1.

7 MILLION
By

GAYSHINI KEBLA

Draft 3
1 INT. A WEDDING PARTY - DAY 1
We will never see the whole crowd together. What we do see
are a series of 10 shots in which people are looking
uncomfortable. They are all attending a wedding but some
are dressed better than others. In between each shot,
there is a careful fade to black. In this sequence we also
meet JAMES, who is taking photos of people and looking -
odd - hes noticed something - something wrong.

Some guests sip champagne, orange juice, most look bored

to death until -
The bride and groom enter - this again we dont see, we
know its happened because we quickly cut through all ten
shots again except this time - elation - like theyve just
gotten a que.
Fade to black - then -
Cut to:

A man (HUNTER) collapses on the floor - everyone is

panicing and then theres a deafening silence except for
the sound of a camera clicking..
FADE THE TITLE IN "TIL DEATH DO US PART"

CAMERA FLASH TO:

2 INT. A COUNTRY SITTING ROOM - DAY 2

It is a few days later, we will only ever see JAMES in

CLOSE UP or MEDIUM CLOSE UP or from the back of his head
the reason for this will not be clear to the audience and
will be clearer soon. Light orchestral music plays as
JAMES sips his tea he is transfixed by the photographs and
he is jotting down some notes on a pad and pen. He takes
his time, he sips more tea, he looks over the top of his
glasses as he studies the pictures closely, he even opens
and drawer and pulls out a magnifying glass and looks
carefully.
JAMES
(To himself)
Ive been trying to work it out -
I knew something was wrong at
this wedding - I know that one of
you murdered this guy. One of you
did it - but which one?
He tuts to himself and puts the glass down. He continues
on talking away happily to himself.
FLASHBACK
 2.

3 EXT. A CHURCH DRIVEWAY - DAY 3

A beautiful wedding day, but we cant see much of it, all
we can see is KATHLEEN (Mother of the bride) and LISA (the
bride) dressed up looking extremely fancy. They are
walking down a driveway toward a church the sound of the
church bell ringing away. LISA is not crying but shes not
exactly happy.
KATHLEEN
..I know this isnt what you
wanted but..
LISA gives KATHLEEN a look of rage.
KATHLEEN
Ok.. Ok..
LISA
Hes a controlling, manipulative,
disgusting, perverted, old (about
to swear..)

KATHLEEN
Please Lisa! (looks around making
sure no one can see) keep your
thoughts about him to yourself
for heavens sake!
LISA
(controlled rage)
Ok - lets do this - is everyone
ready?

KATHLEEN
Everyones inside.
A new voice - from off screen. A cocky Londoner whistles
at then extremely loudly - KATHLEEN flinches!

HUNTER
(O.S.)
COME ON SKIRT! GET A MOVE ON WE
HAVENT ALL YEAR! YEAH!
EVERYONES PERISHING IN HERE!

KATHLEEN
(Controlled but angry)
Do you have to do that Bob! For
gods sake its your daughters
wedding day!

HUNTER
(O.S.)
Well get a bloody move on - cant
wait to get rid of her.

(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: 3.

LISA
Gee - thanks Dad.
KATHLEEN looks at her daughter - for a moment the pair are
sad - they look at each other. Nervous.
Another voice - someone we never see. But..
PHOTOGRAPHER
(In voice only)
Smile!
The pair turn to face the photographer and -
FLASH!

4 INT. A COUNTRY SITTING ROOM - DAY 4

We are back in the living room, that photo from that exact
moment in the now in the hands of JAMES. He takes down
another photo from the board. It shows HUNTER dead on the
floor. He looks at it for a moment before pegging it back
up on the board. He turns around walks over to his desk,
and has his back to the audience. We hear the sound of
scissors cutting paper. He walks back to the board. We
still can see what he is holding.

On the board we see a close-up of the newspaper article

being pinned next to photograph of the dead man. The
headline is clear "LOCAL LOTTERY WINNER DEAD AT DAUGHTERS
OWN WEDDING" and the story features a photo from the
wedding of KATHLEEN, LISA and various guests surrounding
the dead body.
JAMES
The man had some cheek - I had to
drop everything and HAD to
perform his daughters wedding on
the day I already had a
photoshoot booked in and I did it
and why? The big wad of cash I
was offered. But this article
tells a completely different
story to the one I witnessed,
doesnt it Lisa?
JAMES turns and there sitting on the sofa is LISA,
KATHLEEN and TONY. They are all sipping tea and looking
nervous. JAMES turns back to the photos and starts
pointing at them.

JAMES
You see I knew something was up
at the wedding. It was thee most
awkward thing I have ever seen.

(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: 4.

JAMES (contd)
I mean look at you (refering to
the photos) you clearly didnt
want to get married, and you
(referring to Kathleen) didnt
even shed a tear, you were
emotionless and you (refering to
Tony) well I havent figured your
role in all this yet -

KATHLEEN sits cocky in her seat. Confident.

LISA
You dont get it. Youve no idea
what he was like. He was
manipulative, controlling, (with
venom) disgusting. He - he -
would.. (beat) He only got worse
when he won the money. He used to
-
JAMES
(cuts her off, appalled)
So you murdered him?
KATHLEEN shoots LISA a disapproving look.
LISA
I didnt say that.
JAMES turns away, he looks back at the photographs -
disgusted - hes angry. Then he stops.
JAMES
Ive been trying to work it out -
who murdered your father - the
trouble is everyone looks guilty
in one way or another.

Then JAMES realises it - the expression on his face

changes to one of shock, horror and realisation.
JAMES
(whispers)
Oh.. My.. God..

5 INT. THE CHURCH - DAY 5

Shots of lots of people looking nervous, looking around at
each other - people fiddling with things, hymn books
unopen, people glancing at their watch - glancing at each
other extremely on edge!
JAMES
(V.O.)
You ALL did it - everyone -
everyone at the wedding was
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
 CONTINUED: 5.

JAMES (contd)
involved - look at all these
photos they have the same thing
in common - not people enjoying
themselves but people looking
NERVOUS thats what was wrong
with the congregation!

6 INT. A COUNTRY SITTING ROOM - DAY 6

JAMES is angry.
JAMES
You were all alibis for each
other. The murder wasnt
important. (Beat) Did you even
know these people?
KATHLEEN
(Smiles)
Hadnt ever met them in my life
before. All hired for a purpose
James. (To Tony) Thats what your
role was - to be the groom..
KATHLEEN
Thanks Tony - youre done here.
TONY
(stand and shakes James
hand)
Its actually Matt - but thats
not important.
KATHLEEN hands TONY/MATT a envelope (probably full of
cash) as he leaves.
LISA
You know what he was like - a
pervert - a scumbag - my dad is
better off now.
JAMES
Im going straight to the police.

KATHLEEN
(stands)
Trouble with that is - everyone
was questioned, everyone had an
alibi -
JAMES pulls the photos off the line one by one.
KATHLEEN
Except of course - you.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

JAMES
I took the pictures.
KATHLEEN
Yeah but everyone saw you there
that day and everyone took
pictures - how do we even know
these were your pictures?
JAMES
Thats crazy, I was -
KATHLEEN
You were in the room and when
youre paying the crowd with
funds from 1.7million pounds
worth of lottery wins - people
will say almost anything.
Anything James - think about it.
JAMES turns away - breathing hard - hes trapped.

LISA
(Calmly, stands)
James. My father was an evil
human being - you dont need to
know the details but trust us -
everyone is better off without
him - everyone. Think about how
he treated you - that was just
the tip of the iceberg. (Beat,
softly) Leave it James.

JAMES struggles with his conscience. He sits down,

he looks at the ladies. For a moment there is a nervous
tension before -
JAMES
My invoice is in the post.

KATHLEEN
Im sure we can come to some sort
of arrangement...
CLOSING CREDITS.

The shots of the wedding and what went on play over the
closing credits.