DADS (outline)

Generally, this was a not great script with a stunningly tone deaf Asian subplot that just like, blew my mind with its racism.
​
BUT I do think there were some good father/ son moments to learn from, including an interesting dynamic where the son keeps harping on his dad for being cheap, then the Dad ultimately reveals he lost his house and was too embarrassed to ask his son for money.

ACT 1

1. Video game offices - WARNER (the guy with a wife and kids) enters the office complaining about his father to ELI (the stunted, single playboy). We learn that Warner’s dad is a guy who has terrible ideas and makes bad investments, and that he lives with Warner. Eli, however, lives alone and relishes it. Their assistant comes in and they make terrible racist jokes. She says they should not complain about their dads, then there’s a clumsy segue into the Asian investors who are coming later in the week to possibly invest in the company.
2. Warner’s house - he is greeted warmly by his dogs and one of his children. Then his wife and baby emerge. Another racist joke about Warner’s Latina wife. Then Warner’s dad comes downstairs. This is CRAWFORD, and he has currently blown the power in the house by incorrectly using the jacuzzi tub.
   1. NOTE: This is good because the bad-dadness of Crawford materially affects his family. He his troubling to have around. Can we do that in a physical way?
3. Bedroom - Warner complains and clunkily exposits about his dad’s history.
4. Eli’s place - very nice apartment. Eli sleeps with a hot girl and is about to smoke weed when his dad calls. Dad reveals he is coming to visit TODAY.
5. VG offices - Warner gloats over Eli’s impending Dad visit. They compare dad stories, Eli reveals his dad left when he was 5. Veronica says her dad is dead and they think she’s lucky.
   1. NOTE: Way too much banter, too little plot here. The good scripts are way tighter.
6. Eli’s apartment -  DAVID, Eli’s dad, is telling EDNA (maid) and TANIA (girlfriend) an embarrassing story about Eli when Eli arrives home. Eli hates his dad and is openly antagonistic towards him. Tania gets annoyed at Eli’s behavior and leaves. Edna,the maid, is inexplicably drunk. Also a racist stereotype. David says Eli’s inability to stay in a committed relationship is a “like father, like son” moment.
   1. NOTE: Not too much happens in this act except David shows up. Should be more densely peppered with setups or situational problems. Instead, it’s just kind of banter establishing the conflict. NO DRAMATIC IRONY.

ACT 2

1. VG Offices - Eli and Warner still prepping for this stupid meeting. SOOOO racist against Asian people. Warner and Eli again compare dad’s. Warner’s is too generous, often with Warner’s money. Eli’s dad is cheap. Veronica reveals her dad died a different way. Confusing.
2. Restaurant - David (Eli’s Dad) and Crawford (Warner’s Dad) have lunch together. They have nothing in common. Crawford is blindly optimistic and wants to invest in Black Santa, David is relentlessly negative. NOTHING HAPPENS.
3. VG offices - the China meeting. Things go great, then Warner does something racist.
4. Warner’s house - His wife complains about something Crawford did. Eli and David are coming over for dinner. Eli is embarrassed of his dad.
5. Later - Crawford tells a story about how he is a bad investor. Katherine and Warner are oddly confrontational about their meh sex life in front of company. Eli blows up at David’s comments about the expensive wine ($27) and says that David was a terrible father.
   1. NOTE: This is the act out. Not a great conflict scene, I think we want ours to be more like... incisive and ideally more visual or something.

ACT 3

1. VG office - Warner and Eli direct a voice actor for their game. Eli can’t wait for dad to leave.
2. Eli’s house - David watches a sad Jewish doc on TV. Eli mimes strangling his dad. Edna (maid) comes in and turns off TV. Show is too sad. This scene has no point.
3. Warner’s house - Warner is excited to have a relaxing night with his wife. Crawford ruins it by erasing DVR.
4. Restaurant - Eli has a date with one of the Chinese investors. She is not fluent in English but the translator is missing (secretly boning Veronica, of course).
5. VG Office - Warner and Eli discuss the Chinese investors and departing David.
6. Airport - Eli drops David off. David gets in a cab and goes to a hotel.
7. Hotel - David is sad and alone. Eli shows up. Followed his dad there and wants to know what’s up. Dad reveals he lost his house and has nowhere to go. Eli invites him to stay.
8. VG offices - Eli and David show their dads around the offices. WANT THEIR DADS TO BE PROUD. Veronica says she boned translator and now the Chinese investors want to put in money.

THE END.