1. “OVER THE EDGE”
written by
James Dale Bozeman
5607 Golden Meadows Drive
Bossier City, LA
(318)243-5593
jamesdalebozeman@gmail.com

2. 1
FADE IN
ESTABLISHING SHOT - COLLEGE CAMPUS - SUNSET
CUT TO:
INT. CLASSROOM - SUNSET
DR. DENZEL HARKER, a male professor, has just finished what
appears to be his last class of the day. The selfsame
class appears to be tired and divided into two groups
scattered across the classroom: those students who are
barely hanging on to the professor’s every word and those
students who are noticing the artistic beauty of the scenes
displayed outside the windows of the class.
DR. HARKER
Now, I’m sure you’re all as anxious to
leave as I am–if not more–, so I’ll let
you out now.
(The class prepares to leave.)
We’re not but three minutes early. On
Thursday, we’ll go over a visual
summary of the politics of educational
problems around the world and an exam
over the same chapter, so be prepared.
Then, next Tuesday, we start studying a
practical construction of the problems
of urban life. The Final Exams come in
two months, so get ready. You’re
dismissed.
As the class leaves, MISS ALEX SUVARI—a female student—
walks up to DR. HARKER as he himself prepares to head for
wherever he is heading.
MISS SUVARI
Dr. Harker,–
(DR. HARKER looks up.)
–what exactly will the Final Exam for
the class be on? I need to know what
exactly this class is up against and,
as you know, I always need to be
prepared.
DR. HARKER
(more to himself than to her)
After what that rapist did four weeks
ago, I thought you’d say that, Miss
Suvari.

3. 2
MISS SUVARI
Dr. Harker, could you please? It’s not
a pleasant memory.
DR. HARKER
(He realizes she heard him say
that.)
I’m terribly sorry, by the way.
(No, he isn’t. He doesn’t care about
his social profile; he just pretends
to.)
The Exam will cover just about
everything we’ve covered and are still
to cover in this class: everything from
poverty and wealth to inequalities to
physical and mental health to–as I
said–urban life to war and terrorism.
MISS SUVARI
Everything?
DR. HARKER
I see no reason why not. Are you no
longer planning to become a doctor and
philosopher in the field of sociology?
Are you now planning to become a
philosopher and/or doctor in the field
of law enforcement?
MISS SUVARI
(She sighs and rolls her eyes.)
(leaving)
Good night, Dr. Harker.
DR. HARKER
Good night, Alex.
As MISS SUVARI leaves the room, MS. MARIE HARKER–DR.
HARKER’s sister–enters, looking at ALEX’s face. MARIE then
turns to DR. HARKER.
MARIE
Another late ending, Denzel?
DR. HARKER
You know me, Marie; I always attempt to
hammer the point home.
MARIE
That’s not what I meant.

4. 3
DR. HARKER
(He sighs.)
Cut it out, sister; she was assaulted
and raped four weeks ago.
(Again, he only pretends to care.)
CUT TO:
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS, PARKING LOT - SUNSET
A vehicle, occupied by MICHAEL and LUCAS, pulls in at
regular speed and stops in a parking spot. All we see of
them in this scene are two pairs of legs and feet. MICHAEL
exits from the driver’s seat and LUCAS exits from the
“shotgun”-seat. The camera follows them as they approach a
door to the college.
CUT TO:
INT. DR. HARKER’S CLASSROOM - SUNSET
DR. HARKER and his sister MARIE are still inside and DR.
HARKER is still preparing to leave.
MS. HARKER
Listen, Robert called earlier. He said
he would need my help.
DR. HARKER
What case is he following up this time?
MS. HARKER
Last night he thought he found
something in the JonBenét Ramsey case
of 1996, –
(DR. HARKER looks up at her from his
preparations.)
–something that everyone else seems to
have overlooked.
DR. HARKER
The Ramsey case? I thought it was closed.
MS. HARKER
It was. But three years ago Boulder
County’s District Attorney, Stanley
Garrett, decided to take a fresh look
at the case. That was when Robert
found out about it, so he decided to
take a fresh look of his own.

5. 4
DR. HARKER
So what did he find?
MS. HARKER
There was something in the letter that
the kidnappers wrote to the parents.
“We respect your business but not the
country it serves.”
DR. HARKER
(spiteful)
Why is it foreigners don’t respect this
great country anyway?
MS. HARKER
Denzel, I’m completely American and
even I don’t respect this country.
From the geological and geographical
viewpoints, yes I do. From the
economical, ecological, and
sociological viewpoints, however, there
isn’t a chance. Debauchery, murder,
thievery, rape —
(She gestures towards the door as
though Alex Suvari were still there,
acting as an example.)
— not even Americans in their right
mind would respect this country.
(Something about this statement seems
to anger DR. HARKER—but MS. HARKER
continues, unaware of her brother’s
emotions.)
Now, the next thing Robert noticed was
the small, very specific price the
kidnappers asked for--one-hundred-and-
eighteen-thousand dollars, one-hundred-
thousand in hundred-dollar bills and
eighteen-thousand in twenty-dollar
bills. If these people were truly evil
they would ask for an amount of money
that would be impossible to collect,
like five-billion dollars; if they were
just greedy they would ask for an
amount that would be merely difficult
to collect, like two-million. Instead,
they ask for a much simpler amount of
one-hundred-and-eighteen-thousand, the
exact amount of a spontaneous bonus
given earlier in the week to her —
(MORE)

6. 5
MS. HARKER (CONTINUED)
— father, John Ramsey. Now, Robert’s
wondering if all of this really could
be a coincidence, so he’s called me to
confirm either coincidence or not.
PAUSE
DR. HARKER
I take it, then, that you won’t be able
to make it to Jeremy’s celebration
tonight.
MS. HARKER
I know you’re excited over his victory
at the Sundance Film Festival as a
producer and a director and, honestly,
I think “Analytical” deserved all of
its praise, but truth and justice are
calling me. And I always answer their
summons. You know that.
DR. HARKER
I understand. But I think a simple
phone call would have sufficed.
MS. HARKER
Not when you’re stuck between two hard
choices and you have to make one. I’ll
talk to you later. Give my regards to
the next Spielberg —
(SHORT PAUSE)
— or Kubrick, Cameron, Tarantino, or
whoever he decides to copy.
DR. HARKER
(as his sister is about to leave)
Will do.
MRS. HARKER leaves.
CUT TO
INT. HALLWAY
MICHAEL and LUCAS, still unseen except for their feet and
legs, walk down this hallway, not making a sound except for
their feet hitting the floor...as though they are both free
of uncertainty and doubt in their intended actions,
whatever they may be.

7. 6
CUT TO
INT. DR. HARKER’S CLASSROOM - SUNSET
DR. HARKER is still in his classroom, still preparing to
leave. Suddenly, he just stops. He looks up from his
actions and looks around at the room as though feeling that
he is not alone and that whatever is in the building with
him does not have innocent intentions.
CUT TO
INT. STAIRWAY
MICHAEL and LUCAS, again still unseen except for their feet
and their legs, walk up the staircase, still not talking.
CUT TO
INT. HALLWAY
A door opens and DR. HARKER steps through it into the
hallway, still unnerved, carefully looking down both ends
multiple times.
DR. HARKER
Hello?
(PAUSE)
Anyone there?
Twice, there is no answer. DR. HARKER walks back into the
room. Then MICHAEL and LUCAS, more silent than ever now
and still partially unseen, walk into the hallway.
CUT TO
INT. DR. HARKER’S CLASSROOM - SUNSET
DR. HARKER is about to return to his packing when he just
stops again. He looks towards the window to the outside
and walks towards it as though something unknown is drawing
him to that spot. After approaching the window, he looks
down. At this point, MICHAEL and LUCAS begin to slip into
the room silently and OFF SCREEN.
P.O.V. SHOT – DR. HARKER: He notices the vehicle MICHAEL
drove to the college, one he has never seen before in
person.
DR. HARKER seems to understand that he was not letting his

8. 7
imagination run and that this vehicle has something to do
with someone else in the building and his heart begins to
race. MICHAEL and LUCAS are now in the room, both silent
and OFF SCREEN. MICHAEL is standing in the doorway and
LUCAS is standing by DR. HARKER’s desk. Both are wearing
zipped-up dark hoodies and both have their eyes covered by
the shadows created by the hoods.
MICHAEL
Dr. Harker.
DR. HARKER turns around to find MICHAEL, now ON-SCREEN.
DR. HARKER
(nervous)
Who are you?
MICHAEL
It’s time for your pop-quiz.
DR. HARKER
(nervous)
What are you talking about?
MICHAEL
Oh, don’t worry; it’s a multiple-choice
question and you know the subject: it’s
Sociology 202, Social Problems. You
should be able to ace this one.
LUCAS
What happens —
(A terrified DR. HARKER looks around to
find LUCAS, now ON-SCREEN.)
— when two men are struck by a tragedy
that claims the lives of their families
and all of their friends?
(As he and MICHAEL slowly walk closer
to DR. HARKER)
A tragedy, moreover, that was caused by
people they thought they could trust?
MICHAEL
(As he and LUCAS still slowly walk
closer to DR. HARKER)
Choice A: They become unable to
distinguish their best friends from
their worst enemies or good people from
bastards.

9. 8
LUCAS
(As he and MICHAEL slowly walk closer
to DR. HARKER)
Choice B: They find themselves on the
edge of betrayal, mistrust, and
vengeance.
MICHAEL
(As he and LUCAS still slowly walk
closer to DR. HARKER)
Choice C: They become so blinded by
inconsiderable rage that they don’t
care who they hurt.
DR. HARKER
(scared)
(As MICHAEL and LUCAS still slowly walk
closer to him)
It’s C! C! The answer is C!
MICHAEL and LUCAS are upon him now. They stop and smile.
LUCAS
Oops. There was a Choice D, as well:
All of the above. You should have
waited for it.
DR. HARKER
(convinced he is about to die)
WHO ARE YOU!? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS
TO ME!?
LUCAS
(His smile widens.)
Ah, how soon they intentionally forget
about their own past misdeeds. It was
only two months ago, after all.
DR. HARKER:
(still terrified; also confused)
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? WHO ARE YOU!?
MICHAEL and LUCAS unzip their hoodies and remove their
hoods—revealing the rest of their faces, both of which DR.
HARKER now recognizes.
DR. HARKER
(shocked; terrified)
This is impossible.

10. 9
MICHAEL
Yes, you thought we were dead, didn’t
you?
DR. HARKER acts as though seeing the unbelievable and
terrifying.
LUCAS
You thought that you and your company
had managed to kill us and all of our
friends in cold blood only two months
ago, didn’t you? Speaking of which,
how is the snuff film “Analytical”
going anyway? Tell me, when was the
last time you were in contact with
Carson?
DR. HARKER
(terrified)
(immediately; quickly)
Yesterday. He’s working at a bank in
Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.
LUCAS
Wrong. It was more than twelve days
ago and the bank was in Miami Beach,
Florida.
DR. HARKER is becoming even more terrified.
MICHAEL
What about Burnley?
DR. HARKER
(terrified)
(immediately; quickly)
A week ago. He’s in charge of a
software company based in Everett,
Washington.
MICHAEL
Wrong. It was more than a week ago and
he was auditioning in Los Angeles for
the role of a dangerous villain who had
reasonable intentions for what he was
doing. The character is almost similar
to Agent Smith from the first “Matrix”
movie, or General Hummel from “The
Rock,” or the Terminators, or Loki.
(MORE)

11. 10
MICHAEL (CONTINUED)
They’re not villains; they’re actually
heroes with what most of the American
public would consider flawed logic —
(SHORT PAUSE)
— or is it?
DR. HARKER is becoming even more terrified.
LUCAS
When did you last speak to Cooper?
DR. HARKER
(terrified)
(immediately; quickly)
Three days ago. He’s running a retail
store in Bloomington, Minnesota. It’s
inside the Mall of America.
LUCAS
Wrong. It was two days ago and he was
working for a hardware company based in
Houston, Texas. That was how we found
you.
DR. HARKER looks as though he is on the verge of tears.
MICHAEL
Now; why do you think your sister Marie
will not attend the celebration for
Blaine’s success with “Analytical?” Is
it possible she discovered its true
purpose was to document the murder of
innocence and goodness for the pleasure
of bastards like you?
DR. HARKER
(terrified)
(immediately; quickly)
She said her son needs her help with
something.
LUCAS
Yes, with the Ramsey case.
DR. HARKER
(terrified; confused)
How do you know that?

12. 11
MICHAEL
Simple; it was us who pointed the
evidence out to him.
(DR. HARKER is surprised.)
Oh, don’t worry, it was merely
seemingly casual. Without his knowing,
we had him overhear us talking about
the case and the letter’s mysterious
coincidences–if, indeed, they are such–
at dinnertime yesterday at Monjuni’s.
We knew that he would become interested
and that he would call your sister.
You see, we did not want innocent
people arriving at a party for sadists,
now did we?
(DR. HARKER is now just terrified.)
Yes. Beckley and his company will
suffer for the terror which they have
thoughtlessly and mercilessly wrought
upon good and innocent people simply
for the fun of a good documentary and
the depraved needs for many people to
cut the hearts out of innocence. And
you are next on our list.
(He looks to LUCAS.)
Are you ready, Lucas?
LUCAS
(He looks to MICHAEL.)
Michael, I’ve been ready.
MICHAEL and LUCAS look back to DR. HARKER.
CUT TO:
INT. - HALLWAY
There is nobody around. From DR. HARKER’s room comes a
scream followed by a sound of an object coming into contact
with flesh.
CUT TO:
INT. - CLASSROOM - SUNSET
DR. HARKER falls to the ground. We do not actually see his
face. MICHAEL pulls a large, brown envelope out from
beneath his hoodie and places it in DR. HARKER’s coat.
LUCAS walks over to the computer on DR. HARKER’s desk,

13. 12
turns it on, and inserts a flash-drive into them. After a
few seconds:
LUCAS
I found the files. I’m downloading
them now. Ten seconds left.
MICHAEL
Good.
PAUSE
LUCAS
Done.
(He unplugs the flash-drive from the
computer.)
I also sent an alert to the police that
a suspicious man was found unconscious
in this room.
MICHAEL
Then we’re leaving now.
And they do so in their original, tightly-paced manner.
CUT TO:
EXT. - HALLWAY
MICHAEL and LUCAS are still walking directly to the camera
in their original manner.
CUT TO BLACK
SUPER:
FILM TITLE - OVER THE EDGE
CUT TO BLACK
TEXT:
“WHEN EVERYTHING GOOD AND INNOCENT IN YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN
RIPPED AWAY FROM YOU WITHOUT NECESSITY OR MERCY, THOSE
RESPONSIBLE HAVE TO PAY.”
FADE TO BLACK
FILM CREDITS FROM DIRECTOR TO PRODUCTION COMPANY/COMPANIES,
ONE BY ONE