- EXTERIOR: It’s a beautiful day. We see a shot of lake. Then pan to appartments.
- A MAN WEARING A SUIT walks through an apartment complex. He knocks on the door of one of the apartments. He holds a large grey duffle bag. His face is blank.
- A YOUNG WOMAN opens the door. About 28. Wearing a linen dress and wooden jewellery. She could be an arts administrator or a junior architect. We know her only as MOTHER. She shakes the man’s hand and he steps inside. She calls out to her partner… in the study, a YOUNG MAN, 30, wearing Scandinavian minimalist clothing, works on a standing desk. On the dual monitors we see him constructing an intricate 3D design, perhaps as part of an industrial design or advertising job. We’ll know him as FATHER. “One sec.”
- The man in the suit looks around the living room. Examining photos on the walls, all landscapes. Picking up keepsakes, some vintage photography gear. Opens the fridge and looks through the contents. Father comes out and shakes the man’s hand. The man in the suit: “I’ll go get set up in the study. Give me a moment and once I’m ready, open the door.” “How will we know you’re ready?” “… you’ll know.” The man steps into the study.
- Mother and Father sit at the dining table, waiting. Father asks “How long you think this will go? I’ve got soccer at night.” Mother chides him, it’s a full day session and we’ll get our money’s worth. Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of loud CRYING.
- THE DROP: They open the study door to find that the man is now completely naked but for an adult diaper and a dummy. Lying on the floor, wailing. He has been transformed into, and will now be referred to as, BABY.
Titles — BABY
- Mother, on the floor of the study, holds Baby’s hand and the baby LAUGHS. Dad pushes a truck towards Baby, but it seems uninterested. Baby sucks on her finger, “he’s hungry.” Father looks on, unsure of what to think.
- In the bedroom, Mother breastfeeds BABY for a long time. Then BABY recoils. Makes a strange face. A thick smell fills the air…”gross.”
- On the floor of the study, Baby lies on a towel, squirming. Father, peg over his nose, unpins Baby’s diaper and gags. He does the deed, he is not happy. Baby just smiles.
- Iphone footage: the baby slowly takes his first steps. Then falls to the floor. Dad take a photo on an old polaroid camera. Happy vibes.
- It’s dinner time. Mum slowly spoons some mush into baby’s mouth. It dribbles out and covers the table. Baby mashes the orange food into the table, slamming its fist. Father swears and grabs a paper towel… meanwhile, baby says its first words “Mumma.” Mother smiles.
- In the bathroom, Baby takes a bath. Mother uses a towel to wipe it clean. Baby laughs. They play with a rubber ducky. On the living room couch, Father is answering emails on his iPhone.
- Baby lies in it’s cot, staring at the ceiling. Mother pulls down the blinds and tucks baby in. Tells it a story. Kissing it on the cheek.
- Father and mother have an argument at the kitchen table. She’s annoyed that he’s missing these key moments in baby’s life. I didn’t ask for this… I’m asking you to do this for me (he’s not ready to be a dad). Focusing on material things when what he should be looking for is experiences. Things to make him feel whole that aren’t just more /stuff/and /acclaim/at work. He admits, he’s finding it hard to take the situation seriously. She pleads and eventually, he agrees, he’ll give Baby a proper shot.
- EXTERIOR: A long shot of rows and rows of identical, 21st century apartments.
- The blinds are closed and the kitchen is dark. The only light coming from a birthday cake with 4 candles. Yellow light illuminates the couple as they hold they hold hands. The baby blows out the candles.
- In school uniform for the first time, Father tries to help baby with his homework. Baby isn’t going too well at it though, doesn’t take to maths. Asks mum to help, she’s got the magic touch, “no you should do it.” They use an abacus to complete simple sums. Father pours a glass of coke for himself and for baby. “he’s just a kid, no caffeine.” “Relax okay?”
- Cut to: Baby is hopped up on caffeine, running around the house in a fit. Mother and Father don’t know what to do… until finally, Baby crashes into the bookshelf, knocks over one of Father’s lenses which smashes on the ground. Furious, he wants baby to leave… tries to send Baby to his room and yells at him.
- Father and Mother have an argument. She asks him to say sorry, that he shouldn’t have yelled at the kid. He doesn’t want to say sorry. He wants out. This is too much. I don’t need it in my life. “You’re acting like a fucking baby.” “Seriously?” “Yes.” “Taking over my space, disrupting what little time I have for myself in this world.” She accuses him of being selfish. Think about someone who isn’t yourself for one second. Finally, he relents.
- Father knocks on the door of the study. There’s no answer. He opens it… Walking in on Baby, now dressed like a 13-year old boy, masturbating to something on his smart phone. He shuts the door. “Do you wanna play video games?” Father asks. He hears a muffled: “Okay dad. One second.”
- EXTERIOR: A group of ride share cyclists wait at the traffic lights. More bland, corporatised residential life unfolds.
- Baby is playing video games on the couch with Father. There’s homework to be done. But they just keep playing.
- Baby stares at a photo on the wall. An abstract landscape of a lake. It asks Father what it is. Father says it’s his. And from there, shows Baby his prized vintage film camera and lens kit “be careful.” They bond over camera stuff. Baby takes a photo.
- HAPPY TOGETHER MONTAGE: Later, wearing his basketball gear, Baby and Father have an arm wrestle. They do some rough housing. Baby is stronger than Father and wins. Bounce the ball. A pot plants breaks but Father doesn’t care. Mum snaps a photo on the polaroid. Building a kite. Father and son have a quiet moment together, drinking a beer out on the balcony. Chess. Music: an LP on vinyl or a piano. Watching a movie together. /(Baby doesn’t like it, “you’ll get used to it.”) Baby says: “I wanna be an artist just like you.”/3 moments: 2 sincere, 1 funny.
- When baby puts the camera bag in the bag a photo falls out. It's an old film photo of a man standing next to a child in front a of a lake. It looks to be the same one from the landscape. "Who's this?" - "That's my dad. I took him fishing for his birthday" "Thats a nice gift. Did he like it?" "He did but he didn't say that was his favourite gift." "What was his favourite?" Dad stares at the photo "He said i was." "what did he mean by that?" "i think... he meant a lot by that" "can we go to the lake tmw?" "tmw? are you even allowed to do that?" "i want to" BABY hugs dad. "ok. we'll go" Dad is teary.
- Father, Mother and Baby eat dinner together. He’s a grown man now. Baby brings out something as a gift. For mother’s day & father’s day. It’s a photo album, full of the polaroids from their day together. They both get teary…. Nice monologue from Baby about how they’re good parents. And then on the final page, a message “Thank you for using Paterna! Please don’t forget to rate and review our service online.”
- CLIMAX: Just as there’s a knock on the door. A letter slides under the crack. It’s Baby’s acceptance to university. He got in. “What do you mean?” “To where?” “To New York, for university” “Since when did you apply?” “Ages ago, I really have to go.” “But you haven’t even finished dinner.” “Please I need this.” Mum starts to cry. Dad plead with him. "you said you wanted to go the lake!? what about the lake!?" The facade breaks down… “Sorry mate look. I get paid for 12 hours, okay? It’s over.”
- Baby, packed and ready for uni, stands in the doorway. (Could see him packing up the study). We see his bags are packed. Including the black duffel bag he came in with… milk bottle poking out. A moment of silence. “Was that it?” Father and Mother left in the house, alone.
- Exterior: Back at the lake. The couple hold hands. “I’m proud of you.” “Thanks. I think we did good.”Dad is holding a polaroid photo - on the back is a QR code: 30% off your next order with Paterna! “Wanna do it again?”