SCENE 08: PRINCES PLACE

LOCATION 08

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2008 Ian S. Bolton

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[MORE IMAGES TO COME HERE]

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SCRIPT

Inside the photographer’s studio, the entrance hall has been fitted out as an office.

The RECEPTIONIST, a beautiful Oriental girl, is working by a lamp, retouching a photograph.

The PHOTOGRAPHER comes through the office as she sits down at a desk.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Hello, love.

RECEPTIONIST

Hello.

The PHOTOGRAPHER goes into the next room.

The upper floor can be reached either by crossing a vast room at street level or by climbing a narrow staircase leading straight into his private flat.

The PHOTOGRAPHER takes the staircase, and camera follows him up.

He comes into a narrow passageway, then into the kitchen.

Here there is another young man, drinking coffee.

He is one of the two assistants.

The PHOTOGRAPHER takes several rolls of film out of the parcel and hands them to him.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Get these developed, will you?

ASSISTANT

Yeah.

In the background we glimpse two model girls dressing and putting on make-up.

Close shot of the photographer.

PHOTOGRAPHER to the ASSISTANT

Right away.

Then he opens the door to his living room-cum-studio and peers through.

Another model is reflected in a pane of glass propped up in the studio as he sneaks in and goes up to a table.

He puts his cameras down and pours himself a glass of wine.

The ASSISTANT passes through the studio with the films for developing.

The sound of the MODEL’s voice makes the PHOTOGRAPHER turn around.

MODEL

Here I am.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Ready?

He moves away.

The MODEL, wearing a black shawl, is sitting on a bench in the living area of the upstairs studio.

She comes forward, stooping under a low beam.

MODEL

I’ve been ready for nearly an hour!

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Good!

The PHOTOGRAPHER is arranging the studio.

The MODEL comes towards him.

MODEL

I’m catching a plane for Paris at eleven, so I can’t…

PHOTOGRAPHER

Can’t what?

The PHOTOGRAPHER is picking up some coloured ostrich feathers.

MODEL

It doesn’t matter.

We follow the PHOTOGRAPHER as he moves closer to the model.

The PHOTOGRAPHER studies her: the MODEL looks a bit tired.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Who the hell were you with last night?

The MODEL smiles.

She goes off.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Reg!

He jerks his thumb up to the ceiling.

REG hurries across to open a blind covering the ceiling skylight.

Light streams in from the skylight, illuminating the MODEL as she takes off her shawl.

The PHOTOGRAPHER puts down the plumes and then takes off his shoes, looking towards her closely.

Camera pans as he slowly moves towards her with the plumes – arranging them round her.

The MODEL is in front of a back-drop of paper.

Her dark dress is loose and low-cut with slits down the sides.

She is naked underneath.

The PHOTOGRAPHER arranges the plumes on a rack beside her.

The MODEL stands in close shot with flumes fluttering round her.

The PHOTOGRAPHER stations himself behind the tripod with the camera on it, with REG beside him.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Reg, let’s have some noise.

REG goes to put some music on and the PHOTOGRAPHER focuses his camera.

The music is jazz and rather sensual.

The MODEL, standing in front of the back-drop with the plumes on the left, starts going into various poses, flexible and relaxed, giving the impression of a rubber-jointed doll.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Right.

Resume on the PHOTOGRAPHER, who takes one or two shots.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yes, that’s good, that’s good, hold that.

Resume on the MODEL with an arm outstretched – she sinks down slightly.

The MODEL poses, and THOMAS photographs her, and throughout this sequence we hear the click of the camera shutter.

The MODEL from another angle – she pushes back her hair.

Click.

The MODEL again – she lunges forward.

Click.

Another shot of the MODEL, straightening up, then undulating her body in time to the music.

Click.

Close-up of the PHOTOGRAPHER.

The ASSISTANT sets up a new camera.

The PHOTOGRAPHER, still watching the MODEL closely, takes a sip of wine.

Resume on the MODEL.

The PHOTOGRAPHER the gets down on his knees, closer to her.

More shots.

REG is loading another film into the first camera.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Reg!

REG looks up.

He fetches another camera and hands it to the PHOTOGRAPHER, who slips the strap over his neck, his eyes still on the MODEL.

Close-up of the PHOTOGRAPHER seen from below, taking more shots.

Camera moves with him as he crouches down near her.

They are both seen from above.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Give us a smile. Come on. That’s it. Yes.

Then he goes closer to her, clutching the camera to his chest like a machine gun, taking one shot after another.

Closer and closer to her.

They’re both on their knees.

A new record is on now, faster.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Hunch. Hunch more… That’s it… That’s it… That’s good.

The MODEL is on the floor, and the PHOTOGRAPHER jumps around her, getting more and more excited.

He pushes her hair back.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Now the hair back. Now the hair back.

He whispers in her ear.

She smiles.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Come on, that’s great. That’s great! That’s good. Good. Come on, more of that. More of that. Now give it to me. Really give it to me. Come on, now!

Camera follows him as he moves away and stoops in the foreground, taking more pictures.

Resume on the MODEL, seen in close-up over his shoulder.

PHOTOGRAPHER

As quick… As…

He moves away to get a better angle.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

…fast as you can. As fast as you can. Now give it to me. Give it to me! Come on. Right forward.

He reappears.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Good. That’s good. Now, to get this side. This side. Lean right forward. Lean right forward.

Now the PHOTOGRAPHER puts her hand up to her mouth.

He begins taking pictures again.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Hand up. Hand up. That’s great. Just touch your face. That’s very good. Now again, around this way. Around this way.

Camera pans as he moves to shoot her from another angle.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Half the face again – half the face again. Good. Now the hair. Now the hair.

He gestures and she loosens her hair.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Marvellous. That’s great. Good. Yes. The hair… Much more. Much more. Good. That’s great. Yes, that’s great. That’s good. That’s good. Yes! Go on. That again. That again. That again.

Resume on the MODEL in close-up, leaning her head back and shaking her hair.

THOMAS takes pictures.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Oh, hold that. Hold the hair – to the left again. Again. Good.

He gets to his feet, slips the camera off and hands it to his ASSISTANT.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Okay, Reg. Fifty.

REG passes him another camera.

The PHOTOGRAPHER puts it over his shoulder and turns towards the MODEL.

PHOTOGRAPHER

You can relax. On your back. Go on. Yes. Now, really give it.

The MODEL lies down on the floor.

Camera moves in closer as she begins writhing her body slowly and knowingly.

The PHOTOGRAPHER begins shooting her again.

PHOTOGRAPHER off:

Come on. Come on, work, work, work. Great. Great. And again. Come on. Back, Back – arms up, arms up – stretch…

He stands astride her and slowly bends his legs over her, still snapping one shot after another.

Again he whispers in her ear and again the MODEL smiles, holding out her hands as if to caress him.

The PHOTOGRAPHER is starting to get excited too.

His movements are wild.

PHOTOGRAPHER

…yourself, little lady. Great. And again. Go at it. Go, go. Great. That’s it, keep it up. Lovely. Yeah, make it come. Great. Don’t give up now. Yes, think of what I said to you. No, no. Head up, head up.

We see the MODEL closer as she slowly sits up.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Love, for me. Love, for me. Now, now…

Thomas kneels over the MODEL.

His voice rises to a crescendo.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yes, yes, yes…

Then he stops, and the MODEL gives way to her exhaustion, lying back.

The PHOTOGRAPHER gets up and slumps onto the divan.

The MODEL stays stretched out on the floor in the foreground.

The telephone rings.

The ASSISTANT goes and answers it, while the MODEL gets up and walks away, camera panning with her long, bare legs.

ASSISTANT off-screen

Hello… Yeah, hold on.

He comes back in and passes the telephone to the PHOTOGRAPHER.

ASSISTANT

It’s Peter.

The PHOTOGRAPHER takes the receiver.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Hello? Hmmm? Yes. Yes. Yeah, I’ve got it somewhere. I know I have. Huh? Yeah, hold on.

He puts the receiver down on the table.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Reg, take down the address of that bloody junk shop, would you?

The ASSISTANT comes over and takes the phone away.

* * *

The PHOTOGRAPHER is shaving in the bathroom, seen through the doorway.

He is now wearing a clean blue shirt and white jeans.

He rinses his face as the first ASSISTANT comes in unexpectedly with the contacts of the photographs he has developed.

The PHOTOGRAPHER looks at them as he dries his face.

We see the photographs are those taken in the Reception Centre: portraits of tramps, sordid surroundings, the scum of the earth surprised in their sleep.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Why, they’re fabulous! Go on.

Camera tilts up to show THOMAS and his ASSISTANT looking at the pictures.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yes. Yes. Great.

He takes the tatty clothes he was wearing before off a stool and hands them to the ASSISTANT.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Here, you can burn that lot.

Camera pans as he leaves the bathroom, followed by the ASSISTANT, who looks surprised.

He retraces his steps of a few hours before when he came in.

Strapping on his wristwatch, he enters a wide hall leading to the ground-floor studio.

A jazz record is playing.

The ASSISTANT throws the tatty clothes onto a box and then follows him.

The PHOTOGRAPHER comes into the studio.

Camera pans and tracks as he looks up towards a high window the length of the wall covered by a sheet of clear plastic, behind which a model can be seen dancing.

He puts two fingers in his mouth, and whistles.

PHOTOGRAPHER shouting

Reg!

REG appears through a doorway at the top of the steps, just below the high window.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Get the birds down, will you.

ASSISTANT

Okay.

He disappears up the steps again.

All five models appear and look down, from behind the plastic sheet.

The PHOTOGRAPHER is standing below the in the studio where a white canvas back-drop with a false ceiling is hanging.

Under the back-drop, panes of smoked glass as high as the ceiling have been arranged for the shots the PHOTOGRAPHER is going to take.

The YOUNG MAN takes off his shoes and wanders thoughtfully amongst the panes of glass.

A dresser is giving the final touches to a model’s dress, pinning the back with clothes pegs.

The PHOTOGRAPHER comes in and stands behind his camera, positioned on its tripod, with his ASSISTANT.

The woman dresser joins them.

Two of the models strike poses, seen from behind.

One, wearing a long black and white tabard, chews gum; the other, in a silver dress and sequined cap, raises an arm.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Oy! No chewing-gum. Get rid of it. And not on my floor.

She sticks the chewing-gum behind her ear.

PHOTOGRAPHER

You, arm down…

The other model lowers her arm.

PHOTOGRAPHER

All right.

The ASSISTANT gives him a reading from the lightmeter.

The PHOTOGRAPHER takes one picture.

We see him between two of the glass panels.

The he looks up.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Terrible…

The models stand posed against the back-drop.

The PHOTOGRAPHER comes up to one of them and grasps her leg.

PHOTOGRAPHER

How about the leg a little further forward?

He pulls the girl’s leg forward, viciously, and says:

PHOTOGRAPHER

Put the head up.

She follows his instructions as he goes off behind a panel.

Camera pans across to the models, all posed differently.

The PHOTOGRAPHER goes back to his camera and takes some more shots.

The model with blonde hair stands in the foreground, while another can be seen reflected in a glass panel.

The models keep changing their poses.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Just go… mouth open. Yes, good. Good.

The model poses as instructed.

We move on to another model beside her.

The model in the sequined cap looks dramatically towards the right.

A fourth girl stands beside her swaying slightly to the music.

The model wearing the tabard scratches her head, assumes a surprised expression and leans back.

The PHOTOGRAPHER takes a few pictures.

Resume on the dramatically-inclined model crouching down, reaching out.

Camera pans with her as she leans her head on her hand and stretches out a leg.

Resume on the PHOTOGRAPHER.

He waves a hand.

PHOTOGRAPHER

No, you’re all lost. Start again. Start again. Re-think it.

The models try again, adjusting their poses.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Re-think it.

The PHOTOGRAPHER comes up to the blonde model, who stands holding out her dress, a long flimsy white cloak with black stripes over the shoulders.

REG and the dresser look on indifferently.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Stripes – let the dress fall down.

She lets go of it.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Absolutely fall. Keep the stripes steady. It’s very important to keep… Just let your arms go up… and down.

He raises and lowers his arms to show her.

Now he is back behind the camera.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yes. Very tasty. Yes, I like it. I like it. Go on. Yup. All right, change positions.

He moves the tripod a few feet to the right.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Yup.

He looks at the models.

Their attention has strayed during the pause.

He gives another strident whistle, with his fingers in his mouth, then yells:

PHOTOGRAPHER

Wake up!

The glass panels have now been moved into different positions, along an oblique line.

The models have changed their outfits and are holding poses half-obscured by the glass.

Only their feet are plainly visible.

Camera moves in towards them.

PHOTOGRAPHER off

Now – you can thanks your lucky stars you’re working with me, can’t you? All right, one more. Let’s have a smile now. Smile! Smile!

Camera moves across revealing all the models, then on farther to reveal the PHOTOGRAPHER taking pictures like mad.

He goes up to the models, exasperated.

PHOTOGRAPHER

God!

He walks slowly past the models, addressing them all.

PHOTOGRAPHER

I asked you to smile. What’s the matter? Have you forgotten what a smile is?

Yelling at the last girl.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Eh?!

She flinches.

THOMAS starts to come back to his camera.

He glances back at the girls: They are tired and show it.

PHOTOGRAPHER

All right, you’re all tired now. Go on, relax.

The models relax and move away from the glass panels.

Pan across with two of them in close shot swaying to the music.

PHOTOGRAPHER

I can’t see your eyeballs any more. They’re just slits. Go on, close your eyes.

They close their eyes.

PHOTOGRAPHER off-screen

Close your eyes. And stay like that. It’s good for you.

Camera pans across all five girls, closing their eyes.

GROUP, singing on record, over:

…Sometimes you really need a girl

And you get distracted by her older sister

Then in walks her father and takes you…

THOMAS turns and goes to put on his shoes, camera following all his movements.

He straightens up, gets his jacket and as he passes, tells the woman dresser to close her eyes.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Close your eyes!

He comes through the studio door into the hall that leads to the garage and picks up the pile of tatty clothes from the box.

SCENE 07 SCENE 09