Black Swan

1.

1

INT. DARK STAGE - NIGHT 1

OPENING CREDITS:

A SPOTLIGHT slices black space.

In its beam, a DANCER materializes. She is fair-skinned.

Beautiful and pure.

The maiden twirls on pointe, a smile on her face, light as

air and carefree.

She pauses, her face grows worried. Sensing someone watching.

Scared, she peers into the darkness.

She moves now, looking, growing more frantic.

Then, a SINISTER MAN emerges out of the darkness behind her.

She stumbles backwards, frightened.

She tries to escape, twirling away, but he pursues. His true

form is revealed, the demon ROTHBART.

He flings his open hand towards her, casting the spell.

She wants to scream, but nothing comes out. She looks at her

body, sensing something happening to her. Something

terrifying.

She spins, panicking, but it’s too late. She disappears

beneath the beast’s cape.

She emerges as the WHITE SWAN, the iconic protagonist of SWAN

LAKE.

CUT TO BLACK.

2

INT. NINA’S BEDROOM - MORNING 2

In the darkness, a pair of EYES. They belong to NINA, the

same dancer. She lies awake in bed, thinking about her dream.

The room looks like it hasn’t been redecorated since she was

a teenager. Stuffed animals. Dolls. Pink and frilly.

The door opens, throwing LIGHT on her face. Nina looks

towards the door and smiles softly at whoever opened it.

Nina sits up and hangs her BARE FEET off the side of the bed.

Like all ballerinas, she’s beautiful and her feet are

atrocious. Covered in corns, broken blisters and bunions. She

arches them, doing her first extensions of the day.

2.

3 INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING 3

The room is empty of furniture to leave space for dancing. A

large mirror covers the opposite wall entirely.

Nina rubs her knees to get them warm, and then begins her

morning exercises, extending and contracting her feet and

legs in precise and rhythmic motions.

The skin on her chest stretches tautly over her sternum.

Defined vertebrae run up her back, sinewy muscles contract as

she moves. Her slender neck leads into her hair, contained

in a ballerina’s bun.

Nina looks serene as she moves, completely in her element.

She hears someone fussing about in the kitchen.

NINA:

(while stretching)

I had the most amazing dream last

night. I was dancing the White

Swan.

No answer.

NINA (CONT’D)

Different choreography, like the

Bolshoi’s. It was the prologue,

when Rothbart casts his spell.

Still no answer.

Nina continues to stretch.

4 INT. KITCHEN - MORNING 4

Nina sits at the table. An older woman, ERICA, places a

POACHED EGG and a QUARTER-GRAPEFRUIT in front of her.

ERICA:

You’re in a good mood.

NINA:

I’m just excited to get back.

ERICA:

Off-season always makes you grumpy.

NINA:

(re:
grapefruit)

Look how pink. So pretty.

2A.

ERICA NINA:

(inside joke) (inside joke)

Pretty. Pretty.

They giggle and Erica resumes packing Nina’s shoulder bag

with extra clothing, shoes, snack filled tupperware, duct

tape, ribbon, thread, etc.

NINA (CONT’D)

Plus he promised to feature me

more.

ERICA:

He certainly should. You’re the

most dedicated dancer in the

company.

Nina smiles, comforted, and begins taking her vitamins.

Erica walks over with a SWEATSHIRT and holds it above her.

Nina pulls it over her head and starts to push her arms

through the sleeves.

3.

ERICA (CONT’D)

(noticing something)

What’s that?

NINA:

What?

ERICA:

There.

Erica points to her shoulder. Nina feels and finds a small

SCRATCH MARK.

She shrugs and shakes her head.

Erica gives her a suspicious look, but lets it go and smiles.

Nina finishes pulling down the sweatshirt.

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