"3 MINUTES" - by Jon Capogrossi INT. ELEVATOR - DAY We fade in- Interior of an elevator. Metal, reflective grey walls. In the middle is DAVID. African American, early 30's. He is motionless, standing tough, but with his head down. Next to David is a man in a black suit with a badge. Two others in the elevator wear white lab coats and stare straight forward. The elevator doors open. David lifts his head, and stoically walks off the elevator with the others. INT. HALLWAY- DAY The group walks down a concrete underground walkway. Orange "safety lights" flash as the group walks in unison down this corridor. At the end of this concrete tunnel is a sign, reading "Restricted Area- No Unauthorized Personnel Beyond This Point" During these images, we hear the following dialogue as a voiceover... This conversation is clearly taking place at a different time... SCIENTIST 1 (voice seems to come from an electronic speaker) Experiment One-A. Today's date- March 29th, 2012. Please state your name, for the record. DAVID My name's David Watts. SCIENTIST 1 Your age. DAVID 32. SCIENTIST 1 And you understand your role in this experiment you have volunteered to undergo...In the event that you do not survive the- DAVID Yeah, I got it...I'm a death row inmate, which means in case this experiment kills me, I'm already sentenced to die anyways, I got you, man- SCIENTIST 1 I do see here that you are educated. You earned a College Degree while incarcerated? DAVID Masters in Sociology. SCIENTIST 1 Impressive...Very impressive...Now, David, what is the goal of this experiment, as you understand it? DAVID (pause, then) You're saying you're going try to send me back in time. SCIENTIST 1 For three minutes....If this experiment is successful, you will have three minutes in the past. Is this understood? DAVID Yes, sir. SCIENTIST 1 Now, per this agreement, you yourself have provided the time and location we will send you...but I have to ask- of all the times and places in history you could visit.....Your home neighborhood, in South Central Los Angeles?, on... (rustles through some papers) ...June 18th, 1994?...why this time and location? DAVID Why this time and location? (pause) There's somebody I got to talk to. SCIENTIST 1 (resigned) Alright. You will only have three minutes. The watch you are wearing is programmed to synchronize with the effect. David looks down at the watch. INSERT- DIGITAL WATCH A digital watch shows all Zeros SCIENTIST 1 (continued) The three minutes will automatically begin counting down from the moment you arrive. (pause) We're about to begin the experiment, Mr Watts. Do you have any final questions? DAVID (shakes head "no") Let's do this. The lights go out. A red rotating "police"-type warning light starts flashing. David looks straight ahead. We hear a mechanical locking noise, and then a hydraulic sound starting up. We now see what he is looking at. A giant spinning cylinder, which takes up the entire wall, is rotating...it seems to be speeding up. We hear a sound like the starting up of a nuclear submarine. A wind hits the room. Everything begins turning white. David is squinting his eyes tightly. The sound rises louder and louder, to jet engine level. A loud BOOM. EXT. DIRT LOT - DAY David's POV ...a sudden view of dirt rushing up towards us. David hits the dirt with a loud thud. He crawls up from the ground as if he's been kicked in the ribs. David is next to a Los Angeles area drainage canal. On the ground is a discarded, bright green board- It reads "Go O.J.!!" EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY David gets up and runs to the front of a tire and rim shop. Coming from the shop is the sound of a hit R&B song from 1994... David looks around... A billboard across the street- "Speed- Starring Keanu Reeves...In Theatres June 10th" DAVID Speed...? He runs to an LA Times newspaper box next to a bus stop. He looks- The date reads June 18, 1994. we see the headline. INSERT- NEWSPAPER "OJ Simpson in custody after wild chase" David is in awe. DAVID O.J....? I MUST be here. He looks at the watch. The three minutes are ticking. EXT . STREET - DAY He runs up the street, jumps past some steps, and past a brick wall. EXT. LIQUOR STORE - DAY He runs down the side of a liquor store. He turns the corner and then his freezes. We turn to see what he sees. Leaning against the wall is an African American young man, age 14, in a backwards blue cap, white long t-shirt, blue Adidas sweatpants, and Sneakers. The young man seems nervous. David's face shows awe and amazement. But, he tries to hide this, as he looks at his watch counting down. He walks up to this youth. DAVID What's up, D? The youth nervously turns around quickly. He seems suspicious by this stranger's approach, but tries to play down his nerves. YOUNG D What's up? DAVID (looks at his watch again) Alright, check this out main, I aint got much time, so I gotta conversate with you alright? YOUNG D What you want? I ain't sellin nothin. DAVID I'm not buyin. Listen...You here waiting for C-Dog and them to come pick you up right now. Am I right? YOUNG D (confused that he knows this) Who are you? DAVID I'm like...a relative...listen. Don't get in the car with them. You cant be down with them, you got it? Serious, though. You need to bounce out of here, now! YOUNG D (obviously lying) I'm sorry officer, I don't know those people, I don't affiliate myself with gang members... DAVID Listen, you either part of the solution, or part of the problem...You join up with them, you part of the problem. YOUNG D What? DAVID The gang ain't the way. There's another future you don't know about. But, you get in that car, you get jumped in, and that's all gone, you understand?! YOUNG D Man, what is you, from like the Omega Boys Club or somethin? Look, I don't know you man, but you aint my father. You can't be tellin me what to do and you can't be tellin me who my homies are! DAVID These ain't your homies, D. You know why? Because a true homie would never lead you to danger. And this is what they settin to do. You gonna end up doing someone else's dirty work, and lose your own life in the process. For once in your young life, stop being hard headed and listen! YOUNG D Man, you trippin... Young D turns his back on this weird stranger and starts walking away. David looks down at the watch. Time is running out. DAVID (continued) I'm sorry about your birthday, man... Young D pauses...he turns back. YOUNG D What? DAVID (with compassion) You got those hand me downs wrapped up in some newspapers for your birthday. You said thanks to Momma, but then you went into the bathroom, and you cried, but wouldn't let no one see... Young D is shocked, unsure how this stranger knows this. DAVID (continued) We lost Momma. I know. She died in the hospital and there ain't nothing we can do to bring her back. I know you feel like there ain't no future for you except these streets, but I'm here to tell you there's another way. YOUNG D (now paying more attention) You knew my momma? DAVID Yes I did. And you know what she would say if she was here right now. YOUNG D You didn't know my momma! Stop lyin! David, afraid, realizes he has to do this. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out something...he holds it out. DAVID This is my last picture with her, while she was still here- INSERT An old, faded photo of himself as a teen boy, hugging his mother. Young D looks at the photo... He is speechless. Young D quickly pulls out a chain wallet from his pocket and flips it open. He holds the wallet up to the photo David has. Young D has the same, identical photo, but brand new. He looks at David with awe and fear. He begins to realize that this stranger...is his future self. DAVID (with compassion) I know you were right here, wishing someone could tell you what to do. That's why I'm here. (more forceful) This is your time. You study. Hit those books. You get yourself in college. That's your future, but you gotta make a move towards it now. A noise is heard. Both David and Young D look to their left. A car is rolling up the street with 90's gangsta rap music bumping out the windows. Young D looks at David again, with fear, and looks again at the photos... DAVID (continued) You want to remember her....? bounce out of here... now. NOW! Young D, afraid, runs off. David's face shows triumph. He turns to face the car as it pulls up and stops. Two young African American males, C-DOG and J, early 20s wearing Long white t shirts and Creased Khakis with Converse Chuck Taylors on, open the doors to see Young D running off... C DOG Yo, Young D! where you going! (turning to David, angrily) What'd you do to my homie, fool? What you doing up in my hood? Both gang members are walking up, with expressions of anger. They back David up against the wall At that moment, David's watch begins to beep. David looks down at the watch, smiles, then looks up and begins to laugh. The gang members show confusion and anger as David keeps laughing. C DOG What you laughing at, fool? You about to get ganked! As the beeping watch continues, a sudden wind hits David. David continues to laugh with a triumphant satisfaction as wind blows and everything start to turn white. The gang members are now afraid, and not sure what's going on...they run back to their car, slam the doors shut and screech out. Bright white light drowning everything out. Wind blowing. David squints his eyes again. A final loud BOOM. INT. ELEVATOR - DAY We cut to a close up of David's eyes squinted closed. He opens his eyes. It is silent. We pull back. David is looking around. He is in the same elevator as the opening shot, but, he is by himself. David notices he's wearing a shirt and tie and slacks. He looks in his hand. He's carrying a textbook that reads "Sociology". The elevator door reaches the bottom floor and the bell dings. David seems unsure of what world he is about to enter. INT. UNIVERSITY HALLWAY - DAY The door opens, and he steps out of the elevator, into the hallway of a University Library. He walks past a row of books. A man walking by suddenly pats David on the back and gives a "thumbs up". PROFESSOR Great work, David! Keep it up! DAVID (bewildered) Thank you. David walks by desks, seeing students studying. EXT. UNIVERSITY COURTYARD - DAY He steps outside the building. A college student comes up to David. STUDENT Hey, Professor Watts. I hope you have a second- I just wanted to say congratulations on your article in the American Journal of Sociology, that was really great, I did read it. Are you still giving extra credit if we submit a paper related to your article? DAVID (in shock, nods head "Yes") Uh- Yeah...that's right. STUDENT Much thanks, Dr Watts. The student walks on with freinds into the building. David looks up at the building- Inscribed is the motto "The true learning that makes for righteousness" David nods his head in amazement at this, then turns looks upwards. The camera turns and pans upward to the blue sky. END.