The Premise, Episode #1 - KKK in Cincy

EXT. BUSY STREET - CINCINNATI, OH - DAY

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Stock footage, KKK marches on Cincinnati, black and white, grainy.

The KKK march hand in hand, one line after the next, hooded, unhooded, the front line marches orderly, proudly displaying their uniform, followed by line after line of knights, hoisting signs, “WHITE POWER”, “OUR COUNTRY”, “GET OUT”, “JEWS ARE RATS”, “SPICS GO HOME”, “BORN TO BE OWNED”.

Kids dressed in white robes, march in goose step, proud mothers and fathers watch, step after step, smiling, beaming.

PULL BACK to see the streets lined with Blacks, Jews, Hispanics and a variety of others that can’t believe their town has been overrun by these despicable people, shouting, holding their own signs, not believing their eyes, rage building.

Rows of policeman stand in front of barricades, holding back the surging, boiling, contempt, the last line of defense, before unrest erupts.

FADE TO BLACK.

Block letters, follow one after the next.

PREMISE: HATE BREEDS HATE WHICH BREEDS MORE HATE

FADE TO BLACK.

Block letters, follow one after the next.

PROPOSAL: DISMANTLE THE CIRCLE HATE

INT. STARBUCKS - INDIANAPOLIS - DAY

JOHN sits at a table, jotting down notes on a pad, a checklist, double checking, thinking, looking out the window, anxious.

Various people enter, families, housewives, kids, singles, recovering from the night before. A BLACK MAN approaches John, with a

A BLACK MAN approaches John, with a backpack in hand, greeting each other, meeting for the first time in person.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE

Then a HISPANIC MAN approaches, greeting as well.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

An ASIAN MAN, then a BLACK GIRL, HISPANIC COUPLE, ASIAN GIRL, NATIVE AMERICAN, ISLANDER and what has to be a HASIDIC JEW each approach with a backpack in hand.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

The greetings continue, until John has accounted for everyone on his checklist, excitement mounts as the team assembles.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

JOHN: OK. I think we’re ready.

The group follows John out of Starbucks.

EXT. STREET - DAY

He leads them to a van waiting down the street, opens the door and they all pile in.

INT. VAN - LEAVING INDIANAPOLIS - EARLY MORNING

Working van, no seats, the group sits around the floor, trading stories, getting to know one another, exploring the boundaries of their diversity, certain awareness of their differences, careful not to overstep, tight shots on their faces.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

INT. VAN - HALF WAY TO CINCINNATI

Still tight, sitting, becoming more comfortable with each other, getting to know one another, clicks forming, pushing their own boundaries, formality loosens, as they laugh and enjoy each other’s company, but still somehow aware of their differences.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

INT. VAN - JUST OUTSIDE OF CINCINNATI

The stories, interaction continues.

John looks out the window.

JOHN: We’re just about there.

The mood stiffens, van goes silent, each accounts for their belongings.

Opening their backpacks, pulling out white robes, putting them on.

Their diversity now stands in a stark contrast to the solid white robes they are wearing.

Each of them puts on something that is appropriate to their ethnicity, Hasidic, wide brimmed hat, Indian head dress, Rasta, knit hat, sombrero, African head wrap, etc.

The van comes to a stop.

EXT. MARCH REGISTRATION DESK - DAY

John approaches, greets the registars, collects registration materials, thank you’s pass back and forth, everything very friendly and cordial.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

EXT. STAGING AREA - SHORT TIME LATER

John enters first asking questions, interview style, building trust until...

The group enters, the stark contrast of their diversity immediately stands out, at first, shock and surprise, anger builds on the KKK side, followed by verbal attacks.

The group stands strong, mirroring the view points of the KKK, as if to express self hatred, white power, minorities be damned.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

The KKK members, confused, firing slur after slur, are met only with respect and support for their cause, leaving the KKK members, uncomfortable, anger mounts until the march starts.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

EXT. STREET - DAY

A repeat of the earlier footage, this time in color, realtime, like news footage, a line of men lead the charge, row after row of soldiers of the white cause follow until...

John’s group emerges, their colors pop in contrast to their white robes, flaring their signs, like marines, “HILE HITLER”, “GO BACK TO JAIL”, “WHITE POWER”, “GOOKS GO HOME”, “SEND THE SPICS BACK”, “GOD LOVES WHITES”, “ARYIAN POWER”.

It’s not enough to just march, they rush the crowd, shouting their messages of self-hate over the barricades, rallying the crowd, getting them to chant the messages as well.

ALL: WHITE POWER! WHITE POWER! WHITE POWER!

All the while they KKK stop to see their march being taken over, turned into circus, falling part, energy fading like a dying engine, puttering dead, rows of marchers lose direction, collide into one another, degrading into herd of sheep searching for direction.

INT. VAN - EVENING

The group piles back in, adrenaline surging, stories flying back and forth, boundaries completely erased, hugging, touching, smiling.

IMPROVISED DIALOGUE.

FADE TO BLACK.

Block letters, follow one after the next.

RESULT: CIRCLE BROKEN