I was surprise to see that I wrote this script in 2002. I thought it was closer to being one of the last things I wrote, because I remember this being one of the last things that broke my heart.
this was written for a contest called 72 hours out of the hat – three random things had to be incorporated into your script, literally drawn from a hat and then you had 72 hours.
Photo Restoration expert and the book launch are the 2 of 3 that I remember.
I only needed 3 hours – and I even workshopped this with actor pals.
Photo Finish
Logline: A race car driver and a photo restoration expert
discover they have more in common than the
big picture book of racing history.
INT. PRINT SHOP FRONT COUNTER. EARLY EVENING
GAIL COOPER (late 30′s, athletic, wearing vintage racing clothes
circa 1950′s) struts towards the counter. She puts down a large
coffee table book called Photo Finish: A Pictorial History of
Car Racing by Gail Cooper.
She RINGS THE COUNTER BELL.
MARTIN DALE (OS)
I’ll be there in a minute!
GAIL
I just swung by to get that blow up for the
launch party.
MARTIN (OS)
Gail? Um, I’ll be right there
Gail leans against the counter. She glances at the various
posters advertising the services available, including one for
digital photo restoration.
Martin Dale (early 40′s, computer geek, confirmed bachelor type) comes from the staff only area
into the front of the print shop.
MARTIN (CONT)
Hi, Gail, um…
Gail leans over the counter and grabs him, pulling him partway
over the counter. She kisses him hard, then lets him drop back
to the floor.
GAIL
I brought you a copy of the book, I thought
you’d like to see how well the photos came
out. You did a great job restoring them.
Martin flips a few pages, nods, and lets the cover drop shut.
GAIL (CONT)
Martin, what’s wrong, I thought you’d be
happy to see the final product after all
those months of work you put in.
INT. PRINT SHOP FRONT COUNTER. EARLY EVENING CONTINUED
MARTIN
Yeah, the book’s great, it’s exciting, but
there’s something that I have to tell you
about the photo I blew up….
GAIL
Don’t tell me that it’s not ready, you said
you could digitally remove the autograph. I
have to be at the launch in like less than
an hour…
MARTIN
No, no, the blow up’s ready, all wrapped to
go.
Martin lifts a large wrapped poster over the counter, Gail
reaches for it.
GAIL
Martin, babe, I don’t have time right now
for problems, can I get the original back now?
MARTIN
Um, about the original….
GAIL
It’s okay, isn’t it? Nothing happened to it?
That’s my only picture of my dad, Martin.
MARTIN (SHOCKED)
Your dad? You can’t…
GAIL
Yeah, well, it’s something I don’t talk about
that often, a sense of loyalty to my Mom.
She was young, it was the early 60′s and she
spent her youth at race tracks. I was going
to tell you, especially now that we’re
dating, but the right time never came when
we were working on the book … but look,
can that personal touchy feely stuff wait?
What’s the deal with my dad’s picture?
INT. PRINT SHOP FRONT COUNTER. EARLY EVENING CONTINUED
MARTIN
One of the other clerks worked on it.
GAIL
Don’t tell me they threw my photo away?
(Panicking)
Find it, I am not kidding, just find it
Martin.
MARTIN
No, no, it wasn’t thrown away, it…
Martin reaches under the counter and brings the picture – an
early 1960′s racecar driver, Bud Tyler, in the winner’s circle
with a trophy and two bathing suit clad women kissing him on
each cheek – to the counter. The autograph is gone, and solvent
has damaged the picture.
GAIL
They removed the autograph? Martin, this was
like one of only five known Bud Tyler
autographs, the only thing I had from my
dad, he gave this to my Mom, Martin, this is
unbelievable! How could you let this happen?
Is that damage on the blow up?
MARTIN
No, no, the blow up, I did from the earlier
scan. But that’s beside the point, Gail, Bud
Tyler can’t be your father.
GAIL
Martin, I can’t talk about this, any of
this, right now, I’m too angry, and, I think
it’s better if you don’t come to the launch.
Gail steps away from the counter, tears of anger welling up.
GAIL (TO HERSELF)
Why do all the men in my life always let me
down?
Gail stomps out.
Martin starts to follow her.
INT. PRINT SHOP FRONT COUNTER. EARLY EVENING CONTINUED
MARTIN
But that’s not what I have to tell you…
Gail SLAMS THE DOOR, the BELL TINKLES.
MARTIN (CONT)
Gail, we really do have to talk now.
INT. FRONT OF BOOK STORE. NIGHT
There is a table in the book store entrance, piled with copies
of Gail’s book. The blow up of Bud Tyler is hanging above the
table. Gail looks up at the photo tearfully, and then takes her
seat at the table.
There is a small line up of TWELVE PATRONS waiting for
autographs.
To the side, there is a table with a wine and cheese service,
still under cover.
BOOKSTORE CLERK
Thanks for coming, we are pleased to have
with us tonight, Gail Cooper, the historian archivist
of the new book, Photo Finish: A
Pictorial History of Car Racing. Ladies and
gentlemen, Gail Cooper.
Gail stands up to LIGHT APPLAUSE.
GAIL
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. My earliest
memories are being with my Mom at the race
track, watching these incredible cars
driving by the grandstand very fast. I never
forgot the excitement, the crowds and the
feel of the wind on my face as the cars
roared by.
Martin enters quietly. He has a large envelope. Gail hasn’t
noticed him yet.
INT. FRONT OF BOOK STORE. NIGHT CONTINUED
GAIL (CONT)
I race myself, and am one of a few, but
growing, number of women drivers. I prefer
to drive the vintage cars, like the ones
pictured in my book, because I feel that’s
when racing really had heart. It wasn’t all
about how fast you could drive, but, it was
a real test of driver skill against driver
skill. It’s that passion, which I wanted to
share with you, and with the world, of why I
wanted to create this pictorial history of
racing.
Gail sees Martin. Her lips get thin, but she can’t let her
audience see that she is angry.
Martin gets in line.
GAIL (CONT)
My inspiration for racing, and in my life
was this man, Bud Tyler. Bud never became
famous like Graham Hill or Jim Clark. Bud
Tyler was just starting to make his mark in
racing, when he was killed in a crash two
weeks after this picture was taken. Why
would this forgotten and tragic driver,
inspire me to take up driving and devote my
life to uncovering the amazing history of
the sport that Bud loved and I love so much?
Because, ladies and gentlemen, with this
book launch, I am also launching my quest to
find the family left behind by Bud Tyler,
his wife and young son, because, Bud Tyler
was my father.
MODERATE APPLAUSE.
Martin steps out of line.
MARTIN
Gail, we have to talk, now.
GAIL
Martin, leave me alone! I don’t have
anything to say to you.
The book clerk moves towards Martin to remove him. He sidesteps
her and gets closer to Gail.
INT. FRONT OF BOOK STORE. NIGHT CONTINUED
He opens the envelope and pulls out another copy of the photo
with an original autograph. Gail starts to protest and then
snatches the picture away from him.
GAIL
How did you get this?
MARTIN
Let’s talk at the back of the store.
Gail storms off to the back of the store. Martin smiles at the
waiting patrons.
MARTIN (CONT)
Nothing to worry about folks, I’ll have her
back in a moment.
INT. BACK OF BOOKSTORE. NIGHT
Gail is waiting angrily holding the picture.
MARTIN
Look, I’m sorry about your picture, I got
another one for you.
GAIL
How did you get this? Did you forge the
signature from the scan? I want my photo,
not a print out!
MARTIN
It’s a real autograph. My Mom has a box full
of those.
GAIL
She can’t, there’s not that many.
MARTIN (AS IF TALKING TO A SMALL CHILD)
Gail, Bud Tyler is not your father. He’s not
at all what you think. If you just let me
explain…
GAIL
What would you know about it, Martin? I grew
up at the track, my Mom knew all of those
drivers in the early 60′s.
MARTIN
My Mom has a whole box of those photos,
autographed, because Bud Tyler was my dad.
Bud getting asked for autographed pictures,
so he got a bunch would pre-sign them.
Gail stares at Martin.
GAIL
Ohmigawd, you’re my brother, and we….
MARTIN
Gail, please, listen to me, you should have
told me that you thought Bud Tyler was your
father sooner, because…
Gail touches her throat.
GAIL
No shit, I think I’m going to be sick, I
mean, I wanted to meet Bud’s son and get
close, but as long lost family, not…
ohmigawd, I’m going to be sick.
Martin steps close and puts his arm around her. Gail leans in
for comfort, but is only more uncomfortable.
MARTIN
Gail, it’s okay, it’s okay, I’m trying to
explain that Bud Tyler is not your father.
GAIL
Of course you’d say that, it’s hard to think
that your dad cheated on your mom.
MARTIN
No, Gail, it’s you who doesn’t understand.
Just let me fin…
GAIL
Martin, what are we going to do? I’ve never
fallen for a guy like I’ve fallen for you.
Most men are too intimidated by me to… you
were really different, and now, now, I can’t
even think about it. But I can’t stop
thinking about it.
Gail moves away from Martin, she is about to throw up. He steps
closer, and rubs her back.
MARTIN
Gail, it’s okay, everything’s okay, nothing
has to change between us.
Gail spins around to face him.
GAIL
That’s disgusting, we’re half siblings!
Martin grips her face firmly to keep her attention.
MARTIN
Gail! Listen! Bud Tyler was born a woman.
GAIL
What? You’re crazy!
Martin takes back the envelope and pulls out two more photos.
MARTIN
Bud Tyler was really Beatrice Tyler, from a
very small town in Alberta. Beatrice and my
Mom, Theresa, ran away to the big city of
Vancouver in the early 1950′s. Being gay was
illegal then, and since no one knew them in
Vancouver, they could invent any life they
wanted. Bea, became Bud. She was a good
mechanic, from growing up on a farm with no
boys in the family, I guess, and drifted
into amateur race car driving, and got
really good at it. I kinda remember Bud,
just vague memories, and I’ve always thought
of Bud as my dad, and a man.
Martin hands Gail the photos: one of Bud, looking like a man,
with a very young Martin, and one of Bud not in drag, with
Martin’s Mom. Gail studies them intently.
MARTIN (CONT)
When Bud began to earn money racing, they
got a house in Richmond, which were farms
back then. A gay friend of theirs helped
them have me. Bud was just the proudest dad
when I was born. Mom wanted Bud to stop
racing, because she was worried about being
found out, never thinking about how
dangerous racing was. Bud agreed, but was
killed during his last race. Another driver
lost control, there was no way to avoid the
crash. Later, Mom told me, it was lucky in a
way, because there wasn’t an autopsy. We
went back to Alberta. And we used my Mom’s
maiden name, just in case. Bud’s career was
like a comet, and just as mysteriously as
Bud appeared, his family disappeared.
GAIL
That’s why I couldn’t find a trace of Bud’s
family.
MARTIN
Well, it was easier to get lost back in
those days. So, you see, Bud Tyler, couldn’t
have been your father.
GAIL
I don’t know why Mom would tell me that, she
obviously, never….
MARTIN
Maybe your mom couldn’t tell you who your
real dad was, and since Bud was dead, she
didn’t think it could come to any harm for
you to think that he was. Your mom may have
known Bud, I don’t know, he had a reputation
for being a nice guy, a real gentlemen with
women. But he never cheated on my Mom.
GAIL
I feel like such a fool, Martin, my whole
life is a sham.
MARTIN
No, it’s not. You thought that following in
Bud’s footsteps would help you find your
family, right? You came into my shop to get
all these racing photos restored, and we
found each other. I was alone before you,
I’ve never been a ladies man, you remember
how shy I was when you first met me? We
starting working together, and discovered
that we shared a passion for racing, and we
clicked.
GAIL
Martin, I don’t know… my whole world is
upside down. The man I thought was my
father, was your dad, except, he was a
woman?
MARTIN
Like Billy Tipton, the sax player. Boy, you
have a way of making me go off topic. Gail,
you’re looking for family, and that’s what
you’ve found. I love you.
Gail looks at Martin, his last words cutting through her
confusion. She smiles, glowing. She steps forward and kisses
him, passionately.
GAIL
Funny how when you find what you’re looking
for, you get it in a way you don’t expect.
MARTIN
No kidding, who knew that I was just waiting
to marry a girl like dear old dad.
