Title: "Behind the Line"

Scene 1: INT. MALIK'S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – DAY

(Malik, a 22-year-old African American, sits on the couch in a small but tidy living room. His
mother, LISA, is pacing, worry etched on her face. The TV is on in the background, playing news
clips about police brutality.)

NEWS ANCHOR (V.O.)

Another protest turned violent today in the downtown area…

Malik's eyes are glued to the screen, but he’s silent. The weight of it all sits heavy between them.
Lisa looks at him, her voice soft but strained.

LISA
I just want you to be safe, Malik. It’s getting worse out there.

MALIK
I know, but how long can I sit here and pretend it’s not my problem?

LISA
It is your problem. But I need you to stay alive.

Malik doesn’t respond. The tension hangs in the air, unresolved.

Scene 2: INT. MALIK'S OFFICE – DAY

(Malik is at his desk in an open-plan office. He’s the only Black employee in the room. His co-
worker, BRAD, leans over the partition.)

BRAD
Hey man, did you see the stuff going down? All those protests.

Malik hesitates, choosing his words carefully.

MALIK
Yeah, I saw.

BRAD
It’s crazy, right? I mean, do you think it’s helping?

Malik pauses, feeling the weight of the question.

MALIK
I think it’s the only thing we can do right now.

Brad nods, but there’s a disconnect. He doesn’t really understand.

Scene 3: EXT. STREET – NIGHT

(Malik is walking home, hoodie up. He’s tense, every step calculated. A police car rolls by
slowly. He glances over his shoulder. The car slows down but doesn’t stop. Malik's breath
quickens. He turns a corner, the headlights fade, but his heartbeat is still racing.)

Scene 4: INT. DINER – NIGHT

(Malik sits at a booth with his best friend JASON and KENDRA, both childhood friends. The
conversation is quiet but heavy.)

KENDRA
I’m tired, man. Like, bone tired.

JASON
Tired of what?

KENDRA
Of having to explain, every day, why this matters. Why we matter.

Jason looks down at his hands, unsure of how to respond.

JASON
I don’t know what to say. I wanna help, but I don’t know how.

MALIK
It’s not about having answers, Jason. It’s about listening.

Jason nods, still feeling the weight of his ignorance.

Scene 5: INT. MALIK'S BEDROOM – NIGHT

(Malik is in his room, scrolling through his phone. The glow of protest videos illuminates his
face. He sees images of people just like him—angry, hurt, scared. His mom knocks on the door
softly, entering with hesitation.)
LISA
You’re going out there, aren’t you?

MALIK
I can’t stay quiet anymore, Mom.

Lisa stands in the doorway, her hands clutched tightly together. She looks at her son, fear in her
eyes.

LISA
I don’t want you to be a headline.

The room is silent. Malik meets her gaze, his jaw clenched, but says nothing.

Scene 6: EXT. PROTEST – DAY

(Malik stands amidst the crowd, holding a sign but not chanting. The energy is chaotic but
controlled. Riot police stand in a line across the street. The camera follows Malik as he moves
through the crowd, locking eyes with a white officer for a brief moment. There’s no violence yet,
but the tension is electric.)

Suddenly, a protester shouts and pushes forward. A wave of panic moves through the crowd as
police advance. Tear gas fills the air. Malik coughs, eyes watering, stumbling back, desperately
searching for air.

Scene 7: INT. COMMUNITY CENTER – DAY

(A small community center, post-protest. Malik sits in a circle with other activists. Kendra
speaks passionately.)

KENDRA
Protesting is just the start. We need to organize, vote, demand representation. This fight doesn’t
end in the streets.

The group nods. Malik sits quietly, his mind still on the events of the day. He’s overwhelmed,
unsure of his place in this larger movement, but knows he can’t step away.

Scene 8: INT. MALIK'S OFFICE – DAY

(Back at work. The office hums with quiet activity. Brad approaches Malik’s desk again,
awkward, unsure of how to approach the conversation.)

BRAD
I’ve been thinking… about what you said. Trying to understand.

MALIK
It’s a start.

Malik offers a small nod. It’s not a resolution, but it’s a step forward.

Final Scene: EXT. STREET – NIGHT

(Malik walks home, the same street from Scene 3. The camera lingers as he walks, no police car
this time. The tension is gone, but the world hasn’t changed. He walks forward into the night,
unsure of what comes next but determined to keep moving.)