The following is the script for a YouTube short film series written to promote a family friend’s invention, the JackRabbit, an e-bike. The JackRabbit launched a successful KickStarter campaign and now has been purchased by a former Qualcomm executive.
JACKRABBIT: MYTH OR REALITY?
a film
in 3 parts
by Richard Freeland
DAY 1 – CHAPPARELLE, LARGE BUSHES – AFTERNOON
A couple of guys crouch in a bush, peering attentively into another bush.
CAMERA BEHIND BOYISH HEADS
STERLING, too old for this, whispers:
STERLING
What was that?
RICHIE, too young for this, replies:
RICHIE
…There’s…there’s something in the bushes…
The bushes rustle.
STERLING
Lo-look! There it is!
A large rabbit rides from bush to bush on a stylish electric vehicle.
RICHIE
I didn’t see it, what was it?!
STERLING
Look! There it goes again!
Rabbit zooms by again.
RICHIE
I-I saw it this time, it looked like…
At once:
STERLING
-a bike-
RICHIE
-a scooter
Together, in awe, whispered:
A JackRabbit.
CUT TO LOGO – JACKRABBIT: MYTH OR REALITY? APPEARS, OMINOUS, EERIE MUSIC
CUT BETWEEN SHOTS OF STERLING AND RICHIE CREEPING THROUGH THE BRUSH, CLIMBING A ROCK, USING BINOCULARS, PEEING ON ADJACENT TREES.
DRONE ZOOMS IN FROM ABOVE. TYPE IN BOTTOM LEFT:
“SANTEE, CA
EXACT LOCATION: ???”
A CLEARING – AFTERNOON
STERLING
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here in the wilds of Santee, CA, in search of rare breed of rabbit… and we think we’ve found it
A rabbit that can gallop at over 18 miles per hour—
RICHIE
—And may also be riding a bike.
Brief pause as STERLING considers this.
STERLING
Yes, there is a distinct possibility that the rabbit is riding a bike. Not a bike, though—and not a scooter. A nimble, affordable electric vehicle, with a sleek ebony coat, and—
Richie interrupts his reverie. With the joy of a manchild petting a rabbit for the first time:
RICHIE
Like a magical rabbit steed you can fly across your college campus!
A pause.
STERLING
…Yes, Richie. Exactly like that.
RICHIE
We’re shooting to kill.
STERLING
No RICHIE, no! We’re not here to hunt… but to observe.
ZOOM IN TO FACE, EYEBROW COCKED
STERLING
What is the JackRabbit?
HEAD WHIPS, DRAMATIC ANGLE SWITCH, CLOSE UP AGAIN
STERLING
Is it a bike? Or a scooter?
CLOSE UP OF RICHIE
RICHIE
Who taught that rabbit to ride a bike?
STERLING
You’ll find out, on the next episode of…
JACKRABBIT: MYTH OR REALITY?
LOGO APPEARS, DRAMATIC MUSIC
SLOW ZOOM OF RABBIT SUIT GUY PEEKING OUT OF THE REEDS
Rabbit appears in front of green screen.
LIKE us on Facebook!
See a giant rabbit around town? Use hashtag #whatisjackrabbit
Buy your JackRabbit today!
[All linked]
END DAY 1
DAY 2 – HIDDEN IN THE BUSHES – AFTERNOON
A giant rabbit can be seen tending to an elegantly designed e-bike in a clearing. Sterling and Richie are in the bushes.
STERLING is holding binoculars.
To the camera:
STERLING
Hello. I’m Sterling. This is Richie. And this is Day 2 of our search for the mythical JackRabbit.
Jimmy said he saw something in the bushes, so… oh my God… oh my God! We’ve got him, we’ve—oh my God. Oh man. Are we rolling?!”
Wh…what’s it doing? Richie, what’s it doing?
RICHIE is wearing a safari hat
RICHIE
…Looks like it’s pooping.
STERLING
No, Richie, no… it’s charging. Charging that bike…
RICHIE
Like a battery?
STERLING
Nothing gets past you, Richie. And see there—it’s almost as if he can take a key out of his vehicle, and, and look, look, fold it up to a width of… would you say 6 inches, Richie?
RICHIE
That definitely looks like 6 inches to me, Sterling.
STERLING
Marvelous… And what is it doing now, Richie?
RICHIE
Ohh, he’s in for a big poop this time, Sterling.
STERLING
That’s not it… he can even charge his cell phone with that USB port! Smart rabbit.
Both observe for a moment
RICHIE
Let’s pet him!
Richie leaps out of the bushes with boundless joy and runs toward the rabbit.
STERLING
Richie, NOOO!
He leaps into action, following.
Both sprint out into the clearing, at which point the Rabbit, startled, calmly readies his vehicle for riding, mounts and speeds away.
Panting:
STERLING
He’s…he’s getting away!
Both put up a terrible show of fake running, arms flailing, complaining, dramatically slow. Rabbit zooms into distance.
CUT TO COOL OFFROAD JACKRABBIT SHOT
Both slow down and stop, panting, hands on knees. RICHIE speaks through pants.
RICHIE
If only… if only we had a sweet ride like that! We could go both off-road, and… you know… the other one…
STERLING
On road, Richie—
RICHIE
On road on road, yeah. That one.
STERLING gathers himself.
STERLING
Curses! The JackRabbit eludes us yet again, Richie. Our quest continues.
ZOOM IN TO FACE, EYEBROW COCKED
STERLING
What is the JackRabbit?
HEAD WHIPS, DRAMATIC ANGLE SWITCH, CLOSE UP AGAIN
STERLING
Why do its tires never go flat?
CLOSE UP OF RICHIE
RICHIE
I found an egg!
STERLING
You’ll find out, on the next episode of…
JACKRABBIT: MYTH OR REALITY?
LOGO APPEARS, DRAMATIC MUSIC
SLOW ZOOM OF RABBIT SUIT GUY PLAYING GUITAR, CASUALLY NODDING HEAD & ROCKING SIDE TO SIDE
Rabbit appears in front of green screen.
LIKE us on Facebook!
See a giant rabbit around town? Use hashtag #whatisjackrabbit
Buy your JackRabbit today!
[All linked]
END OF DAY 2
DAY 3 – CAMPSITE IN CLEARING – AFTERNOON
The boys are camped out, with two sleeping bags laid out by a fire. Spirits do not seem high. STERLING stands in the foreground. RICHIE is sitting on a rock behind him.
STERLING addresses his fans.
STERLING
Hello, fans, I’m STERLING, this is R., and this is the final day of our search for the elusive JackRabbit electric vehicle… and the strange rabbit riding it.
You may remember us from our previous attempts to approach a JackRabbit in the wild….
JUMP CUTS BETWEEN PREVIOUS SCENES
“Look-there it is!”
“Let’s pet him!”
“I found an egg.”
RETURN TO STERLING,
who looks as if he also was reliving those moments,
STERLING
…the last of which ended in us getting totally lost. Deep in the JackRabbit’s territory, I might add.
Sigh.
We’re out of food, we’re out of water, and sadly this will be our last day of film— hold on… Hold on!
He has glanced back to RICHIE midsentence and double-takes.
Camera, confused, follows gaze.
RICHIE is frozen in the act of eating a submarine sandwich. A jug of water sits next to him.
He looks at STERLING
RICHIE runs.
STERLING
RICHIE!!!
STERLING pounds after him.
STERLING
Holding out on me, huh? You’ve been holding out me? What do you— you’ve got a frickin’—
we hear as RICHIE leaps into the brush at the edge of our vision, submarine sandwich and jug of water in hand, with Sterling close behind.
CAMERA JUMBLES, BRIEF GROUND SHOT, CUT TO BLACK
A few seconds of black.
CAMERA RETURNS TO PREVIOUS FRAME.
STERLING seethes. Everyone’s hair is messed up, muddy. RICHIE pouts on rock, looking at ground.
Sterling gathers himself with a deep, deep breath.
STERLING
Now. As I was saying.
A pause.
STERLING
We’re out of food and water.
RICHIE looks pitifully up at Sterling.
STERLING is recovering his suave.
STERLING
We can, however, show you what evidence we have so far. Follow me.
INNER CAMP, BY UNLIT FIRE – EVENING
STERLING and RICHIE stand on either side of a small table with evidence on it.
STERLING
You can see here all the evidence we’ve gathered on the JackRabbit’s existence.
CUT TO TABLE
A board of black and white polaroids connected by red yarn. Photos include the JackRabbit, 19th century early bicycles, Tom as a baby, RICHIE looking startled in his PJs with hand in a bag of Doritos, the Easter Bunny.
STERLING
What we haven’t already told you so far is this:
First, the JackRabbit has three modes—cruise, coast and climb. You flip the switch and alternate between cruise, a moderate speed, coast, an energy saving mode, and climb, for that giant hill that leads to the Arts and Letters building at SDSU.
IN TANDEM:
CUT TO TITANIC ‘KING OF THE WORLD’ PICTURE OF JACKRABBIT CRUISING AT BEACH
CUT TO RIDER READING BOOK WHILE IN CRUISE MODE
CUT TO STERLING DRAMATICALLY CRAWLING UP SPECIFIC HILL AT SDSU WHICH EVERYONE HATES
STERLING
Second. What to do if the battery dies? Well, there is a fuel gauge, so it’s like a car. Charge it for two hours once the tank is running low and you’re ready to go. But what if you’re in a bind? Well, the lack of pedals allows for you to use human power like they did in my father’s time.
JUMP CUT TO 19TH CENTURY BIKE STRADDLER GUY
STERLING
Now—
RICHIE
—Won’t it take my babies away?
Richie looks at his babies.
He looks back at Sterling.
STERLING stares at RICHIE. His mouth is slightly open.
STERLING
…No, Richie. Nothing to fear there. It’s a perfect height to stand-and-push.
A pause.
STERLING
..You want… babies, Richie?
Richie and Sterling lock eyes.
JUMP CUTS FROM RICHIE TO STERLING’S FACES, SIDE PROFILES, BACK AND FORTH, BOTH LOOKING MORE POUTY AND EMOTIONAL WITH EACH CUT. SPANISH GUITAR PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND.
RETURN PERSPECTIVE TO PREVIOUS SHOT. SPANISH GUITAR CUTS OFF. EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS WIPED.
RICHIE
No interest, no not really—
STERLING
—Yeah, that’s what I thought man, I mean, pretty sure you need a girl for that…
Gathers himself.
STERLING
Anyways. And now to the third fact: JackRabbit carries rabbits of all sizes and shapes, ranging from 5” to 6”5 and from child-size to 240lbs!
RICHIE
Only Rabbits?
STERLING
A great question RICHIE. Only rabbits have been seen to ride these guys so far. In fact, looking at this survey, you can see that 83% of rabbits aged 18-24 love JackRabbit.
RICHIE
Well that makes you wonder about the other 17%, now doesn’t it?
STERLING
They were in labor.
A pause.
STERLING
Looks like we’ll never see a JackRabbit up close after all. Let’s hit the sack Richie. We came for the carrot but it looks like the stick will have to do.
STERLING and RICHIE go to their sleeping bags, defeated.
CAMPSITE – MIDNIGHT
A fire is going. STERLING is fast asleep, while RICHIE is lying awake.
A branch snaps.
RICHIE
W-who… who’s there?
Out of the darkness, chaparral crinkles, and a large rabbit carefully pads into the camp, rolling his JackRabbit beside him.
He looks at RICHIE.
RICHIE’s eyes are wide.
A pause.
The rabbit slowly offers RICHIE the bike.
RICHIE
…You mean…
Another pause. Fire crackles.
RICHIE
…You mean… I can ride it?
Rabbit nods.
CAMPSITE – MORNING
STERLING is stirring. The fire has died down. Dew gathered last night. He rolls over, makes sounds, and groggily sits up. Yawns.
STERLING
RICHIE… about the food, you know, I’m sorry I got so… RICHIE?
He looks at an empty sleeping bag.
STERLING
Richie?! Where are you?”
He frantically searches for RICHIE.
STERLING gives up. Sees something in the distance, offscreen. Pan to bushes—two white ears are poking out. They depart once the camera arrives.
A hiss, throwing words around him but eyes fixed on bushes:
STERLING
Richie!!!… Where are you?
Creeps toward the bushes.
STERLING
Richie, you’re missing it!
He goes into the bushes.
CLEARING – MORNING
STERLING leaps out of the bushes and sees a giant rabbit.
STERLING
[Speechless]
…Richie?!…is…is that you?
CUT TO STERLING’S SHOULDER, FIRST IN NEAR FOCUS WITH RABBIT BLURRED. THEN FOCUS SWITCHES TO FAR, AND RICHIE CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN WEARING A GIANT RABBIT COSTUME, GRINNING, SITTING ON A JACKRABBIT.
RICHIE
Sterling!!! I’m so happy to see you! Yeah, it’s me, Richie! Except I’m a rabbit now! You should try it, it’s fun. Just hop on this JackRabbit!
STERLING
Wh…R-Richie…no…turned into a rabbit?…can’t be…carrots forever…
Richie is approaching, smiling.
STERLING
S-stay away from me! Richie, no! Don’t offer me that bike!
CUT BETWEEN RICHIE’S SMILING FACE AND STERLING’S HORRIFIED FACE, ZOOMING A LITTLE CLOSER WITH EACH CUT, AS RICHIE APPROACHES STERLING HORROR MUSIC INTENSIFIES.
Richie is offering him the bike…
FADE TO BLACK.
A LONG TRAIL – AFTERNOON
DRONE GIVES PANORAMIC VIEW OF NATURE, THEN DESCENDS, REVEALING A TRAIL BELOW. MUSIC CRESCENDOES.
CUT TO TRAIL.
Richie and Sterling are riding their JackRabbits together in matching rabbit costumes, laughing and having fun.
CLOSE UP OF STERLING
STERLING
Well, thanks for everything, fans. JackRabbit doesn’t end, here though, oh no no no.
ZOOM IN TO FACE, EYEBROW COCKED
STERLING
Where will JackRabbit be seen next?
HEAD WHIPS, DRAMATIC ANGLE SWITCH, CLOSE UP AGAIN
STERLING
Will you be the next person to spot the JackRabbit somewhere around San Diego?
CLOSE UP OF RICHIE
STERLING
I pooped an egg!!!
CAMERA RETRACTS FROM A SQUATTING RICHIE
STERLING
To find out, like us on Facebook, use hashtag #whatisjackrabbit? and follow the link to order your JackRabbit today!
The two continue riding their JackRabbits.
STERLING
Yaay!—
RICHIE
Yaaaaayyy!!!!!
CAMERA HOVERS IN FRONT AS THEY RIDE, THEN SLOWS AND EVENTUALLY STOPS, FOLLOWING THE TWO PASS AND THEN RIDE OFF INTO THE DISTANCE.
Rabbit hops out of bushes, gives thumbs up, and hops away.
END OF DAY 3
FIN
Richard Freeland 