddy bear)

(She has a dream)  

Doldrum:  (laughing maniacally and encircling the earth with his hands as it continually shrinks)  At long last, my own personal snow globe of neverending energy !    It’s mine !   All mine for the taking !   

Bron:  (awakens screaming)

Ann:   What’s wrong, cupcake ?   

Gabe:  Yeah, we heard you screaming !  

Miriam:  Is there a creeper somewhere in here ?   Lemme at him, I’ll cane him so hard he won’t be able to sit for two weeks !  

Gabe:  Mom, sheesh !   Dial down the violence, will ya ?

Miriam:  Well, you’d break someone’s legs if they’d got into Bronnie's room, right ?

Ann:  Yeah, any one of us would.   

(They comfort her)  

Bron:  (shivering and holding her stuffed toy close to her)  There was this pair of wrinkled, writhing, brambled hands, uglier than sin, encompassing the whole world and shrinking it.   

Ann:  That sounds horrifying.  

Bron:  (shivering starts to calm down)  It was so realistic.  

Gabe:  It was just a dream.   Do you want us to sleep in the room with you until you fall asleep ?   We’ll be right here.  We won’t leave you.   

Miriam:  You’ve got nothing to fear, cookie.

Bron: Actually I wouldn’t mind if you did.  

(They hum a very soothing melody for her to finally be carried off into the land of nod and fall asleep in her room themselves.   Scene fade.)  

Scene 4--Not Your Ordinary DVD

Bron:  (has a bowl of popcorn and some Trolli exploders as well as a Pepsi)  Alright, let’s fire this puppy up !   

(She plays through it and enjoys the song and dance numbers but notices Jordan’s character really isn’t into it.   He begins to overpower the other characters by singing ‘Goodbye Little Dream’)

Bron:  That’s...not normal at all.   What the heck is going on here ?   

Jordan:  (seeing that Bronwyn has locked eyes with him)  Hey !  You !  

Bron:  No flipping way.    Did you just speak to me ?   Dude, this has got to be one special DVD !   

Jordan:   I’m trapped in here.   You have to get me out !    Do you even know how to do magic ?   I would, but it’s useless.   I can’t escape.   It has to be eliminated by someone in the outside world.

Bron:   I don’t know if I do.  (thinks to herself)  Why am I talking to a character in a DVD ?    (back to Jordan)  I’m Bronwyn Levy.   Who are you ?

Jordan:  Prince Jordan Buble.  I’m an alchemist, but Doldrum, that sly fox, trapped me in this DVD.   (lamenting)  I should’ve listened to my parents.   The prophecy they told me was correct.   

Bron:  (Getting chills)  Prophecy ?  

Jordan:  Yes !   There’s a warlock who has existed from the essense of wizards and witches for eons now.   He is timeless, ageless, and dastardly.   He will stop at nothing until the entire world is drained of magical power.   When he’s done with this realm, who knows where he will travel next.   The cosmos is vast !   

Bron:  (hearkening)  So my dream wasn’t a dream at all.  It was an oracle !   I can’t believe I saw what might become.  

Jordan:  It’s entirely possible, Bronwyn.   Just go deep into yourself.   I’m certain you’ll find your power if you simply meditate.   

Bron:  I don’t know, Jordan.   I’m just a normal schoolgirl.   I enjoy playing video games, skateboarding in the park, roller coasters and building sandcastles… What you’re asking requires a lot of responsibility on my part.   I don’t know if I am qualified.   

Jordan:  You’ve got to.  I know you are one of the many who are chosen.   There’s still time.   Doldrum hasn’t sold many DVDs and he can only feed when they are played.    

Bron:  (determined)  I’ll release you from that Blu-Ray prison somehow.   Firstly, though…(inhales and exhales thoroughly and calms her mind, she sees another version of herself)

Theurge:  The time has come, Bronwyn.   

Bron:  Who are you ?  

Theurge:  I am you, darling.   (holds out her hand)  You can trust yourself.   You’ve always known what to do, just trust your inner guidance.  

Bron:  (takes her inner self’s hand and then goes and tells her parents the discovery she’s made)  

Gabe:  Do you expect to go after this warlock on your own ?  

Bron:   No.   I’ll find others willing to help me.   It won’t be an easy road, but Jordan needs to be saved.    The world will be stronger with magicians to defend it.   

Ann:  You see, all these years I was right, Gabe !   Our little lady is something special.  

Miriam:  I’ve been telling you both that.   I think we all knew.  

(They all come forward to hug her tightly)  

Ann:  Be careful, ok ?

Bron:   You know I will be.   The universe depends upon magicians to save it.   

Miriam:  No pressure, huh ?   (she laughs nervously)  

Bron:  Oy, vey...Hey, I’ll give it my best anyway.  

Gabe:  That’s the Levy spirit !    Go get ‘im, Maccabee.  

(Scene fade)  

Scene 5--So, Kinda Like the Power Rangers, huh ?  

(Bron is dancing to L.A. Boy American Boy Remix)  

Nevaeh:   Hey, Bronwyn !   What’s shakin, bacon ?  

Bron:  Nevaeh !  Listen to this jam !   It’s killer.   (puts an earbud in her ear)  

Nevaeh:  Oooh, siiiiick.   Lovin’ it.   Estelle and Dee Dee right ?   I never pegged you for a Steven Universe fan, but I love it too.   It’s such a rad ‘toon !  

Mariah:  Hey, guys !  

Kazu:  What’s uuuuup, ya’ll ?   

(Claymore, Cliff and Lailah meander but stop on by, thinking they’re all going to play a game of dodgeball together.)  

Claymore:  What’s going on ?   

Cliff:  Is this some kind of meeting ?  

Bron: We were all drawn together.    I know you felt it.   

Kazu:   I had a really weird dream…

Laila:   Was it of two big, withered hands…

Kazu:  Yes, that’s the one.    

Nea:  That’s unusual for us all to have a shared dream.    Mum always said that indicates an omen of what’s to come.   

Kazu:  What’s to come nothing.   I’ve got abilities I never even knew I had !   My only question is why !    

Clay:  Kazu, I know what you mean, right ?  It’s pretty tight, dude !    We’re tough !

Kazu:  Like Power Rangers !   

Bron:   Better.   We’re magicians.   (off to the side) Gee, this was easier than I thought it would be.  

Laila:  What was that Bronwyn ?  

Bron:   (hand behind head, nervously)  Ah, nuttin’ really.    (narrating)   We didn’t really have any time to hone our abilities or bone up on spells.   Our inner selves seemed to know exactly what to do and how to do it.    Something tells me this battle was ageless and it was a celestial one that was going to come in an end.   Oh, Lord please, I’m begging you.  I’m too young to die !   

(Scene shift)

Scene 6--Preemptive Celebration

Doldrum:  (sensing another DVD being played)  Oh, yes.  Now that’s what I’m talkin’ bout !    Bring that sweet, sweet energy daddy’s way.   (singing)  That’s the way, uh huh uh huh I like it !    

Bronwyn:   Doldrum !   

Doldrum:  YOU !   (angered)  I see you brought (seethes and twitches) friends.  

Cliff:  That’s right, warlock.   

Mariah:  Didn’t count on us, didja ?  

Doldrum:   (grumbling)  No matter.   I can see trying to trick the lot of you would do no good since you know what I am capable of.    I’ll make this as fair of a fight as I can.    Needless to say, your world is doom, hell, the whole universe is going to be mine.   This is gonna be a cake walk !   (he tries not to laugh)  

(One of the many fight songs from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure plays in the background.   It seems are heroes and villain are amply matched.   Our heroes and heroines finally defeat him with a superlative magic attack that kills him on the spot.)

Doldrum:  Thwarted ?  How can that possibly be...Aughhhhhhhhhh !   (he turns into a gnarled wizened, writhing version of himself, aging quickly, then a skeleton, and at last, dust.  Even his wand is nothing more than ash.)  

Clay:  That was so BOSS !  Did you see us ?   We walloped his warlock ass but good !  

Jordan:  (emerging from his prison at home to be surrounded by fellow wizards)  I can’t thank you enough.   All of you !   I owe you a deep depth of gratitude that I will never be able to repay.   I think this calls for a celebration.  One I will gladly fund.  

Bron: (Narrating)  It was strange but I had made another friend that day.  Although he was from a totally different part of town, my pals and I made it a point to hang out as much as we could.    Life had changed since the massive battle, but no one else around us seemed to notice it had happened.    Everyone went about their lives like ‘normal’, whatever that definition means.    We knew we had been brought together for a purpose.  Should another threat like Doldrum appear, we would be ready for him, for the power within us was innate.   There would always be evil in the world, but we would put a stop to it.   For the time being, we were enjoying life, especially since it was summer.  

(Scene quickly shifts from mundane life happening to the change of seasons until summer.   Jordan  is taking his friends to Universal Studios.  Caramelldansen plays in the background.)   

Jordan:   I already said, I think this is a great use of my funds.   Some of it goes to charity, some of it goes into the stock market, where it earns more for me.   I can think of no better way to spend my money though.  

Clay:  At least it’s going to people who really need it.  (he laughs)  

Cliff:  Hill, big, big hill.  Oh, holy NIGHT, Jesus, Hallelujah save me.

Bron: (snapshot at the top of the hill, narrating)  Yes, life is good, folks.   I couldn’t have wanted for more.   (The photo is revealing too, because she’s grown a bit more cozy with Jordan.)  

(Credits roll and ‘Grow Fonder’ plays as well as ‘Scream & Shout’, ‘Radical’ and ‘You Can Do Magic’ play as the credits play.  Bloopers are shown and photos of fun with the cast and crew being goofy and spontaneous.   Proceeds from the film go to help those in need of magic in their lives by giving them a chance to pay medical bills for cancer or other dread diseases.    Alternate therapies are supported as well.)