As upbeat music plays, we see a suitcase being wheeled along the floor by Steven who walks with a spring in his step. Entering a smart building, it seems that the happy-go-lucky Steven has arrived in a hotel for a vacation. Moving through the room, Steven brushes past a plant that slowly closes in on itself before Steven finds a reception empty.
Still smiling, he glanced around his surroundings and sees a pendulum clock on a wall that sways back and forth. The hands are subtly set to a ‘sad face’ of four and eight. Steven casually processes his surroundings. Taking a seat, Steven notices that his phone is almost out of battery and the upbeat music, that’s been playing in his headphones is about to becut off. As he removes his headphones, the loud ticking clock suddenly become audible to him. Steven jumps as the receptionist returns to their post and asks how they can help. When Steven states he’s here to check-in and is staying for two weeks, the receptionist assures him that his room will be ready very shortly. Steven then notes a fish tank with a small sinking boat and a leaking aircon that drips.
The dripping of the aircon and the ticking of the clock start to give the impression of an oppressive environment for the audience. As his discomfort grows, Steven picks up his suitcase and makes to leave, telling the receptionist that he doesn’t want to be here anymore. Heading for the exit, Steven jumps when an electronic buzzer sounds. The sudden noise causes Steven to drop a bottle of pills that roll slowly across the floor. As Steven fumbles for the pills, we see a nurse who addresses him by name. We realise in this moment that Steven is checking himself into a psychiatric facility. Picking up his pills, we see that Steven has wounds to his wrist from self- harm.
Steven is struck by the wounds and what he’s done to himself. With the nurse beckoning him through the double doors, Steven hesitates. He takes a breath. Faced by the cuts on his wrist, Steven knows he cannot return to his old life. He’s come this far and must overcome the fear and oppression in his mind in order to seek help. As Steven bravely takes a step towards the nurse, we focus on the plant again near the entrance. The leaves slowly open back up…
Raj Randhawa (film director) a London based producer, director, and storyteller. With cinematic film being just one of his many creative expressions. Raj Randhawa has won many accolades for his work including the Best Music Video Director Award and the Best Debut Film Director Award. Raj’s undying passion for filmmaking with years of experience in the industry has helped him master the art of capturing raw emotion on screen. He translates his creative vision into reality with storytelling as its foundation stone. As a storyteller, he has an eye for creating the most engaging narratives with the aim to leave a mark on his audience expressing deep emotion and continuous suspense. Raj is never daunted by his own abilities as a filmmaker. His understanding of world cultures, cinema and music helps him to develop many different genres. His own subject and story is enriched by his love for travel and best selling books about film and music. Continually fuelling his ability to create top chart productions time after time. But more than anything, what drives Raj Randhawa to be in a film studio with a crew and his creative vision. To weave magic on screen is simply his lasting love for film-making and heartfelt story-telling.
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Philip Wright (Screen Writer) from Liverpool, England with over 900 film and television credits to date. After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an MA in Television Screenwriting, Philip worked in television drama for channels including BBC1, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and RTE. Philip currently has several screenwriting projects in active development, including two feature films, and is a regular writer for BBC drama. Alongside his own writing, Philip mentors new writing talent through Glasgow Caledonian University and reads new work for BBC Writer’s Room. Philip is a passionate storyteller who is inspired by character-driven stories told in innovative ways.
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