OBNOXIOUS BLIND DATE
WRITTEN ___________
INSERT DATE HERE
1

^^Make sure everything is formatted correctly (could just be my computer but), the title should be the only thing on the front page (along with your name and date, if your teacher looks for that)
2
In terms of formatting, your TA said everything was okay. But I would recommend looking at the formatting here (http://2012.scriptfrenzy.org/howtoformatascreenplay). Especially when it comes to sluglines and introducing characters. It makes the screenplay easier to read, makes the setting easier to convey, and comes off as more professional.
For example, your first page would read more like this:
INT. PANGEA EATERY – NIGHT
RAY, male, late 20s, and ELLIE, female, early 30s, are on a blind date eating dinner. The restaurant is dimly lit with elaborate lighting fixture and elegantly decorated with chic furnishings and perfectly placed table settings.
Ray is sitting at a table, sipping on a glass of sparkling water… and include the rest of the description here.
Cast of Characters
Ray: A man in his late 20s.
Ellie:
Waiter:
Other Diners:
A woman in her early 30s.
Waiter at Pangaea Eatery.
Diners in the background.
Scene
Ray and Ellie are on a blind date having dinner at a trendy restaurant in Toronto.
Time Period
The present. Screenplays only specify time period when it will play an important roll.
Otherwise it’s safe to assume “present”.
SETTING:
ACT I
Scene 1
Pangaea Eatery is a trendy restaurant in downtown
Toronto. The restaurant is dimly lit with elaborate lighting fixtures and elegantly decorated with chic furnishings and perfectly placed table settings.

3
AT CURTAIN RISE:
Ray is sitting at the table at centre stage wouldn’t say center stage for a screenplay , sipping on a glass of sparkling water. There are also two lone diners, a party of four and three couples dinning at
Pangaea. Ray puts down his glass to adjust the collar of his sports coat. He glanced at his platinum watch and then he looked around the restaurant.
WAITER:
(The waiter walks over with his perfectly tall posture and a proper smile)
Would you like more sparkling water or can I get you anything else to drink sir?
(Ray nods as he puts down the glass in his hand and the waiter carefully fills it up.)
RAY
Women are surely not creatures capable of being on time are they?
(The waiter politely nods. Then Ellie, looking stunning in a flirty royal blue dress and yellow pumps approaches the table. She makes eye contact with Ray and inquisitively looks at him with a bright smile.)
ELLIE:
Excuse me. Hi, I’m Ellie. You must be Ray. It’s so nice to meet you.
(Ellie extends her hand over to Ray as he stands up to shake her hand to greet her. The waiter slowly walks behind the empty chair as Ray and Ellie get acquainted, and then pulls out the chair and gestures for Ellie to be seated. Ray and Ellie kept their gaze on each other as they slowly sit down.)
RAY:

4
Ellie! You look so different from the photo that Adrian sent me. You are much prettier in person! Seriously, you look really good for your age! I was a little hesitant about going on a blind date with an older woman, because I didn’t want to waste my time. I even contemplated calling you to cancel last minute. But now, I’m glad I came. You’re easily the best looking woman in the restaurant!
ELLIE:
(Ellie is grinning at Ray with a slightly unimpressed look on her face.)
Thank you? That’s your humorous way of flattery, right? You know, I’m only 32, so…
Anyway, you’re looking good yourself!
RAY:
(Ray puts on a suave smile as he runs is fingers through his causally slicked back hair.)
Yah thank you! I got a haircut today and I try to hit the gym at least a few times a week to stay in shape. But in all honestly, if I saw you on the street, I wouldn’t think that you’re 32. That’s at least five years older than I am, and a lot of degenerative aging can happen in 5 years. You have good genetics!
ELLIE:
(Ellie shakes her head a little as she keeps a fake smile on her face and looks over at their waiter who is serving another table.)
It’s been a long day and I’m thirsty, shall we order a drink?
RAY:
(Ray lifts his sports jacket sleeve up high enough to show off his expensive platinum watch as he gestures his arm to call the waiter over to the table. The waiter hurries to them and begins-)
WAITER:
Let me tell you about our specials for the evening. We are featuring an organic baby greens and roasted beet salad with a balsamic reduction, topped with goat cheese.

There is a steak tartar with a smoked chipotle sauce on cucumber ribbons. Our house wine is also on special by the ½ bottle. What can I get for you to drink?
RAY:
We’ll start with 2 gin martinis with olives, shaken please.
ELLIE:
How did you know I like martinis? Did Adrian clue you in? He didn’t tell me very much about you.
RAY:
Well, I assumed that you’re probably no longer into sweet girly drinks. And I thought I should order for the lady, since I’m taking you out. If you happen to not like martinis, I’d just drink the other one and order you something else.
ELLIE:
(Ellie’s expression turns a little sarcastic while she looks at Ray with a fading grin.) “Expression turns sarcastic” is very vague and doesn’t convey an image. As an actor, I wouldn’t know how to make a sarcastic expression. You want to be careful and make sure your descriptions are describing very specific actions. You can just write the description “sarcastic” in front of the text, if it’s absolutely necessary to clarify how to say something.
And here I thought chivalry was dead! So, how long have you known Adrian?
RAY:
We’ve worked together at the gym for a couple of years now. It’s nice to have him as a colleague, because he refers clients to me for personal training and I refer my clients to him for physiotherapy. It’s good to be bros that look out for each other.
Anyway, Adrian tells me you’re a good friend of his sister Nicole, who is smoking
hot, by the way! I agree with your TA. Ray’s speech patterns don’t seem natural because he uses very formal sentence structure and uses “big” words like
“colleagues” but then says “It’s good to be bros”. It’s okay for his speech pattern to be stiff, but then you have to ask yourself if someone who talks like that would
5

actually use the word “bros”. Make sure every word assigned to your character is a word he/she would say.
ELLIE:
(Ellie is getting slightly annoyed, so she drifts her gaze onto other patrons, who all seem to be having a more enjoyable time than herself. But still, she courteously smiles and nods at Ray.) You just made your actress drift her gaze and look annoyed “but still” smile courteously and nod AND deliver a line.
This is hard to execute. You have to be careful with how you phrase things, and the order in which you put things. You are seeing it happen in your head. Think of this as writing step by step directions for how other people should act out what is happening in your head. Does she look away then he grabs her hand so she smiles at him? Does she look away and absentmindedly say “Nikki and I have been good friends for some time”.
Also, if she doesn’t appreciate what he’s saying about her friend and if she is annoyed, why would she encourage him by saying “She’s a gorgeous girl!”. Just things to think about.
Yah, Nikki and I have been good friends for some time. She’s a gorgeous girl!
RAY:
She most definitely is. If she isn’t Adrian’s lil’ sis, I would have gone for her already.
I bet the two of you make quite the tag team when you go out. Guys love seeing good-looking girls living it up and enjoying life! Oh, I mean to ask you, have you and
Adrian ever had a thing? You know, I’m not always a fan of dating my friends’ leftovers. It just seems weird and desperate. Again, you have Ray saying something like “lil sis” in the same stream of dialogue as “good-looking girls living it up and enjoying life”. These are very different kinds of speech that convey different things.
Really think about who Ray is and what he would say. Screenwriting is one of the
6

7 few places you are encouraged to stop worrying about grammar and syntax in favor of making things sound natural.
(The waiter brings over their martinis and
Ellie immediately picks up her glass to take a generous sip. Looking slightly relieved, she carries on the conversation.)
Screenwriting is a visual medium but you should write ACTION. Instead of saying
“looking slightly relieved” which is vague, try the actress what to do instead of saying what she looks like or feels like.
Something like “…take a generous sip. She closes her eyes, raises her head up, and sighs. She looks back at Adrian.” That way you’re conveying relief through ACTION.
ELLIE:
No, Adrian and I have never hooked up, if that’s what you mean by “leftovers”.
Ray:
Truly, I didn’t mean to offend. In fact, you should be flattered that I asked, because it indicates that I’m interested in you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother inquiring at all.
So tell me, what do you do? Are you seriously a yoga teacher? I mean, you don’t seem like one at all. There are yoga teachers at my gym and they mostly seem strange. They dress tacky and they make our clients do awkward poses. I think there are better exercise programs, like spinning or pilates. Why don’t you try?
(Ray tries his best to put on his charm) HOW does he do this. You don’t need this sentence ^ if you say something like “Ray sits up and straightens his tie. He slicks his hair back.” Or “Ray leans forward and puts his hand on Ellie’s arm”. Those are actions that convey the idea of someone putting on their charm.
ELLIE:
(Ellie is no longer smiling and she can barely hide how irritated she is about this blind date with this condescending and chauvinistic chump.) This is another

8 place to think of actions. What would
Ellie DO that would let the audience know she thinks Ray is a Chauvinistic chump?
Hah, how do I respond to you? Um, first, I am not that flattered that you refer to women as leftovers. Second, I am a certainly yoga teacher. What I do may seem strange in our ego-centric social culture ; because I encourage students to confidently express themselves without being ruled by their egos, which evidently is difficult for some of us. Ray and Ellie have very similar ways of talking. Meaning they use long sentences, use “big” words that most people would not use in an every day sentence (even though they might use it when writing an essay or a formal email) and they use very formal sentence structure. I think this works for Ray’s character, because it makes him seem stuck up and unable to connect with Ellie. But it doesn’t seem to fit Ellie’s character. Try saying some of her dialogue out loud. Try saying what YOU would say in this situation. Write how you say it. Think of a friend and how she would act and what she would say. Write that.
RAY:
(Ray nods his head in total agreement.)
Yah, people that are too into themselves are so annoying! I work with so many egotistical people. Some trainers at my gym constantly talk about themselves and they act like they know it all. But enough about them! I’m going to order us some food. Their shrimp cocktail and grilled mahi mahi sashimi is quite good.
ELLIE:
Oh, again with the chivalry... Thanks though, I prefer to browse the menu myself because I’m a vegetarian. Their feature salad sounds nice.
RAY:
I sometimes like to eat vegetarian food too. It can be good, but I find it to be bland. I also can’t eat too much of it because vegetarian food doesn’t offer enough substance or nutrients, and I don’t want to be malnutrition as a personal trainer.
ELLIE:
That’s funny because a majority of food is plant based! It’s just everything you eat, minus the meat; for example, fruit, coffee, nuts, vegetables, smoothies, grains, tea, salads, and juice. A well-balanced vegetarian diet can be healthier than a diet

predominantly based on meat products. There are plenty of vegetarian based proteins and nutrients.
RAY:
Wow, I didn’t know yoga teachers can be so knowledgeable about food and diet.
Well, you do your thing Elle, but I need my protein to build muscles. So, do you want to try the shrimp cocktail? It’s not really meat.
ELLIE:
(As Ellie takes another big swig to finish her drink, she began to tap her fingers on the table to help her resist the urge to rudely roll her eyes.) You don’t need the last bit because the audience can’t see it.
Thanks for the suggestion. But tropical prawns are overfished, so they are a threatened species. Plus shrimp is meat. So I’ll start with the feature organic green salad instead. Ellie saying all of these things about food and stuff is making her seem really stuck up as well. If that’s what you’re going for, then great! If not, then you might want to reconsider re-writing her dialogue.
RAY:
You are amazing! I didn’t know you were an animal lover too. It’s rare to find a woman who is compassionate, smart and beautiful. Though, you shouldn’t worry about the little things. It’s not like they are pandas. There are so many shrimps in the ocean, we’ll never run out. Plus, mother nature can take care of itself without your help. Just live a little! Have something good to eat for once!
ELLIE:
Pardon me, if the waiter comes by, please order me another drink. And double the gin!
(Ellie stands up tall from her chair, smoothes out her dress and excuses herself from the table to go to the ladies room) GOOD! ACTION! I am just wondering why she is going to the bathroom and not just leaving.
9

(FADEOUT)
END OF SCENE
10