Man Up
“Being 26 years doesn’t necessarily mean being a man, being male does not mean you are a
man either. A man is independent, both financially and emotionally. Two feet to walk the
Earth, 6 feet to be buried beneath. 5 feet 8 is what I am, I will never grow taller, but only
stronger. I don’t regret who I am today, I do regret what brought me here!!!”
‘Man Up’
A young man keeping a journal while being incarcerated. The main character is 26 years old
on the day the story beings. The story begins while the main character is in prison. It is not
defined why he is in jail, but he is. The main character is named Adam. While in jail they
make a plan to get rich as soon as they get out. The plan is as the story goes about weed,
marihuana, cannabis. The story goes that they find a spot in the desert to grow a large
amount of crop. After selling the first harvest they make enough money to start a legal
business selling the good plant. This is only possible if they or at least one of them has a clean
sheet. The plot is that Adam went to jail, because he took the blaim for something somebody
else did. And when that person, his cousin, is pinched for another crime, the truth is told and
Adam’s criminal record is deleted. With that, he has everything to make a fortune, for him and
his family. The story takes place in California, USA. The story ends when Adam is granted a
permit to trade dope legally!
Scene 1: Locked Up
“It’s almost Christmas again, not really, but who is counting? It feels like winter anyway.
600 days in, its day 601, six hundred nights and days. I’m here, somewhere I never expected
to be at!”
The scene is set in a jailcel, where the main character is writing in his journal. He is writing
somewhere in the middle of his journal, its not page 1.
In between writing, the main character is working out, doing push ups and sit ups.
Time lapses, an hour or so, the main character goes back and forth writing and working out.
The c.o. yells “Lights out”
The main character lies on his bed, on the wall aside him are some pictures of his family, he
takes one picture off the wall, gives it a kiss and places it next to his pillow. He falls asleep.
Scene 2: The prison cantina
The main character walks into the cantina, other inmates are seated and some are in line for
food. As he walks by, a dangerous looking Mexican/Hispanic inmate, who is seated, gives the
main character a firm look. The main character walks by.
The main character is thinking, his lips don’t move but he is thinking out loud.
“601 days in prison.... DAMN!”
Scene 3: The prison yard
The main character walks outside, the sun is shining. Its busy on the yard. Various inmates are
working out, playing basketball or just enjoying the sun out.
The main character walks to his friends, who are seated or leaning on a bench. His friends are
multi cultural, black, white and Asian. He greets his friends with a “whatup” and a fist bump.
The group consists of a black male, a white male and an Asian male.
The group talks. The Asian is bout to get released from prison. The group agrees to keep
contact as soon as all of them are free.
The group works out together or maybe plays basketball.
Scene 4: The prison gym
The main character and his friends enter the gym. They pick a spot and they start working out.
All of a sudden a fight breaks out between other inmates. The main character jumps in
between and ends the fight.
Scene 5: The prison library
The main character walks into the library, where his black friend is seated and reading a book.
The white friend also joins the group. They talk about their Asian friend who got released.
The black friend whisperes “Eyo, when I get out of here... I want to make a million dollars!”
The white friend laughs and says “And then you’ll end up right back in here, fool!”
The main character jumps in and says “Yeah!! Lets make a plan”
The black friend says “WEED!”
The white friend laughs and says “FUCK YEAH!”
The black friend says he read a book about growing plants, and that its easy, you just need the
right spot in the desert.
The group talks.
Scene 6: Lights Out
The main character is laying in his bed, its “lights out” again.
Scene 7: Nightmares
The main character is rolling around, he is dreaming and the viewer can see what he is
dreaming.
He is dreaming of the house where he grow up in as a child. The viewer can see a young boy
holding the hands of a woman as they walk infront of a house. The main character is sweating
as the camera focusses on him. A loud noise and then he wakes up.
Scene 8: Waking up
“Another day. Today I woke up and I felt like a man on a mission. As I pick up this pen and
continue writing, I realize what my mission is: write my journey down on paper. I am still
here, nothing changed, I wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Scene 9: Church
The main character is praying in the church of the prison. Light comes through the painted
glass. The camera focusses on the cross. The priest lays his hand on the main character.
The priest says that he has been praying for a while now and that praying is the best thing one
can do to overcome adversity. The main character and the priest talk. The main character says
“I shouldn’t be here” meaning he does not belong in prison.
Scene 10: One phonecall away
The main character calls his cousin using the prison phone. He asks his cousin to come by and
bring his girlfriend and kids. The girlfriend is called Sally. They talk about how they are and
the main character says he got a letter that he is up for parole, which means the main character
might get out of prison.
In the mean time acouple weeks have passed and the white friend is also released from prison.
The white friend is named Jerry and he knows the cousin of the main character.
Scene 10: What are friends for
The main character and his black friend (named Jamal) are outside in the prison yard. The
main character says that he is being released. Jamal congratulates him and says “be ready for
me when I get free.” The main character responds with “For sure.”
Scene 10: Home is where the heart is
The main character (Adam) meets his family outside the prison and his cousin is there aswell.
They go to his family house where a large number of people are waiting for him to come
home. There is a barbecue and the main character drinks beer. He plays with the family dog.
He goes inside the house to grab another beer and has a convo with his cousin infront of the
fridge. They agree to hit the town later that night and drive around. The cousin says “We need
to get you laid son”. There is also a convo with his father. The main character has a baby
brother named Sherman, a baby sister named Jasmin, his mother Angela and his father Simon.
Scene 11: City of Angels (Los Angeles)
The main character and his cousin drive around the city of angels, Los Angeles. They hit a bar
where they drink tequila and beer, play pool and joke around. The main character leaves the
bar to use the pay phone outside where he calls his Asian friend from prison who got out
before him. He says “we need to talk about that thing we discussed”. The main character and
his Asian friend set up a meeting where they will discuss what they planned while they where
incarcerated, to grow weed.
When the main character goes back inside the bar he sees his cousin is having an argument
with some people. A fight starts and the main character jumps in to help his cousin. The bar
owner breaks up the fight by pulling out a shot gun and shooting at the ceiling. The fight ends.
The main character and his cousin sit infront of the bar laughing.
Scene 12: Ride Or Die
Its the day after, the main character gets ready to go meet his asian friend. His cousin wants to
join them, but he says “NO, I need to do this alone”. This means the main character wants to
distance his cousin from what is about to happen, knowing the cousin can be trouble, knowing
their past and also to protect his cousin from drama, since he has children and a pregnant
girlfriend.
The main character gets ready to go meet his Asian friend, when his father asks him, “You
going out?” The main character and his father have an intimate conversation where the father
says “I’m just looking out for you, thats all”. Meaning his father doesn’t want him to end up
in jail again. The main character asks if he can borrow his fathers car. His father says, “come,
I want to show you something.” They go to the garage where a sweet classic American car is.
His father says that he has been working on this car ever since Adam went to jail and that the
car is for Adam.
Adam drives the car while smoking and listening to music and vibing in his sweet ride. He
pulls up infront of his Asian friend and the first response is “Sweet ride”.
“Get in” Adam says.
They talk about prison and about Jamal who is still inside but who is also soon to be released.
They go to a diner where they eat hamburgers and drink Coca Cola. The Asian friend says:
“You still writing in that journal of yours?” Adam says “NO” not since he left prison but he
will, as soon as he makes some money.
The Asian friend says that he has a Mexican friend, who grows weed in the desert. And they
agree to meet the Mexican friend.
Adam stays out all night, the friends go to a stripclub, the cousin is invited.
Scene 13: Sex sells
The friends and the cousin hit up a stripclub where they throw some money and make her
dance. His cousin buys him a lapdance and then it gets intimate. The music slows down,
Adam and the stripper make small talk and she entertains him. After the lapdance the stripper
gives Adam her number and asks him to call her. Adam says what are you gonna do tonight.
And the next moment they are in bed together.
Scene 14: Probation officer
Adam wakes up in the strippers bed and asks what time it is. Adam is running late on his
appointment. The probation officer gives a speech and ask him “Young man, how do you
want to make a living?” Adam needs to get a job? But since he is looking for a way to make
money, getting an actual job is not a priority to him.
Scene 15: Family matters
The main character goes home to meet his family. His family is worried that he will fall back
to being the old him, drinking and fighting and what not, that which in effect got him locked
up in the first place. There is a family dinner and he invites his new girlfriend, who he met at
the stripclub. Also his cousin and girlfriend are invited.
Scene 16: The group is complete
The black friend is released from prison. The group sets up a meeting, the Asian friend, the
black friend, the Mexican supplier and the two cousins are attending. The meeting is to
discuss their project involving weed from the desert and how to distribute it.
Scene 17: Out in the desert
The group heads into the desert to see the plants with their own eyes. The group is lead by the
Mexican supplier. They see a whole field of weed, as far as their eyes can see. They start to
harvest the crop.
Scene 18: Everybody matters
The group divides the weight and they agree to sell the weed as soon as possible. The black
friend brings his cousins and other friends. The Asian friend and the Mexican bring their own
people as well. Adam and his cousin handle the rest of the crop.
Scene 19: Trouble is around the corner
As Adam and his cousin make progress, so does the rest of the team. An old aquintance of the
cousin shows up and demands a portion. It seems that the cousin has a debt with some people
from the past which they want to collect. Because of this, the group losses a portion of the
harvest but with that, the old debt is payed.
Scene 20: Freedom Writer
Adam continues writing in his journal. It is here where the plot twists. Adam writes that he
shouldn’t have gone to prison. The truth about the matter is not unveiled yet, but he writes
that 2 years are to long for a crime not committed.
Scene 21: Here comes the police
As the group finishes up their harvest and they manage to sell most of it, the cousin is caught
dealing drugs and is sentenced to go to jail. At the court hearing the cousin confesses to
another crime, that for which Adam did 2 years in jail for. This is the plot twist, Adam did
the time because the cousin had a wife and kids. Adam thought it was the right thing to do.
Because of the confession, Adam’s criminal record is deleted and he is aquited of the charges,
while the cousin is sentenced to minimal jail time, all due to a good lawyer.
Scene 22: The show must go on
The group comes together to discuss further plans. Adam purposes to get a permit to sell
legalized weed. Adam wants to open a weed store, so that they turn their illegal activities into
a real business.
Scene 23: Another day, another dollar
Adam is granted a permit to sell legalized weed and he gathers the group to help him set up
shop.
Scene 24: Setting up shop
Adam and the group has made enough money to be able to rent a store, maybe somewhere
near Venice beach? The group moves in to set up shop. While the cousin is doing time, the
group is turning their business from illegal to legal.
Scene 26: A happy ending
Adam helps his cousin’s baby momma, while he helps his family. And he continues making
money selling weed, legally.
THE END
