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8/10/2019 ONLY - Treatment

1/17

O N L Y

A F I L M T R E A T M E N T B Y

T A K A S H I D O S C H E R


2/17

Jumping between the past and the present, an independent young woman and her

caring boyfriend must cope with a mysterious plague that threatens to kill all

females on the planet. Their relationship is put to the ultimate test as they

try to survive the disease and the dangerous poachers that want to capture the

O N L Ywoman on earth.


3/17

S U M M A R Y

After a mysterious comet passes by earth and dark ash begins to fall from the

sky, women all over the world start to get sick and die. O N L Yis the story o

a young woman named Eva and her boyfriend Will, who attempt to survive this

plague with their lives and their love. Forced to quarantine their apartment

to prevent the disease from spreading to Eva, they must learn to cope with

these extreme circumstances and avoid capture by the many dangerous men who

now want to find the few remaining women on Earth.

This story is told through two inter-woven story lines: the PRESENT and six

months previously, in the PAST.

PRESENT: The film begins with Eva and Will in their apartment. Dark ash rains

down outside their window. They look haggard, even unkempt. Eva swabs her

cheek and places it in a clear solution - a mysterious medical test to show

whether or not she is infected. The test turns purple, indicating that she ispositive. She has the disease. Will's temper flares at this result - almost as

if he blames her for being sick.

While Will sulks, Eva begins to pack. She tosses Will a hiking backpack,

before disguising herself in a beanie, sunglasses and anorak. They leave the

apartment in Wills car, driving through the deserted city streets.


4/17


5/17

PAST: Back in their apartment, Eva decides to stay home from work to spend

another day with Will. They discuss plans for a backpacking adventure through

the Appalachian mountains - a trip Eva has always wanted to take. Their plans

are interrupted when they notice something strange outside. Dark ash has begun

to fall like snow outside their window. As they ponder what it could be, Evas

roommate, Cici, returns from work. Covered in dark ash, Cicis nose begins to

bleed and she collapses to the ground.

PRESENT: It is a multi-day trek

through heavily wooded mountains,

and both characters begin to

soften. Far from the grim and

dangerous society that has

developed in the city, nature

still holds beauty and peace. Eva

is shown to be a capable woodsmen

and is also able to remove the

painful binds around her breasts.

Out here she is free to be

herself. Though Will is tempted by

her beauty, Eva resists his

passes, still not ready to re-

engage with him physically. Will

plays his harmonica alone by the

fire, while Eva sleeps in their

tent alone.

PAST: At the hospital, Eva andWill nervously wait to hear about

Cici, who is receiving medical

attention. In the waiting room,

they notice as more and more wome

are rushed in the ER. Will

receives a call from his former

roommate, a med student in DC, wh

tells him that they need to get

home and to keep Eva away from th

ash. While Eva protests leavingCici, Will is eventually able to convince her. Stealing two Hazmat suits, they

are able to safely make it back to their apartment, where they proceed to

block out doors, windows, and air vents, to prevent ash from getting in.

The next morning they are told to start boiling water and eating canned goods

That afternoon Eva receives the phone call that Cici has died. As Eva

collapses in grief, Will checks the news. Women around the world are dying in

record numbers.


6/17

PRESENT: On the trail, they have discovered a swimming hole. They swim and

play, enjoying the beautiful day. They begin to rekindle their attraction over

some whiskey. Will teaches her how to shoot his gun. She enjoys the power and

force, as each shot echoes through the trees. Back at the trailhead, however,

dusty pickup truck parks besides Wills car. Two men exit the truck - the same

men from the diner. They remove rifles from the truck and begin to hike the

trail in pursuit. As night falls, Will and Eva drunkenly rekindle their love.

Clothes are removed as theirpassion overtakes them, but

suddenly Eva begins to seize - a

progressive sign of the disease.

Will holds her close, tears in his

eyes, as Evas violent seizure

ends. She falls asleep in his

arms.

PAST: Months have passed while Eva

remains quarantined in the

apartment. Everyday is the same.

Boredom has long since set in.

Besides for Will, her only outside

interaction is with a secret

online chat room of other

anonymous women survivors - though

the number of people chatting

dwindles everyday. While she

daydreams about leaving the

apartment, Will is outside picking

up more food. On his way home, he

witnesses a violent murder on the

streets and is inspired to stop

into a gun store for his own

protection.

When he arrives home, he reveals

to Eva that he picked up some

medical tests - these will tell

you if you are infected or not. He

explains that the tests are not

for her but for him. It is revealed that they have not been intimate with each

other for fear that Will is a carrier. As Will is about to take the test,

sirens blast outside. Police are here to look for any women survivors - it is

now illegal to harbor any female. They must all be reported. Eva and Will rush

her behind a fake wall in the back of their closet.

She waits in fear.


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PAST: Although she escaped capture by the police, Eva is devastated by the

news that Will is a carrier and that they will never be able to be intimate

again. At her breaking point, she lashes out at him, unfairly blaming him for

keeping her trapped in the tiny apartment. Will counters as his own temper

flares. Their fight escalates until Eva tells Will to leave. Will storms out

the door, leaving Eva crying and alone.

The film climaxes as our two story-lines collide. Flashing between both the

PAST and the PRESENT, we finally learn how Eva became infected, and finally

see their love fully realized.

In the PAST, faced with the hopeless life that lay ahead of her, Eva decides

to take matters into her own hands. Dressed in her Hazmat suit, she leaves the

apartment and begins climbing the stairs to the roof of the building. As the

sun sets, she decides that she will undo the hood of her suit and purposefully

infect herself. Will gets there just in time to see the ash fall around her,

infecting her with disease and sealing her fate.

In the PRESENT, overcome with emotion at reaching their goal, Will and Eva

finally consummate their love. In this moment, Eva has never been happier. The

next morning, Will wakes up to the grim reality that Eva had died in the

night. The last image we see is Will walking out of the forest by himself.


9/17

V I S I O N

O N L Y represents a deeply personal and intimate story. Yes, it is about the

end of the world. Yes, it is about the last woman on earth. Yes, it is

Americana and a journey film, woven into a non-traditional narrative. But my

hope is to explore love and raise fundamental questions of gender roles. The

film is part autobiographical, and therefore, I seek to raise many of the

questions me and partner faced on our 5 week journey across America. In many

ways, she felt like the last woman

on earth to me, and I want to

capture the messy, complex

partnership that existed due to our

isolation and preconception. It is

not perfect. Its sloppy. Its

painful. And yet it is full of hope

and love. The characters in O N L Y

represent this experience in a

science fiction pressure cooker.

One of the fundamental challenges i

to create a female character who

possesses the complexities and

contradictions of a modern young

woman. I have become increasingly

frustrated with the representation

of female characters in cinema, and

it is my hope to portray a characte

with three-dimensional honesty in a

way that seldom occurs. At the risk

of over-romanticizing, in many ways

Eva represents my own partner. A

strong independent woman, who also

wants companionship and love. A

woman who is emotional, and

intelligent. Open and private.

Confident and self-conscious.

As a man, I have also been interested in the representation of gender roles

in modern cinema. I feel like many aspects of feminism have greatly affected

the perception of masculinity in western culture. Men are required to be

simultaneously macho and sensitive, crude and intellectual, impulsive and

thoughtful. Given the unique circumstances presented in the story, I hope to

explore the complex power shifts between Will and Eva, and the many roles they

must play for each other to survive. Will feels contradicting emotions for

Eva. In his eyes, she goes from strong and private, to open and fragile, and

finally to special and coveted. This undoubtedly changes their relationship

and the many needs they fulfill for one another.


10/17

Thematically, this film discusses several issues. The first and most obvious

theme reflects on Nature vs. Society. Our main characters flee to the untamed

wilderness to reconnect with each other and the joys in life. Our hunters

represent the encroachment of society as well as another theme: The Darkness

Within. They represent the evil that is capable within us all when desperation

and scarcity threaten survival.

However, the most powerful themes

represented in this story are

unquestionably those of Love and

Life. I hope this film challenges

our simplistic views of love -

revealing both its strengths and

its messy complexities. I also hope

this film challenges many western

views on life on how it should be

lived. Eva makes the difficult yet

poignant decision to regain

ownership of her own life.

Ultimately, she decides to

celebrate a more fulfilling yet

shortened life, rather than a long

but miserable one. She decides to

sacrifice longevity for quality. In

many ways, she makes the ultimate

sacrifice for their love and

relationship.

Every creative decision must serve

two ideals- intimacy and

authenticity. The camera will be

hand-held. The lighting will be

soft and naturally motivated. I

want to take an almost voyeuristic

approach to the shot selection and framing - as if we are peering into this

relationship and situation.

The music composition and sound design will be an exercise in understatement.

We should feel the eery quiet of this new world, while trying to subtly

underscore the emotion already present in the scene.

As critical as the screenplay is, the dialogue is malleable and must adapt to

each actor. Given the suspension of disbelief required, this is a film that

must feel painfully authentic.


11/17

C H A R A C T E R S

E V A(female, 22-30) - Independent, spontaneous and free-spirited, this

beautiful young woman will have to learn to deal with a dangerous new world

that seeks to capture and control one of the few remaining women on the planetHowever, as outside pressures threaten her freedom and her relationship, she

will have to make the ultimate choice in order to try and recapture her love

and happiness. At first glance, her beauty and slim frame might be read as

vulnerability but there is a fire, intensity, and strength in her eyes.

W I L L(male, 22-30) - Logical, mathematical, yet hopelessly in love, this young

man will be forced to confront his own fears and insecurities as his role

shifts from caring-partner to masculine care-taker. He must strike a balance

between protecting the love

of his life without suffocating her in the process-

a difficult challenge in this new world that values power and force above all

else. Will's gruff appearance communicates strength and confidence, but his

dark, soft eyes betray sensitivity and compassion.


12/17

The following is a transcript of a pre-recorded conversation held before the

events depicted in this story.

When did you first notice Will?

I first noticed his eyes, or maybe it was his drawings. He was on the quiet

side, but his dark eyes had this force this energy. He can sometimes seem

drab on the surface, but he has such

a powerful energy underneath. Its

intense, sometimes dark, but I truly

admire his spirit. The truth is, I

dont know where I would be without

him. We are different, almost

opposites, but it works. He balances

me, and I think I balance him. I can

be too wild, too crazy, too

impulsive. I also make sure that he

sees something besides his

architecture studio.

I love him deeply. He can frustrate

me, yes. He can make me angrier than

any person I have ever met. But

thats how I know its real. There is

passion. I can feel it. I would be

lucky to have his steady presence

with me. His protective balance. I

feel safe with him. Can that safety

cross into over-protectiveness?

Maybe, but it hasn't yet. He makes

me feel safe without feeling

trapped.

We both have a profound love for

nature. Maybe it comes fromdifferent places - he is a man of science, and there is magic in that to him

- even if he will never understand all of it. I love nature because I can

feel a different spirit within it. I dont know if there is a higher power,

but there is something else going on if we can tap into it be present.

I hate my job. A bunch of whiny pseudo-artists demanding that they got

Aquafina instead of Fiji on their press tour. Its soul crushing, never

ending, and I would quit the second I get a chance. I want to paint. Travel.

Explore. Adventure.

C O N V E R S A T I O N S

E V A


13/17

What was your family life like?

What family life? I traveled around a lot. My mom was out of the picture and

my father was my world. He taught me many things, and I think I inherited my

creativity from him. And sense of adventure. He was they type of man who

couldnt stay in one place very long. He was a man of many skills and could

always seem to bounce back and get by. Amazingly talented at a number of

instruments, he was the type of guy who could pick things up and just play.

Eventually, however, this pseudo grifter life caught up to him. He passed

away from cancer, but I think he lived life just the way he wanted to. He

passed away when I was in college. I took a year off from school and

traveled after that happened. When I got back, I met Will.

How did you and Eva meet?

We met in college. I remember

seeing her in a drafting class. I

was studying architecture, but I

suck at drawing. She was always the

artist. In class was where I first

noticed her, but it was out at a

bar when we started talking. She

was wild, crazy, had this energy

and this glow about her. She was

fast talking, impulsive, and such a

free spirit. She was different than

me.

Although I can have that side too,

its much much harder for me to tap

into that. Maybe thats why I am a

good architect. I am logical.

Precise. Responsible.

I secretly believe that maybe she

won't be with me forever. Maybe she

never was really meant to be with

anyone forever. Perhaps, I am justa brief stop, as she floats on the

breeze. I hope not, I desperately

hope not, but I will be happy that

I got a glimpse of it. And maybe,

if I am lucky, she will agree to be with me and I can make her mine.

I am a bit of a workaholic. I spend long hours in the studio. This seems to

suit her pretty well. She hates her job, and I know that, but I dont make

shit as an architects intern. We both have a lot of working left to do.

W I L L


14/17

I just finished grad school, and this was the best job I could get in Atlanta

in this economy. As much as I would not like to think about it, I will never b

a transformational architect. I never will be. I am too logical, too

structural, and while it allows for a great deal of precision I think I limit

my own thinking. Thats what Eva tells me anyway.

Eva works a job for a PR firm. On the surface, this would seem like the perfec

fit for her, but I know that she was meant to be the creative not the support

for the creatives.

I am crazy about her. Now that I have graduated grad school, Ive bought a

ring. But I dont know when to ask her. I think she would laugh me off right

now. I think she probably would also hate the ring. I designed it myself, but

maybe its too cold, too clinical. Shit I designed the damn thing in Autocad.

What about your family?

By all accounts on the outside, I had a normal upbringing. A stable one. My

parents provided me and my little brother with a very stable upbringing.

Although, I can see now, how loveless their marriage is. They are business

partners for each other, but nothing more.

My brother and I have a rather estranged relationship. He was older and left

very early. I did not see him very much. I think he is in Europe, or Tibet. I

don't know. Are we done here?

END OF TRANSCRIPT.


15/17

C R E A T O R

T A K A S H I D O S C H E R

W R I T E R / D I R E C T O R

T A K A S H I D O S C H E Ris a writer/director from Atlanta

GA. In 2010, he became the youngest director to sell afilm to ESPN when he sold his feature doc, A Fighting

Chance, at the age of 22. In a 2-week sneak preview, the

film launched as the #1 Film and #1 Doc on Hulu.

Since then, he has written and directed short films,

advertisements, and music videos that have been featured

on the front page of Vimeo, USA Today, and MTV Hive.

Takashi is currently working on several feature

screenplays, two of which were selected as finalists in

the 2013 and 2014 Sundance Writer's Labs.

Takashis work often depicts the conflict between

science and the human condition - a reflection of his

educational background in Physics and English.

His

latest screenplay,a romantic drama about the last woman

on Earth, is currently in development. This film,

currently titled ONLY,will be his writing and directing

feature film debut.

A L E X C R E A S I A

V O L . U N L I M I T E D

O

323.426.5837

C

818.770.1120

[email protected]


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