School Pickup

This is the shooting script referenced in Four Windshield Wipers on a Minivan — a :20 spot for SimpleSignal. Nine setups, no spoken dialogue, about a page.

EXT: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE — WIDE AND HIGH CRANE
PERSPECTIVE — AFTERNOON

The sky is an angry dark gray and it's raining cats
and dogs. Dozens of kids are gathered under an open
carport-like area attached to the school entrance
waiting to be picked up and trying to keep from
getting soaked. Likewise, dozens of cars — mostly
cookie cutter minivans, all looking almost alike in
gray, maroon, navy are queued up, headlights on,
highlighting the downpour. Some honk fruitlessly.
Some have a window cracked and are waving to attract
their kids' attention. It's a mess. Parents can't
see kids and vice versa — no one's going anywhere.

                                          CUT TO:

MED SHOT — TRACKING PAN ACROSS THE KIDS

All craning their necks and peering out into the
downpour, looking for their parents' car. Some
teachers are present, but are equally frustrated by
the situation. Thunder booms in the distance.

INT — MOM'S MINIVAN — REAR PERSPECTIVE

MOM sits, nervously drumming on top of her steering
wheel and craning her neck, trying to find her
daughter. Not having any luck, she glances over and
taps to wake her phone that's in a dashboard mount,
taps an icon, and the SimpleSignal app opens showing
its logo.

MCU — SALLY — EXT

Sally peers out into the storm with a worried
expression, barely able to see anything except a
wall of minivans that all look alike. Her pink
raincoat is spattered with rain already. An
incongruously cheerful ring tone that only an 11
year old girl would love, interrupts her. She pulls
phone out of her bag that's wrapped in a rubber hot
pink protective case that matches her raincoat…

CU OVER SHOULDER — SALLY'S PHONE

…and sees on the screen that Mom has sent her a text
message that reads, "Look for my PINK signal."

CU — SALLY'S FACE — EXT

Sally looks up from her phone, peering into the rain
and with a sudden look of recognition, bursts into a
huge smile. She dashes out of frame while other kids
look on.

MED SHOT — LINE OF MINIVANS — EXT

Sally runs away from camera stamping through puddles
towards one of the minivans. Clearly visible from
the dashboard of one of the minivans, there is a
bright pink light piercing the gloom, which is the
cell phone of Sally's mom showing a bright pink
signal of her phone screen like a personal beacon.
Sally gleefully runs through the rain towards her
mom's mini-van.

MED SHOT — MOM'S MINIVAN — FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD
LOOKING IN

Sally clambers through the open door of the mini van
and is safely out of the rain. She has a big smile
for her mom. Her mom is also smiling and welcoming
her back while Sally stashes her book bag and grabs
for a seatbelt.

EXT — ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE — CRANE SHOT FROM
LOW TO HIGH

The camera cranes up and out from the scene as you
see Mom's mini van pull out of the line and start to
drive away, leaving all of the other mini vans stuck
in the line amid the downpour. Scene starts to blur
and darken as the branding appears in a three-stage
build:

     1. LOGO (centered): SimpleSignal
     2. Tagline: It's good to see you.
     3. Badge: Now available in the App Store