SCENE 1:
(Movie opens in Air Force locker room set vaguely in Persian Gulf,
clearly in the boisterous days just after the war has ended; the mood is
loose, joking. Pilots are high-fiving each other, celebrating their
victory.
Loud music is playing in the background, its source a large
CD/boombox. [Music base suggestion: Rush's "Presto" with lyrics about
second sight, etc.]
(The group is racially mixed, comfortable. Camera pans the room,
watching two and three person groupings celebrating; pan stops as one
of the pilots shakes hands with his friends, and in medium close-up the
pilot finishes his preparations. Voices are heard, addressing him and
expressing envy that he is heading back for the States. He laughs,
pulling clothing out of his locker and stuffing various items in a gym
bag; he pulls out a small, pocket-sized radio. He glances at it; close up
shows digital LCD readout, AM-FM-SW bands.
(Absently, he stuffs this in the pocket of his flight jacket. The action
has
the force of a habit, for he then goes back to stuffing things like his
razor, etc., in the gym bag.
(Also, while he is not by any means shunned by his fellow pilots, it is
clear that he is not "surrounded by friends"; indeed, he is somewhat
reserved, almost cool. While he is not cocky, he is confident, and his
face, stride, mannerisms in general betray that confidence, almost
bordering on arrogance.
(All of this takes place without active dialogue: what the microphone
picks up has the feel of being overheard in a mix of other sounds,
conversation. As he exits the room, the soundtrack-music replaces
2
conversations.
(The pilot -- his name tag says he is "Evans" and his orders are made out
to Evans, Walter, Jr." -- walks out without a backward glance; the door
to the locker room closes silently behind him.
3
SCENE 2:
(He walks toward the tarmack, towards a jet that sits glinting in the late
morning sun. As he climbs into the cockpit, the camera in a tight
close-up shows the nickname painted under the canopy: "Shark.")
