WEAPONS OF MASS PRODUCTION

by
Jeremy Kao
2.
INT. MISSION ROOM
A drab mission equipment room. Four men are dressing
themselves in U.S. Army equipment. We never see their faces
directly.
RICK (V.O.)
It's something most of us have
known all of our lives. What we
all wanted. It's in our blood.
A lens is snapped onto a DSLR camera. Flashes are screwed
onto hotshoe mounts.
RICK (V.O.)
There's a storm inside of us. I've
heard many team guys speak of
this. A burning. A river. A drive.
SD cards are slid into the cameras. Batteries are plugged
in.
RICK (V.O.)
An unrelenting desire to push
yourself harder and further than
anyone could think possible.
Camera straps are slung across shoulders. Tripods are
packed up and ready to go.
RICK (V.O.)
Pushing ourselves into those dark
cold corners where the bad things
live. Where the bad things fight.
The four men, armed with an array of camera equipment,
slowly make their way out of the mission room.
RICK (V.O.)
We wanted that fight at the
highest volume. The loud fight.
The loudest, coldest, hottest,
most unpleasant of the unpleasant
fights.
EXT. FOREST - ABOVE
A Blackhawk helicopter SCREAMS as the dramatic landscape
below is revealed.
RICK (O.S.)
Bravo, what's your status?
3.
EXT. FOREST
MARK and SAM are lying prone behind a tree, reflectors
strewn across their backs. Mark is carrying a DSLR camera
with a telephoto lens attached while Sam looks through a
director's viewfinder.
MARK
Bravo squad in position.
Mark spots multiple ENEMIES through his lens.
MARK
Tallying multiple hostiles. Clear
to engage?
EXT. FOREST - ABOVE
RICK (O.S.)
Negative. Wait for our approach.
Chopper is inbound, two mikes out.
The Blackhawk helicopter begins its descent.
EXT. FOREST
RICK and JAMES, both carrying DSLR cameras, approach Mark
and Sam from the rear. James's camera is attached to an
folded tripod. They both assume firing positions, taking
cover behind trees.
RICK
Need a sitrep.
SAM
Two enemies, one hundred meters, 2
o' clock.
RICK
Alright, we take them out nice and
quiet. Mark?
Mark PEERS through his camera.
MARK
Got the one on the right.
Rick TRAINS his camera on the other enemy.
RICK
On your mark.
4.
Mark STUDIES his viewfinder image - the man in his sights
is looking cautiously ahead, weapon lowered but still
alert. He FLICKS his camera dial from off to on. His finger
TIGHTENS on the shutter release, and -
CLICK. The man stumbles back. CLICK. The man COLLAPSES. The
other enemy turns in surprise. CLICK. He goes down too.
MARK
(whispering)
Two tangos down.
The silence holds for a while - everyone is tense. Sam
scans with his viewfinder for any more enemies.
SAM
All clear -
Suddenly, a torrent of automatic camera fire hits the group
from the left.
JAMES
Contact left!
The group SCRAMBLES to find new cover positions.
MARK
How many!?
Sam tries his best to scan for enemies, but the foliage is
dense.
SAM
I can't tell! They -
Sam is HIT in the face by a camera round. He COLLAPSES.
MARK
Sam? Sam!
RICK
James, covering fire! I'll get
command on the line!
JAMES
On it!
James UNFOLDS his tripod and sets it on the ground, FIRING
his camera rapidly down the forest.
RICK
(to radio)
Command, this is alpha squad, do
you copy? We've been compromised.
5.
Repeat, we've been compromised.
RADIO
Copy that, alpha. What's your
status?
MARK
Sir, Sam's down!
RICK
Taking heavy enemy fire! Request
immediate close air support and
medevac.
RADIO
Negative, area is too hot for a
medevac, you must make it to the
extraction point. Air support
standing by, ETA your position
five mikes.
RICK
(to team)
Five minutes!
MARK
We'll be overrun by then!
RICK
We don't have a choice!
James's camera beeps - NO MEMORY IN SD CARD flashes on the
screen.
JAMES
Changing! Cover me!
Rick and Mark take fire at the enemies. James REPLACES the
SD card in his camera and resumes firing.
MARK
I'm going to try and flank them!
RICK
Go!
Mark SPRINTS to a new cover position, taking several shots
at the enemy.
MARK
Three hostiles, 4 o'clock! Coming
in fast!
6.
JAMES
Pinned down over here!
As the hostiles approach, Mark FIRES at them, taking two
down. The third one CHARGES at Mark, and he FIRES again -
but a BEEP rewards him instead of a click. No memory.
Immediately, he PULLS a point and shoot camera from inside
his jacket and SHOOTS the man.
MARK
Right clear!
RICK
Right is clear! Push right! I
repeat, push right!
Automatic camera fire directed at Mark causes him to duck
behind cover.
MARK
Negative! Right is no good!
JAMES
(swapping out SD cards)
Last mag!
Rick seems to contemplate this. Then -
RICK
Fall back! Fall back!
The team quickly picks up their cameras and RETREAT, diving
behind hard cover.
RICK
(to radio)
What's the status on that air
support!?
There is no response.
JAMES
Radio's dead, sir.
The team sits there, slumped. The enemy fire in the
distance has died down. A moment passes.
RICK
Fix bayonets.
Each one of them pulls out a lens hood and screws it onto
their camera.
7.
RICK
On my mark.
James and Mark nod. Mark switches the mode dial on his
camera from semi to auto.
RICK
Go!
The three men EMERGE from behind the cover, CHARGING
through the forest, SCREAMING. The enemy is taken by
surprise and quickly fall to their automatic fire. When in
range, they SLAM the enemy with their lens hoods. As brave
as they are, Mark and James eventually FALL to enemy fire.
Rick, however, PUSHES through.
Finally, there is no one left standing but Rick. Bodies
litter the floor. Rick stands, panting, camera held in one
hand. One of the bodies at his feet stirs. It's an enemy
soldier, still not dead. He STRUGGLES to reach for his
camera.
Rick deliberately takes aim - engages the autofocus - and
FIRES.
CUT TO BLACK
TITLE: "WEAPONS OF MASS PRODUCTION"
CREDITS
END