OFF THE RECORD (teaser)
ORIGINAL PILOT: one-hour drama, newsroom procedural
(Read the prologue.)
Off The Record
Format:
One-hour drama, newsroom procedural
Setting:
New York City, 2007 (pre-iPhone, pre-financial crisis)
Tone:
Fast-paced, dialogue-driven; All the President’s Men’s disembodies voices with The West Wing’s ensemble atmosphere
Logline:
Months before the iPhone changes everything and the banking world plunges the globe into recession, the staff of The Gotham Tribune fights competitors, billionaires, and bloggers to expose the city’s powerful and corrupt. But their greatest threat isn’t the story — it’s tech itself, which is slowly making newspapers obsolete.
Series Overview:
Off The Record follows the newsroom of a fading New York paper as it battles deadlines, scoops, and personal demons. Each episode ends with a published story, but every story also exposes the flaws, ambitions, and conflicts of the staff.
Season one runs eight episodes, each one concluding with a finished news story. Two B storylines are woven through each episode, each one marking a two- to three-episode arc for a different news story. Every story is fodder for character development. There is one long arc, a major investigation pieced together through each episode as a C storyline, culminating in the season’s final two episodes.
OFF THE RECORD
(ORIGINAL PILOT: hour drama)
by
Edmund Lee
Episode 1
Title: “The Lede”
(Current Revisions by
Edmund Lee, January 3, 2008)
Edmund Lee
Brooklyn, New York
TEASER
OVER BLACK
We hear PHONES ringing, the clang of KEYBOARDS.
FADE IN:
SUPER: “June 2007”
DISSOLVE TO:
SUPER: “4:48:43 P.M. EDT” (seconds counting up)
DISSOLVE ADD:
SUPER: “Last deadline: 4 hours, 11 minutes, 7 seconds...”
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — BULLPEN — DAY
The BULLPEN OFFICES of the Gotham Tribune: an open space of desks populated with ANXIOUS REPORTERS gabbing on phones, punching keyboards. The CONSTANT DIN of voices.
Most of the working world is getting ready to head home, but reporters are hitting the most intense hours of the day.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — RECEPTION — CONTINUOUS
The ELEVATOR DINGS. A PROSPECTIVE INTERN, DAVID BENNETT, still in college, gets off the ELEVATOR and heads to the RECEPTIONIST. The fresh-faced David is wearing a suit.
DAVID
Hi, I’m--
The RECEPTIONIST, on the PHONE, holds up a finger.
RECEPTIONIST
(on phone)
No, that’s Classifieds ma’am. Are you calling to complain about the delivery or the content of the paper? Both? Hold please.
(to David)
Yes?
DAVID
Hi, I’m David Bennett. I’m here to see H. Hobbs for--
RECEPTIONIST
Have a seat.
DAVID
I’m here for the internship--
RECEPTIONIST
Just have a seat.
(on phone)
Ma’am? No, I said that’s classifieds. You have to--
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — MANNY WHITE’S DESK — CONTINUOUS
MANNY WHITE, 30s, the newsroom star, is on the phone.
MANNY
(on phone)
I’ve been waiting all day to talk to Leslie. About my story-- Yes! on the mayor and the governor-- Well, you’re her assistant, so I would think-- Alright! Listen! I’ll make it simple: I need your boss, Leslie Ferrone, the mayor’s communications director, to, you know, communicate with me. What?! It’s Manny White from the Gotham Tribune! Thank you.
(hanging up phone)
Damn flacks.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — BULLPEN — CONTINUOUS
TAYLOR CONROY, 30s, the managing editor, storms through the BULLPEN -- beautiful, competent, demanding.
As she walks through, she drops off pages, talking to reporters. She’s in a rush so she’s short with everybody. And everybody talks fast.
She comes to SARAH GLAZER, 20s, who’s on the phone.
TAYLOR
I wanted 20 inches, you gave me 40. Cut it. Don’t give it to me like this again.
SARAH
(covering phone)
All of it-- It’s all important.
TAYLOR
Community board’s complaint the new big box store will depress local business doesn’t need to be more than 20 inches. In fact, I just summed it up in one. Cut it.
Taylor starts to walk away.
SARAH
Not so clear cut. There are some economic benefits. That’s the point, that’s the nut. I need more than 20.
TAYLOR
If you can’t prove the story in 20, it’s not worth telling.
(walking away)
You can do it.
SARAH
(out of earshot)
Bitch.
(into phone)
Oh, I’m sorry. Not you, my--
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — ABE FREEMAN’S DESK — CONTINUOUS
Taylor comes to ABE FREEMAN, 30s, who’s engrossed in his BLACKBERRY, a geek among geeks.
TAYLOR
Abe, I read this three times and I still don’t understand it.
ABE
Maybe a fourth--
TAYLOR
Abe, English.
ABE
You want me to dumb it down.
TAYLOR
Keep it smart, drop the jargon. You’re not at Bloomberg anymore.
ABE
It’s a profile of the guy’s business. How do I--
TAYLOR
“Ebitda,” Abe?! Ebitda?!
ABE
“Ee-bit-da.” Earnings Before Interest, Taxes--
TAYLOR
Depreciation and Amortization. I know what ebitda is. But our readers don’t. Even if we explained it, they wouldn’t care. We profile people, not businesses. Tell me what’s in his refrigerator, not his balance sheet. I’m holding the story until you can get the details.
ABE
You want me to dumb it down.
TAYLOR
Fine! Dumb it down.
She starts to walk away, but changes her mind, turns around.
TAYLOR
I’m a Kapler investor. A fund manager. I got voting shares.
ABE
What?
TAYLOR
It’s a hypothetical, try to keep up. I know top-line sales, fully diluted net, cash flow, EBIT as well as EBITDA. I have all the numbers.
Taylor knows the jargon. It surprises Abe.
ABE
The numbers are important
TAYLOR
But everybody has the numbers. They’re public. Right?
Abe nods.
TAYLOR (CONT’D)
So we need to report what they don’t already know. Otherwise, there’s no need to pick up the Tribune.
ABE
So what--
TAYLOR
What does Mr. CEO do for fun? Does he race yachts? Does he buy watches? I heard he went big at Davos this year, threw a big dinner. Who showed up? Who didn’t? What about his marriage? Has it dulled? If so, that’s gotta get in his head a little. And if I’m a voting shareholder, all of that would be relevant, right?
Abe gets it, nods along.
TAYLOR (CONT’D)
So get in his head.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — POLITICS DESK — CONTINUOUS
Taylor comes to MARTIN FASSLER, 50s, who feels his age in a newsroom that’s getting younger. She hands over a page.
TAYLOR (CONT’D)
Martin, this was good, but I massaged the lede. I think it punches better this way.
MARTIN
(reading)
You massaged the lede? You massaged the whole thing out. It’s–-
(he reads it carefully)
It’s better.
TAYLOR
Yeah, I thought so too.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — ARTS DESK — CONTINUOUS
ARTHUR KING, 60s, editor-in-chief of the Gotham Tribune, is having an easy laugh with his friend the Arts editor, GAIL SMITH, 50s. She’s from society, and he’s a tabloid veteran, but his success has naturalized him to the high life.
GAIL
You shouldn’t have left so soon.
ARTHUR
I’m getting old. And so are you.
GAIL
Speak for yourself. Besides, I thought that 30-year-old trophy wife of yours would have at least energized you somewhat.
ARTHUR
For the record, my “30-year-old trophy wife,” as you call her, is 41 years old, and she does energize me. Just not while we’re at the Asia Society.
(beat)
At least not this time.
GAIL
That’s disgusting. Sexagenarians shouldn’t be talking about sex.
Arthur laughs, and Taylor comes up on them.
TAYLOR
Sorry to interrupt, but we’re still finalizing the map, and I don’t know where we are with ads.
ARTHUR
They just called down. 82.
TAYLOR
82? We’re going to have to cut the--
ARTHUR
I know.
TAYLOR
It’s just-- The map keeps shrinking.
ARTHUR
The paper will increase again. It’ll cycle up. Don’t worry about it.
TAYLOR
OK.
ARTHUR
What about the mayor?
TAYLOR
I haven’t seen anything from Manny yet. I’m on my way over to him now.
ARTHUR
He better be right. My ears are still ringing from the last time the mayor’s office called.
TAYLOR
Yeah. Sorry about that.
ARTHUR
I like getting scoops, but if it’s not true, it’s a lie.
TAYLOR
It’s not going to turn out like--
ARTHUR
What I’m saying is, we keep screwing up, the paper’s going to shrink down to something much smaller than 82 pages. Understand?
TAYLOR
Yeah.
Taylor turns to leave.
GAIL
Arthur.
ARTHUR
Oh, right.
(to Taylor)
Taylor. Gail needs another--
Arthur looks at Gail. She holds up two fingers.
ARTHUR (CONT’D)
20 inches, for-- What was it?
GAIL
The feature. Movie stars are doing more television. There’s more--
ARTHUR
Right. So, she needs another 20.
TAYLOR
We just talked about cutting down--
ARTHUR
(sotto voce)
Film, entertainment, it’s the only place where the ad dollars are staying. Find her the space.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — HEIDI’S DESK — CONTINUOUS
HEIDI HOBBS, 20s, sports editor argues with MIKE MCBRIDE, 30s, a jock-turned-reporter. Heidi knows more about sports than anyone but looks and dresses like the fashion editor.
HEIDI
I’m not running this!
MIKE
Why not? It’s not good?
HEIDI
It’s not new! It’s old. This is an old story, Mike.
MIKE
Says the teenager in stilettos.
HEIDI
Stick and Buck built the Yankee farm system that won Torre and Cashman their four rings, and that’s what the front office needs if they want another dynasty? That story’s been written like 10 times already.
MIKE
Yeah, but I got the quotes.
HEIDI
The quotes suck.
MIKE
Your opinion.
HEIDI
Well, as the sports editor, it’s the only one that counts. And by the way, when The Times did this story, they got quotes from Stick and he actually said something. You have to file something else. You have an hour.
Taylor comes up on them.
TAYLOR
He won’t have to.
MIKE
Thank you, Taylor! See, it’s a go.
TAYLOR
Didn’t say that, Mike.
Heidi realizes why she’s there.
HEIDI
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
TAYLOR
I’m sorry Heidi. Three-and-a-half.
Taylor turns, and Heidi follows. They walk and talk.
HEIDI
You guys said you wanted to build this out.
TAYLOR
We do.
HEIDI
When you guys hired me three months ago, you said, “Heidi, we want to build out the sports section. We want to cover more than just the scores.” That’s exactly what you said.
TAYLOR
Did you take notes?
HEIDI
Well, as I understand it, building out means, you know, building. Adding. Creating more space.
TAYLOR
Space is tight. Some ads didn’t come through. We have to cut it to three- and-a-half.
HEIDI
Wait. So now I’m down to five pages?
TAYLOR
No. I meant you have to cut to three and a half. You have 3 and a half pages.
HEIDI
Are you-- I mean-- Is it this whole, she’s barely out of college and looks like she belongs at Women’s Wear Daily, instead of--
Taylor stops in her tracks, turns to Heidi.
TAYLOR
OK, stop. I have about a minute and a half left. Am I supposed to say something? Or are you going to give me a prompt? Or is this some kind of synchronicity thing?
HEIDI
Am I getting fired?
TAYLOR
We’re just cutting space. Not you.
(starts walking away)
And you could never work at Women’s Wear Daily.
HEIDI
I’ll take that as a compliment.
Taylor winks.
INT. GOTHAM TRIBUNE — MANNY WHITE’S DESK — CONTINUOUS
Taylor saved the best for last: Manny White, on the phone.
MANNY
(on the phone)
...eons, lifetimes, any longer and the sun will turn into a neutron star. Fine, I’ll wait.
(to Taylor)
This is taking way too long.
TAYLOR
That Leslie?
MANNY
Her assistant. The flack’s flack.
TAYLOR
No presser today. No announcement. And they still won’t confirm?
MANNY
Swear to god, I feel like someone’s screwing with me on this.
TAYLOR
We can’t have another screwup Manny.
MANNY
I said someone’s screwing with me.
TAYLOR
What’s the difference?
Manny gives her a look.
MANNY
(on the phone)
Leslie, finally! When is he announcing? Yeah. Yeah.
(the conversation turns)
Wait! What?! Leslie! That’s-- You’re kidding me! Leslie! Leslie. You can’t be serious! We just broke the story, this morning, saying that your boy, the mayor, plans to announce he’s running for governor. Now, you’re saying-- No, no, no. That’s not what you said yesterday! Leslie! Leslie?!
Manny hangs up. He looks up at Taylor, dejected.
TAYLOR
So I guess they’re still not confirming our story?
MANNY
(beat)
They’re denying our story. They’re sending a statement now.
TAYLOR
What?!
MANNY
The mayor, he’s not-- He’s not running for governor. He--
TAYLOR
I don’t believe this!
MANNY
They screwed me.
TAYLOR
They screwed you? No, you just screwed us!
MANNY
It’s not my fault. My sources--
TAYLOR
I don’t care.
Taylor picks up Manny’s phone and dials.
TAYLOR (CONT’D)
(on phone)
Arthur, it’s me. Manny just got off with Leslie. The mayor’s not running for governor, he’s not running for anything. Yeah. We screwed up on this one.
SMASH CUT TO:
OUR MAIN TITLES: “OFF THE RECORD”
END TEASER
Tune in next week for Act One.