Magic, Myths, and Me

I wrote this screenplay in 2018 and would like some feedback about its flow, delivery, dialog. Should I continue? Make it a book instead? I would love to hear what you think.

Cover Letter
I was inspired to write The Amber Mirror after reading the screenplay for Indiana Jones. I loved the adventure scenes and the back story. Before I read other screenplays, I wanted to have just three main characters because I thought that would be enough to work with. I only had dialog for three kids, and it was going to be about them in this large mysterious mansion. Then after reading the Indiana Jones screenplay, I realized that it opens with a back story which really set the tone. Then I realized I needed a magical object that I could base my story around. Mirrors are popular in many stories and when I started researching them, I came across something about Napoleon Bonaparte. Totally unrelated I delved deeper into his history and found that he had quite an interesting love-hate relationship with his first wife Josephine. I used that as the myth for the backstory and then I added the mother and father of the kids into the mix and created the opening scene with them finding the mirror. I added amber stones containing fairies because amber preserves matter. Fairies are magical beings and I wanted to give the mirror something verifiable as a magical object. I named the fairies Martinique Fairies because Josephine grew up in Martinique.
It was difficult at first for me to write in this format as I am used to writing continuously. After a while I got a hang of it and I did find it less time consuming besides researching. I am relying on the director and actors to portray the emotions and actions. I kept in mind to make conflicts and make the dialog believable. When I found out Napoleon really did have a bad relationship with his first wife Josephine I knew that I could build off that. All in all, I really enjoyed having a go at writing a screenplay. I would gladly finish this someday and if I don’t then I’ll make it into a book instead. I hope you enjoy!

THE AMBER MIRROR
Characters
William, a 45-year-old man, father of Wade, Fiona, and Michael. He is in search of his wife Francine who disappeared 2 years ago. William is a treasure seeker. He is very tall with unkempt dark-brown hair and sparkling blue eyes.
Francine, a 40-year-old woman, married to William, mother of Wade, Fiona, and Michael. She is a treasure seeker like her husband. She went missing after their last trip to Paris right after they found the Amber Mirror of Josephine. Francine is stylish and has long curly, light-brown hair, with blue eyes.
Wade, a 15-year-old boy, who is brave and self-reliant. He is a natural leader. He is tall and has dark brown hair with blue eyes.
Fiona, a 14-year old girl, she became the motherly-sister to her brothers Wade and Michael after their mother disappeared. She tries to keep the peace by scolding her brothers when necessary. She is a little shorter than Wade and she has curly light-brown hair with blue eyes.
Michael, a 13-year old boy, he is a curious boy who tends to get himself into trouble. He is shorter than Fiona and has dark brown hair with blue eyes.
Ms. Boden, the children’s governess who falls ill leaving them unattended. She is in her late 50’s. She has a stern appearance and wears a black dress every day.

Opening Commentary
The myth goes: Napoleon Bonaparte’s first wife Josephine unwillingly agreed to give him an annulment and in turn she gave him a departing gift, The Amber Mirror. William and Francine are searching for the Amber Mirror that was last mentioned in Napoleon’s journal. The journal was found buried under a marked stone next to the long house that was built for Napoleon on St. Helena Island. The same place where Napoleon had been put into exile. On the third page he mentions a mirror with amber stones that Josephine had given to him. Le miroir est magique mais pas de chance, he wrote. She had told him it was magical and would bring him luck, but he had nothing but bad luck. It talked to him giving advice on how to rule France. He felt compelled to obey no matter if he thought the mirror was wrong. There were missing pieces of time that he could not recall. Right after it was stolen from him by Michele, a member of Josephine’s entourage he was almost immediately exiled to St. Helena. That is when he realized Josephine’s Amber Mirror had done its job. In history books it says that he died six years later from stomach cancer. New findings reveal that he died of arsenic poisoning.

Setting: 1997, the restricted part of the catacombs in underground Paris. William and Francine are with a French crew standing in front of a skull wall.
Act I, Scene 1
WILLIAM
(William is holding a map and pointing his flash light at a double-headed symbol on the wall.)
Don’t use the shovel here. Utilisez ceci a la place. (Use this instead).
(He hands one of the hired French men a small crowbar).

FRANCINE
(She points to the symbol on the skull wall).
It should be right in there. This is the same symbol that we saw on Josephine’s grave.

FRENCH MEN
(All speaking in hurried French. Scared and looking around they wait for William to give the okay to continue. Once he nods they get to work prying bones away from the wall. William and Francine watch as they see a larger opening behind where the skulls were. One of the French men pull out a box covered in tattered material. He hands it to William. William unwraps a large antique golden box and Francine approaches him with wonder in her eyes.)

FRANCINE
This must be it.
(William hands the box to Francine. Some of the French men start talking in whispers. William shines the light for Francine and she looks into his eyes with excitement. Carefully she tries to open the box, but it’s locked.)
Give me the keys.

WILLIAM
Here, please be careful. Remember what happened last time.
(He carefully hands her a set of keys that at least one will open any antique lock.)

FRANCINE
That doesn’t count. We weren’t warned that the box was booby trapped. And besides the acid was expired.
(Francine looks at her right hand holding the keys and ignores the scars left from the burns. She turns the first key nothing happens. After a few tries she finds the right one. Click! the top is ajar. Carefully she opens it and takes the mirror out. The backing is silver with symbolic engravings. It is oval shaped and has amber stones bordering. William inspects it with his flashlight.)
What are those things trapped in the amber?
(Francine looks intently at the stones.)
No, it couldn’t be.

WILLIAM
Are those some kind of fairies?

FRANCINE
Perhaps we should discuss this later when we’re alone.
(Francine carefully stuffs the mirror back inside the gold box and raises her eyebrows to William.)

WILLIAM
(Appears to have understood his wife then he turns to the French men.)
Nous avons fini. (We are finished.) Nous ramener a’ l’hotel. (Take us back to the hotel.)
(They exit the tunnel and their driver picks them up. Francine holds William’s hand and she smiles at him.)

FRANCINE
This could be it you know? This could change history books.

WILLIAM
Hold off on the excitement until we know for sure darling.

FRANCINE
I feel it though. This is big, I just know it.
(Once they get in their hotel room William jumps in the shower. Francine peeks toward the bathroom then slowly takes the mirror out and examines the amber stones with a magnifying glass. She sees that the fairy creatures are trapped in the amber. Then she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. And she looks different than she expected. Her hair is straightened with no frizz and her expression is smiling. She tries making different faces, but her image looks the same. She cannot stop looking into the mirror. A whisper voice from her reflection speaks to her.)

MIRROR
Help us Francine.
(The mirror glows brightly, and Francine unwillingly disappears into it. William gets out of the shower and sees a flash of light coming from the bedroom and the mirror is left out and still vibrating from having dropped back on the table next the magnifying glass.)

WILLIAM
(William runs to the table and picks up the mirror. He looks through the whole room searching for her.)
Francine?… Francine!
(He realizes that she is gone. He heavily sits down at the edge of their bed and stares at his normal reflection in the mirror.)
Come back Francine. Don’t worry, I’ll find you…
(Fades out.)

Act I, Scene 2
Setting: 1999, 2 years later in an old mansion named Willows Hill, tucked away in a secluded forest in up-state New York. In the dining room there is a long mahogany table with twenty or so matching chairs. The fire place is lit and the tv is on in the background. Wade and Fiona are eating dinner.
FIONA
(Sitting in a chair closest to the fire.)
Did dad call today?

WADE
(Sitting at the table next to Fiona)
No, not that I know of. Why?

FIONA
(Sighs.)
I was going to ask him if I could go to Stacy’s next week to sleep over. Last time he went to Paris he didn’t call for three days, and Ms. Boden wouldn’t let me go without clearing it with dad first. Where is Michael?…

WADE
He probably pissed off Ms. Boden again or he’s watching X-files. He’s such a nerd. Oops my bad, I forgot you watch that too.

FIONA
Oh, right like how you are obsessed with Star Wars?

MICHAEL
(Just as Wade was going to give a come-back Michael runs into the dining room.)
I think Ms. Boden is really sick. Hurry.
(Michael runs back out, they follow him up the main stair case to Ms. Boden’s small bedroom in the west wing.)

FIONA
(Tugs on Michael’s shirt.)
Wait, what is wrong with her? How do you know she is sick?

MICHAEL
She caught me trying to get into dad’s room and then I don’t know she just started coughing up blood.

FIONA
What were you doing trying to get into dad’s room? Never mind.
(Fiona looks angrily at Michael and knocks on Ms. Boden’s bedroom door. Ms. Boden is coughing.)
Hey Ms. Boden, are you okay?

MS. BODEN
Come in.
(Fiona, Michael, and Wade enter slowly. Ms. Boden is laying down with a light blue crocheted blanket draped over her lap. The bed side lamp is on revealing her blood stained napkin.)
I’m not well. The doctor says I must stay in bed until he arrives in a few days. He said he would’ve been here sooner, but the snow storm is blocking the main roads to get here. I have already called your father and I left a message with the hotel.

FIONA
(Fiona looks worried.)
Is there anything we can do for you?

MS. BODEN
(Ms. Boden starts coughing blood into a white napkin. She retrieves a sealed envelope and hands it to Fiona.)
Please give this to Marcy she’s the head maid. These are instructions for her if anything ever happened to me while your father was away. And before you go to bed make sure you do your homework and…
(Ms. Boden turns her face towards Michael singling him out.)
Please Michael, stay out of trouble. Fiona and Wade please watch him. If anything, ever happened to him your father would not be able to handle it.

WADE, FIONA, MICHAEL
Yes Ms. Boden.
(They leave Ms. Boden’s room.)

FIONA
Wade take Michael to the dining room, he needs to eat. I’m going to give this envelope to Marcy. I’ll meet you there.
(Wade and Michael head down the stair case.)

WADE
Stop trying to get into dad’s room. What is wrong with you? Just eat your dinner and go to bed.

MICHAEL
I’m not hungry. I just want to go to bed now.
(Wade doesn’t see the excited smirk on Michael’s face as he walks away towards his room.)

Act I, Scene 3
Setting: Snow has started to fall and blanket Willow Hill. Fiona is asleep in her bedroom. Wade is asleep in his bedroom. Ms. Boden has finally fallen asleep and the house workers are all in their beds sound asleep. Michael is wide awake searching through his father’s room for a key that opens an off-limits room, his father’s artifact office. A nightmare wakes up Wade causing him to check on his brother. Wade knocks on his father’s bedroom door.

WADE
I know you’re in there. Open the door.

MICHAEL
(The door unlocks and opens.)
I found the key! Look. All I wanted to do is to see what’s in there.

WADE
No! Go to bed. You’re gonna get us all into trouble.

FIONA
(Fiona wakes up from a feeling of unease and finds that her brothers are not in their bedrooms. She figures it out quick and finds them in their dad’s room)
I knew it! I had a feeling you were up to no good.
(Fiona crosses her arms.)
Go to bed now!

MICHAEL
Hear me out please! Remember I told you what I saw. Dad was in his artifact room and he was looking into something that was glowing calling mom’s name over and over. I just want to see what it was.

WADE
(Wade looks at Fiona.)
Well it’s not like anyone would stop us. We could open the door and show him that there is nothing in there. Maybe then we could all get to sleep.

FIONA
I think it could be dangerous because there must be a reason why we aren’t allowed in there.

MICHAEL
Please Fiona, just this once. We are never by ourselves. And…I really miss mom.
(Michael puts his head down as if a tear were falling down his cheek.)

FIONA
I can’t believe we are doing this. Wade, I’m blaming you if anything goes wrong.

Act I, Scene 4
Setting: At the lowest part of the mansion the three of them approach their father’s artifact office door. It’s a big wooden door with intricate carvings into an arch. The door knob is silver, and egg shaped with complicated inscriptions on it.

(Very slowly Wade puts the matching silver key and unlocks the door with a loud click sound. The three of them look wildly around to see if any of the workers heard them. They enter quietly, turn on the light switch and they see a large desk with an oil lamp. An antique looking couch with rosewood end-tables. And the walls are full of books and large wooden cabinets that are covered in labels.)

WADE
What is all this stuff?
(Wade walks up to the book shelves and starts looking through some of the books.)
These are all in Latin I think.
(Wade and Michael start examining mysterious objects.)

FIONA
(Fiona sits in her father’s high-backed chair in front of the desk. She examines a golden trinket that looks like a large pocket watch. After she puts it down she finds a scribbled letter in the top drawer that’s addressed to her father. She quietly reads out loud.)
Guys listen to this, dear William, it was great hearing that you and the kids are doing well. The mirror you found really should be protected by the POA. Grace had to really work hard this time if you can believe it. She thinks the specimens trapped in the amber are called…
(Fiona reads louder.)
Martinique fairies? She does not have any more info than that just that they were said to be mischievous. This is probably the only proof in the world that they ever existed. Grace has already run some tests but so far, we cannot figure out how the mirror works. We were thinking you might be able to try and crack the code as you did with the arch bible. Anyways we also sent the lenses to put in the frames you have, maybe that could help. Good luck and keep us posted. Sincerely, Ed
(Fiona places the letter back on the desk and looks at Wade.)

WADE
Fairies? Are you kidding me?

FIONA
We need to find the mirror. It’s got to be the same mirror dad was looking into when you saw him Michael. Where was dad sitting when you saw him?
(Michael points to where Fiona is sitting.)

MICHAEL
There. At the desk. He was looking into something that was glowing and he was saying mom’s name over and over.
(Fiona looks through all the drawers. The boys start to help. Michael finds a clue.)
Here! There’s another key.
(Wade takes the key and examines it.)

WADE
I’ll look through these shelves. Fiona take that wall, and Michael take that side.
(The three of them start searching for something that needs to be opened with a key. After an hour or so Michael trips over the edge of the Chinese rug on the floor and takes down an end table with him. The rug folds over and small trinkets clattered all over the floor. The three of them freeze in silence listening hard for any of the workers who may have heard the noise. Wade gave an angry stare at Michael. Michael looked at him sheepishly and mouthed sorry. When they don’t hear anyone coming to find them they start picking up the stuff that fell.)

FIONA
Look at the floor. It looks like a locked door in the floor boards. Give me the key Michael.
(Fiona puts the key in the lock on the floor and click! The floor board hinges squeak as she pulls the door open. She reaches in and takes out an antique journal and a large golden box.)