Office Politics

By
Lauren Cleary

Draft 6
6/03/2010

lcleary0@our.ecu.edu.au
INT. RECEPTION (SKYSCRAPER). DAY
The elevator doors slide open and GREG (30), wearing a white
shirt and blue suit pants, exits, crossing to the reception
desk. Behind the desk is SARAH, who stares absently at the
computer screen, playing with her hair.
GREG
Good morning, Sarah. How are you?
SARAH looks up and smiles brightly.

SARAH
Good thanks, and you?
GREG
Very good, today!
(pause)
Hey would you like to grab a drink
later?
SARAH
Of course!

Both smile and GREG leans forward onto the counter. The loud
ding of an elevator punctuates the silence.

INT. ELEVATOR (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG, leaning against the elevator wall, jerks awake

disorientated. He grabs his briefcase and gets out of the
elevator just as the doors begin to close.

INT. RECEPTION (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG crosses to the reception desk once again.
GREG
Good morning, Sarah!
SARAH looks up and smiles brightly.
SARAH
Morning, Greg, how was your night?

GREG
(mock sadness)
Oh you know, lonely as always.
(laughs)
How about you?
 2.

SARAH
Fine, fine, nothing interesting to
report.
SARAH takes a large pile of paperwork from her desk and
hands it to GREG.
GREG
(resigned)
Oh, joy.

GREG bites his lip, as if having an inner debate. He takes a

deep breath and looks at SARAH.
GREG
(nervous)
Uh, Sarah? I-I was wondering, you
know, if you’re-
ROGER
(loudly)
Sarah, my darling, how are you?

ROGER (27), dressed in a black suit and black shirt, flashes

a charming smile at Sarah, leaning casually against the
counter. GREG sighs, rolling his eyes.
SARAH
Very well, thanks Roger. And
yourself?
ROGER
Wonderful, as always.
(coldly)
Greg.
GREG
Roger.
ROGER smiles once again at SARAH and strides down the
CORRIDOR. SARAH watches him go longingly. GREG scowls after
him.
GREG
(mutters)
Prick.

He picking up the stack of paperwork and following after

ROGER.
 3.

INT. CORRIDOR (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG slopes along the CORRIDOR, towards his office. ROGER
appears at one of the doors.
ROGER
Lotta work there, buddy.
GREG rolls his eyes and continues along the corridor,
passing ROGER. As he does, he trips, scattering the
paperwork all over the hall.
ROGER laughs as GREG gets to his feet and turns to face
ROGER, shaking with anger and turning red. ROGER stops
laughing, horror flashing across his face.

SARAH (O.S)
Greg?

INT. RECEPTION (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG is standing at reception again. He shakes his head and

looks at SARAH.
GREG
Sorry?

SARAH
(laughs)
You seriously need to get more
sleep or something, zoning out like
that!

GREG smiles sheepishly. He picks up the stack of papers and

makes his way to his office without incident.

INT. BOARDROOM (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG sits at the full boardroom table, surrounded by various
business people including his boss, PHIL. ROGER stands at
the front, pointing to some charts.

ROGER
... and annual figures have fallen
dramatically over the past 6
months.
PHIL
What are your thoughts on that,
Greg?
GREG hesitates, shuffling through his papers.
 4.

GREG
Well, early indications have shown
that th-the current progr-
PHIL
Let’s face facts Greg. You’re team
has been over spending and under
achieving.
GREG stutters, running his hand through his hair.

PHIL
(impatient)
Any suggestions for fixing it,
Greg?
GREG says nothing as he continues to shuffle through his
papers. ROGER smirks and steps towards PHIL
ROGER
As I suggested before, if we were
to merge the two departments, I
believe we could recover some of
the loss.
The boardroom nods in agreement and GREG sighs, slumping
back into his chair.
PHIL
Right, if we’re all in agreement,
I’d like to get started on this as
soon as possible.
PHIL stands and heads for the door.

PHIL (CONT.)
Roger, we’ll discuss this more in
my office.
ROGER follows him out as the BOARDROOM slowly empties,
leaving GREG to his paperwork.

INT. OFFICE (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG is sat at his desk, searching through various stacks of
paper and files cluttering his desk. He is holding the phone
to his ear with his shoulder.
GREG
You can’t just move the entire...
right. I understand, but-
 5.

GREG glances up at the corridor as ROGER comes out of PHIL’S

office.
GREG (CONT.)
Yes, I’m still here.

GREG quickly grabs a pen, jamming the phone under one

ear. He glances up, this time to reception, where ROGER is
flirting with SARAH. GREG drops the phone and strides out
into the CORRIDOR.

INT. CORRIDOR (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

ROGER looks up as GREG reaches the opposite end of the
reception. ROGER steps away from the desk, facing GREG. A
hush falls over the CORRIDOR as the two men size each other
up. The elevator doors open and an office worker steps out.
Both men glare at him, and he shrinks back into the
elevator. The rest of the staff follow suit and scurry into
their offices, slamming the doors.
GREG narrows his eyes, stretching out his hands. He has a
staple gun tucked into the back of his pants. ROGER cracks
is neck and his knuckles menacingly. ROGER’S eyes flick to
SARAH, who quickly drops her gaze and hurries to the
kitchen. GREG watches her go, longingly. ROGER’S hand spasms
and GREG’S eyes flick back to ROGER quickly.

ROGER
I don’t think so.
Suddenly, ROGER grabs the pot plant from the reception desk,
throwing it swiftly at GREG who ducks and throws a mug back.
It misses, ROGER lunges towards GREG, grabbing him by the
collar and throwing him against the desk. GREG slams into
the desk falling over it. Within his grasp GREG sees a date
stamp. He grabs it just as ROGER forces him to face him,
pinning him by the throat.

ROGER
Like you’ll ever stand a chance.
Suddenly, GREG whips the date stamp round and thrusts it at
ROGER’S jaw. ROGER’S grip slips as he staggers backwards.
GREG stamps him in the chest and then tries another, but
hits ROGER’S fist. Shocked, GREG stares at the stamp and
then glances at ROGER. ROGER smirks and shoves GREG down to
the floor. He kicks the stamp from GREG’S hand and begins to
circle him.
 6.

GREG shoots his hand out, grabbing ROGER’S ankle. ROGER

lands heavily on the floor as GREG flips over and pins ROGER
to the floor with his knee. ROGER struggles and then freezes
as GREG pushes the stapler to his neck.

GREG
Checkmate.
GREG squeezes the trigger. ROGER flinches, bracing for the
pain. The stapler goes click, but is empty. GREG smirks,
standing and holding out his hand to ROGER. ROGER takes it
and stands. GREG grips his hand tighter and looks him
straight in the eye.
GREG
Truce?

ROGER frowns and then nods. GREG releases ROGER’S hand and
glances towards SARAH, who has come out of the kitchen. She
smiles meekly at GREG, who crosses to her and kisses her
passionately.

INT. CORRIDOR (SKYSCRAPER). DAY

GREG shakes his head, confused. He is pinning a stampless
ROGER to the ground with the stapler. GREG frowns, looking
up to find the entire office staring at him. GREG releases
the staple gun and stands slowly, hands raised. Two security
guards step through the crowd, taking GREG by the arms and
guiding him into the elevator. As the doors close, GREG
catches sight of SARAH, now nursing ROGER. She frowns and
then looks away as the doors close.