Mommy Dearest Teaser Script [Part 1]

Mommy Dearest

Teaser Sequence

Story

After his step-father tells him to quit being a lazy townie, Ryan struggles to find the motivation not to just play video games all day. He confides in the neighbor lady, who was once good friends with his now out-of-the-picture mother. She tells him that there’s a shortcut he could take to find the motivation to pick up the house and all it would take is a bit of magic. Hearing “shortcut” Ryan takes it and all he has to do is dress in her clothes for a few hours to “absorb some of her essence”. Hopefully to absorb the way she meticulously kept house and cooked and did all the house wifely things.

There was just one catch, he couldn’t be wearing any of those clothes if the clock struck midnight. In true Ryan fashion he loses track of time but in the seconds before midnight he strips off all of her clothes and saves himself from absorbing too much of her…or so he thought. A single earring remained and he watched in horror as his nails slowly grew until they looked like his mothers. He knew then, what was going to happen.

The next day he frantically calls and texts his neighbor in the hopes there’s some sort of “counterspell” or whatever (he doesn’t know magic) but his texts go unanswered and his calls go straight to voicemail. Ryan is forced to deal with the coming changes by himself…

Notes

• Include frequent photos of his mom in the fore or background so we can see who he is transforming into.

Image 1

Ryan’s heart sank as he watched his nails slowly grow, sliding out from behind his finger tips. They were delicate ovals and exactly like his mother used to wear. He stared at them until his denial faded and became frustrated that once again, like he always does, he messed up. He broke the simple rules.

The thing Ryan hated most about himself was his inability to find the motivation to be the least bit productive. He wanted to but there was always a reason why he had to just play video games. Marc, his step-father was serious this time that if he didn’t start pulling his weight he’d kick him out. In his desperation he turned to Mrs. Campbell who lived a few doors down and knew his mother. She offered him a shortcut, one Ryan was really starting to wish he didn’t take.he thing Ryan hated most about himself was his inability to find the motivation to be the least bit productive. He wanted to but there was always a reason why he had to just play video games. Marc, his step-father was serious this time that if he didn’t start pulling his weight he’d kick him out. In his desperation he turned to Mrs. Campbel who lived a few doors down and knew his mother. She offered him a shortcut, one Ryan was really starting to wish he didn’t take.

Mrs. Campbell gave him an incantation and instructed him to put on his mother’s clothes. He would begin to absorb her essence, and take on some of her traits. His mother was a clean freak, loved to cook, and was compelled to keep a tidy house. That, Ryan thought, was exactly what he needed. And all he had to do was wear some girly clothes for a few hours? What a no brainer. Campbell gave him an incantation and instructed him to put on his mother’s clothes. He would begin to absorb her essence, and take on some of her traits. His mother was a clean freak, loved to cook, and was compelled to keep a tidy house. That, Ryan thought, was exactly what he needed. And all he had to do was wear some girly clothes for a few hours? What a no brainer.

But he was to undress before midnight. That was the one rule.

It was the tiny clasp on the bracelet, the complicated zipper on that stupid skirt, it was the idiotic nylons but most of all it was that earring that he had somehow gotten used to. Now, the spell had been cast in full. He was changing just as Mrs. Campbell had warned. He had no idea how long it would be until he changed completely. No idea if it would hurt. No idea if he would still be Ryan when this was all over but he knew he had time to do something about this.t was the tiny clasp on the bracelet, the complicated zipper on that stupid skirt, it was the idiotic nylons but most of all it was that earring that he had somehow gotten used to. Now, the spell had been cast in full. He was changing just as Mrs. Campbel had warned. He had no idea how long it would be until he changed completely. No idea if it would hurt. No idea if he would still be Ryan when this was all over but he knew he had time to do something about this.

Image 2

Ryan had only one mission; stop the spell before any more changes occurred. He had somehow avoided any further changes during the night and shortly after Marc left for work he was on his phone, trying to reach Ms. Campbell…but every call was going to voicemail and every text was going unread.

He panicked that morning and spent the hours obsessively checking his phone until finally he realized he had to relax. He had to breathe. He told himself she’d get back to him when she could and he just needed to wait.

Image 3

After all, it wasn't as if he was changing all that fast. In fact he couldn’t find any physical changes, apart from the nails, that he was becoming his mother at all. Ryan began to wonder that maybe he wasn’t changing after all. Maybe he got the earring off in the nick of time. Why was it just midnight? If he was “absorbing her essence” why at the very moment that particular clock, in that particular time zone meant that he would be doomed to become his mother? It didn’t make sense!

Maybe he just got a little extra dose of her essence and hell, nails can be cut. So this isn’t a big deal, Ryan told himself, feeling his stress and anxiety melt away.

Image 4

Ryan is trying to play video games but he looks annoyed. Around him his room is a wreck.

So Ryan decided to just chill. Play some video games and wait for Mrs. Campbell to call him back with instructions on how to reverse the spell.

One restless hour later Ryan had to admit to himself he couldn’t concentrate on the game. Not with the mess that had accumulated in his room. How long had it been since he picked up, he wondered. Weeks? Months? He told himself he’ll just tidy up a little so he can get back to his game.

But Ryan wouldn’t pick that controller up again.

Image 5

He’s vacuuming the house and smiling and dancing.

Two bags of garbage were hauled out of his room and he found himself acutely aware of the clutter that had accumulated, the film of dust on everything, the fact the floors just hadn’t been vacuumed. So he gave into the need to clean that all up.

For the first time he didn’t feel the pressure of an obligation to clean the house. It wasn’t a chore foisted upon him by his mother. He was scratching an itch. A deep itch that Ryan didn’t know had formed. The more he cleaned, the more he scratched, and the more relief he felt. He was on a roll and he didn’t want to stop so…

Image 6

…he made dinner. Like actually made dinner! Not just ordering a pizza or warming up canned soup he threw himself into preparing a full meal. It had been getting more contentious. Marc resorted to begging him to help out even one day a week to prepare a meal for them but he was met with only excuses.

Image 7

Hint of the furthering transformation.

Ryan went to bed buzzing. He felt better than he had in years. He was productive. Marc loved what he cooked (which was a miracle because Ryan had never cooked before). Tension eased in the house when he saw that Ryan was finally trying. Finally doing something to pull his weight. Ryan didn’t know it was that easy and he felt excited to do it all again tomorrow.

The next morning he woke feeling rested and energized to start the day. He’d never been a morning person but at 8:30am he was up and ready to go. After his coffee of course, which he found strange because he’d start his day with a giant energy drink but the thought of all that sugar turned his stomach.

Suddenly he remembered it had been a day and a half since he botched that spell. He had a moment of panic until he looked in the mirror and was relieved that nothing had happened. He was still a man. He was still Ryan.

Image 8

More hints of a transformation. He’s beginning to dress like his mom in her “chore clothes”. Wrapping a bandana around his hair to keep it out of his eyes (even though he doesn’t quite need to…yet)

Ryan knew it was going to take days for him to get this house in order. He anticipated this “cleaning high” to fade and he told himself that’s when he’d play video games. That’s when he’d finally have to get back to normality.

But the high never faded.

He cleaned the floors, organized the drawers in the kitchen, threw out the out-of-date food in the pantry, and cleaned the refrigerator. The filth had never bothered him before. He never even noticed it! He had no idea how he could block it out. How could he be so disgusting?! He was disgusted with the fridge and he was disgusted with him.

Between the cleaning and making yet another dinner for Marc, Ryan never found time to play video games. He had to admit to himself he was finding the distance nice and the thought of all that noise and violence wasn’t something he was eager to get back to. He just needed a little break.

Image 9

There are more noticeable changes. More feminine body shape, longer hair. We see this in the mirror but he doesn’t notice.

Two days since the botched spell and Ryan awoke once again, with a checklist of chores he had to get done. Chores that were driving him crazy. The living room closet was jammed with coats and shoes that could go to charity or packed away. The hallway linen closet was about the same. He got up again at 8:30, had his coffee and then started the day once again.

Image 10

Somewhere a clock says about 4pm. He flops down on the couch.

The closets were checked off and he was buzzing once again just knowing that things were in their place and tidy and clean. He had a load of laundry in the machine in the basement and was already planning on what to start on for dinner. He was feeling pasta maybe. Something that paired well with a red wine. Ryan didn’t drink wine but for some reason he was finding it appealing.

Image 11

He reacts to bumping something with his foot.

But then…

Image 12

He reaches under the couch and pulls out some of the clothes he was wearing the night he did the spell. He looks shocked and confused.

He had forgotten that the night he performed the spell, after he stripped out of her clothes in his frenzy he kicked them under the couch. He was so panicked he forgot about them. How could he forget about them? Slowly, as if emerging through a fog, Ryan realized he’d forgotten about his calls to Mrs. Campbell. He just stopped checking his phone. It might be next to his bed.

He had forgotten that he was still turning into his mother.

He struggled to find importance in that thought. He wanted to. He searched for that pit of fear in his gut. He wanted to amplify it, to remind himself of what was happening. But at that moment the only thing he cared about was…

Ryan: “I hope this top isn’t ruined,”

He resolved to check his phone that night, call Mrs. Campbell again before it was too late. He told himself that he was going to avoid this fate.

Image 13

Ryan has longer/shaggier hair and slight feminine features. He has a somewhat-feminine posture as he sits at the table with a glass of wine.

The dinner time routine was a distraction. For the first time he and Marc had a real conversation. He’d always been the stepdad and Ryan was distant. He resented Marc in a lot of ways but he was finding it harder to remember why. What he was thinking about now is how Marc didn’t bat an eye when Ryan’s mom left and took care of it and was patient with a stepson that was lazy and disrespectful. He didn’t deserve the hand he was dealt, and he made the best of it.

Like a real man. The kind of man Ryan knew he never could be.

Image 14

We see Marc at dinner, kind of confused but happy.

Marc couldn’t understand what had happened to make Ryan suddenly make such a change. The house was getting cleaned, he was making dinner every night - even when it wasn’t his turn - and now he was actually talking and not scrolling Reddit on his phone throughout dinner. Ever since Charlotte just up and left he knew he was lonely but it wasn’t until Ryan came out of his shell did he realize how lonely. The conversation was what he needed. Maybe the kid was finally growing up. But…

…was Ryan’s hair always that long or that reddish? Did he have his mom’s hair color? He couldn’t remember. There was also something about the way he’s been moving. Something different he couldn’t put his finger on. There was a slight shift to his voice, maybe it was more melodic? Then there was his nails that he couldn’t quite focus on but he knew, deep down, they were different.

Image 15

Mark is getting up from the table with his dishes in hand and walking toward Ryan who appears maybe slightly buzzed from the wine.

Marc: “You sit, you’ve done enough. I’ll do the dishes tonight.”

Ryan: “Deal.”

Image 16

Mark leans in and meets Ryan for a kiss…and they realize what they are doing mid-kiss.

....to be continued.