TEASER
ACT 1, SCENE 1: THE BRICKS APARTMENT – NIGHT
In the background, a LARGE MAN stalks a WOMAN and TODDLER. The MAN punches the wall in anger.
MAN (O.S.):
I told you to come over here!
BLACK TITLE CARD APPEARS: LOCO ZANE – 2000
The WOMAN dashes into a child’s bedroom carrying a TODDLER in her hands. CLOSE UP of the TODDLER reveals light eyes and an angelic face. – This is young MIGUEL “LOCO” LOZANE JR. He isn’t crying, despite the WOMAN repeatedly telling him to shush. WOMAN locks the door and places LOCO down.
MIGUEL:
Mommy?
MOTHER:
Shush, Miguel.
MOTHER is bruised and bleeding from the side of her face. She is disheveled. She drags MIGUEL and orders him to crawl under the bed. She cries louder when the door knob jingles violently.
FROM LOCO’S POV from under the bed, HIS MOTHER shushes him again.
MOTHER (pleadingly):
Just shut up and close your eyes.
Just as she gets up the door bursts open.
CLOSE UP of LOCO as he firmly shuts his eyes and tries to block out the yelling and fighting.
BLACK TITLE CARD APPEARS: LOCO ZANE – 2002
ACT 1, SCENE 2 INT: APARTMENT – NIGHT
LOCO is in a different bedroom lying in bed in the dark. It is very clear this is not his room. Everywhere he looks there is something scary – the tree branches outside his window and the shadows they make in his room, the open closet door, the teddy bears and dolls across a bureau – but LOCO is unfazed by these things.
As the door knob jingles, LOCO rolls over to his side. With his back to the door, he pulls the covers up to his nose. Only his eyes show.
The door creaks open and a large SILHOUETTE enters the room and closes the door. The SILHOUETTE is cast in the shadows of the tree branches and approaches and sits on LOCO’S bed. It places a hand on LOCO.
SILHOUETTE (cooingly):
As long as you shut up and close your eyes, it won’t hurt.
The SILHOUETTE goes under LOCO’S blanket. LOCO closes his eyes tight.
CUT TO: ACT 1, SCENE 3 EXT: ASTRO CITY STREETS – NIGHT
TEENAGED LOCO is slammed up against a chain link fence. He is being pinned up by two COPS.
BLACK TITLE CARD APPEARS: LOCO ZANE – 2010
LOCO:
Get your fucking hands off me!
COP 2:
Stop resisting!
LOCO:
You’re breaking my arm!
COP 1:
That’s what you get for running.
LOCO and the COPS tumble to the ground in a fight.
COP CARS and their flashing lights are all around them. COP 1 twists LOCO’S arm deviously to get them into handcuffs.
LOCO:
Ah shit, that’s fucking hurts.
COP 1:
We got you, ya fucking punk.
LOCO:
Nigga, I bet you ain’t shit without your badge.
COP 2:
Stop resisting or I’ll light your ass up.
LOCO continues to struggle.
LOCO:
Ah. My arm…
COP 2:
Alright, watch out.
COP 1 moves out the way just as COP 2 sprays LOCO in the face with mace. He screams.
COP 1 (menacingly):
Shut up and close your eyes.
CUT TO: ACT 1, SCENE 4 EXT: ASTRO CITY STREETS – DAY TIME
An argument is ensuing between CRIPS and a RIVAL. Lurking in the background of the group is LOCO, stewing in anger.
BLACK TITLE CARD APPEARS: LOCO ZANE – 2012
The RIVAL is sizing up the GROUP LEADER.
LEADER:
What’s good? I heard you got a problem.
RIVAL:
We got a problem?
LEADER:
I’m saying. You talked all this shit online, my nigga. We can bang this shit up right here, right now.
RIVAL:
You think I’m scared of you, cuz?
GROUP is instigating it.
RIVAL:
What you fitting to do? You the one with the goons. That’s some pussy shit.
LEADER:
Nah, I aint trying to hear that. Don’t worry about them. Worry about me my nigga.
RIVAL:
Get the fuck out my face dawg.
LOCO hears the argument getting louder, and he starts to hear other voices too. There’s laughter in the background getting louder and louder.
LAUGHTER gets louder and we discover it LOCO laughing.
LOCO pulls a boxcutter from his pocket and extends the blade. He pushes through the CRIPS and steps in the middle of the LEADER and the RIVAL steps back.
RIVAL:
Who the hell are you?
LOCO:
Shut up and close your eyes.
LOCO swings the box cutter and catches the RIVAL in his hands. A red gash appears on the RIVAL’S HANDS. The SKIN folds off and blood gushes out. The RIVAL screams in agony.
LOCO laughs hauntingly as his group pulls him away in a run.
GROUP (ADLIBS):
What the fuck! You crazy man!
CUT TO: ACT 1, SCENE 5: RAP SCENE
LOCO and JAMAL rap back and forth in a battle that’s dark. JAMAL talks about hope and LOCO says that he’s gonna bury him.
KICKED IN DOOR!
ACT 1, SCENE 6 INT: BRICKS – JAMAL’S APARTMENT – BEDROOM
JAMAL starts from his sleep as his mother enters the room yelling. RICKY is on a makeshift bed on the floor and blasting music from his phone.
MS. COLE:
Why the hell is that music so damn loud?
JAMAL:
Oh! What!
RICKY:
Sorry Ms. Cole.
MS. COLE:
Oh no, honey, I’m sorry. You’ve overstayed your welcome. I don’t care what the hell y’all do, but you ain’t staying in this house all day.
MS COLE slams the door. JAMAL throws a pillow at RICKY.
JAMAL:
The hell?
RICKY:
Sorry, bro. You were snoring.
JAMAL buries his face in the mattress.
END OF TEASER
END OF ACT 1