The Collector
An antique dealer acquires a beautiful music box that plays a melody no one recognizes. Those who hear it become obsessed with finding its origin — a search that leads to madness.
An antique dealer, Silas Blackwood, acquires a beautiful music box at auction. Upon playing it, he's captivated by the haunting melody. A customer, Evelyn Reed, hears the music and becomes equally obsessed. Silas, troubled by Evelyn's intense reaction, tries to understand the music box's origins. Evelyn, driven by the melody, begins a frantic search, neglecting her life.
CHARACTERS
Evelyn Reed
supporting
Silas Blackwood
supporting
Silas Blackwood (background)
minor
Evelyn Reed (background)
minor
PAGE 1
Panel 1:INT. AUCTION HOUSE - NIGHT. Silas Blackwood, mid-40s, well-dressed, stands among a crowd of people. He raises his paddle, bidding on an item on display. The auctioneer is visible in the background.
“AUCTIONEER: Do I hear two hundred and fifty? Sir?”
Panel 2:CLOSE UP on the MUSIC BOX on the auction block. It's ornate, made of dark wood with intricate carvings and inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
Panel 3:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - NIGHT. Silas Blackwood is behind the counter, polishing the MUSIC BOX. The shop is filled with various antiques and curiosities.
Panel 4:CLOSE UP on Silas' hand as he winds the MUSIC BOX.
Panel 5:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - NIGHT. The MUSIC BOX is playing. The music is represented by swirling, ethereal lines emanating from it. Silas is listening intently, a look of fascination on his face.
PAGE 2
Panel 1:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Evelyn Reed, a woman in her late 30s, enters the shop. She is dressed in a business suit.
Panel 2:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Evelyn Reed is standing near the counter, listening to the MUSIC BOX. Silas Blackwood watches her from behind the counter.
“MUSIC BOX (melody playing)”
Panel 3:CLOSE UP on Evelyn Reed's face. Her eyes are wide, and her expression is one of intense concentration.
“Evelyn Reed: (whispering) What is that melody?”
Panel 4:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Silas Blackwood looks concerned at Evelyn Reed's reaction.
“Silas Blackwood: Are you alright, madam?”
PAGE 3
Panel 1:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Evelyn Reed is gone. Silas Blackwood is examining the MUSIC BOX closely with a magnifying glass.
“Silas Blackwood: Where did you come from?”
Panel 2:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Silas Blackwood is looking through old books and catalogs, searching for information about the MUSIC BOX.
Panel 3:INT. EVELYN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT. Evelyn Reed's apartment is messy and disorganized. She is surrounded by maps and research papers, all related to the melody from the MUSIC BOX.
Panel 4:CLOSE UP on a map in Evelyn Reed's apartment. It's marked with several locations and lines connecting them. The MUSIC BOX is lying nearby.
PAGE 4
Panel 1:INT. EVELYN'S APARTMENT - DAY. Evelyn Reed is unshaven and disheveled, staring intensely at a piece of paper. She's been up all night researching.
“Evelyn Reed: It has to be... there.”
Panel 2:INT. SILAS' ANTIQUE SHOP - DAY. Silas Blackwood is looking out the window, a worried expression on his face.
“Silas Blackwood: What have I done?”
Panel 3:EXT. RURAL ROAD - DAY. Evelyn Reed is driving erratically down a country road. Her car is old and beat-up.
Panel 4:EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - DAY. Evelyn Reed's car is parked outside a dilapidated, overgrown house. Evelyn is standing in front of the house, staring at it with a mixture of hope and fear. She is clutching the Music Box.
Panel 5:CLOSE UP on Evelyn Reed's face. Her eyes are wide and unblinking. She's smiling faintly.
“Evelyn Reed: I'm home.”




