Script File

Stepping Off The Carpathia

To get straight to the point regarding the unique selling point of this story, that premise has to be the legendary story of rescue ship RMS Carpathia and RMS Titanic, with the former ultimately docking in New York after completing a heroic rescue mission.
Protagonist Francesca Draycott steps of the Carpathia on her own where she notices her parents Vivienne and Humphrey Draycott. At this moment she is also reunited with her fiancé who has also survived the Titanic disaster. A few years down the line Francesca Draycott receives the dreaded news her fiancé George Edwards, after playing a hero's role at the battle of the Somme in 1916 has passed away in action after coming under fire from a German shell attack on the frontline. This being so near to the end of the war during the allied advance to victory in 1918 at the culmination of World War I.
Antagonist Benjamin Hartley comes back into the picture with a few old acquaintances and adversaries. Mysteriously his one-time possession that he thought was his again takes command of him as he tries to retrieve an ancient scroll. This previously appears at an auction in Rome that Benjamin Hartley attends where he purchases the ancient writing for safe keeping. Later on in the story after the object has left his possession he is convinced that someone knows something including Francesca Draycott, John Albert, Ruben Edwards and Anna as the conflict of this story is instigated.
Experiences she is involved in revolve around old adversaries maybe running into her and trying to locate what she has set out to protect on her mission, therefore at these times when there is danger in the air she has to show great strength. Early on her man is George Edwards who shares these resilient moments, however as the story unfolds her future partner John Albert becomes this man in her life as they eventually have to make a dramatic escape from their pursuers in New York with these individuals being Benjamin Hartley, Archie Knox and the entourage after moving back there in 1922.
However, earlier on in this epic story there is a move to Boston, Massachusetts after a residency in New York City and this is where Francesca Draycott meets Boston’s poet Ruben Edwards who is the deuteragonist of this story! Ruben Edwards and John Albert both happen to be miners by day as well after both returning from World War I as American soldiers. Ruben and his fiancée Anna with John Albert and Francesca Draycott then return to New York City to conquer Broadway in Manhattan on their creative quests. These other quests concern Ruben achieving his professional success as a poet with Anna the photographer and John fulfilling his destiny in a similar way as an actor.
It is here that old adversaries Benjamin Hartley and Archie Knox enter the story, not long after this Al Capone and his associates take an interest in events. The story also involves New York’s competing poets that have come from all over the world to win the title of New York City’s best poet award that is highly regarded. As the New York audience welcomingly call a certain poet the Boston boy! Ruben Edwards. He has genuine competition on stage as a poet in the form of Lars Winserheinen the German commander. Entertaining on stage as well we have Frankie Fortune from the West Indies, the man the American crowd call their own as poetic spectators, Tony Kingdom of Mississippi in the USA, the man they start to call on stage the ruler, that is Irish born Terry King from the Republic of Ireland and a certain namesake as a White Star Line employee, from Vancouver, Canada, Bruce Ismay!
The ultimate interest in this tale is what Francesca Draycotts’ quest actually is? The intriguing plotline is that she is ultimately destined to meet certain missionaries when over in Rome visiting family and some old friends, where she is enlightened by something that only a few people are aware of. In Italy she is given a fascinating object to keep with her, this historic possession being a magical key that opens a hidden door leading to a number of labyrinths foretelling prophecies. At the same time she also is given an intriguing ancient scroll as well that maps out where this particular place is. Here there is also a church and alter where this mission of protection has an ultimate shrine!

  • L. J. Cluskey
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay
  • Genres:
    Adventure, Drama, Historical, Romance
  • Number of Pages:
    121
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards
    L.A.
    April 7, 2017
    Finalist - Screenplay
  • Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards
    L.A.
    April 7, 2017
    1st Place British Script - 'Other' Genre
  • Tagore International Film Festival
    Tagore, India
    June 16, 2020
    Winner - 'Feature Script' - Outstanding Achievement
  • Palm Beach International Music Awards - 2021
    Palm Beach, Florida, USA
    February 16, 2021
    Winner - 'Lyrics Only' Award - Song - 'Through These Times I Live'
  • Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards
    Rome, Italy
    May 6, 2021
    Official Selection - 'Best Feature Script' - 2020-21
  • The Sun Of The East Awards
    India
    May 8, 2021
    Nominee - 'Feature Script'
  • Academy Oscars - Nicholl Fellowship 2021
    Los Angeles, USA
    August 3, 2021
    Approved & Shortlisted - Nicholl Fellowship 2021
Writer Biography - L. J. Cluskey

To commemorate the 100th Anniversary in 2018 regarding the sinking of RMS Carpathia British author & screenwriter L. J. Cluskey published his first novel edition titled 'Stepping off the Carpathia' where he then went onto complete the accomplished screenplay of 'Stepping Off The Carpathia.'
The story goes back to 1912 as the Carpathia docks at New York Harbour after the rescue mission to save the passengers of RMS Titanic is complete. This is where a fictional adventure storyline is told about some of the survivors and the lives they live there after. The novel and screenplay have all the hall markings for it to be remembered as one very enjoyable writing and production.
After recent success in the US in making awareness for 'Stepping off the Carpathia' to be produced in being optioned for film or TV a top British finish was achieved with the story. The script as perceived when being considered for representation and production, achieved something really credible considering the thousands of other scripts sent across to the United States. Although not taking the trophy so to speak this time with ultimately so many great writers from around the world participating, there is a great hope for the future with ‘Stepping off the Carpathia’ hoping to win an award one day. There are still many awards for the story to be considered for, not just in the UK and US but other countries to with hopefully much opportunity.
With many a writings inspiring this work there are great books and productions having been written over the years that have contributed to the author creatively bringing this story to reality. There is truly a great mix of characters right throughout the screenplay keeping the reader interested and wanting to know what is happening.

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Writer Statement

‘The initial challenge was to have that sea to land beginning starting with the docking of RMS Carpathia at New York Harbour. I did think that many great things had been written, produced and accomplished over the years on the subject of RMS Carpathia and RMS Titanic, therefore there was also the challenge for me as a writer to deliver the creative magnitude associated with these two transatlantic ocean liners. I decided to go for uncharted territory beginning with the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, World War I, dreams and quests that progress into the roaring twenties. Thankfully, through an inspiring creative process I have managed to complete this script as a screenwriter.’ The writer continues to discuss. ‘With ‘Stepping off the Carpathia’ I have created a new writing concept I have titled character maximisation. Ultimately this is the maximisation of characters to the point where the script reads to an excellent standard and works well. Many years from now there will be authors and screenwriters that can write for themselves in this way as a new writing frontier has been discovered!'

Interview Extract from L. J. Cluskey