First Try At ScreenWriting with my Remmington Pirate Books

Did I tell you I took a screenwriting class last fall/autumn that was probably the best class I ever took in college?

Here is one scene I wrote for my professor (in England) - he wanted A Protagonist that tries to get what the antagonist has 2-3 times before succeeding.

This be what I wrote: (Remember this is written for the movie screen...but will also be re-written to fit in one of the Remmington novels)

British and Spanish pirates fight each other with swords, axes, pistols, rifles and daggers on the decks of both galleons floating next to each other. Storm clouds lurk around the sun.

On the British ship, dirt smudged eighteen year old, Half-Hispanic, Half-English Martha – in pirate garb with her thick straight, ebony hair tied back at the nape of her neck – attempts to jump over a dead pirate, who’s actually still alive. He grabs her leg for a second. She trips landing on her hands and stomach.

At the same time twenty-three year old, muscular, brunette British pirate Karsin dashes past her. He snatches a key tucked under an actually dead pirate’s belt and runs across the deck. He stops at the railing, grabbing one of the swinging ropes.

Martha looks behind her at the dying pirate with shock, while Karsin turns around and gives her a saucy grin. He holds up the key.

Karsin

                                                Looking for this?

Martha jerks her head around with surprise then worry at Karsin. She does not notice the dying pirate die, as she gets up with determination.
 
A continuation of smoke and ear splitting sound from cannon and gun fire fill the air around them, along with the clashing, shouting and cursing of fighting pirates.
 
Karsin turns back around, steps up onto the railing and swings across to the Spanish ship.
 
Martha runs after him, jumping over the second dead body more cautiously. She stops at the railing, looks to see a Spanish pirate approach her with a ruthless look and cutlass in his hand resting at his side.

Spanish Pirate

                                                Como estas, amiga?

Martha stares at him with confusion then panic, followed by determination. She drops down pulling out the dagger tucked around her waist. She tackles his legs with a forceful grip. They fall over and he lands hard on his back, causing him to drop his cutlass.

Martha brings the dagger above her head and stabs him in the stomach. The pirate looks at her with shock. Getting up, Martha yanks the pistol from his belt.

Martha

                                                       Gracias, amigo!

The pirate curses her then dies.

 
She pushes the pistol in the belt around her waist then pulls out the dagger in the pirate. She wipes the blood onto his pants with a look of disgust. She looks across to the Spanish ship, searching for Karsin in the crowd of unorganized fighting pirates.
 
Martha does not see the robust, British light-brown haired pirate, Jacob approach with his cutlass hanging loosely at his side, as she slides the dagger back into its leather pouch sitting on her hip.

Jacob

                                               Did you get the key?

Martha

                                              Let’s just say it has been momentarily
                                              misplaced.

 

A Spanish pirate swings over from the Spanish ship, landing on the railing in front of them. Jacob swings his sword at the pirate, killing him. Martha instantly grabs the rope and swings across, as Jacob shouts.

                                                                          Jacob

                                                What? You lost the key?

Martha lands on the Spanish ship just as she sees Karsin’s sword clashing with a British pirate. She pulls out her pistol.
 
Jacob loses sight of Martha, as she charges through the chaotic crowd toward something or someone. He is then engaged in a sword fight with two Spanish pirates.

 

Martha stops a few feet away, as Karsin’s sword kills the British pirate. She aims her pistol at Karsin. Out of the corner of her eye, another Spanish pirate sprints toward her with a mad look. She quickly turns to fire her pistol at the Spanish rogue.
 
Karsin notices and grins. He starts to run, but stops when he comes face to face with the stalwart, twenty-two year old, British black haired pirate, Gavin.

 Martha groans, realizing it was her last shot.

 

Martha

                                                Stupid pistol.

 She tosses the pistol then sees Gavin and Karsin conversing. Gavin looks angry and Karsin smirks defiantly. She darts to them, snags the key out of the sash around Karsin’s waist, and runs into the captain’s cabin. She unlocks the chest sitting atop the desk, and pulls out a bunch of folded papers opening them.

The top of the first letter reads: Letter of Marque

The top of the second letter reads: Anne by the Grace of God

17th century Key for a chest...

 

17th Century Flintlock Pistol

 

 

Queen Anne to Privateer (a Pirate with support of a country's ruler) (here's a key part of the document more readable - found at this site http://www.lettersofmarque.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1):

"...Hereby Authorizing you in and with the said Briganteen and Company to her belonging, to War, Fight, Take, Kill, Suppress and Destroy, any Pirates, Privateers, or other the Subjects and Vessals of France, or Spain, the Declared Enemies of the Crown of England..."

Note: This scene could either go in the Remmington Pirates Book 1 OR Book 2