Script Analysis: “Waves” — Part 1: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Read and analyze the script for the lauded indie drama.

Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule:

Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Tuesday: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Dialogue
Saturday: Takeaways

Today: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown. Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

This week: Waves. You can download the script here.

Written by Trey Edward Shults.

Plot summary: Traces the journey of a suburban family — led by a well-intentioned but domineering father — as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss.

Waves
Scene By Scene Breakdown
By Savanah Mears
GoIntoTheStory.blklst.com

P. 2 Riding her bike in the afternoon on pavement, a GIRL, 16, rides freely with her hands to her side and her hair blowing in the wind — she is free, almost flying as she rides. The music carries us onto a bridge full of cars — narrowing in on one car where TYLER, 18, black, drives ALEXIS, 18, as they sing karaoke and dance together.

P. 2–4 A series of Tyler’s school routine: he jogs into the gym for wrestling practice with his teammates, takes Adderall with his protein shake as he drives to school, hangs out with Alexis and his friends at school, and runs the track after school with his team — catching eyes with Alexis who is also on the field for drill team practice.

P. 4–5 Tyler pulls up to his family’s midsize house in the suburbs. He is greeted by three dogs and his mom, CATHERINE, 40s — she looks put together, dressed professional, yet exhausted. Tyler gives her a hug and heads upstairs as his dad, RONALD, 40s, stops him. Ronald is wearing a large knee brace on his right knee, but otherwise appears to be in great physical condition. Ronald asks Tyler about his day, and after Tyler mentions he has a test to study for and homework, Ronald passive aggressively tells him to get to it. Tyler heads for his room and passes his sister, EMILY, who has braces and is on her computer — Emily is the girl we saw riding the bike in the first scene.

P. 5 Alexis, Tyler, and their friends, are at the beach having a kick-back with friends. Everyone drinks and smokes, but Tyler refuses any substance as he is in season.

P. 6 Tyler and Alexis are on a speed boat with Alexis’s parents, BOBBY, 40s, and ELENA, late 30s.

Later that evening, Alexis and Tyler are in her house as they say bye to her parents. We hear Tyler and Alexis moan off screen as the camera pans Alexis’s family photos.

P. 6–7 Alexis and Tyler are now yelling and fighting. Tyler drives away in his truck and they argue over text, but then Tyler turns his truck around and goes back to Alexis’s house. Alexis tells him they are over, and Tyler convinces her to get in his truck. The yelling precedes the next shot of Tyler’s parked truck rocking back and forth in a parking lot.

P. 8 Tyler and Alexis go to a house party where kids are swimming in the pool outside, and lots of people are drinking and playing games in the kitchen. They drive home with Tyler’s friends, stop for fast food, steal signs from people’s back yards, and sing and laugh together — they feel invincible.

P. 9–10 Tyler is jolted awake by his dad’s pounding on the door. The sun is barely rising, and Ronald drinks a cup of coffee outside as Tyler jogs around the neighborhood. Later, Ronald and Tyler lift weights in the garage with their shirts off. They flex in the mirror together and laugh together.

P. 10–13 The whole family goes to church and Ronald serves as a door greeter before the family sits together in service. Tyler starts to doze off while Ronald shakes his head in disappointment and Emily laughs. After the service, Emily rides with Ronald and Tyler rides with Catherine to a diner. Ronald asks Tyler questions — drilling him to get to the reason why he was falling asleep during service. Catherine changes the topic of conversation to Tyler’s shoulder — Tyler says it’s fine and the family begins to discuss Tyler’s first wrestling match. Only Ronald is able to attend because Catherine works, and Emily has a study group.

P. 13 Tyler runs along a canal at sunset in full sweats, even though it’s 90 plus degrees. He comes home to weigh himself and then sits in the kitchen and eats some tuna and spinach. He plays a song on the piano and is actually really great. After playing, he rolls his shoulder around — clearly it isn’t “fine” as he claimed earlier. He digs in a drawer of his parent’s bathroom until he finds his dad’s prescription of Percocet.

P. 13–15 Tyler’s coach gives a speech to the team in the locker room before their match, and afterwards, Tyler and the team warm up. Ronald is standing at the bottom of the bleachers talking with other parents, and Alexis is cheering from the top of the bleachers. Although not as fast as he would have liked, Tyler wins his match. He is frustrated as he returns to the bench, rolling his shoulder around.

P. 15 Later that night, Ronald and Tyler are on the mini wrestling mat in the garage. Ronald shows him a better grip, and how he could have won the match faster had he done it his dad’s way.

P. 16 Tyler sits in the hallway of a doctor’s office by himself and goes inside an MRI machine.

P. 16 Tyler follows Ronald at work at his construction site and he gives Tyler work advice.

P. 16–18 Tyler and Alexis watch videos at her house, and Alexis’s parents bicker in the kitchen as they prepare food — they own an Italian restaurant and argue over who is the better cook. The four of them sit to eat and everyone has pasta except Tyler; he is eating shrimp and spinach — lean eating because he is in season.

P. 18 Tyler and his friends try on suits for the upcoming dance.

P. 18 Tyler and Ronald lift weights in the garage. Ronald notices that Tyler is struggling with the weight and not trying his hardest. Although in pain, Tyler finishes the set for his dad. Tyler sits at his desk doing homework and his shoulder pain is making it hard to focus, so he takes one painkiller from his Altoids tin in his desk drawer. Alexis texts him and says she is worried because her period is a week late. Tyler reassures her that it’s fine and that she is probably just freaking out. Emily’s cat pushes Tyler’s door open and he calls Emily to come get her cat as he shakes due to his odd disability. Emily comes to get the cat and her and Tyler share typical sibling banter.

P. 20–22 Catherine gets home from work and Tyler sits on the kitchen counter and tells her about the suit he got for the Bearcat Ball. Ronald walks in and asks Catherine for a kiss and their chemistry seems a little off. Ronald asks if Tyler’s homework is done, and when he says not yet, Ronald questions why he is still sitting in the kitchen instead of working. Ronald asks Catherine if she took any of his pain pills and Tyler doesn’t let is show that he is the one taking them.

P. 22–23 We return to the doctor’s office from earlier, and the doctor tells Tyler he has a SLAP tear: Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior. He tells him he needs surgery, but Tyler does not accept how serious this injury is and suggests the surgery could wait until after the wrestling season. The doctor tells him that he cannot keep wrestling with his shoulder because he runs the risk of irreversible damage. Tyler is alone and tells the doctor that he will tell his parents himself.

P. 24–25 Later that night, Tyler sits in his parked truck as he contemplates the reality of the news he heard earlier. He buys a pint of vodka from a hole-in-the-wall liquor store and pours it into his water bottle. He drinks from it as he drives, and we see he has missed a series of texts from Alexis. He drives through a fast food place and he sees a black man in hand cuffs talking to a bunch of police — the man is not much older than Tyler. Later, Tyler is in his room masturbating before eating his cheeseburger from the bathtub. He cries as he drunkenly eats his food. He starts to nod asleep in the tub and then Emily’s yelling wakes him up — the bathtub has begun to overflow onto her floor. He is startled and turns off the water.

P. 25 Tyler runs around the track with teammates, but then he stops to throw up. Later at practice, he is wrestling with a WRESTLER, 17, and forces him to the ground aggressively, causing the wrestler’s mouth to bleed. Tyler can’t help but feel bad.

P. 25–27 In Ronald’s home office, Catherine’s voice plays from Ronald’s computer. Tyler is transcribing the audio notes Catherine has recorded in therapy sessions with her patients. Ronald enters the office and hovers, checking Tyler’s work. Tyler tells him that he is halfway done, and Ronald questions the format Tyler is doing the notes in. Tyler gives him slight attitude, and Ronald makes him turn off the audio and gives him a lecture. He tells Tyler that soon enough he will have real responsibilities, and that if he doesn’t like the way things are run in his house, then he can leave. Ronald reminds him that he did not force Tyler to train with him and work with him, but that it was Tyler’s choice. Ronald tells Tyler that everything he does is for his family — that the world does not care for them, that they are not afforded the luxury or option of being average. He pushes Tyler because he has to, not because he wants to. As Ronald leaves, Tyler just sits and thinks about what his father has just said.

P. 28–29 Tyler is at his next wrestling match — Ronald is in the front, talking with parents as Catherine walks in. In the last hold of his match, Tyler is pinned down by his opponent and when the ref hits the mat giving his opponent the victory, Tyler is stuck on the ground, unable to move his shoulder. His coach and parents run over to help him, and afterwards in the locker room with the medic, Catherine has her arm around him, rubbing her hands through his hair as Ronald paces in incredible frustration.

P. 29 Tyler is in his bathroom taking pain killers as he looks at the big sling on his shoulder in his reflection. He walks to the top of the stairs to hear his parents yelling. Ronald is angry that Tyler did not tell them about the MRI results from his doctor’s appointment. Catherine tries to calm Ronald, but Ronald is angry because he has ruined his chance at a scholarship due to his own stupidity. Tyler looks down to see that Alexis is calling.

P. 29–31 Tyler and Alexis sit on an empty beach at sunset. They share a ‘water bottle’ and seem buzzed. Alexis says she wishes he would have told her about his shoulder, and Tyler apologizes. They kiss, but Alexis pulls her head back and says she isn’t in the mood. Alexis expresses she is getting scared as she still hasn’t gotten her period, and Tyler assures her everything will be okay. They swim in the ocean together and hold each other as they kiss and tell one another that they love each other.

P. 31–36 A few days later, Tyler and Alexis drive in silence towards an abortion clinic. Alexis gets pissed at the sight of protestors out front, and the heat and stress of the current scenario causes her to blow up at Tyler as he attempts to park. Tensions are high as they walk in together, and not after long, Alexis comes out of the doctor’s room. Tyler quietly asks if she did it, and Alexis just demands that they leave. They walk outside to his car, and one of the protestors uses a racial slur to call out Tyler. Tyler almost snaps, but Alexis stops him and they both get in the truck. Alexis is crying in the passenger seat and Tyler asks her what happened. She tells him she couldn’t do it, and Tyler’s sympathy quickly turns to rage. Tyler claims they made a decision to do it, and Alexis tells him she couldn’t do it and they need to talk about it again. Tyler tells her she is being stupid as Alexis tells him to stop the car. Alexis gets out and begins walking. Tyler takes off, leaving her in the rear view.

P. 36–38 Tyler is in his room and takes off his sling, puts on his wrestling singlet, and picks up dumbbells to lift weights. He tries but drops the weight in pain. He grabs a few painkillers from his Altoids tin and after Alexis doesn’t respond to his multiple texts, he texts his friends. He goes to a bonfire party with his friends and raps to the music while he feels his high. He is doing shots, drinking beer, and he takes a big hit of a joint. Everything starts to appear in slow motion as Tyler sits in front of the bonfire. He thinks he sees Alexis sitting across from him on the other side of the fire, pain all over her face. Tyler opens his eyes back in real time, and he looks back to see Alexis gone. He leaves the bonfire with his friends and they are all cross-faded — the high feeling takes his mind off of Alexis.

P. 38–39 In his bathroom, Tyler throws up all over the floor. Soon, a groggy Emily opens the door and sees pills on the floor and puke everywhere. Emily gets a towel and starts to clean up as Tyler starts to cry. Tyler repeatedly asks, ‘what’d I do?’ and Emily tries to calm him down. Tyler continues to cry into Emily’s arms as he releases all of the pain he has been holding onto.

P. 39–41 The next day, Tyler apologizes to Alexis over text and asks if they can talk. She tells him she has made her decision to keep the baby, and Tyler gets mad. She tells him they are over and she blocks him. Tyler throws his phone and destroys his room in a fit of rage. Catherine and Ronald knock on his door and Tyler hyperventilates and slams the bathroom door behind him.

P. 41–44 A series ensues showing us two perspectives between Tyler and Alexis at the dance. Tyler drinks Vodka in his room as he scrolls through social media watching Alexis and his friends enjoy the dance. Tyler paces and takes an assortment of pills — snorting Adderall. Alexis and Emily talk in the bathroom at the dance, meanwhile, Tyler gets his truck keys from Ronald’s office. He comes out of the office and runs into Catherine, who reminds him that he is grounded and not leaving the house. She asks if he has been drinking and then Ronald joins them and asks what’s going on. Ronald sternly confronts Tyler and then Tyler flips out and says Catherine isn’t his mom, that his real mom is dead, and she is pathetic, condescending, and can’t even have kids. Tyler starts cussing his dad out, saying he cannot stand him. Ronald questions if he is drunk, and Tyler says yes as he shoves him to the ground. Ronald’s bad knee gives out and he drops to the floor in pain. Tyler speeds off and Ronald says he is going to go after him — they assume he is heading to the dance.

P. 45–48 A series of different perspectives continues as we follow Tyler, Alexis, Emily, Ronald, and Catherine. Alexis, Emily, and Tyler’s friends leave the dance and head to an after-party. Ronald runs to his car as Catherine runs through the house to find her phone and calls Emily, but she doesn’t answer. Tyler pulls up to the after-party mansion and goes inside. Catherine frantically calls Tyler’s friends as Tyler goes to the backyard of the house. He sees Alexis through the window with her date and then one of Tyler’s friends interrupts him and tells him that his mom called saying it was a family emergency. Tyler tells him he handled it and then he watches Alexis and her date go down a hallway and into a room, closing the door behind them. Tyler is devastated and takes shots in the kitchen. Catherine paces around the house as Ronald drives, still trying to find Tyler. Emily is at the party sitting on the couch and she sees Tyler across the room. Tyler doesn’t see Emily and he follows Alexis into the garage.

P. 48–50 Alexis gets several wine coolers from the fridge and turns around to see Tyler, asking what he is doing there. He asks if she should be drinking, and Alexis, annoyed that she even has to explain, says they are for friends and that he needs to leave. Tyler accuses her of hooking up with her date and she tells him that her date has been her best friend since elementary school, and he is gay. Tyler doesn’t believe it and Alexis tells him he would know if he ever listened to what she said and cared about people other than himself. Tyler starts to calm down and says they can keep the baby. Alexis tells him she wouldn’t want to have her baby with him — just look how he is acting now! She slaps him across the face as Tyler calls her a b*tch. Alexis keeps telling him she is done with him and slaps him again. Tyler physically grabs her, and Alexis starts to freak out telling him to stop touching her. He calls her a b*tch one more time, and Alexis responds with a f*ck you and slaps him across the face, even harder. Tyler instantly reacts by throwing a punch, and in a split second, Tyler hits Alexis across the face and she slips back and her head plunges into the floor.

P. 50 SCREEN GOES BLACK WITH TOTAL SILENCE

P. 50–51 We hold on Tyler’s face — his rage and hate fall away as he sits in utter horror. He starts to cry as he grasps the reality of what just happened. We see Alexis on the floor, unconscious, with blood surrounding her head. Tyler cries as he holds her, trying to wake her up and apologizing. Suddenly, the door swings open and a girl screams. Emily hears screaming and pushes to the front of the garage door. She is horrified and devastated as she sees Alexis’s body on the ground and no sign of Tyler.

P. 51–54 A series of different perspective shifts between Tyler, Ronald, Alexis, and her parents. Tyler runs to his truck and hits the car behind him as he frantically drives away. We hear sirens approaching the house, as Tyler speeds through the streets, yelling at himself through his tears. Ronald finally arrives at the house and sees the flashing sirens. Paramedics assist Alexis in a stretcher. Catherine sees headlights shining through her front window, and Tyler’s pulls in the driveway nearly hitting her car. Ronald heads to the sirens and is praying that Tyler was never at the house and had nothing to do with it. Tyler runs inside and Catherine sees the blood all over him, asking what happened. Tyler pushes past her and goes to his room. Ronald watches Alexis’s bloody and beaten body pass him by on the stretcher, and he is completely devastated — his worst nightmare is coming true. The phone rings and wakes up Alexis’s parents as oxygen is being pumped to Alexis in the ambulance — she is fighting for life. Tyler starts throwing things in his wrestling duffle bag in a panic, and Catherine is fighting to get in the door. Ronald finds Emily sobbing, and he takes her in his arms and holds her tight — he still doesn’t have any answers. Tyler pushes past Catherine, even as she pleads with him to tell her what is going on. Alexis’s parents speed through the streets as Alexis is being rushed into the hospital on a stretcher. Tyler runs out the back door and cop sirens illuminate the front of the house. A cop car pulls up on the street stopping Tyler before he can run any further. Alexis’s EKG monitor flatlines as Alexis’s parents receive bad news in the waiting room. Catherine cries as she talks to the police and watches the police car drive away. Tyler’s face is illuminated by the flashing sirens. He is being hauled away in the back of a police car and looks directly into the camera — he is broken.

P. 55 The screen goes black, and eventually music fades in as well as red, dark blue, and black colors on the screen.

P. 56 (From this point forward, we follow Emily’s perspective). Emily is in the backseat of a car, watching her dad drive. He looks different now, his face conveys pain over confidence. Catherine is in the passenger seat, and the silence in the car holds a great weight. Ronald tries to hold Catherine’s hand, but she pulls away. They arrive to the courthouse where we see Alexis’s parents recount the memories of their daughter as they address the court. Tyler is silent, still, and lifeless in the court room. The judge delivers his verdict: Tyler plead guilty to the conviction of murder in the second degree and is sentenced to prison for the rest of his life, eligible for parole after serving 30 years. Alexis’s family hugs and cries together in relief as Tyler is escorted out of the court room. Emily holds back tears as she watches Catherine sob with Ronald.

P. 56 Later that day, Emily follows her cat as he waits outside of Tyler’s bedroom. She picks him up and hears Catherine crying on the other side of the door.

P. 57–58 A series ensues, and we follow Emily as she navigates school and home. She rides her bike, walks the halls at school with her headphones in, and keeps to herself. Emily finds a quiet spot in the courtyard outside where she can be by herself to read. She signs up to judge a competition in order to get the final credits for one of her classes, and then she runs into a BOY. This is the same wrestler that Tyler made bleed in wrestling practice, except he looks older now.

P. 58 Emily looks through comments on Alexis’s Instagram and reads articles on everything that happened. Amidst the nice comments are cruel comments aimed at her brother and her whole family. The hateful words cause Emily to cry. Emily showers and sits down under the water. She is filled with deep rage as she cries and clenches her fists. This is the first time we really sense how much hurt and anger she is holding onto.

P. 59 Emily judges a middle school theater competition, and during the break the same boy that bumped into her awkwardly tries to make conversation with her. He asks if Emily wants to get food after they finish, and Emily agrees. The boy gets happy and finally introduces himself as LUKE.

P. 61–65 Emily and Luke sit at the same diner that Emily’s family was at in the beginning of the film. Luke tells her he wasn’t sure she was actually going to show up because he has never asked someone like Emily to hang out before. Emily is slightly taken aback by this comment, and questions what Luke means. He then corrects his phrasing and says someone as beautiful as her. Emily studies Luke’s genuine vulnerability as she starts to lower her guard. ‘What a Difference a Day Makes’ comes on the jukebox and Emily makes a comment on how much she loves the song because she used to listen to it with her grandparents, but they are gone now. They start talking about grandparents and they share a burger. Emily reveals she stalked Luke on social media before meeting at the diner. Luke says he tried to do the same but couldn’t find anything, to which Emily responds, she deleted everything. Emily asks him if he knows who her brother is. Luke says he does, and Emily mentions that she would get the worst messages ever which is why she decided to delete everything. Luke stands up for her and says f*ck people who say stuff like that, and the two share a smile.

P. 65–66 Emily sits in her bed looking at pictures of Luke online as she lays with her cat. We briefly flash back to Emily and Luke exchanging numbers. Emily’s phone rings, and it is Luke calling. Emily and Luke talk about college over the phone as we see another flashback to the two of them having lunch together and hanging out at school. Luke says how his mom wants him to go to school for something practical, but he doesn’t want to be practical and Emily tells Luke she has always had a fantasy of being a ballerina.

P. 66 Ronald gives Emily a driving lesson in the parking lot — he is softer and obviously different in his relationship with Emily than he was with Tyler.

P. 67–68 Emily and Luke look out at the water in the canal at sunset as they see a manatee swimming. Emily mentions she wants to do something with animals, and their conversation voices over the scenes to follow. Emily and Luke are at the Everglades Zoo laughing together as they look at all the animals. Eventually, Emily reaches over and holds Luke’s hand as they walk. Emily visits her grandma in a retirement home, and they laugh together. Emily and Luke get ice cream at a local spot and walk down the street together. Ronald is still trying to teach Emily how to drive, but this time she is behind the wheel. Back to real time with Luke and Emily at the canal, Luke mentions his love for manatees and that they should go see them up north at the springs. Emily says she has never been, and after she asks how they would do that, Luke says its summer and he has a car — they can go anywhere they want.

P. 68–70 Back to the retirement home scenes from earlier, we now see that Ronald and Catherine are with Emily and Catherine’s mom. Catherine looks different — she looks cold and lifeless. There is unspoken tension between her and Emily that neither one will address. Emily’s grandma is observing Emily’s beauty and then she asks about Tyler. Silence fills the room, then Catherine kneels down to tell her that he can’t come anymore. Catherine’s mom then starts to admire Ronald’s handsomeness — it is clear her memory is totally gone again.

P. 70 Emily sits in the kitchen by herself eating an apple, looking at the old piano Tyler used to play. Emily looks at old pictures and focuses on one picture in particular of Tyler, Ronald, her, and her biological mother.

P. 70 Emily shops at the mall for clothes for her trip with Luke, and she gets ready for her first trip with Luke — grooming herself, putting on makeup, trying on clothes.

P. 70–73 Luke drives Emily in his jeep and they decide to stop and get beer — from the same guy that sold Vodka to Tyler. They discuss religion in the car, and Emily says she is a Christian — her dad was a minister and it’s just what she grew up with. She reveals she hasn’t been to church in a while and her dad goes by himself now.

P. 72 They arrive to the springs, walk the boardwalk, and see the manatees and then rent a kayak and go down the springs — it is beautiful! After a while they dock their kayak and meet college kids who are smoking and drinking next to the water. As they are swimming, Luke and Emily share their first kiss — soon they are swimming with manatees and kayaking in the rain.

P. 73 Emily and Luke’s kayaking in the rain dissolves to Tyler’s bedroom — he is surprisingly sitting on the bed with his back to the camera. As he turns his head to look at us, the camera cuts to Emily in bed as she recovers from a hangover.

P. 73–75 Emily recovers from a hangover and hears her parents talking. Ronald is pleading with Catherine to talk to him, to tell him what she wants. Catherine says she needs sleep and tells him she’s sorry she doesn’t want to have sex — that there are bigger things going on. Ronald says he’s not just talking about that, but that Catherine is not present — she isn’t herself and is ignoring the responsibilities they still have — they still have a daughter to care for. Catherine says that he has never really been there for her, and that he pushed Tyler too far. Catherine tells Ronald that he makes her sick and she can’t look at him without thinking of Tyler.

P. 76–81 Luke is driving Emily in his jeep at sunset and asks Emily if she is close with her mom. Emily says not really and then asks Luke about his dad. Luke gets more guarded and says his dad is an asshole, to which Emily makes him explain. Luke is now upset saying that he doesn’t want to talk about his dad; after all, he never makes Emily talk about her brother. Emily says it’s not the same thing and she thinks about what Tyler did every day. She cries as she states that no one likes her, no one talks to her or sees her — they only see her brother. The car takes on an uncomfortable silence as Luke figures out how to respond. Luke attempts to apologize but Emily states she just wants to go home. Luke says his dad has cancer and isn’t a part of his life anymore. As a kid, he watched him get drunk, do drugs, and beat his mom — it was terrifying, and he was grateful when his mom finally left him. Emily asks if he is going to talk to him, especially as he is dying with cancer, and Luke confidently says no. Emily counters saying she wishes she could talk to her mom, and reveals her biological mom died a few years ago. She abandoned them as kids, and she started reaching out before she died, but Emily ignored her. Emily blames herself for her mom’s death because she didn’t answer her phone call the day she died — she died of drug overdose. The vulnerability of the topics discussed brings them back to a calm mood. ‘Bluish’ by Animal Collective turns on — Emily looks at Luke as she sings along. They drive through the night as Emily gets ready in the car — she says she looks like crap and Luke argues that she doesn’t even need makeup and that he loves her hair.

P. 81–82 Emily, Luke, and his friends are in an abandoned house. Luke assures Emily they don’t have to try drugs — that they’ll only do them if she wants to. In the backyard, Emily and Luke lay down in an abandoned pool alone — they are both high. They run through an empty golf course with the sprinklers going off, running and wrestling with each other — having the time of their lives.

P. 83 Emily and Luke are back in his jeep as they pull up to the same drive-through Tyler used to go to. They chow down on their burgers while driving and Emily asks him if he wants to go bowling. Later in the night, Luke pulls over not far from Emily’s house as they make out in his jeep. Emily and Luke quietly sneak into Emily’s house through the back door.

P. 84 Emily and Luke are in Emily’s bed under the covers as Luke attempts to get a condom on — they slowly begin to have sex. It’s awkward because it’s their first time together, but it’s also sweet and romantic. Luke finishes quickly and apologizes, and they kiss before Luke nakedly scurries to the bathroom.

P. 85 Luke is gone and Emily texts him as she cuddles her cat. They talk about how they wish they were cuddling in bed together.

P. 85 Emily passes her license test — she finally is able to drive on her own.

P. 85–88 Emily sits at a dock with Ronald. They both hold fishing poles and Ronald says they haven’t done this since she was a little girl. He begins by apologizing for not talking to her in a long time and Emily assures him he doesn’t need to apologize for anything. Ronald asks how she is doing, and Emily doesn’t give much of an answer — she is guarded, she is ‘fine.’ Emily asks him how he is doing and Ronald opens up — he doesn’t know how to connect with Catherine, they are losing money, and he loves her so much and he doesn’t know what to do. Emily is surprised at the honesty her father is having and she tells him she is happy he is telling her everything. Emily then looks out over the water and says she should’ve stopped it — she was there the night Tyler followed Alexis into the garage. In this moment we see that Emily is carrying some blame for Alexis’s death and her brother’s actions. Ronald tells her it isn’t her fault and Emily says that she hates Tyler, that he is evil and a monster. Ronald tells her that the hate will swallow her up, that she is not her brother, and no one can take that away from her. Ronald quotes ‘Papa’s’ favorite scripture: “Hatred stirs up strife, but love…Love covers all offenses…” They cry together, tell one another they love each other and then hug each other in a tight embrace. Later, Emily and Ronald drive home — Emily behind the wheel. Love fills the space between them.

P. 89–91 In Emily’s bathroom, Emily and Luke sit across from each other and Emily asks Luke what he is thinking about. He tells her that his dad’s hospital called saying they don’t think he has much longer to live. Emily tells him he has to see his dad, and after he tries to make up excuses, Emily comes up with a solution for every single one. Luke thinks about it and then agrees to do it.

P. 91–94 Emily drives Luke as they blast music and sing together. They stop at various places along their route to Missouri, and eventually they make it to the hospital. They get out of the car to head towards the hospital, and it is clear that Luke is nervous. They approach the door to his father’s room and Luke looks like he is on the verge of a mini panic attack. Luke sees his dad and is stunned — he is a skinny, depleted man lying in the bed — it is devastating to see someone so close to death. This is not the same man that Luke remembers. His dad recognizes him, and they cry as they embrace each other. Luke introduces him to Emily, and his dad calls her beautiful.

P. 94–97 Later in the day, Luke’s dad is asleep, and Emily and Luke lay in a corner chair as they try to sleep. Emily asks Luke what he is thinking about and he tells her he is thinking about all of his childhood memories with his dad. Later, Emily checks her phone and sees a text from Ronald — he gently tells her that they noticed she hasn’t been where she said she was. He tells her he trusts her but that they are worried and ask her to call or text back. Luke’s dad wakes up really sick, and Luke asks him what he is holding onto — it seems to be deeper than any physical pain. Luke tells him to let go of anything in his head –that there is no need to have regret. Luke’s father lets out a heartbreaking cry — all the hurt, pain, and regret he has been holding onto. Emily closes her eyes and thinks of Tyler and the time he broke down in their bathroom. Tears start to fall from her face as she thinks of her brother.

P. 97–98 Emily walks the hospital hallways and attempts to type a text to Catherine. The end of the text notes ‘I want us to be a family again’ — but she deletes it.

P. 98 Luke and Emily hold each other as they sleep in the room, and then the sound of an EKG monitor flatlining comes in. Luke cries in Emily’s arms — it is clear that his dad has passed away.

P. 98 The camera looks out the back of Emily’s car as they drive away from the hospital. A cop car passes by them, and Emily thinks about Tyler, Alexis, and the night that everything happened.

P. 98 Tyler goes through his daily prison routine. He keeps to himself as he walks to group classes, reads, and works out. In his cell, he lays in bed and cries to himself as he looks at a picture of Alexis. Tyler eats alone in the prison cafeteria and prays. Even though he is isolated and contained in prison, we can tell that he is pushing forward and trying to heal from his past.

P. 99 Alexis’s parents are at her grave holding each other. We watch them work and drive — clearly life is not the same without their daughter, and there are reminders of her everywhere. In Alexis’s bedroom, Elena cries over the things that remind her of her daughter — how she will never be in this room ever again.

P. 99–101 Luke and Emily check in to a hotel with Luke’s fake ID and soon after they shower and brush their teeth together.

P.99 Catherine is in her room exhausted, and she looks down to see a text from Emily — it is the same text we saw her typing, but the last sentence has changed to — “I’ve been thinking a lot and I hope we can start talking more. I really love you so much and I’m grateful to have you in my life and that you raised me…” The text is touching to Catherine, and after she drives to Tyler’s prison. She stares at the entrance before going in and then she walks into the visiting quarters.

P. 100 Emily and Luke sit by a beach and watch the sunset.

P. 100–101 Ronald fishes by himself and attends church by himself. While at home, he sees Tyler’s bedroom door cracked open and he finds Catherine crying on Tyler’s bed. Catherine looks up and makes real eye contact with him for the first time in a while — Ronald has tears welling up as he looks at his wife. He lays down with her in the bed, and even though there is a lot they want to say to each other, they just look into each other’s eyes and cry, and that is okay.

P. 101 Emily rides her bike, gaining speed through the neighborhood as she pushes forward. She takes her hands off the handlebars and stretches her arms up in the air — she is free and feels alive as she happy cries. She has been through so much — she thinks of all the tragedy, yet all the beauty — that’s life and it is beautiful.

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

Major kudos to Savanah Mears for doing this week’s scene-by-scene breakdown.

To download a PDF of the breakdown for Waves, go here.

I am looking for volunteers to read a script and provide a scene-by-scene breakdown for it to be used as part of our weekly series. What do you get out from it? Beyond your name being noted here, my personal thanks, and some creative juju sent your way, hopefully you will learn something about story structure and develop another skill set which is super helpful in learning and practicing the craft.

The latest volunteers [BOLD signifies they have sent me their breakdown]:

1917 / Alexis Howell-Jones
After the Wedding / Nikhil Kamkolkar
Avengers: Endgame / Alexis Howell-Jones
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood / Karen Dantas
Booksmart / Andrew Semancik
The Farewell / Karen Dantas
Honey Boy / Ericka Boston
Hustlers / Priya Gopal
Jo Jo Rabbit / Gareth Boucher
Joker / Rebecca Maslen Sapolsky
Knives Out / Brad Johnson
The Lighthouse / Halil Akgündüz
Midsommar / Michael Duffey
Parasite / Olivia Ramirez
Toy Story 4 / Tara Yarlagadda
Uncut Gems / Ryan Canty
Us / Rose Banks
Waves / Savanah Mears

Thanks to the folks who have already sent me their breakdowns.

Now is YOUR chance to contribute to this most worthy cause and provide an additional resource for the online screenwriting community.

There are some excellent movie scripts available including Harriet, The Irishman, Just Mercy, Little Women, Marriage Story, Rocketman, and more. Go here to download a PDF of your favorite 2019 movie script and join the cause by volunteering to do a scene-by-scene breakdown.

Thanks, all!

Even if you do not participate in the analysis, discussion, or write up a scene-by-scene breakdown, I strongly encourage you to read these scripts.

So seize this opportunity and join in the conversation!

I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this week’s script: Waves.