GFC: Gunpoint Finance Creditor

Independent Films, Suspense Movies, Drama, Action

Against the backdrop of a financial world in turmoil, the "Gunpoint Finance Creditor" languishes in the shadows, stalking his vulnerable and unsuspecting victims ready to trap them deeper in his web of treachery, deceit and never-ending debt.

Transcripts / Production notes / Scripts

4th draft script for GFC: Gunpoint Finance Creditor by Ben Warner, June 2009.

FADE IN.

Branches on a tree, no leaves, in soft focus. Bills of money drift from the sky across the FRAME.


SCENE 1. EXT. ALLEY. MORNING. 1.

GFC holds his mobile phone to his ear, hesitant.

GFC glances to his right, noticing the HOMELESS MAN for the first time. The HOMELESS MAN is holding out his hands, his face covered by a hood. He has a cardboard sign at his feet with a hand written message asking for food and shelter.

GFC becomes transfixed on the HOMELESS MAN. Time slows to a crawl. GFC’s eyes widen with fear as the HOMELESS MAN begins to look up to reveal his face.

AMERICAN INVESTOR
(on GFC’s phone)
Well?

GFC shakes his head, re-focusing on his mobile phone and away from the HOMELESS MAN.

DISSOLVE TO –

Clouds rolling across the FRAME.


SCENE 2. EXT. SKY. SUNRISE. 2.

A bright red sun is revealed from the passing clouds.

TITLE: “GFC”.

DISSOLVE TO –

Bills of money floating down over DEBTOR as he looks up with wonder and bliss.

NEWS READER
(VO – AUSTRALIAN)
Shockwaves rippled through the global economy today with the unprecedented collapse of U.S. banking giant, Lehman Brothers. The collapse had an immediate impact on the Australian Share Market this morning, with the All Ordinaries falling 1.5% and the S&P/ASX200 falling 1.8%. Unlike previous rescues such as the high profile U.S. mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke have chosen not to grant government protections to Lehman, which was until today one of the largest investment banks in the world. The Lehman collapse, coupled with the increasingly apparent and interconnected nature of these big institutions, has exposed a problem of systemic risk within the global economy that many analysts are now predicting will plunge the world in to the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression.


SCENE 3. INT. BEDROOM. MORNING. 3.

Two dice consume the left side of FRAME, resting on the top of a chest of drawers, angled outward slightly towards the centre of the bedroom. The sides of the dice that can be seen show snake eyes.

GFC looks up, before leaning back slightly on the bed. GFC looks behind him at the dice.

The hand of GFC appears, scooping up the dice.


SCENE 4. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. 4.

A fist appears, connecting with the DEBTOR’s face. The DEBTOR grunts in pain, his head falling limp for a few seconds before looking back up in to the spot light. Beads of sweat drip down his face.

Time slows to a crawl, sounds become muffled, and DEBTOR has difficulty concentrating.

GFC throws the DEBTOR’s empty wallet back at him.

GFC takes a step back in to the shadows behind the spot light. His silhouette is ominous.

DEBTOR
Please... don’t hit me again.

GFC
(moves in threateningly)

DEBTOR
I... I don’t have it!

GFC steps forward and punches DEBTOR in the face.


SCENE 5. EXT. CROWDED CITY STREET. DAY. 5.

Masses of people move through the city. A car horn screams from across the street; the car speeds off across the intersection.

GFC appears in full day light out of the crowd. GFC stops across from the front entrance of a building. He sees DEBTOR walk out of the entrance. DEBTOR sees GFC and panics. DEBTOR scrambles up the street. GFC follows DEBTOR up the street.


SCENE 6. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. 6.

The DEBTOR is strapped to a chair, illuminated under a harsh spot light. The surrounding room is in shadow with only GFC moving about in the darkness.

DEBTOR
I can’t. It’s gone.

GFC
You made a contract pal. Remember?


SCENE 7. INT. APARTMENT. LIVING ROOM. DAY. 7.

GFC stands at the kitchen bench-top / bar opposite DEBTOR.

DEBTOR
So that’s it? You’ll just loan me the money?

GFC takes an envelope out of his pocket and hands it to DEBTOR who takes it with a smile. DEBTOR looks inside the envelope at the money.

GFC
There is one more thing.

DEBTOR
What’s that?

GFC pulls the dice out of his pocket. He grates the dice together in his hand. DEBTOR becomes nervous as he watches GFC play with the dice.

GFC
The interest rate.

DEBTOR gasps softly.

GFC releases the dice from his hand. They fall to the benchtop in slow motion. Both men watch the dice fall in anticipation.

The dice reveal a six and a three.

DEBTOR laughs nervously.

GFC
I’ll see you in a month. The dice are on the house.

GFC exits the apartment. DEBTOR looks at the dice with ever growing apprehension, but then smiles when he sees the wad of cash on the benchtop.


SCENE 8. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. 8.

GFC steps in to the light. DEBTOR squirms in his chair.

DEBTOR
I’m trying! You don’t know what it’s like out there. Everyone’s screwed! How can I pay you when people won’t pay me?

GFC
And how can I stay in business if I loan money to people that don’t pay me back?

DEBTOR
But we’re living through a global financial crisis!

GFC
The GFC? I love acronyms. They’re great for headlines.


SCENE 9. EXT. CROWDED CITY STREET. DAY. 9.

DEBTOR runs down the street. GFC is chasing him. DEBTOR becomes frantic, turning down different streets and in to crowds to try and disappear. GFC does not give up the chase, remaining strong and steady. DEBTOR stops in an alley way, out of breath. He moves back toward the street, peering around the corner.

GFC appears. DEBTOR looks back and sees a dead end. DEBTOR panics, trying to run past GFC, but GFC swings his fist and it connects with DEBTOR’s face. DEBTOR falls to the ground. GFC moves in but DEBTOR pushes him off and a brief struggle ensures before GFC lands one final punch, knocking DEBTOR out cold.

GFC kneels down next to DEBTOR. GFC takes DEBTOR’s wallet from his pocket. GFC turns to leave. GFC opens the wallet and sees no money in it. GFC turns back to DEBTOR and shakes his head.


SCENE 10. INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. 10.

GFC pulls up a chair, scraping it along the floor. DEBTOR cringes. GFC puts the chair opposite DEBTOR and sits down on it.

DEBTOR mumbles, looking down at his pocket. GFC walks behind debtor and unbinds him.

DEBTOR pulls out the money. His hands are shaking. Nervously, DEBTOR drops the money. GFC picks up the money, quickly counting it.

GFC
There. Not so hard.

DEBTOR
I’ll get you the rest of it soon.

GFC
(plays with the money in his hands)
How about I give you a break?

DEBTOR
What?

GFC
I can always loan you some more.

DEBTOR
No...

GFC
You have no choice.

DEBTOR
What’s the point? Of all this? OF EVERYTHING?!

GFC
Greed my friend. You’re no different than all those other millions of losers out there who were stupid enough to believe they could get something for nothing. But as the old saying goes: “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
(slaps DEBTOR on the face, knocking him off the chair)
Call me tomorrow.

GFC disappears in the shadows.

DEBTOR lies on the ground, his face pressed firmly against the hard floor, breathing heavily.

DISSOLVE TO –

DEBTOR standing under the tree as the bills of money slowly stop flowing from the sky. DEBTOR stops smiling and looks up, becoming afraid.

CUT TO -

DEBTOR’s eyes are wide open, afraid and terrified. He yells in anger and frustration.


SCENE 11. EXT. ALLEY. MORNING. 11.

GFC walks down the street; his mobile phone rings. GFC hesitates, before putting the phone to his ear.

GFC
Problem solved sir.


SCENE 12. INT. HIGH-RISE OFFICE. DAY. 12.

The AMERICAN INVESTOR stands next to a window overlooking the city. He appears in silhouette against the view from the window, holding his mobile phone to his ear.

AMERICAN INVESTOR
Excellent. Maybe if he’s smart enough he’ll realise that we always want him in debt.


SCENE 13. EXT. STREET. DAY. 13.

GFC begins to walk down the street.

GFC
Backbone of the whole system.

AMERICAN INVESTOR
Too right. Now, speaking of which, have you got my money?

GFC hesitates and stops. The world around him becomes an audio/visual blur. GFC slowly lowers his phone. He sees a HOMELESS MAN who is holding his cap in his hand. GFC looks at the HOMELESS MAN, becoming terrified as the HOMELESS MAN raises his head, revealing his face under his hood. The face GFC sees in the HOMELESS MAN is his own. GFC is frozen, perplexed and afraid. After a few moments, he digs in to his pockets and drops a few coins in to his hat. The HOMELESS MAN nods his head in acknowledgement.

A slight look of satisfaction appears on GFC’s face. GFC looks at his mobile, then slowly lifts it to his ear.


AMERICAN INVESTOR
Well?

GFC
End of the day.


SCENE 14. INT. HIGH-RISE OFFICE. DAY. 14.

AMERICAN INVESTOR leans forward slightly.

AMERICAN INVESTOR
Good boy.


SCENE 15. EXT. STREET. DAY. 15.

GFC hangs up the phone, looking nervous. He takes the dice out of his pocket, looking nervous.


SCENE 16. INT. HIGH-RISE OFFICE. DAY. 16.

AMERICAN INVESTOR hangs up the phone. A small, but confident smile emerges on his face as he looks out at the view of the city from his window.


SCENE 17. EXT. ALLEY. MORNING. 17.

Close up of a few blades of green grass shoots standing tall through the pavement. GFC’s foot comes down on the grass shoots, crushing them flat. GFC walks away.


SCENE 18. EXT. CROWDED CITY STREET. DAY. 18.

GFC turns a corner and disappears in to the crowded masses of people in the city.


FADE OUT.

THE END.