Scene opens with Jude getting dressed and putting on makeup in a dressing room
JUDE VOICE OVER: Solid Magazine is the Rolling Stone of the new millennium. Landing a cover means you’ve arrived, and they want me!
(She stands up, flips her hair upside down, and poses in front of the mirror.)
JUDE VOICE OVER : Too bad I don’t look anything like me.
(A look of dislike crosses her face as she looks at her outfit, she tries to pull her skirt down and walks out.)
Switch to Jude walking out the door to the outside
JUDE: I don’t want to show my stomach.
E.J.: Relax! You look great. (Starts to pull Jude’s arm to get her to come down the stairs)
JUDE: I look great? E.J. I look like I’ve lost my way to the stripper pole! I mean shouldn’t the focus be on my music and not my navel?!
E.J.: Jude you’re killing me here! Solid is a national magazine. (To Tommy and Sadie who are standing by watching amusedly) Guys tell her you like this one!
SADIE: Way too sexy, it’s, it’s not her, I mean…
E.J.: Thank you, move it! (She walks away)
JUDE: What’s that supposed to mean “not her”?
SADIE: I mean you’re fifteen, dork.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jude!
JUDE: I don’t feel comfortable.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jude you look fantastic! Let me just tell you how excited I am to be working with you today. We’re going to be going with a rock ‘n roll/school girl theme. (They start setting Jude up for the photo shoot) I want you to kill me through the lens Jude, lots of attitude. You’re cool, you’re it, you are a rock ‘n roll goddess.
JUDE VOICE OVER: Sadie is used to being the center of attention. Me? Not so much. (The photographer starts taking pictures.) Weird part is, I could get used to this.
(A cell phone rings, and a girl comes up and whispers in the photographer’s ear.)
PHOTOGRAPHER: Okay people, that’s a wrap!
SADIE: (Smugly) That can’t be good.
E.J.: Whoaaaa! Three shots? I don’t care how good you are.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Shoot’s over darlin’. They’re going to give the cover to somebody else.
Opening Music
Scene switches to inside of a G-Major conference room
E.J.: It’s a complete disaster!
GEORGIA: Okay, could we not get apocalyptic this early? I haven’t had my coffee yet.
E.J.: We’re talking, Solid’s New Faces of Rock issue! I practically broke knee caps to get Jude the cover!
GEORGIA: So find out why we lost it and who has it now.
JUDE: Is there anything I can do?
E.J.: If you hadn’t delayed everything playing wardrobe diva…
Tommy: E.J.! Relax.
SADIE: Uh, come on, we gotta get to school Jude.
JUDE: (Sarcastically) Great!
GEORGIA: We’re gonna try and fix this, okay? Don’t worry.
JUDE: Yeah. (She walks out.)
GEORGIA: (To E.J.) You, go bust more knee caps.
Scene switches to Jude’s chemistry classroom
TEACHER: Guys let me tell you a little secret. You can’t fake chemistry. Not that the majority of you grasp that, judging by these test scores.
JUDE: (To Jamie and Kat, sighing) Why is this bugging me so much? I didn’t even want the cover until I found out I couldn’t have it.
KAT: Mmm like that Janet Jackson song “You don’t know what you got til it’s gone”
JAMIE: That’s Joni Mitchell.
KAT: See this is why people don’t like you. (To Jude) Any chance we’ll actually get to see you this weekend?
JUDE: Yes, definitely. My parents are going away on some marriage therapy retreat thing, so um, yeah I say we all O.D. on action movies and take-out.
JAMIE: Nice! A little kung pow, a little kung fu, your troubles are over, guaranteed!
JUDE: Okay. (Laughs.)
TEACHER: (Walks up) Jude, that’s your second failed test. (She grabs it.) I’ll need that one signed. Jamie, Kat nice job. (He hands them their tests and walks away.)
JAMIE: I may have spoken too soon.
JUDE: I’m dead.
In the G-Major lobby
E.J.: (Talking on her cell phone) We had a deal on the cover Artie. That makes me cranky. When I’m cranky, people get injured. Darius? Since when does the publisher dictate content?
Switch to one of the studios where a band is recording
SINGER: (To the drummer) Man, what’s going on? More stick twirling man, they can hear that stuff on the microphones! (Turns around to face Tommy) Tommy can we fix this somehow man, can you help us out?
TOMMY: (On the other side of the glass) It’s cool man, let me do what I can do from here.
SINGER: Thank you.
TOMMY: Just keep the energy up guys. The Salads, take two.
SINGER: Okay, here we go. 1-2-3-4. (The band starts playing.)
E.J.: (Walks in to where Tommy is) We’re shanked.
TOMMY: Wanna elaborate?
E.J.: Darius is behind all this. He thinks that Jude shouldn’t have won our competition.
TOMMY: Why you coming to me with this?
E.J.: Please, this whole ‘cover gate’ thing, is clearly a hit at you. Not Jude.
TOMMY: Look E.J…!
E.J.: Tommy! Everybody knows you and he had some kind of falling out years ago.
TOMMY: Look that’s my personal business!!
E.J.: It was your personal business! But now it’s affecting Jude, which makes it mine. Solid locks the new cover on Monday. That gives you just 48 hours to make Darius love Jude.
(Tommy gives E.J. a look, then turns his attention back to the band, and E.J. walks out.)
Scene switches to the Harrison kitchen
VICTORIA: Here you go sweetie. (She puts a plate of food down in front of Jude.)
JUDE: Meatless meatloaf? Isn’t that, just like, loaf? (She and her dad laugh.)
SADIE: Does oxygen even get to your brain?
JUDE: (Laughs) Oh, um before I forget. I have my first talk show on the 29th, so if you wanna come…
STUART: (Excited) Jude!
SADIE: Uh, those are my cheerleading nationals. You guys said you would come!
STUART: Well um…
SADIE: Right?
VICTORIA: Oh well um, some of us have a hard time keeping our promises lately. I’ll be there honey, if it’s humanly possible.
SADIE: Thank you.
STUART: Hun we can’t be in two places at once. You go with Sadie, I’ll go with Jude.
VICTORIA: (Talking over him) I know that Stuart!
JUDE: Sadie, this is like your gajillionth nationals, why do you have to be so selfish?
SADIE: Me?!
JUDE: Yeah.
SADIE: I was up at five ‘o clock this morning, and you never even thanked me for driving you to your shoot.
JUDE: Thank you? I don’t want you chaperoning me around anyways, you’re embarrassing!
SADIE: Ugh oh really?
JUDE: (Mocking) Really.
SADIE: So Jude um, how did your chem. test go today? (Jude kicks her under the table.) OW! (Sadie throws Jude a dirty look.)
JUDE: (Victoria looks at her questioningly) Okay, yeah I kinda failed. It’s not like I’m gonna be a doctor anyway.
VICTORIA: Honey, you don’t know that.
STUART: Okay. Let’s not do this okay? It is just a test! We know what Jude is going through.
VICTORIA: (Yelling over him) Stuart! Stuart! STUART! She’s fifteen years old, her life is not decided yet; despite what you two think. Jude you’re grounded.
JUDE: What? For being stupid?! That is so unfair!
VICTORIA: (To Stuart) Maybe we should just stay home.
STUART: Honey, honey, we made a commitment. This weekend’s about us remember?
VICTORIA: (She gives him a look that says “yeah okay” and turns to Sadie) Sadie, she stays home and she studies all weekend. No TV, no friends, no exceptions. Clear?
SADIE: Crystal.
Switch to the next day in the Harrison’s living room
JUDE: (To Sadie) Can you please take your Tai-Kwan-Dork elsewhere?
(Jude’s cell phone rings and shows that Tommy is calling.)
JUDE: Uh hey, I can’t really talk right now, I’m under house arrest.
TOMMY: Well prepare to go AWOL. How’d you like to meet Darius Mills?
JUDE: The hip hop guy? Why would I want to do that?
TOMMY: Because Solid is his magazine, and the cover is his call. Look, he’s having a party at his weekend place; I want you to come with me.
JUDE: (She smiles) Oh…like a date?
TOMMY: Look, this is important. It’s not just about the cover now, Darius has a lot of power in our industry.
JUDE: And he thinks I’m a loser. I get it.
TOMMY: Well tomorrow we’re gonna change that. I wanna get there early while he’s still got a clear head. That a problem?
JUDE: (Looks back at Sadie) It’s no problem.
TOMMY: Good.
Scene switches to the next day. Tommy pulls up in front of Jude’s house and Jude is sneaking out the door
SADIE: Busted!
JUDE: Ugh Sadie! When aren’t you at the mall on the weekends?
SADIE: Since I know you’re up to something.
JUDE: Great.
JAMIE: (Walks up) Jude what’s going on?
TOMMY: Jude, let’s roll. It’s a long ride to Darius’s place.
SADIE: The Darius?! As in the king of all hip hop media? As in, there’s no way I’m not coming with you.
JUDE: You are such a disease Sadie.
SADIE: Thank you.
JUDE: This is a really important party. Very V.I.P. (She looks at Tommy and he nods his head in confirmation.)
JAMIE: Party? We’re going to a party? I thought we were doing movies!
SADIE: Look, you owe me. Either I come or I call mom.
(Jude looks exasperatedly over at Tommy.)
TOMMY: (To Sadie) You, okay. (To Jamie) You, no way. Doubt I can even get you past the door.
JAMIE: Oh relax Menudo. It’s an afternoon party, how cool could it be?
(Tommy puts on his sunglasses; giving in, and Jude nods at Jamie.)
[Cut to Jamie standing outside of Darius’s house]
JAMIE: (Unbelievingly) It’s like we died and woke up in a Snoop Dogg video.
The camera pans to show a huge, luxurious house, with a bunch of people, particularly girls, dancing in the front
SADIE: (To Jamie) Please do not embarrass me here okay?
JUDE: Relax, it’s not like we’re going to see anyone we know anyways. It’s okay.
EDEN: (Walks up) Jude hey!
JUDE: (Surprised and kind of unhappy to see her) Hey Eden.
EDEN: I just heard about the cover, no hard feelings?
JUDE: Uh, what are you, what are you talking about?
EDEN: From what I hear it’s as good as mine. (She gives Jude a fake smile and walks away.)
JUDE: (To Tommy) What? What is Eden even doing here right now? I beat her in the competition.
TOMMY: K, just chill okay? (He leads her away from Sadie and Jamie) Nobody has the cover yet. She’s obviously here just trying to impress Darius into giving it to her. Are you gonna let that happen? (Camera shows some of the activity of the party) You gotta learn how to work the room. See the DJ over there? (Camera pans to the DJ)
JUDE: Yeah?
TOMMY: Well he’ll spin you at other parties. See the bald guy over there by the bar? (Camera pans to the bar) That’s John Jenkins; Johnny does most of the cover features for Solid. I want you to go charm him, as practice. I gotta go talk to Darius, see if he’ll agree to meet you so…
JUDE: What?! He hasn’t even agreed to meet me yet?
TOMMY: Relax!
(They look over to see Darius walking around greeting his guests. A man leans over to Darius and whispers to him, presumably telling him that Tommy is at the party. Darius turns and looks at Tommy.)
TOMMY: (He keeps uneasily looking back to where Darius is) I gotta go. So you’re gonna be on your own. You’re gonna be great Jude.
(Jude gives him an angry look as she watches him walk over to Darius.)
TOMMY: Dar? Good seeing you man. (He offers him his hand for a handshake)
DARIUS: (He shakes his hand) It’s been a long time Tom.
TOMMY: Been long enough?
DARIUS: Let’s do this inside.
TOMMY: Cool. (They walk inside and the camera shows various Solid magazine covers)
Switch to inside Darius’s house
DARIUS: Remember your first big concert? (He chuckles) The food court of a mall.
TOMMY: I remember. We got paid in burgers. (He watches Darius pour himself a drink) You’re not seriously thinking ‘bout putting Eden Taylor on the cover of Solid Magazine are you?
DARIUS: Maybe. I mean she’s got skills, looks, and she was a crowd favorite to win your own competition.
TOMMY: I want Jude on that cover.
DARIUS: Hey and I don’t. (He smirks) Guess who wins?
TOMMY: Man come on! I know you and me we got bad blood, but if your willing to take that on a girl…
DARIUS: Oh come on that’s weak! Heh, you think this is about you and me?
TOMMY: Yeah.
DARIUS: It’s about musical karma.
(Tommy gives him a look that says “Yeah right”.)
Scene switches to back outside at the party. The camera shows people dancing, drinking, swimming, and getting massages
JAMIE: (To Sadie) So, this is Jude’s world now huh? Wonder if this place has a grotto. Hef has a grotto. What is a grotto?
SADIE: K, I will literally pay you to stop talking to me right now.
JAMIE: Sorry. I just wanted to hang out with Jude, but I guess she’s working again.
(He looks over to see Jude awkwardly introducing herself to John Jenkins, and failing to keep his attention.)
SADIE: Kinda sucks huh?
JAMIE: (Unconvincingly) No biggie.
EDEN: (She walks up to Sadie) Be a dear and get rid of that. (She hands her the drink she is holding)
SADIE: What am I the help now? (She looks over at Eden, then looks down at the drink, and downs it)
JAMIE: Easy there lady.
SADIE: Know what? I’m sick of Jude having all the fun. It’s our turn now. (She hands Jamie the empty drink glass)
Scene switches to inside of Darius’s house again
DARIUS: I created Boyz Attack to make a buck, not to start a whole new youth trend. These days the music’s made by kids man, for kids. That’s bad business for everybody.
TOMMY: What’s that got to do with Jude?
DARIUS: Hey the girl is too young. ‘Aight? End of story. At least Eden’s a woman.
TOMMY: She’s not too young.
DARIUS: I heard that one from you before.
TOMMY: And I’m still right! Just… (He takes a CD out of his back pocket) just listen.
(Darius grabs the CD and puts it in the CD player. Let Me Fall starts playing.)
Scene switches between a flashback of Jude recording Let Me Fall in the studio and what is going on at the party.
JUDE: I feel chained, chained down./ You shove me to the ground/ I can’t run, I can’t shout/ just let me out./ You seem heartless/ this couldn’t mean less/
(We see Jude talking to various people at the party, doing a better job than she was previously, Sadie drinking, and Jamie just standing by watching.)
JUDE : But I’ll push it in your face./ I’m only human and I’ve got somethin’ to say./ Let me rise/ let me fall/ let me breathe./ I wanna lose control I’m not afraid to lose it all./ Let me break/ let me crawl./ Cuz I will get up again, if you let me fall.
JUDE: (Walks up) Sadie I can’t believe you’re drinking.
SADIE: (To Jamie) Narc!
JUDE: Tommy’s gonna kill me!
SADIE: Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. You’re so obsessed it’s pathetic.
JAMIE: Oh please, give her some credit. Guy’s old.
JUDE: He’s 22!
JAMIE: Yeah in musician years. That’s like dog years times five.
JUDE: (She walks away from Jamie and up to Sadie) What is your problem?
SADIE: Your big fat head.
JUDE: Come on Sadie, you’re just jealous because I’m actually getting attention now. That’s sad.
SADIE: No, you wanna know what’s sad?
JUDE: What?
SADIE: Who you’re becoming. I mean, you’re treating me like your servant, you’re forgetting your friends…
JUDE: That’s not true. (She looks over at Jamie who just looks down)
SADIE: Mom and dad are always fighting now because of you. All you can think about is yourself.
(Jude looks away angrily and slightly guiltily as Sadie walks away. Jude looks over at Jamie as if for confirmation of what Sadie said is true. Let Me Fall begins playing again in the background.)
Scene switches again between Jude singing in the studio and Jude at the party
JUDE: I can’t stop, or give it up/ I need to feel the pain. / Can you hear me? / Don’t come near me. You’ll just get in my way/ I’m only human and there’s nothing you can say…
MAN: (To Eden) You’re saying that these reality competitions are ruining the business?
(Jude walks up hearing this conversation and Eden sees her.)
EDEN: All I’m saying is that some of us are just a little…real-er than others.
(Angry, Jude tries to walk away.)
EDEN : I mean, take Jude…
(Eden grabs her arm, pulling her into the conversation.)
JUDE: (Trying to act nice) Heeeey.
EDEN: Jude and me for example. I have been working towards this my entire life. Don’t get me wrong, I mean this whole ‘sad girl with guitar’ routine, it’s a great marketing angle. Stellar. (She chuckles) I totally understand why you won over me, but beneath that bad attitude, and discount fashions…you’re just a one-hit-wonder waiting to happen Jude. Everybody knows it, but you.
JUDE: (Whispering) Yeah, excuse me. (Jude walks away upset and Sadie, having overheard the conversation, hangs her head guiltily. To Sadie) Happy?
JUDE: Cuz I will get up again if you let me fall. / You say you know who I am and what I’m about. /
(Jude walks away upset and goes to sit down on a bench. A woman who heard the conversation comes to sit next to Jude.)
WOMAN: Pathetic huh? Some people can only feel big by making others feel small.
JUDE: Yeah, well she must feel sumo size then. I hate this. I feel like ever since I won this contest, everyone wants something different from me.
WOMAN: How do you mean?
JUDE: The label wants a hit. My mom wants straight A’s. Sadie, she wants me dead!
WOMAN: Hmm, ever think about what you want?
JUDE: I just, I wanna make great music.
Scene now switches between Jude singing in the studio and Tommy and Darius listening to the song in the house
JUDE: I will get up again if you let me fall./ If I burn down in this fire/ well, I got myself to blame./ I can’t stop or give it up/ I need to feel the pain
TOMMY: You’re feeling that song. I know you man. Just meet her. Jude is not a kid, not when it comes to music.
Outside at the party
(Sadie takes a drink and then walks up to Eden.)
SADIE: Hey Malibu Barbie, you owe Jude an apology.
EDEN: Excuse me?
SADIE: You wanna say she’s got a…crap attitude, tragic clothes, fine, I don’t care. But my sister, can sing your butt off. Which by the way…is way too fat. (Sadie laughs and so do the people standing around listening.)
EDEN: (Pushes Sadie) Why don’t you, go sober up.
Camera pans to Jude talking to the woman
JUDE: (To the woman) I don’t want to be schmoozing some magazine guy who thinks I’m a loser before he even meets me.
WOMAN: You’re the new kid. You still have to, prove yourself. You know fame’s a lot like high school in that way. Except with better clothes.
JUDE: Yeah…and skankier chicks. (They both laugh)
WOMAN: You know, something tells me you’re gonna survive this just fine.
(Jude looks over to see Eden and Sadie.)
SADIE: Why don’t you make me. (She pushes Eden back.)
EDEN: Oh yeah?
JUDE: Is that my sister?! (Jude gets up and runs to try and stop the fight.)
EDEN: (To Sadie) Maybe I’ll have to. (She pushes Sadie again.)
(Sadie slaps Eden across the face and Eden tries to retaliate but Jude pushes Sadie back away from Eden.)
JUDE: Sadie, Sadie stop! Okay it’s not worth it!
SADIE: No let me at her!! Come on!
JUDE: It’s not worth it okay?! It isn’t worth it okay? It’s not worth it, don’t!
(Jude keeps trying to get Sadie away from Eden, while Sadie is fighting to get at her. Eden comes up behind Sadie and kicks her to the ground and Jude turns around to face Eden in shock.)
EDEN: Come on.
(Sadie once again gets up and tries to hit Eden, while Jude is trying to hold her back.)
JUDE: Sadie…no no stop it! Sadie! Sadie!!
Meanwhile inside Darius’s house
TOMMY: She is nothing but a mature artist.
(Darius hears the yelling outside and they both turn to look out the window.)
Outside
JUDE: (Still trying to hold Sadie back) No Sadie DON’T! Come on stop it! Sadie stop! SADIE!
Inside the house
(Tommy and Darius watch all three girls fall into the pool. Darius gets a knowing look on his face and Tommy looks annoyed and disappointed.)
DARIUS: (Chuckles) You were saying something?
TOMMY: It’s good seeing you Dar.
DARIUS: It’s good seeing you too.
TOMMY: Thanks for your time. (He gets up and walks out and Darius chuckles again.)
Outside
(Jude gets out of the pool as Sadie and Eden are still going at it in the water.)
JUDE: STOP FIGHTING!!
Inside the House
DARIUS: (Laughs) Kids...
Back outside
(Tommy, Jude, Jamie, and Sadie are all leaving the party.)
TOMMY: (Sarcastically) That was genius. I was close, ‘til you two went all kinder-gym out there.
SADIE: Let me just say, in my own de…
(She gets a sick look on her face and throws up on Tommy’s shoes.)
JUDE: That’s gross.
TOMMY: (Sarcastically) That’s perfect.
DARIUS: (Walking up behind them) Hey Tom! She’s got the cover.
TOMMY: What?
DARIUS: Let’s say your girl made a…impression on the right people.
(He turns around and Jude sees the woman she was talking to earlier. The woman smiles at her and Jude waves. Darius turns back to Tommy and Jude.)
DARIUS: I was overruled. It’s a shame about your shoes. (He walks away.)
JUDE: I don’t get it. What’d I do? (She watches Darius and the woman walk back into the party together.)
TOMMY: Everything. (He smiles at Jude and walks away.)
JUDE: (To Sadie) Let’s go home. (They all walk away as Jamie looks down at the puke and tries to step over it.)
In the Harrison house
(They all walk in the house and Tommy has a passed out Sadie slung over his shoulder.)
JUDE: (To Tommy) So who was she?
TOMMY: Portia?
JUDE: Yeah.
TOMMY: She’s Darius’s kid sister. My ex-wife. (He flops Sadie down on the couch.)
JUDE: What? You were married?
JAMIE: (Whispering sarcastically to Jude) Oh yeah, he’s not too old for you at all.
JUDE: (Annoyed) Jamie…(She lightly pushes him.)
TOMMY: Look, we were 18, I was on tour. It was stupid, and impulsive, and over within a month. But D, he uh…he never forgave me. Look trust me, you’re going to go a little crazy your first tour too.
JUDE: (Uneasy) Can’t wait. Yeah you guys better bolt before my parents get home.
TOMMY: See you tomorrow? At the re-shoot?
JUDE: Yeah.
JAMIE: (To Tommy) So do I call you a divorcé or a divorcee?
TOMMY: Dude, shut it. (He walks out the door.)
JUDE: Jamie…
(She lightly pushes him out the door. Over on the couch Sadie moans, still feeling sick.)
JUDE: Hey you better sober up before mom and dad get home. They don’t need another reason to fight. (Pause) You know, I wanna say thank you for sticking up for me today. In your own, highly dysfunctional way, it was really cool.
SADIE: Yeah I pretty much rock huh? And so do you cover girl.
(They smile at each other and Jude kisses Sadie on the forehead.)
Camera shows the issue of Solid with Jude on the cover landing on top of the other previous Solid magazines
