P:O.V. No.9 - Two Recent Short Fiction Films, NEW YORK ENCOUNTER

A shot-by-shot reconstruction of Claude Saint Antoine’s
New York Encounter


Richard Raskin


Shots 1-14
New York mosaic.

Shot 15

Shots 16

Shot 17

Shots 18
Steve (having bumped into Helen): Oh!

Shot 19
Steve: Sor… Sorry.

Shots 20
Steve: I'm sorry.

Shot 21
Steve: Hello. I'm Steve. I'm a lawyer.

Shots 22
Steve: I live on Fifth Avenue at Central Park.

Shot 23
Steve: I earn $250,000 a year.

Shots 24
Helen: Nice to meet you. Helen. I'm a fashion designer. And I guess the windows of my apartment…

Shot 25
Helen: … face yours from the west side of Central Park at a distance of…

Shots 26
Helen: …approximately a mile. I earn $100,000 a year.

Shot 27
Steve: Can I ask you a personal question?
Helen: Please.
Steve: Are you married? Divorced? Any children?
Helen: Not at all. You?
Steve: No, no. Could we get together some time very soon?

Shots 28
Helen: I... I... I'm sorry but I have not a single hour available within the next two weeks.

Shot 29
Steve: Ohhh. That puts us into May and I've got a trial - a big one - that starts. It should go about 45 days. That takes us into July. What about July?

Shots 30
Helen: I'm sorry. I don't have a single day available the entire summer either.

Shot 31
Helen: Ah, let's see... Listen: what do you think about…

Shots 32
…ah, the15th of September for a quick lunch?

Shot 33
Steve: Perfect. You've got me.

Shots 34
Helen: Okay.
Steve: All right... Since it seems that we're not…

Shot 35
Steve: …going to see each other until September 15th - six months from now - would it be in any way inconvenient …

Shots 36
Steve: …if I kissed you today instead of waiting til then?

Shot 37

Shots 38
Helen: Not at all.

Shot 39

Shots 40
Helen: Ah, listen, I just... I just remember I... I... might have an occasion in July.

Shot 41
Steve: No.

Shots 42
Helen: No?

Shot 43
Steve: No – I mean yes! I mean…

Shots 44
Steve: …I realize I could have a day off…

Shot 45
Steve: … towards the end of the trial in May.

Shots 46
Helen: I am still available for lunch a week from Friday.

Shot 47
Steve: What about Tuesday?

Shots 48
Helen: What are you doing right now?

Shot 49
Steve: What do you mean, right now?



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