House Sitters

Creator: Adam J. Fernandes
Genre: Drama
Age rating: 17 and older
A mockumentary about a murder during the taping of a reality show and it's consequences.
Project collaboration: Closed
Full synopsis
Synopsis: Five friends are picked to live in a extraordinary Hollywood mansion for three months and have their lives taped. They’re being taped by hidden cameras throughout the house as well as being given camcorders to tape their lives outside of the house. All expenses have been paid, they don’t have to worry about food or entertainment.

The producers have arranged with the owners of the house to take out everything that could either be harmful to the cast or anything the owners want saved. One of the things they remove is a revolver that the husband keeps in a lock box in his office. They also have a portable office that’s used as a "control room" that houses the video equipment and other things needed to produce the show.

It’s 2:15 am, on the final night of filming. Everybody in the control room is discussing what they’re gonna do after the show, how long they think they’ll be in post, etc. The cast has had a raucous party at the house with the friends that they’ve made over the course of the filming. Fifteen people are either passed out or talking to each other somewhere in the house.
Alex is passed out on his bed. Michael walks in and sits down on the end of the bed. They talk for a moment, Michael asking Alex if he’s awake. Michael reaches down, underneath the bed, and pulls out a revolver. He looks at it for a moment. Then, without looking back, he shoots Alex, killing him instantly.

The other cameras pick up what’s happening when the shot’s fired and everyone reacts to the sound. Lance and Laura rush into the room to see Alex sitting calmly at the end of the bed, still holding the gun. They see Alex, dead. They panic, understandably. Lance takes a step forward but he sees Michael still holding the gun.

In the trailer, David, Laura, and the crew are watching this unfold. Jamie, the A.D., is having a panic attack. Jane snaps her out of it and gets her to call the police.
The police arrive. Everybody is ordered to leave, and they all go into the backyard.
Jane and David go out and meet the Police.

Michael is taken into custody without incident. When the police get into the room, he just drops the gun and puts his hands up.

The debate begins about what to do. The concern is not with the young man who was killed and why he was killed. It has to do with the studio losing money and trying to cover up what actually happened.

When the story breaks, it’s simply called a murder in a opulent home. It’s then revealed that it was during the taping of the reality show.

Suddenly, the footage of the murder appears on YouTube. It’s the only video posted by the user and it’s posted without a name or location. Before YouTube can delete it, it’s received three million views and is posted to blogs.

Michael is put on trial for Alex’s murder. He can’t afford one so he’s appointed Elizabeth Brown from the Public Defender’s office. Her first interviews with Michael are taped so she can at least try an insanity defense. Michael, however, sabotages every attempt that Elizabeth makes to defend him. He either says very little or nothing at all.

At the trial, he pleads Not Guilty. The trial lasts for two weeks. During the trial, Laura reveals that she’s become pregnant and that Alex is the father. Michael’s father, Marcus, appears every day in court. But, there’s never any contact between father and son, Michael never even looks at his father.
During the trial, an intense debate is launched in the media concerning the state of reality television, the law, the death penalty, and freedom of speech and expression since the release of the footage caused YouTube to look over some of it’s more intense clips, even movies and more sexual clips, to find out if they should censor them more closely.

The jury deliberates for less that two hours before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict.

The sentencing phase lasts one week longer than the trial it self. Elizabeth argues that the murder was not premeditated and that Michael has no criminal record. Michael’s father takes the stand to plead for his sons life, but Michael never looks at him. The judge finally decides to make his decision based on asking Michael if he is sorry for what he did. Michael looks down, hesitates but finally just gives the judge an icy stare. The judge then asks Michael why he did it, again Michael says nothing, but his stare get’s harder. The judge sentences him to death.

It ends with the people involved telling what they’ve learned. Some breaking down into tears. Some not able to say what happened to them.

Latest Work

  • Script 1 - Adam's Original Draft
    05/06/12
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    Creative Notes:
    This is the first draft of the script. I wrote the synopsis, including character bios, before I wrote the script. A director friend of mine wanted me to write a script to givie him some idea of the structure. I did that, hence the length.
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