Script v. 4.05

ACT 1

1. THE ISLAND: VARIOUS LOCATIONS – VARIOUS DAYTIMES

We begin the opening credits sequence with pretty foliage (different shaped leaves/flowers, butterflies) which then disappears from the screen with the crackle of trees being cut. We then see an old craftsman processing the just-cut tree into a pillar. We switch to a close shot of a volcanic rock wall around which a wooden pillar construction is build. We pan upwards and find a big man picking out what appears to be a big nose out of the black volcanic stone. Rubble flies through the air which is picked up in bucket by a running boy transporting the rubble to a hole below.

*In the background we meet Kaula playing with a little creature that is abruptly caught by a clan member.*

Near the hole woman are weaving the palm tree leaves into rope. The same rope we see then towed by a group of man pulling the statue we yet have to see in full. Then the statue’s being raised *very grand and proud moment* and the local Shaman performs a blessing in front of the whole clan that has gathered. Kaula runs in late during the ceremony and exchanges a tense look with her father. Then the clan, led by the heavyweight Chief, burst out in cheers and celebrate.

! important here is to show how many and very different members of the clan are invested in this statue making process, and do this with great skill and pride.
! The islanders introduced in the close-ups will be the same people Kuala goes to plead her case to in the montage sequence.
! Also important is to show in detail how this process is very depended on using the island trees.




2. FIELDS BETWEEN COAST AND VILLAGE – AFTERNOON (CLEAR)

While walking from the ceremony back to the village the Chief takes a moment to talk with his daughter.

CHIEF
*content* “ahh... some party, wasn’t it?”

KUALA
*pondering* “Why are we erecting new statues father? There are so many already…” *points at the many statues scattered over the coast*

CHIEF
“Well uhm, that’s the wish of our ancestors of course. This way they can watch over us. The more we erect, the safer we are.”

KAULA
“But how can you really know? Can they talk back then?”

CHIEF
“In a way I guess, but that’s the Shaman’s territory”

KAULA
“But how does the shaman know–“

CHIEF
*interrupts while smiling* “This is no business for little girls to be concerned about.”

KAULA
*pulls an annoyed expression*

CHIEF
*notices it, then decides to ‘pull out’ a surprise he got planned.*

The Chief pushes a surprise in Kuala’s face: it’s a rare little bird in a beautifully crafted cage.
Kaula looks at the little creature aghast since she recognises this is the one that she was playing with the other day before it was caught.

KAULA
*looks painfully at the bird*

CHIEF
*surprised* “You… don’t like it?”

KAULA
*continues to stare painfully*

CHIEF
*slightly agitated* “You know, these are rather rare today. It took my servant a lot of effort to find and capture one.”

Kaula, while still staring at the little creature that’s whining and quivering of fear, is now boiling with anger. The Chief now gets disappointed because she doesn’t even try to be grateful with the gift that took him so much effort to acquire.

CHIEF
“You don’t like it?”

KAULA
“It’s sad.”

CHIEF
“Well if you don’t want it, I like it back please. They’re a delicacy after all.”

KAULA
*angry* “What?! No!” *runs off with the caged creature.*


CHIEF
*calls after her* “Kaula! Be reasonable!”

CHIEF
*gathers that her daughter really needs to blow of steam and leaves, sighing.*




3. THE REMOTE CLIFF – DUSK (CLEAR)

We cut to Kaula sitting on a remote cliff looking out over the sea in deep thought, obviously still feeling angry about what happened earlier but it turned more into a feeling of incapacity now. There is also an ancient-looking statue standing behind her (which shouldn’t really attract the viewer’s interest too much, because they are everywhere.)

KAULA
*looks at the still encaged bird* The little birdie looks back quivering.

KAULA
*sighs*

KAULA
*mutters while releasing the bird from it’s cage* “Why won’t my father understand?”

The bird immediately flies away, happily twittering. Kaula keeps looking at it go until it’s gone. And the sighs deeply, finally unwinding a bit while the sun is setting.

Then a deep wary voice behind her agrees with her statement…

STATUE
“I guess because he’s too thick-headed. The whole island is, actually.”

KAULA
*Looks behind her startled but doesn’t see anyone.*

STATUE
*dry* “Hello.”

KAULA
*amazed* “You… spoke?!?”

STATUE
*dry* “Yes?”

KAULA
“I never seen a Moai speak before.”

STATUE
“Well, I prefer not to these days. It is effort wasted”

KAULA
“Why?”

STATUE
*sigh* “Because the island is doomed, of course.”

KAULA
“Doomed? How so?”

STATUE
“Just… look at the hill behind me.”

POV Kuala looking at the main hill of the island. Aside from a little group of trees at the top the main hill is a barren wasteland. Kaula’s expression tightens.

STATUE
“They keep cutting trees in order to erect more Moai statues, as if there were not enough of us elders down here already”

We see ancient statues in the background that now seem alive: the field cluttered with statues resembles an old peoples home. Most of them are snoring, some of them are staring ‘out of the window’ One is complaining about another statue blocking his view.

KAULA
*is looking at the barren scene with open mouth.*

STATUE
“Somehow your quaint fellow villagers are too daft to realise they also live from plants of the forest. *matter of fact-ly* So it wont be long before they will all starve.”

KAULA
“We have to do something!” Tell… Everybody!”

STATUE
“It’s no use. They’re just too thick-headed to comprehend so I stopped caring a long time ago.”

KAULA
“So we just go on and starve? I don’t think so. We just have to stop erecting statues! I’ll just convince my father, he might be a bit dim, but this is just so obvious. He’ll have to do something!” *storms off*

STATUE
*Inhales to make a response but doesn’t as he’s notices that Kuala already left the scene*




4. THE CHIEF’S HUT – EVENING

Establishing shot of the ‘Chief palace’: a ridiculous lush and big hut compared to the rest of the village, it’s interior has a laid-back lounge quality. Kaula goes through the moonlit room to address her father who sits comfortable in his ‘throne’ made of palm trees (of course) busy eating a coconut while playing with a miniature Moai statue.

KAULA
*hyperactive* “Father? Father! We have to stop making statues! It’s really bad, you know, we use up all the trees to make them! Without we will starve!”


The Chief is clearly thrown for a moment, and looks glum to the miniature he’s holding but then decides to take Kaula’s warning as a personal insult.

CHIEF
“You can never be supportive in your father’s business, can you?”

KAULA
“No, I’m serious. An old Moai statue told me-”


CHIEF
*interrupt her* In a condescending tone: “Kaula, are you sure you didn’t just dream off again?”

KAULA
*infuriately takes a deep breath to argue*

The chief is still unconvinced but in his hope to reconcile with his daughter he decides to play along.

CHIEF
“Well then, why don’t you show me that talking statue in the morning? But first- ”


KAULA
“-To bed. Yes, I know.”




ACT 2

5. THE REMOTE CLIFF – MORNING (GREY SKY)

We’re back on the cliff. Kaula and her father enter the shot. Kaula is holding her father’s hand, trying to make him go faster.

CHIEF
"This dinky old one? We make far better these days.”

KAULA
“No… just wait.”

They now stand in front of the statue. Kaula desperately tries to get the statue to speak, even knocking on/touching the statue, the statue however, stubborn as he is, remains inanimate.

CHIEF
“Uhm, dear… I think you might have dreamed the whole thing. I mean, the island’s fine, I’m sure.”

KAULA
“No it isn’t. Argh, stupid statue!” *gives a final kick*

CHIEF
“Kaula…”

KAULA
“No, if you won’t believe me I’ll just have to convince everyone else.”

While Kaula walks off the Chief keeps standing there a little while longer shaking his head in disbelieve for her daughter strange behaviour but suddenly catches sight of the empty, barren hills and scratches is head with a looming worried expression. The statue in the background notices this without giving himself away.

6. THE ISLAND: VARIOUS LOCATIONS – VARIOUS DAYTIMES

Montage: We see Kuala trying to convince the stone hackers, the wood pickers, the rope weavers, the running boy and so on with increasing inventiveness but without any success.
Various statues in the background - awoken by the recent stir in events Kaula is causing - do notice her continues effort though.




When the montage winds down after a row of rejections we see near-beaten Kaula enter the sinister hut of the Shaman which is completely devoted to ancestor worship.
The audience notices a prominent row of portraits of previous shamans: under each portrait stands a little row of wooden, miniature Moai statues. Each succeeding shaman seemed pressured to build more. The current shaman appears to have broken all records though, with so many miniatures that they threaten to fall of the shelf.

SHAMAN
*carves a miniature statue above the firelight*

KAULA
“Uhm, Shaman? May I ask you something?”

SHAMAN
*dignified without stopping his activity* “You may.”

KAULA
*talking overactive* “We have to stop making statues! It’s really bad you know, we use all the trees to make them! Without we will starve! The old statue at the cliff told me so!”

SHAMAN
*stops dead in his carving*

KAULA
*winding down* “…so, you know, we have to stop…”

SHAMAN
*turns around and gives a mortifying grim stare*

KAULA
*looks sheepishly*

We cut to the outside of the Shaman’s hut, Kuala runs out followed by the Shaman who angrily shakes his shaman-voodoo stick from the door opening.

7. THE REMOTE CLIFF – NIGHT

Exhausted and disappointed Kaula drags herself to the old statue again.

KAULA
“Stupid statue!”

STATUE
*remains inanimate*

KAULA
Why don’t you talk? Coward!”

STATUE
*remains inanimate*

KAULA
“Fine, don’t.” *sits down facing the sea* *sighs while staring out*

KAULA
“You were right, you know. Nobody wants to listen. They just don’t really believe it. Not as long as no one is starving, I guess…” *the statue comes alive behind her*

Still with Kuala in front of the camera the statue responds:

STATUE
“Now you know for yourself. It’s hopeless.”

KAULA
*gets an angry expression while the statue says this*

KAULA
“I refuse to believe that! It’s only ‘hopeless’ because you’re not helping. You could have said something when my father was here.”

STATUE
“He seemed rather simple-minded…”

KAULA
“Yeah well, I know, but still… he means well. And he is our Chief, he can change things if you managed to convince him. I know you still care about the island. You’ll have to try, even if it’s most likely to fail anyway. What do you have to lose?”

STATUE
“Yes, uhm, well…”

KAULA
“well what?”

STATUE
“I eh, may be able to ‘help’ a little…”





8. THE CHIEF’S HUT - NIGHT

We see the Chief sleeping, then the colours change from night-blue to feverish red. The Chief wakes up inside a nightmare: a completely barren version of the island. He is confronted with scary, living statues that try to crush him. He starts to run for his life. From his point of view a hillside comes into view: completely barren, with one tree on the top that is being cut. Then the Chief finds himself in a cage that looks just like that one he gave to Kaula hold by a giant version of the little creature. The creature moves the cage to show him what happens to his people without trees left. No building material, no food… visions of people perishing from hunger, fighting over what’s left...

ACT 3

9. THE CHIEF’S HUT – NIGHT (NEAR DAWN)

Awoken from the nightmare he storms into the room where Kaula is sleeping who wakes up immediately. The Chief is soaked in sweat but with a determent look in his eyes. Kuala looks back delighted.

! No words are spoken here to heighten the tension of the viewer that really needs to be left in the dark here for a moment know at this point.


10. THE REMOTE CLIFF / THE VILLAGE – DAY (GOING FROM A CLEAR TO DARK SKY)

! This is a cross-cutting scene going back and fourth between Kaula and the Chief raising the tension more and more. This scene should be a real nail-biter.

CLIFF

KAULA
*Happily hops towards to old statue to tell good news.*

VILLAGE

CHIEF
*Walks toward a stage in the middle of the village while arranging his official garments*

The whole clan has walked out to hear what the Chief has to say… there hangs tension in the air. Even the Moai statues overlooking the village ‘hold their breath’.

CLIFF

KAULA
“Old statue! Wake up! It worked!”

VILLAGE

CHIEF
*Finally addresses the clan by breaking the silence.* “My dear clan, I had a vision…”

CROWD
*goes ohh*

CLIFF

KAULA
“…he’s going to stop making statues. Isn’t it great?”

STATUE
*is pleasantly surprised* He had more or less forgotten he capable of anything besides observing. Now he is moderately optimistic for the first time in a century.

VILLAGE

CHIEF
*progresses his speech*, “…look at the hills! When we cut the last trees we’ll have nothing! Nothing to eat, nothing to build our houses from….”

CROWD
*responds in unrest.*

CLIFF

KAULA
*overly enthusiastic spins out future plans* “…If we spend our time replanting seeds and crops, the island will be greener in no time, the birds will have more places to nest and…”

STATUE
*Listens encouraging*

VILLAGE

CHIEF
*Trying to calm the crowd* “…it’s the will of the ancestors.” … “R-really… they told my daughter…”

CROWD
*unrest and confusion grows even stronger*

Then the old Shaman - sitting stone-faced till now - ‘rises’ with grim urgency…

SHAMAN
*points to the Chief* “Heretic! His lying daughter is blinding him!”

CROWD
*Goes berserk. Some people are about to storm the stage.*

The Moai statues behind the crowd are shocked.

CLIFF

KAULA
*Is still enthusiastically ‘spinning plans’* “…and then we can build a whole village for the birds and…”

The background statues are relaying a message from the village: the Chief is overthrown and they’re about to sacrifice him. The old statue that kicks back in his doom thinking mode immediately:

STATUE
*sigh* Alas, we are doomed after all. Why oh why did I allow myself to be carried away once again…”

KAULA
“What… why…“

STATUE
“At least you can be saved, Kuala. Look over there.”

He directs to an old overgrown forgotten boat lying in a secluded bay you can see from this remote cliff)

STATUE
“Head east and don’t look back.”

KAULA
“But what about my father?”

STATUE
“A first victim of ignorance, I’m afraid.”

VILLAGE

People are closing in, the Chief still desperately tries to reason with them, two big man grab the Chief by the arms

CLIFF

KAULA
*Running as hard as she can, crossing many Moai statues on her way that now cheer her on.*

VILLAGE

A ceremonial blade appears.

Amidst of the chaos Kaula appears and grabs the hand of her still stunned father. In the chaos this ensues the Chief is temporarily released and they sneak out. The Shaman spots them though and yells at the angry mob to go after them.

11. THE REMOTE CLIFF – DAY (DARK SKY)

An angry mob follows the two through a maze of statues towards the coast.
When they reach the remote cliff and the mob has almost caught up with them, the Easter Head statue is amazed to see the Chief still alive despite his doom scenario and this gives him the incentive to actively help them escape. The overweight chief has trouble keeping up with Kuala and trips, so now he appears done for. Now in a spur of bravery the Easter Head comes to life and tumbles over cutting the chief of from the bewildered crowd that is genuinely scared by this.

12. COAST – DAY (SKY CLEARING UP)

With the mob out of the picture, Kaula leads her father to the boat. But the Chief stops dead in his tracks for a moment.

CHIEF
*Reaches his hand out to the direction of his people with a sad and bewildered expression*

CHIEF
“But… Can’t I… W-why… ?!?”

KAULA
“They’re not going to understand.”

CHIEF
*Still looks sad*

KAULA
*comes to a bitter realisation while having to say to her father:* “It’s… heh… hopeless.” “Come on.”

The two get into the old boat waiting in the secluded bay, get in and leave the island. The clan people who now reached the beach are angrily yelling after them.

-THE END-

(AFTER THE CREDITS) 13. THE ISLAND SHORES FROM SEA – DAY (CLEAR SKY)

While the credits run we see the island going up in flames and near the end of the credits we see the ship of Jacob Roggerveen and arriving at the barren island. Stunned, thinking what the in hells name happened here.