TITLE: Martin Scorsese’s American Express
WRITER: Kevin Neidorf
CLIENT: American Express
PAGE: 1 of 4
LENGTH: 00:00:64
DATE: September 3, 2010
VIDEO
AUDIO
WIDE ANGLE S/S OF MARTIN SCORSESE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE OF A DRUG STORE TOWARDS THE PHOTO DEVELOPMENT LAB. ONLY HIS BACKSIDE IS VISIBLE
(SFX: STORE BELL RINGS FOLLOWED BY PONDEROUS FOOTSTEPS)
CUT TO M/S OF SCORSESE HANDING A RECIEPT TO THE CLERK AT THE COUNTER.
(SFX: FOOTSTEPS CONTINUE)
M. SCORSESE STARTS:
“It’s been an”
CUT TO OVER THE SHOULDER M/S OF THE STORE CLERK. ANOTHER STORE EMPLOYEE IS VISIBLE IN THE BACKGROUND AND A SIGN THAT SAYS “ONE HOUR PHOTO” IS SEEN IN THE TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE SCREEN. STORE CLERK TAKES RECIEPT AND STEPS BACK TO FIND PHOTOS AS SCORSESE LOOKS AWAY.
SCORSESE FINISHES:
“hour.”
(SFX: PAPER HANDLING)
CUT TO M/C/U OF AN ANXIOUS SCORSESE LOOKING AROUND THE STORE WITH STOREFRONT IN BACKGROUND. SCORSESE BEGINS TO TALK TO THE CLERK WHO IS LOOKING FOR PHOTOS.
(SFX: MACHINERY OPERATING)
SCORSESE STARTS:
“It’s”
CUT TO M/C/U OF THE BACKSIDE STORE CLERK LOOKING FOR PHOTOS IN THE LAB. CLERK TURNS AROUND AND ACKNOWLEDGES SCORSESE’S ADVICE.
SCORSESE FINISHES:
“under ‘S’. Under ‘S’.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE LOOKING SLIGHTLY UP AND DOWN IN A FRUSTRATED MANNER.
(SFX: PAPER HANDLING)
CUT TO C/U OF SCORSESE’S HANDS EXCITEDLY OPENING PHOTO ENVELOPE.
(SFX: ENVELOPE OPENING)
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE LOOKING AT PHOTOS WHILE HIS EXPRESSION CHANGES FROM DELIGHT TO DISGUST AND BEGINS TO GROAN.
SCORSESE:
“Ohh.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF CLERK LOOKING AT THE PHOTOS IN SCORSESE’S HANDS THEN UP TO HIS FACE.
SCORSESE:
“Ohhhhh.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE WITH HAND OVER HIS FACE.
SCORSESE:
“Ohhhuhhuuhhuuhh.”
CUT TO OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT OF CLERK LOOKING AT THE DISGUSTED SCORSESE WITH HAND OVER HIS FACE. AFTER STOPING HIS GROANS, SCORSESE REMOVES HIS HAND AND BEGINS TO TALK TO HIMSELF.
SCORSESE:
“Ugh, how could I have done this?!”
CUT TO ¾ M/C/U OF CLERK CLOSING HIS EYES IN DISBELIEF FOR A SECOND AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER STORE EMPLOYEE.
SCORSESE:
“I let him down! I let him down.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE LOOKING THROUGH PHOTOS WHILE CONTINUTING TO TALK.
SCORSESE:
“It doesn’t make any sense, look at it!”
CUT TO C/U OF SCORSESE’S HANDS HOLDING A PHOTOGRAPH OF A BOY BLOWING OUT BIRTHDAY CANDLES.
SCORSESE:
“There’s no life to it at all!”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE WITH A BEWILDERED LOOK ON HIS FACE, FLIPPING THROUGH PHOTOS.
(SFX: SHUFFLING THROUGH PAPERS)
CUT TO C/U OF SCORSESE’S HANDS HOLDING A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SAME BOY SMILING AT THE CAMERA.
SCORSESE:
“Oh, my nephew. Say cheese!”
CUT TO OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT OF THE CLERK LOOKING BEWILDERED AS SCORSESE CRITICIZES ALL OF HIS PHOTOS.
SCORSESE:
“Good direction, Marty.”
CUT TO C/U OF SCORSESE’S HANDS FLIPPING FROM THE SMILING NEPHEW PHOTO TO ANOTHER PHOTO OF CHILDREN HOLDING PARTY HATS ON THEIR HEADS.
SCORSESE:
“Here… This one… Interesting…”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE LOOKING AT PHOTO IN HIS HAND AND EXPLAINING HIS THOUGHTS TO CLERK.
SCORSESE:
“It’s far too nostalgic.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF CLERK BLINKING SEVERAL TIMES AND LOOKING EXTREMELY PUZZLED.
(SFX: PAPER SHUFFLING)
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE HOLDING UP A PHOTO AND FINALLY ADRESSING THE CLERK WITH A QUESTION.
SCORSESE:
“What do you think?”
CUT TO M/C/U OF CLERK WITH SCORSESE’S HAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOT, HOLDING THE PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE CLERK’S FACE.
CLERK:
“It’s pretty.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE FLIPPING AND WITHDRAWING PHOTO WHILE LOOKING PERSONALLY INSULTED. SCORSESE PUTS PHOTO ON COUNTERTOP.
(SFX: PAPER FLIPPING AND BEING PLACED ON A COUNTERTOP)
CUT TO M/C/U OF CLERK WITH SCORSESE’S HAND THRUSTING INTO THE SHOT, HOLDING A PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE CLERK’S FACE AND CATCHING HIM OFF GUARD. SCORSESE BEGINS TO POINT OUT THE FLAWS TO HIM.
(SFX: WISH OF AIR)
SCORSESE STARTS:
“Composition is”
WIDE ANGLE S/S (SAME AS OPENING) DOWN THE AISLE OF THE DRUGSTORE OF SCORSESE AT THE PHOTO COUNTER. SCORSESE CONTINUES TO EXPLAIN THE FAULTS OF THE PHOTO BEFORE HE SLAPS IT BACK DOWN ON THE COUNTERTOP.
SCORSESE FINISHES:
“forced, lighting is bad, angle is off.”
(SFX: PAPER BEING SLAPPED ON A COUNTER)
CUT TO ¾ M/C/U OF SCORSESE ANGRILY FLIPPING THROUGH AND BASHING HIS PHOTOS WITH A CUSTOMER IN THE BACKGROUND.
SCORSESE STARTS:
“Too literal,”
CUT TO ¾ M/C/U OF CLERK LOOKING UP AND DOWN AT SCORSESE AND HIS PHOTOS WHILE HE CRITIQUES.
SCORSESE FINISHES:
“too violent, too metaphorical, too dark.”
CUT TO C/U OF SCORSESE’S HANDS SORTING THROUGH PHOTOS.
SCORSESE STARTS:
“Here, we have the protagonist,”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE ASKING THE CLERK QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS PHOTOS.
SCORSESE FINISHES:
“but where’s the antagonist? Huh? Where’s the drama?”
CUT TO M/C/U OF CLERK LOOKING AT SCORSESE, STILL BEWILDERED.
SCORSESE:
“Oooh.”
CUT TO M/C/U OF SCORSESE, FACING THE STOREFRONT WITH HIS BACK TURNED TO THE CAMERA. HE SHAKES HIS HEAD THEN TURNS AROUND SLOWLY TO REVEAL THAT HIS HANDS WERE COVERING HIS FACE. HE TAKES HIS HANDS OFF HIS FACE AND HOLDS THEM UP IN THE AIR AS HE IS OVERWHELMED WITH FRUSTRATION, THEN PUTS THEM DOWN IN THE COUNTER.
SCORSESE:
“Ughhhhh. Oyy.”
(SFX: FOOTSTEPS, LIGHT MACHINERY)
CUT TO OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT OF CLERK WHO IS GRABBING ROLLS OF FILM FOR SCORSESE.
SCORSESE:
“Unavoidable, gotta reshoot.”
CUT TO ¾ M/C/U OF SCORSESE PULLING OUT AND HOLDING AN AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD.
CUT TO C/U OF COUNTERTOP. KEY IN TITLE ON UPPER ½ OF SCREEN “THE OFFICIAL CARD OF PERFECTIONISTS” SET IN TWO LINES. CLERK PLACES FILM ON COUNTER JUST BEFORE SCORSESSE PLACES HIS CARD ON THE COUNTER AND SCORSESSE GRABS THE FILM.
(SFX: OBJECT PLACED ON COUNTER X2)
CUT TO C/U OF CREDIT CARD MACHINE. AS SOON AS CLERK BEGINS TO SWIPE CARD, THE TOP LINE OF THE TITLE ANGLES UP AS IF IT WERE A FILM MARKER AND SNAPS DOWN AFTER THE SWIPE. KEY OUT TITLE.
(SFX: CARD SWIPE, BEEP)
KEY IN TWO-LINE TITLE “THE OFFICIAL CARD OF THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL” CUT TO LONG SHOT OF PHOTO LAB THROUGH A STORE AISLE. SCORSESE WALKS DOWN THE AISLE, TOWARDS THE CAMERA, WHILE TALKING ON HIS CELL PHONE. THE TOP LINE OF THE TITLE USES THE SAME FILM MARKER EFFECT. KEY OUT TITLE
(SFX: FILM MARKER SNAP, FOOTSTEPS)
SCORSESE:
“Yeah Timmy! It’s your uncle Marty. How would you like to turn five again?”
(SFX: FILM MARKER SNAP)
CUT TO AMERICAN EXPRESS GRAPHIC WITH GREEN BACKGROUND WITH A CUING NUMBER THREE, AN ANIMATION OF SCORSESE’S AE CARD GLIMMERING, AND THE TITLE IN THE LOWER THIRD OF THE SCREEN, “MAKE LIFE REWARDING”.
(SFX: FILM ROLLING)