Everything Will Be Alright in the End - Script

This script for the teaser videos for Everything Will Be Alright in the End was included in an entry posted to Riverpedia by Rivers Cuomo on October 16, 2020.
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SYNOPSIS:
In 1965, 22-year-old (Harvard) University scientist prodigy JOE LAFFOLEY has developed a machine that can receive transmissions from the future--the FutureScope in the basement of a Harvard University building. JOE’s motivation is to find the answers to his 3 most burning questions: 
1. How can he find a girl?
2. How can he find fame?
3. How can he find his father?
JOE programs the machine to give him information that will help him achieve those 3 goals.
Over time JOE receives many transmissions from the future, mostly from 1970 to 1999. At first JOE doesn’t know what to make of the information he receives but as a good scientist he dutifully takes notes in his lab book and continues to refine his machine, gradually building in new capacities, such as devices which can receive printouts and tele-audio from the future. JOE sorts all the information into 3 categories related to his questions and gradually pieces together the story of a young man from the future, Sebastian.
Sebastian is born in 1970, and, like JOE, doesn’t seem to have a father. Growing up, Sebastian is a social outcast who then moves to LA and initially achieves the goals that JOE strives for: fame (as a rock star) a girl (Bella) and a father who returns to congratulate his son. But fame goes to Sebastian’s head and he fights with bandmates, loses his girlfriend when he cheats with a gorgeous scenestress and A&R lady (Cleo) who seduces him, and ungraciously spurns his own dad. 
After Bella refuses to take him back and his music career hits rock bottom, Sebastian runs off to 29 Palms to see his dad again, hoping he will get inspiration for his art. His dad tries to teach him the meditation technique and they live for a while uneasily until Sebastian becomes disillusioned and storms off. Sebastian drives back to LA to restart his life and career, nearly losing his own life in an accident on the way. Sebastian remembers the meditation technique his dad taught him and he gets back on a positive track. Ultimately he learns to stop worrying about fame, women, and the resentment towards his father. he reforms with his band and makes a pure and deeply honest album. He proposes to Bella.
JOE learns all of Sebastian’s story in pieces through the FutureScope. and he learns a great deal about how to live his own life. And then there is one last transmission. Sebastian is on stage receiving an award for his album and dedicates it to his recently deceased father, Joe Lafolley. 
We are left to wonder if Joe has learned enough to change his course, the course which starts Sebastian’s story (with Joe having left the family):
 in 1968, Joe is fired when the University discovers what he’s doing and thinks he’s insane. in 1970, He marries a receptionist in the science building, claire, and they have their child, Sebastian, and then becomes a nobody in Lexington, Ma,. he had wanted so much more and was capable of so much more. In 1973, He leaves the family. In 1977, he finds the meditation center in 29 palms and calms down.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
THINGS WE HAVE TO GET ACROSS:
VIDEO CLIPS AND IMAGES:
AUDIO CLIPS:
SONG LIST:
JOE’S STORY (told in 25 Webisodes):
1. "I had another nightmare" hidden text 
2. Hidden text: "There was a monster rampaging but he's sad, he's never satisfied"
3. .
4. .
5. .
6. 
7. “The Wasteland.” We see vintage tech gear innards and we hear JOE muttering to himself as he preps the machine. “pass the emitter follower through the DCR…... keep the clipper stage threshold set to optimum in spite of changing signal levels….” zoom in on blank monitor. then static as the machine turns on and then slow motion footage of The Astronauts rocking over the audio of “the waste land” intro. after JOE’s monitor goes black we hear more static then 6 year old SEBASTIAN: “ “I had another nightmare.
8. Everything Will Be Alright In The End - 16 weeks to release 
 INT. - STUDIO - DAY
 THE BAND is hanging out in the studio. we can hear them talking. there may be some intereference but there shouldn’t be too many shots you’re cutting between. maybe just 1 or 2 cuts. the shot with ric is great. it should feel pretty like a normal, everyday studio conversation. like it was captured by a security camera or hidden camera. 
 Camera ZOOMS OUT. and FUTURESCOPE GOES TO STATIC WITH IMAGE TRYING TO COME THROUGH, then 6 yr old SEBASTIAN’s voice, barely audible through static: 
 YOUNG SEBASTIAN (o.s.)
 I had another nightmare… [don’t edit the dialogue. it should just be very static-y. so you can’t understand it unless you heard the previous webisode where it was more clear. ]
 JOE looks up--he’s getting something! He looks at the monitor as Claire says:
 CLAIRE (o.s.)
 Go back to sleep, Honey. everything will be alright in the end
 “BACK TO THE SHACK “ [Just use the whole intro not the sxsw edit.] joe pauses for a moment in reflection before turning back and writes in his log. we need to see his hand writing the title. and we need to see the cool log book, cool paper, with interesting details.
 “Polydor”
 the graph paper below would have to be lightened somewhat to be practical for text notes.
 write the title on one of the top lines. 
 We zoom in on the title in his handwriting: then
 SUPERIMPOSE:_ "Everything Will Be Alright in the End"_
 SUPERIMPOSE: small “weezer” logo in top left corner.
 SUPERIMPOSE: “Produced by Ric Ocasek” in bottom right corner. 
 All 3 lines should remain till the end. 
 Song clip ends
9. “Mystery” and Album Cover 13 weeks to release
 INT. - CHILDHOOD BEDROOM - NIGHT crickets . 1976, bed profile, with window directly in front of the camera. 
	MYSTERY piano starts and song plays
	
BOY SEBASTIAN head on the right, with his eyes clamped shut, he starts tossing and turning and having a nightmare. We hear various backwards messages: a slap sound, Shut the fuck up!, A dog howls in pain. Bitch! We hear a door slam
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 We zoom out and pull back from the FUTURESCOPE monitor and turn to see JOE watching and looking sad . song still playing towards chorus. we zoom back into the futurescope.
 INT. - CHILDHOOD BEDROOM - NIGHT
 CLOSE UP on YOUNG SEBASTIAN’S eye, still tightly clamped. Suddenly his eyes open and we zoom all the way into his eye and we are in the extended landscape scrolling to the right. 
 maybe flash quick shots of the band playing the song. as we scroll to the right
 As the music hits the chorus we see the MONSTER
 Now we are looking at the album cover. The title appears over the painting at the top.
 ‘weezer” logo appears over the painting at the bottom. the image turns to full color. 
10. “eulogy For A rock Band”: 14
 we see 16-year old SEBASTIAN being tossed into a bush by BARRETT. Around them, several teenage boys are laughing.
 INT. - LABORATORY - DAY
 JOE finishes rigging the Futurescope to print. 
 JOE
 This will be amazing if I can _[insert tech talk about how to build printer]_
 A page starts coming out of the printer
 JOE
 A-ha!
 We see it is a page from CRUST MAGAZINE
 CAMERA ZOOMS IN ON MAGAZINE:“Nov. 2, 1985: The plane went down … roughly 2am .. after the band’s triumphant show at Wembley. “
 JOE sits down and copies the print into his log. THE SCREEN FLICKERS ON behind him. 
 “EULOGY FOR A ROCK BAND” riff starts, then cuts off.
 CUT TO:
 SEBASTIAN packs up his guitar and a few things. There is a Superstars poster on his wall. (they are an epic, mid-80’s arena rock back from England, somewhat like Queen.) CLAIRE comes in the room. 
 CLAIRE
 What are you doing? Where are you going?
 SEBASTIAN
 I’m moving to L.A.
 CLAIRE
 Honey--
	
	SEBASTIAN hugs his mother
 SEBASTIAN
 Don’t worry, mom. Everything will be alright in the end
 CUT TO:
 EXT. - ROAD - DAY
 SEBASTIAN walking down the road, angry and determined.
 “EULOGY FOR A ROCK BAND” chorus fades in and out in the background:
 ”we will sing the melodies that you did long ago”
 FADE TO BLACK
1. “Resurrection” and Release Date Announcement 
 crowd shots on the screen as resurrection starts.
 the FuturePrinter manically spits out random dates. we’re looking at joe, (frantically trying to pick them up and sort them). 
 JOE 
 I need to get these dates sorted….
 The FUTUREPRINTER spits out one last ticket. then all goes quiet. joe picks it up and reads it slowly, with great gravity and wonder. we see, in Brain Flower font, September 30, 2014 the fade to 
 we see the album cover again for 2 seconds and then The screen goes all black and 
2. “Da Vinci” 12
 INT. - BELLA’S BEDROOM - DAY
 The headboard of BELLA’S bed is on the left. Something in the room makes it clear her name is BELLA. [note: she’s not a teenager but a 23-year old]
 cordless TELEPHONE above the headboard on the windowsill rings.
 picks up the phone and lies on the bed
 BELLA
 Hello?
 SEBASTIAN (o.s.)
 I tried taking a picture of you. When I look at it nothing comes through
 FUTURESCOPE cuts to scott and rivers playing frisbee for 5 seconds as we zoom out. Joe makes some adjustments, trying to get bella back, looks frustrated
 FUTUREPHONE RINGS
 JOE
 (puzzled...)
 Hello?
 No response on the other end of the phone line. Joe gets agitated, hits the machine, jiggles wires
 FUTURESCOPE MONITOR FLICKERS BACK ON
 “DA VINCI” CHORUS 3 thunders on loudly in the background
 INT. - BELLA’S BEDROOM (ON MONITOR) - DAY
 BELLA, lying on her bed, listens, wide-eyed, amazed at the passion of Sebastian’s singing
 (o.s.)
 _“Even Da Vinci couldn’t paint you, and Stephen Hawking can’t explain you, Rosetta Stone could not translate you, I’m at a loss for words, I’m at a loss for words. I couldn’t put it in a novel, I wrote a page but it was awful…”_
 all audio cuts and video cuts to black
 BELLA (o.s.)
 You guys are amazing!
 album cover then black screen with release date
3. “I’ve Had It Up To Here” Pt. 1 
 the year 1997 sebastian is 27.
 EXT. - external shot of a record company sign. geffen? republic? elektra?
 INT. - awesome big impressive record company office - DAY
 GEORGE BLOTKIN, track suit and ball cap, the president of Elektra, sitting at desk with CLEO in a dress in another chair to the left side. cleo is another executive at the label. maybe a junior a&r lady.
 GEORGE BLOTKIN
 You guys are amazing. I’m a fan even of the deeper cuts like El Scorpio…..You see, that’s where we come in...
George gets up and hands some books to sebastian.
QUICK CLOSEUPS of the the amazing, magical, color coded books (Magical Man, etc) sebastian flips through them. (maybe they contain printouts of my spreadsheets)
 BLOTKIN (o.s.)
 We have at our disposal the most powerful, modern tools which guarantee you’ll reach the greatest number of people …. and provide the greatest good. (smiles). 
sebastian looks up at cleo’s face and she looks at him. should be clear that they start an affair here.
 fade to STATIC
INT. - PERFORMANCE VENUE - NIGHT?
 Shots of the crowd where you can see expressions on peoples faces, ecstatic and adoring, as we hear the solo section of “ive had it up to here.” do we have any boob shots (that we would blur out)?
INT. - LABORATORY - DAY
 We zoom in on JOE’S face as he watches the fans on the FUTURESCOPE. The screen goes black and we see the craving on his face. (he wants fame, success, adoration.)
*MS notes: Should we see more of the betrayal at the end -- does Seb touch her? Go off w/ her? It would help next scene to be clear here that Cleo came between him and Bella
4. “I’ve Had It Up To Here” Pt. 2 1998 sebastian is 28
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 JOE turns the camera on and adjusts it towards himself. As he does this, we notice his name tag: “J. Laffoley”
 JOE turns and speaks directly into the camera
 JOE
 April 3rd, 1965. These transmissions are clearly answers to my 3 questions. Initially arriving non-sequentially, they now come in some kind of chronological order. I will, however, sort them according to the 3 themes rather than their respective dates.
 FUTUREPRINTER prints several Billboard-type charts
 Picking up each chart:
 CAMERA ZOOMS IN at the top of each chart as Joe examines each page, 
 Biggest sellouts…
 Lame-o’s…
 Worst album cover…
 Band we most want to die in a plane crash…
 and on the top of each list: 
 “The Astronauts”
 JOE writes in his book
 FUTURESCOPE MONITOR FLICKERS ON
 INT. - MONITOR - DAY
 “i’ve had it up to here” starts in the background
 
 (o.s.)
 _“don’t wanna find my self homogenized_
 _don’t wanna become the very thing that i despised_
 _don’t need my mommy feeding me culture with a spoon”_
 INT. - PHOTO STUDIO - DAY
 THE BAND is having their make-up and hair done, trying on clothes. In some cases they look ridiculous. it all just looks kind of inexplicable, unless you understand the behind the scenes of a photo shoot. 
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 JOE is watching the screen for once, rather than writing in his notebook.
5. “I’ve Had It Up To Here” pt. 3 1999 sebastian is 29
 INT. - RECORD COMPANY OFFICE - DAY
 SEBASTIAN (sarcastically and bitterly)
 Enjoy your headphones!
	He scoops the books off of George’s desk and storms out of the office. George looks at Cleo like “what the fuck”. Cleo gives george a look like “calm down, don't worry I'll get him back ” and follows sebastian out the door.. .
	CUT TO:
INT. - PERFORMANCE VENUE - NIGHT?
 Weezer on stage, rocking: 
 (o.s.)
 _“I moved out from the sticks, nobody believed in me. Had to claw my way up. Overcome all kinds of adversities. Oh, if you think I need approval from the faceless throng. Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, so wrong!” _
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 Joe shakes a pill out of a vintage Exedrin bottle and swallows it without water. sweating and starting to look a little crazy. sleeves are rolled up and no tie. 
 We hear a loud pounding sound off screen, like someone knocking on a door.
 Joe looks to his right, panicked, then rushes to shut off all of his gear.
 FADE TO BLACK
6. TRACKLISTING
7. “go away” (has to be after a break)
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 Joe turns on the camera.
 JOE
 I haven’t been able to make ANY developments here for 3 days. They cut the power when they found out what I was doing. I’ll have to move forward without anyone’s help...Anyway, I’ve_ [insert tech talk]_, so we should be back on line.
	Joe switches the monitor on. 
static. CLOSE UP on SEBASTIAN’s hand knocking on BELLA’s door 
GO AWAY starts
 INT. - BELLA’S BEDROOM - DAY
 Bella is strumming a guitar and singing (or writing in a journal)
 BELLA (lip-syncing to track)
 _You stupid boy, you keep on begging but I won’t let you in. You keep on crying but you know what you did. I’ll never let you back in._
 INT. - OUTSIDE BELLA’S BEDROOM - DAY
 SEBASTIAN sits on the ground with his back against Bella’s bedroom door, distraught, depressed.
 Rivers and Bethany singing the last chorus of GO AWAY. 
8. JOE working on the FutureScope, receives the following transmissions: video of the band working in the studio. hidden text message from BELLA telling SEBASTIAN, “Dude, you need SIMON.” footage of SEBASTIAN walking into his meditation cell. a snippet of JOE’s own “telstar” wavering and distant. wait, he doesn’t need to hear his own music! and then a snippet of back to the shack.
9. “Ain’t Got Nobody” we see the dash of a 90’s car from inside. SEBASTIAN’s hand starting up the car, turning on the radio driving we hear the DJ “ and in the where are they now category, with their first big hit the astronauts” as we hear ain’t got nobody up to the first verse, the driving gets more upset and erratic, and we pull back from the monitor. we are in JOE’s lab. it’s pretty dark, except for the electronics. we see from behind JOE writing in his log, not looking at the monitor. we can’t tell what he’s writing. just as the crash starts there’s a little video static and we zoom in on the monitor over JOE’s shoulder and we see the video cut to “rivers spinning” over the audio of the crash. 
10. “Cleopatra” 
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 Joe turns on the camera.
 JOE (looking pretty crazy)
 Alright, I had to make a deal with these swine. But I’m back in business for another 6 weeks. The good news is that I found some information about the other woman. She’s a bit older and a lot more experienced. You gotta admire this kid! Seriously, though, I feel like I’ve almost got the first question answered.
	Joe turns around and presses “play” on the FUTURESCOPE
 EXT. - DESERT - DAY
SEBASTIAN sits on the side of a road, strumming the intro to “Cleopatra”. determined. resolved. bloody. he’ll soon be going unconscious.
We turn to see what he’s looking at and see the burning car.
Fade to static 
cut to see WEEZER plays “CLEOPATRA” chorus first line. “you can’t control me no more cleopatra”
EXT. - WRECKED CAR - NIGHT
The photo of CLEO burns in the wreckage of Sebastian’s car.
confused (emotionally) about why Cleo is getting so much story space, music devoted to her. Doesn't he now regret Cleo? 
Feels like his thoughts/energy should be on Bella.
11. “lonely girl”
WEEZER playing the opening chorus to “LONELY GIRL”
 Sebastian’s unconscious face. he’s lying down on his back. still bloody. Bella’s hand strokes his hair and cheek trying to wake him.
 Sebastian opens his eyes smiles and sings getting up on his elbows.
 SEBASTIAN (lip-synching)
 _“Baby come on...I know how to dance...And I am the only one who ever takes a chance…” _
 Bella smiles and hugs Sebastian
 INT. - JOE’S LABORATORY - DAY
 Cut to Joe’s face, looking sad, emotional, proud
 CLOSE UP on Joe’s list of questions. Only the category names are clear. He crosses out the title “Bella Donna” 
 back to the fire smoldering, we see the books undamaged, glowing ominously.
 *MS notes: Why is Bella so easily won? What has he offered, what has changed? Feels like you need more resistance from her and more promise/work from Seb to get her trust back.
 well he was at the point of death and she saves him.
12. anonymous Pt. 2
 
 very dark lab, all lights off except for the gear, 
 Over Joe’s shoulder we see Sebastian out at Joshua tree under the night sky. walking towards the strange buildings. we enter the monitor. 
 sebastian hesitating at a numbered pagoda cell. very eerie. as verse music starts he summons his courage and enters, shutting the door behind him and we see: weezer rocking together performing, in a very bright setting.: and we’re hearing the intro 2 section of anonymous. 
 
 we pull out of the monitor to see the screen casting tremendous light on joe and the room and we see joe’s face. 
13. “The British Are coming”
EXT. - WRECKED CAR - NIGHT
 SEBASTIAN is passed out in a wrecked Ford with steam pouring out of the crumpled hood. 
 dreamy sequence of Weezer in revolutionary soldier costumes? 
 with a colonial 13-star flag
 or some surreal images of weezer.
 Flames start to flicker up from the hood as SEBASTIAN shakes himself awake
 SEBASTIAN climbs out of the car and dusts himself off. His face and parts of his body are bloody. He stumbles back to the car and pulls out his acoustic guitar.
 He spots the color coded books in the back seat of the car
 SEBASTIAN pulls the books out. 
 A photo of CLEO falls out from the stack of books. 
 SEBASTIAN looks at the photo, then quickly, dismissively, almost angrily, tosses the photo along with the books back into the gently burning car.
 As the intro ends, the music cuts abruptly
 research fellow (o.s.)
 What the hell are you doing?
Joe quickly unplugs the gear and turns off the camera
14. back to the shack video premiere.
 1. sebastian in a hospital bed at night. flowers from bella. we hear tv on in the background maybe a singing show.. beeping. camera moves from the foot of the bed around to the left towards his face . he grimaces, having a nightmare. like boy sebastian having his nightmare.
 2. then the song starts and we see weezer rocking on the moon, playing the full song. 
 3. sebastian starts awake and sits up. He smiles a somewhat wicked smile.
 4. we then zoom out of the video, realize we’ve been looking at joe’s screen, and joe laughs maniacally “hahaha! Question #2! and crosses the second item off his list in his book. “The Panopticon Artist”. his victorious face slowsly turns sad. there is a feeling that the webisodes, and the story are coming to an end. 
15. foolish father: ALBUM RELEASE DAY: maybe release the final webisode on thE TUESDAY.
	“Album of the year, The Astronauts!”
SEBASTIAN is on stage receiving an award for The Astronauts album. (we can use my mtv award).
WHERE’S THE BAND?
~~bella with newborn baby.~~
 	SEBASTIAN
 I want to dedicate this award to my father, JOE LAFFOLEY….
 Close up on JOE’S face. 
 He was a great man. MORE AUDIBLE
 THEN we hear APPLAUSE
 Sebastian holds up the trophy. Joe reaches out to touch it. The screen goes blank. 
 START THE MUSIC HERE.
 all the FUTURESCOPE power gets shut off as the room lights turn on bright. The men in white lab coats break into the room and bind him as he looks at the screen. 
 peace comes to Joe’s face as he mouths the word “Three”
 DON’T CUT : we see the empty lab (like in the CD tray.)
 We see the words “The End” in brain flower.
 The words drift to the top right. then more words appear to the left: “Everything Will Be Alright”
 THEN ROLL CREDITS?
 THEN The Album cover fades in behind the words. 
 Then AVAILABLE NOW! 
 
 
 
==See also==
*Everything Will Be Alright in the End - Teasers
*Everything Will Be Alright in the End
Category:Everything Will Be Alright in the End