A FRACTURE IN FICTION

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Tony Klava

Period 3

May 2007

A Fracture in Fiction

Based on The Da Vinci Code 

By Dan Brown

Written for the Television

by Tony Klava

           MGRP 2007 NaFra Productions

Table of Contents

  1. Prologue……………………………………………………………………………………………………3
  2. Characters of A Fracture in Fiction……………………………4
  3. Summary of The Da Vinci Code………………………………………………5
  4. A Fracture in Fiction Script………………………………………………6
  5. Double Voice Poem Reference…………………………………………………6
  6. Song Parody Reference………………………………………………………………26
  7. Newspaper Article Reference………………………………………………38
  8. Cryptogram & Crossword Puzzle Reference………………46
  9. Song Parody Lyrics………………………………………………………………………47
  10. Lyrics to Hundred (original lyrics)…………………………48
  11. Double Voice Poem…………………………………………………………………………49
  12. Crossword Original………………………………………………………………………50
  13. Crossword Solved……………………………………………………………………………51
  14. Cryptogram Original……………………………………………………………………52
  15. Cryptogram Solved…………………………………………………………………………53
  16. Newspaper Article…………………………………………………………………………54
  17. Citation…………………………………………………………………………………………………55
  18. Research/Rough Drafts………………………………………………………………56
  19. Rubrics……………………………………………………………………………………………………58

Prologue

        Through this experience of researching Dan Brown, and then placing him in a situation where he is confronted by his characters, not only do I now know the most about my author than anyone else in my family, but I have also been able to expand my scriptwriting abilities, and learned how to properly research.

        Scene selection for this script was critical early on.  By quickly choosing what scenes I would use, it would benefit my research, and rather than researching all the wrong things (which in ways I still feel I did), I was able to somewhat limit my research boundaries.  In the end I still had many facts I would have to go back and research, but even with those it was for a genre and not the script itself.  I chose only scenes that would ultimately be relevant.  I felt all of the main characters from the original novel should be incorporated somehow and that several people from Dan Brown’s life should have a part as well.    

Because the prompt of this project was to have the author confronted by his characters, I chose to have this specific character who would just continue to confront Dan be the one with the most (in my opinion) emotional background.  Dan chose his characters and their life pre-the-novel, and in Dan telling them he wrote their lives, this gave the characters a chance to question why their background was that way.  So for this character, I chose the monk, Silas.  In the book, Silas plays an assassin with a background that reveals he murdered his abusive father, miraculously got out of prison, and became friends with the Bishop Aringarosa.  Out of all the characters, I felt his background was most relevant and prompt-friendly.

Some of the real-life based characters are not in fact real after all.  One of my unanswered questions at the end of this project was, “what is the name of Dan’s publisher?”  I could never find that out, perhaps because it doesn’t work that way.  However, “Richard” would be a relevant character to the script, revealing that the script isn’t changing back, and that Teabing has changed it.

        This was an interesting script to do, being I had to taken a real-life person, and put them in a world they created.  Though it sounds challenging, it was quite exciting to take this author’s story and to twist it; to make an-already-exciting story and make personal changes to it.  The Da Vinci Code was a convenient book to do this project with, and being it is so fast paced and intense, the script would be fast paced and intense.  After reading, there are no long dialogue scenes, which often cause viewers to zone out, and the action is not constant, another sometimes boring factor; the story shares a plot with the original novel, but has a plot and conflict enough to avoid sounding like a copy-cat.

        In the end, this project was an enthralling way to research and to learn more about scriptwriting (ex. Format), a skill that would be beneficial in my future.

A Fracture in Fiction

The Characters

Dan Brown-The author of “the Da Vinci Code” who is magically put into his book to decide for himself if the controversy it created was worth it.

Blythe Brown- Dan’s wife who several times comes in contact with him during the script.

Robert Langdon-“the Da Vinci Code” main character who is also a Harvard Symbologist and in Paris to give a presentation at the American University of Paris.

Sophie Neveu-“the Da Vinci Code” character who’s grandfather is the murdered Priory of Sion member at the beginning and a gifted cryptologist.

Lt. Collet-A DCPJ officer who is under Fache’s orders to get the book, and in the beginning arrests and questions Dan.

Captain Fache-The DCPJ officer who is investigating Jacques Sauniere’s murder, and eventually finds the Da Vinci Code novel.

Silas-The monk who is responsible for the murder of the Priory of Sion’s grandmaster, Jacques Sauniere.  He is an albino with a troubled past which includes murdering his father, and will be the one to confront Dan the most about his past.

Leigh Teabing-the English knight that is known by others only as the “Teacher”, having arranged for the Priory member murders.  He is obsessed with finding the Holy Grail.

Sister Sandrine-a resident of the Saint-Sulpice church, Sister Sandrine protects the Priory secret (which she doesn’t know) and the Priory members.

Richard-Dan’s publisher who originally sends him the poem from Colorado that ultimately makes Dan question if “the Da Vinci Code” controversy was worth it.

Summary of The Da Vinci Code

        When the elderly curator of the Louvre is murdered and strange cuts are made on his body, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who is called to the scene, begins questioning the man’s involvement with a secret society called the Priory of Sion.  The Priory of Sion is rumored to have had members such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton.  When the curator’s granddaughter and gifted cryptologist, Sophie Neveu reveals to Langdon that the French police believe he is the man’s murderer, both set off to protect a secret left by this man.

        The “Teacher”, a faceless powerbroker that seems to anticipate all of Langdon and Neveu’s moves sets out his pawns to stop Langdon and Neveu and reveal Jacques Sauniere’s secret.  These include the albino monk/Sauniere’s killer Silas, an Opus Dei Bishop who after finding himself in financial trouble discovered that through the “Teacher” he could enhance his money, and the baffled Captain Fache of the DCPJ (French Police).  Convinced that they have Sauniere’s killer without further investigation or that they are fighting to protect their company or God, each finds themselves in a situation far greater than they expected.

        Meanwhile, in Paris, Langdon and Neveu discover Sauniere’s cryptex, which in resides the true nature of the Holy Grail.  But when Sauniere’s friend is not sure about his friends that have accessed his account in a Swiss Bank, his kidnaps and attempts to murder them.  After escaping, and with Sophie having no knowledge of the true nature of the Holy Grail, they go to the English Sir Leigh Teabing’s gorgeous estate, Chateau Villete.

        It is not long before the police catch up with the two, and now with Teabing, his manservant Remy and a prisoner Silas, they flee to England, where they believe that they will uncover the truth about the Holy Grail.

        After heading to the wrong location (a Knights Templar church), Remy betrays all by releasing Silas and kidnapping Sir Leigh.

        Langdon and Neveu head to a library to realize where they will find the password to open the cryptex.  As quickly as they can, Robert & Sophie go to Westminster Church and see that the password involves Alexander Pope.  Not only do they discover this, but they also discover that the “Teacher” has followed them, and is in fact Leigh.

        At gunpoint, Robert quickly tries to open the cryptex, but then reveals to Leigh that he cannot figure it.  This results in Robert throwing the cryptex up in the air, and letting it shatter while oil dissolves the text on the papyrus scroll inside.

        Meanwhile, the authorities have figured out that Robert is innocent, Silas, the true murderer is dead, and that Sir Leigh is the “Teacher.”  They soon arrive at Westminster Church to arrest Leigh, and Langdon and Sophie go to Rosslyn Chapel, where according to the papyrus scroll, the Grail resides.  Upon their arrival, Sophie discovers that she is in fact a descendant of Christ, and finds her brother and grandmother in a house nearby.

        Days later, Robert realizes that the Holy Grail was in Paris all along, under the Louvre, and under the blade (symbol for male) and chalice (symbol for female) pyramids.        

A FRACTURE IN FICTION

by

Tony Klava

Inspired by the book The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

FADE IN:

1. INT. BROWN HOUSE - DAY

Dan Brown sits in his kitchen, at the table.  He is going through mail.  He passes bills and credit card offers, and eventually comes to a letter with the sender's address stating that Richard Harris had sent it.  Dan opens the letter and sees a typed letter stapled to another piece of computer paper.  Dan reads the first letter aloud.

DAN BROWN

Dan, the other day as I was going through your fan mail (because you know how much I like to do that) I found this.  It's from a middle-school student in Colorado.  Enjoy!  Richard.

Dan flips to the next letter and reads it.  His wife, Blythe walks into the room.

BLYTHE BROWN

You all ready to go to the airport?  Oh, what's that?

DAN BROWN

It's this poem a kid in Colorado sent to the fan mail address.  Richard forwarded it to me.

She picks it up.  This time the camera shows the poem, and Blythe reads it aloud (see end notes for poem).

BLYTHE BROWN

Well, now's when we think about if the results of this book was worth it.  Was it, Dan?

He looks at her, and puts the letter in his pocket.

FADE OUT TO WHITE.

FADE IN FROM WHITE:

2. EXT. PARIS, FRANCE

  The clouds appear from a black screen to reveal the Eiffel Tower below them.  The camera pans on other beautiful places in France, like the Louvre museum.  Finally it zooms on the small TEA & TATTERED PAGES bookstore where Dan Brown has traveled to for the release of his new book, The Solomon Key.

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 3. INT. TEA & TATTERED PAGES BOOKSTORE - AFTERNOON

DAN BROWN sits in a chair at the Tea and Tattered Pages bookstore in Paris, France.  As he sits, books are one by one put in front of him, and he signs them.  Each book is titled The Solomon Key and is thick in spine and large in height.

Dan signs each book placed in front of him, and then leans up.

DAN BROWN

Ici vous êtes ma’am.

(Subtitles, "Here you are, ma'am)

WOMAN (responding)

Merci, Mr. Brown.

(Subtitles, "Thank you Mr. Brown)

As ...

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