Union Soap Opera

Working title: Sheffield S10

by

Edward Hambleton
Dustin Guerri
Kathryn Kendall
Odele Payne
Sarah Pendergast
Alex Reffell
Mary Mingulay

Contact:
Edward Hambleton
[email protected]
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0114-2-784-704
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INT. RANMOOR CORRIDOR - EVENING

DAVE standing outside ELLIE’S door with Ellie’s sign on it. MARCO walks past in
Rugby kit. DAVE is wearing baggy jeans, chain and hoodie.

DAVE
Coming down the bar?

MARCO
Yeah, see you down there!

DAVE
(knocks on Ellie’s door)

INT. ELLIE’S ROOM - EVENING

Ellie is sitting at her desk working, wearing jeans and a jumper. Copy of the Steel
Press with picture of her and Debs arm in arm smiling is on the desk.

ELLIE
Come in!

DAVE
(wanders in)
We’re going down to Bar One, you wanna
come?

ELLIE
Oh, I don’t know, I’ve got quite a lot of
work to do. Besides, I can’t afford to spend money on
stuff like that. Who’s going?

DAVE
Marco, Nadia, ... Richard, I think.
(lowers voice)
Perhaps Debs?

ELLIE
(concerned)
Debs? You’ve been spending a lot of time
together recently ... Don’t you realise you’re only part of
her sick little game?

DAVE
(hesitantly)
It’s not like that, we’re just friends.

ELLIE
I don’t think Clare would share your
opinion!
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DAVE
Clare has no reason not to trust me.
After two years, she knows me inside out. Anyway, what’s it
to do with you?

ELLIE
I’ve met people like her before ...
(apologetically)
I’m only looking out for you Dave.

DAVE
Well we’re going at eight if you wanna
come.

INT. BAR ONE - EVENING

DEBS and Dave sat in Bar One with drinks. Debs wears low cut top, black trousers
and heels, jewellery and noticeable make-up.

DEBS
I bet Ellie’s not coming down tonight!

DAVE
I asked her, she’s got too much work to do.

DEBS
I knew it! She’s not even started her
half of our Steel Press article! I’ve had just about enough
of that stroppy little bitch not pulling her weight, being
anti-social ... borrowing my clothes, and she doesn’t
even come out with us. We’re first-years, we don’t have any
work! I’d kill myself if I were her! Don’t let me
get like that will you!

DAVE
Actually Debs she was writing the article for
the Steel Press.

Debs looks put out. Enter NADIA, RICHARD and Marco. Nadia wears jeans and a
top, Richard wears smart jeans/trousers and a shirt, Marco wears his rugby shirt and
coat, and jeans. Debs, upon seeing Marco stands up and greets Marco by hugging
him.

DEBS
(over the top)
Hiya Babe!!

MARCO
Ciao, stupenda!
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DEBS
Come and sit next to me Marco.

NADIA
Is everyone alright for drinks?

RICHARD
Y’alright Dave?

Debs sits down next to Dave.

DAVE
(as he tucks Deb’s label in)
Not bad mate.

DEBS
Ooo, hasn’t someone got cold fingers! I
shall have to warm them up for you now, shan’t I?

Nadia
Guys, listen to this! Marco’s got himself a
new pulling technique.

INT. PATA NOSTA - DAY

Marco goes up in lift waving at Nadia and other girls. He come back down the other
side doing a hand stand.

INT. BAR ONE - EVENING

Everyone laughs, Marco stands up and takes a bow.

Marco
Thankyou, thankyou!

NADIA
(downs the rest of her drink and
stands)
C’mon Dave, you haven’t bought me that
drink yet.
(drags Dave to the bar)

RICHARD
You know we were talking about Starsailer.
They’re playing at the Octagon this weekend. Do you
want me to get you a ticket?

Nadia
Yeah, that’d be cool. D’you wanna come
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Marco?

Marco
Nah, not my kind of thing, not cheesy
enough for me!

Richard
(snorts)
You’re not telling me your an S-club
groupie.

MARCO
Hey, there ain’t no party like an S-club
party!

NADIA
(in fits)

INT. ELLIE’S ROOM - EVENING

Ellie is looking at various clothes on her bed, holds up a mini-skirt in front of the
mirror. Tears roll down her face.

INT. BAR ONE - EVENING

Debs and Dave are still standing at the bar, Debs is chatting to the barman and orders
two Tequila slammers. They lick and salt their hands and down the Tequila. Debs
licks Dave’s hand. He looks shocked, unsure what to do. His mobile rings, he
answers it and it’s his girlfriend Clare.

DAVE
(nervously looking at his hand)
Hey Clare ...

Marco, Nadia and Richard join them at the bar.

MARCO
We’re going to play pool Debs, you two
coming?

DEBS
Sure!
(assertively grabs Dave’s hand and
drags him towards the pool room)

INT. ELLIE’S ROOM - EVENING

Ellie applies a thick layer of make-up.

INT. BAR ONE POOL ROOM - EVENING

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Debs, Dave, Nadia, Richard and Marco are all present. Dave is still talking on his
phone to his girlfriend. Debs seductively goes to Dave, she wraps her arms around
him from behind.

DEBS
Do you want to come and play with me?

DAVE
(elbows Debs off, continues to talk
to phone)
It was no-one.
(pauses for response)
It’s just Debs.

Marco racks up the table. Richard looks for the white ball among the other tables.
Nadia is chalking a cue and Debs is ruffling Marco’s hair.

DAVE
You just don’t trust me do you?
(looks at phone as it hangs up)
Well sod you!
(Falters with his mobile phone for a
second then angrily presses the cancel
key.)
BEEP
(Turns to Debs putting the mobile in
pocket, the beep not summing up his anger at
all)
Right! Doubles you said Debs?
(takes a swig of his drink and grabs
the pool cue that Debs offers him.)

Marco has finished setting up the table. He stands back claps his hands and rubs them
together.

MARCO
How about we spice it up a little? Miss a
shot, drink a shot, foul, dare!

NADIA
How about one for courage? Richard do you
mind?

RICHARD
Coff up then guys.
(leaves for bar)

Nadia breaks. She takes another shot and Marco slaps her backside but she still pots
the ball. Lots of drinking, lots of balls rolling, music thumping. Richard arrives with
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a tray of shots. More drinking. Debs takes a shot. She misses.

DEBS
Dare!

MARCO
Take your top off!

Debs takes her top off to reveal her bra (or a little top). She swings the top round her
head and lets go, it flies across the room and hits the bar man who is carrying two
stacks of pint glasses.

Pool resumes, lots of drinking and balls rolling. They are all getting drunk and
missing more shots, therefore more penalties. Nadia and Marco have a pretend fight.

NADIA
Dare!

DEBS
(sitting next to and staring at
Richard)
Nadia’s got to kiss Richard!

Richard’s eyes widen. Nadia strides over to Richard, pulls him up and kisses him,
they get a bit carried away. As they part Richard blushes and Nadia is in shock that
she enjoyed it so much.

More pool playing, drinking and balls rolling. Debs leans over Dave to show him
how to play. Marco shoots, the black slowly rolls into the pocket. Everyone stares at
him.

MARCO
Shit!

INT. BAR ONE POOL ROOM DOORS - EVENING

Richard, Nadia, Debs and Dave are all staring at the open doors in anticipation before
Marco runs past in the nude.

EXT. BAR ONE ENTRANCE - NIGHT

Ellie walks past towards West Street dressed in clothes we saw her preparing earlier.
Nadia, Debs, Dave, Richard and Marco stumble out of Bar One. They are all drunk,
laughing and talking very animatedly. They turn and walk up the hill, missing Ellie.

INT. RANMOOR RECEPTION - NIGHT

Debs is sitting on the reception desk which SAUNE the porter is stood behind.

DEBS
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Are you married Shaun?

DAVE (OS)
Debs!

DEBS
I always imagined I’d hitch up with an
older man.

SHAUNE
(not amused, he smiles)

DAVE (OS)
Debs!

Debs ignores Dave and continues to flirt with Shaun. Nadia, Richard and Marco head
towards the door to the main hall.

MARCO
(to Shaun)
Night mate, better watch that one.

Nadia, Richard and Marco leave through the door. Dave rolls his eyes and heads
down the stairs to the TV rooms. Realising everyone has gone, Debs attempts to slide
off the desk but ends up in a heap on the floor. She recovers by pretending to search
for something.

DEBS
Oh! Here it is!

Debs scuttles off down the stairs after Dave.

INT. RANMOOR TV ROOM - NIGHT

Dave is sitting in a chair in the middle of the TV room alone. The TV is on and the
lights are on. Dave is watching the TV.

Debs enters the room and turns off the light. Dave does not turn round or
acknowledge her presence. Debs goes over and massages Dave’s neck. After a while
we see that he has shut his eyes. Debs begins o kiss his neck.

INT. RICHARDS ROOM - NIGHT

Richard, Marco and Nadia are all sitting. Richard rolls a cigarette. Marco swigs
from a beer can, reaches to put the can down on a table that isn’t there, but drops it
and starts giggling, as does Nadia.

RICHARD
(setting can upright)
God, you guys are so messy, why can’t you tidy
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up after yourselves.
(picks up can and walks to bin, drops
and misses, he is unaware of this.)

Marco and Nadia go into hysterics. Marco falls on the bed. Nadia continues to laugh
at Richard.

RICHARD
(laughing also, though he doesn’t
know what)
Did you know the average person eats five
spiders a year?

NADIA
I don’t know about your dietary habits but I
don’t eat spiders.

RICHARD
So your telling me you never sleep with
your mouth open?

NADIA
(shrieks of laughter)

MARCO
(sits bolt upright, green, obviously
ill, he stumbles out of the room)

INT. RANMOOR CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Marco crashes into the toilet.

VOMMIT NOISES

Dave and Debs enter corridor. Dave is really drunk now. He slumps against the wall,
Debs pins him and kisses him.

Marco comes out of the toilet to them, he looks a bit dazed and a little put out.

Debs opens her door and pulls Dave in, the door closes behind them.

INT. RICHARDS ROOM - NIGHT

Richard is sitting by his desk smoking whilst Nadia sits opposite on the bed.

NADIA
Tea?
(leans over Richard to get the kettle
behind him, looking him deep in the eye.)
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Richard is oblivious.

INT. MARCO’S ROOM - NIGHT

Marco is sifting through a selection of porn magazines from under his bed. Various
publications litter the floor.

INT. RICHARD’S ROOM - NIGHT

NADIA
Milk?
(leans over Richard again, her face
close to his)

Richard is again oblivious, he is rabbiting about his ex-girlfriend, Mercy.

RICHARD
I wouldn’t have been here now if she
hadn’t got herself up the duff by him ...
EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Ellie’s high heels clip-clop along the street

INT. RICHARD’S ROOM - NIGHT

NADIA
Sugar?
(leans over Richard again)

RICHARD
(still oblivious to Nadia’s
approaches)
We’d have been living together as Mr. and
Mrs. Gervase, far away from Sheffield ...

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Ellie’s heels clip-clop round a corner.

INT. RICHARD’S ROOM - NIGHT

NADIA
Richard ...
(holds the mug of tea out to him)

RICHARD
(still oblivious)
Bastard ... I though he was a friend, if I ...
(notices the tea near his hand, as
his head rises, Nadia’s face is close to his, they move
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to kiss ...)

INT. RANMOOR CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Empty

FIRE BELL RINGS

INT. DEB’s ROOM - NIGHT

Debs and Dave are in bed together.

DEBS
Shit!

INT. RANMOOR CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Marco stumbles out of his room, flies undone, porn magazine in hand. Startled and
confused he pauses. Spots the magazine in his hand.

MARCO
Shit!
(throws magazine into his room)

Richard and Nadia come out of Richard room. Debs and Dave come out of Debs
room, there clothing ruffled, Dave’s trousers removed. They all pause to look at one
another inquisitively. Notably Marco’s flies are still undone and there is a piece of
tissue paper stuck to his hand.

DAVE
Where’s Ellie?

EXT. MAPPIN STREET - NIGHT

A car slowly pulls up next to Ellie who leans into the window.

CREDITS

Caption containing following voice over.

(VO)
If your experiencing financial
difficulties, there are many options available to you.
For information contact the Student Advice Centre on:

Telephone: 0114 222 8660

Fax: 0114 275 2506

E-mail: [email protected] or
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[email protected]

World Wide Web:www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/finance

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Sunday, 29 April, 2001, 21:36 GMT 22:36 UK

Hard-up students 'turn to vice'
An estimated 3-4% of students turn to vice

By Matthew Chapman

Leading health care experts have blamed changes in the student grant system
for a rise in the number of cash-strapped students turning to prostitution.

One student leader estimates that 60% of all sex workers in Leeds are full-time
students.

The country's leading clinic for prostitutes, the Praed Street Project in London,
says a growing number of the 2,000 sex workers they treat annually are
students.

"We've noticed a significant increase in the last three to four years, of students
who have entered into the sex industry with a goal to finance their studies," said
manager Jane Ayres.

"They have clearly said that changes in the grant system have affected their
choice."

By their third year, most students face an average £8,000 debt, studies have
shown.

Researchers at Westminster University in London estimate that 3-4% of

indebted students turn to the sex industry to earn extra money.

Student leaders in Leeds claim the problem has reached worrying levels.

"The Leeds sex industry is primarily composed of students," said James

Cemmell, education officer at Leeds Student Union.

Mr Cemmell, who gathered evidence from local groups which help prostitutes,
said: "The figure being touted is that 60% of sex workers in Leeds are students.

"It's obviously not a good state of affairs if our students are having to resort to
such drastic methods."

Students targeted

Brothel owners have even begun targeting campuses to recruit new workers.

Local newspapers often carry advertisements calling on students to become

escorts, which can be tantamount to prostitution.

The lure of earning up to £1,000 a week has led some girl students to work in
massage parlours and have their pictures put on sex sites on the internet.

"We get quite a few students applying and they are very welcome here," said
Charlie Daniels, the 42-year-old owner of massage parlour Pussycats, in central
Leeds.

She said students could earn up to £30,000 a year working part-time in city
brothels because they were in demand.

'Disgusting'
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Sarah, a 20 year old from Edinburgh studying business studies, is typical.

Forced by debt into prostitution, Sarah's services are advertised on the internet
by the escort company she works for.

The site boasts that Sarah is "studying hard at college" and is "bright,
intelligent, and a young sweetie" but the reality for her is harsh.

"It's disgusting some of the people you have to sleep with, but I need the
money," said Sarah.

"Last week I earnt £1,000, on a quiet week you can earn £500 or £700. I
wouldn't be at college if I wasn't escorting, as I wouldn't have had the money to
do it.

"Hopefully by doing this I will have cleared my debt and will have been through
college and university and then that's setting you up for the rest of your life,
isn't it?"

Academics have accused the government of betraying students by gradually

removing grants and forcing them to take loans.

"For a Labour government that has prided themselves on social justice and
equality it is embarrassing," said Dr Ron Robert - formerly of Westminster
University, London - who has researched student debt and poverty.

"We've found that debt in students was linked to students becoming involved in
criminal activity, drug dealing and prostitution, just so they can support
themselves financially."

Dr Robert's research from 1999 found that 75% of students had difficulty paying
bills and they were working on average 18 hours a week, in addition to their
studies.