Community (2009–2015): Season 3, Episode 8 - Documentary Filmmaking: Redux - full transcript

Why did I go Greendale?

So I can keep my job
and get busy with my education.

To meet different people.

Because Greendale's a slam dunk.

So why should you?

- Why should you?
- Why should you go Greendale?

That's easy.

Greendale
has the most advanced typing class

in the Southwestern Greendale area.

And now you can register by fax.

Go Greendale, go Greendale, go!



That, as you probably know,

is the currently-running commercial
for our school.

I always see it during the marathons
of Fantasy Island.

That's not an accident.

It's the result
of intensive targeting.

But now, Greendale's school board

has given me a budget of $2,000
to update our little ad.

Are you sure it should change?
I chose Greendale over city college

because of the way
that one dude goes...

You know I love to be seen agreeing
with you, Troy.

This is our chance to make Greendale's
most reasonable dreams come true.

And I need your help.
All of you.

That's okay, Jeffrey.
You can say no.

This school asks little of its students.
It mainly gives.



I feel like you guys might know
what I'm talking about.

How can we help?

Thanks for asking.

I've chosen you,
Greendale's brightest,

most coincidentally diverse,
Hispanics not withstanding,

study group to star
in our commercial.

Pick a character.
We start this weekend.

We get to be on TV!

If we're shooting this weekend,
why are these cameras here?

Abed, true to form,
has decided to do the weird thing

and film a documentary
instead of helping.

As a student of character,

I think this commercial
may cost the dean his sanity.

And my camera follows
the fire, not the smoke.

Ever seen Hearts of Darkness?
Way better than Apocalypse Now.

And for the catering?

This isn't Hollywood.

If it was, my glasses would be tinted,
and I'd be friends with Stevie Nicks.

No catering.

This is outrageous.
I'm not leaving my trailer till we eat.

You don't have a trailer.

Then, I'll rent one.

And I won't leave it
till I have the one I don't have.

- I'm an actor, not a circus freak.
- Oh, no.

I needed to go that way.

I'll loop around.

- Feygnasse Team -

.:: La Fabrique::.

3x08: Documentary Filmmaking: Redux

All right,
let's rehearse this mamajama.

Does everyone know who they are?

- Where's my script girl?
- It's supervisor, I'm right behind you.

Thank you, supervisor girl.

Faster than a locomotive.

A script supervisor is the person
that tells everyone to stay on script

and keeps careful notes
to prevent logical inconsistencies.

So... basically the star.

We open on
a typical day at Greendale,

only the students all look happy
and you can't smell that smell.

"Why do I go Greendale?"

"With three kids at home,
you better believe every penny counts."

"To meet different people."

And then, you and Troy hug.

- If you're comfortable with that.
- Of course.

Yeah, Troy and I are buds.
Best buds. Air buds, even.

Feeling stupid.

And then, the camera pans,
and enter dean Pelton.

I got stuck
with the role of the dean.

So I'm going to show him
how much of a dean I can be.

And I've got a feeling
I won't make the cut.

Welcome to dean-dale
community colle-dean.

I'm a silly goose.

Honk, honk.
Dean-a-lee-doo.

Look at me.

This is my sister's outfit.

You've hit gold.
Save some for the screen.

All right, scene six is up first.

And I don't think Pierce is coming back.
Can someone fill in as the pencil?

Pierce Hawthorne,
screen of stage and star,

will not leave this trailer
until he gets a trailer.

And then I'm not leaving that trailer
until there's catering.

I'm not eating until...

And action.

Why go Greendale?

Just because, just dean it!
Dean machine.

Got dean, got much, much got...

And cut.

A star is born.

I suggested to the dean
that we shoot my scenes

in front of the Luis Guzman statue

because the dean has no legal right
to broadcast Guzman's image,

which means
every shot will be unusable.

I even put a call in
to Guzman's lawyers to alert them.

I'm always willing to go the extra mile
to avoid doing something.

Like sex with women.

Shut up, Leonard,
you smell like mentholyptus.

What are you doing here?

I'm thinking
about breaking into the TV game.

Since it's apparently
sticking around.

I don't want to wake up in 30 years

and wonder "what if?"

Because this full-time mama
ain't breaking the bank

with your expensive tuition.

Okay, cut.

The voice.

Can you make it...

I thought it would be more...

What's another word that means
happy/threatening?

The word he's looking for is "sassy."

He better pray he don't find it.

As soon as we get this shot,
we are done.

Your phone is ringing.

- Dean deaning.
- Dean Pelton?

Hey, man, how you doing?
It's Luis Guzman.

I hear you're making
a commercial for Greendale,

and you need permission
to use my face or something?

Well, I, um...

Well, why not use the real thing?

I'm sorry?

I'd love to be in your commercial.

A real big-time celebrity
wants to be in my commercial.

A real big time celebrity
wants to be in my commercial.

Come on down.

That's cool. But listen,
I've got to finish this movie,

so, I can't come for
a couple of weeks, all right?

Mr. Guzman, Luis, thank you.

Can I just say,

I loved you in...

IMDb.

See you soon, man.

That was tragic.

The students here mean well,
they really do.

But what Greendale
has always needed is a miracle.

This is it.

This is how I get
to put Greendale on the map.

I thought
this commercial was going to be okay.

Well, guess what?

It just officially became great.

Let me give you a little rundown
of this commercial's great elements.

Luis Guzman is in it.

Will you excuse me?

Everyone gather 'round,
quick announcement.

Come on around.

Everything that we shot so far
is worthless.

I've thrown it out, and we're starting
over tomorrow morning.

- Why?
- Because...

Luis Guzman
is in the commercial now, so...

Yeah. For realsies.

Everyone, go home.
I'm rewriting all of your parts.

Except for you, Jeffrey.

You have locked into something here.

And the only thing
your character needs

is more screen time.

It's great that he got a celebrity,
but why reshoot everything?

Perfectionism.

The dean's first step down a road
that ends in self-destruction.

That sounds...
Horrible.

Actually, I might end up
taking this to some festivals.

The dean's production
is taking over the entire school.

Classes are shutdown.

The quilting club
is being forced to sew costumes.

Two females, both 5'10",
one brunette, one with asthma.

He's also using the P.A. system
for casting calls.

Okay, everyone.
Does everyone have their new script?

It says I'm supposed to be
a book reading a book.

That doesn't make sense.

- What's this?
- Scene four.

Last night, I had an epiphany.

I'm ready to step
this mother up a notch.

This commercial go to push every button,
starting with the one that is so hot,

it will sizzle your finger:

Racccccce.

And action.

To meet different people.

Cut!
I'm coming in.

I am trying to pull
a 400-year-old dagger

out of this nation's heart,
and you two are hugging.

- Her, I understand, but you?
- What did I do?

You didn't.
Let's take it again!

To meet different people.

Again.

To meet different people.

I need more!

More!

Wrong!
Fight the power!

Fight it with your hugs.

Tear down those walls.

You get this wrong one more time,
I'm segregating the school.

To meet different people.

You can't even do it
when we're helping you!

- Somebody help her!
- To meet different people!

Stop saying I'm different!

Dean,
we've spent 12 hours on this scene.

Maybe it's time
to move on to something else.

I'm in Psych 101
and even I don't know what's happening.

He is going insane
and taking all of you with him.

If you know that, then do something!

I'm doing everything I can.
I only have so many cameras.

I've spent an entire day
in this thing for no reason.

What if it drags on for another day?

Or, God forbid, two.

And action, and move.

- This full-time mama ain't...
- Cut, cut, cut. Garrett,

you're not taking advantage
of this technology.

- You have to move.
- I forgot what I am again.

For crying out...
You are a microscope!

No, that's a toilet.

No, that's clearly a frog
who can't get out of a box.

Jeff thinks he has it bad?

As Jeff's understudy,
I have to wear my Jeff wig

on top of my Chang hair
and then my bald cap on top of that.

There's no air getting through here.
I'm literally dying.

But you'll never hear my story.

I mean, now you heard it,
but that was close.

Are you sure you can't work
a little faster?

- Nobody asked for perfection.
- Perfection is what you're getting.

If you don't like it, fire me.

If we don't like it,
we definitely will fire you.

Good.
That's how I like it.

I'm surrounded by assassins.
My own school's paper has turned on me.

But when this is all over,
I'll have a commercial with Guzman in it

and all they'll have
are their words and their fears

and whatever embarrassing photos
they can get from my two-faced mother.

There's two men in diapers.

One of them is playing
the dawn of a new era in education.

- But nothing on the other one.
- I'm just a guest of the dean's.

Both of you go that way, then.

The dean had
his seventh epiphany today,

which has given me an epiphany.

The dean is a genius.
He has to be.

If he isn't,
I've given almost two weeks of my life

to an idiot.

That is unacceptable.
Therefore the dean is a genius.

And I will die protecting his vision.

Are you familiar
with Stockholm syndrome?

Is the dean created it?
Because if not, I don't care.

We all wanna go,
but the dean won't let us.

Pierce played this the smartest.

He's probably at home
watching Forensic Files, eating popcorn.

About time.

That's for Guzman.

When you get me my trailer,
he can have it back.

And make it as nice as this one.

He mistook me for the dean today.

How did that make you feel?

I've become a stranger to myself.

I'm bald now.
I've always been bald.

I merely dreamt of having hair.

And now the bald man is awake.

It's time.

Lights, camera, dean.

Action.

Why go Greendale?
Just because!

Cut. Cut.

Lose the bald cap.

- What?
- I don't like it.

It's hokey, it's fake.
Take it off.

I beg your pardon, actor?

I have worn this stupid thing
for 12 days.

I have made bald friends.

That's your mistake.

Because it's a lie.
It's Hollywood crap.

And I won't allow it
in my commercial.

You're not bald.

Yes, I am.

Then, you're wrong for the part!

Understudy!

That's it.

That's reality.

Winger, you're done.

Go home.

I don't know why,
but this is the last straw.

As a licensed psychology major,

I am declaring this production
a violation of human rights.

You have made us prisoners
of your insanity.

Shut your face.

If the dean wants his role

to be played by a chinese man
in a blond wig...

You are insane.

All right, I'm sick and tired
of hearing complaints

that I'm forcing people to be here.

Anyone who doesn't want
to help me can leave!

- Abed, stop!
- Okay.

Keep rolling.

Hello, it's me.
Luis Guzman.

Hi, Mr. Guzman,
dean/director Craig Pelton.

Sorry, I've been editing.
It's a little bit of a mess.

What the fuck is that?

That's a possum.

Once you spend some time with them,
you see they're just big, gentle rats.

- Who's the guy?
- I'm no one.

That's Abed.
He's a little bit odd.

Now, without further ado,

here is the commercial
you will be staring in.

Why do I go Greendale?

What's in the box?

I've got to make a phone call.

I had to tell this dean
I couldn't do his commercial.

He didn't take that too well either.

Y'all gotta help this dude.
I mean, aren't you his friends?

I'm more of a fly on the wall.

What is go...?

What?

You won't be in my commercial,
but you'll be in his stupid documentary?

He just follows people around.

But haven't you seen
Hearts of darkness?

Way better than...

Go the hell off of my campus,
you ungrateful backstabber.

- I already got rid of your trailer.
- I had a trailer?

Can anyone hear me?
I will walk off this production.

I will quit!
Hello?

I come here to shoot this commercial.

That's what you had written.

That script was terrible.

It was good.

Of course you'd think that.
You went here.

Oh, I get it.

You're worse than crazy.

You're ashamed of your school
and that statue of me out there,

- that's just wrong, man.
- The bronze adds ten pounds.

It's not going to be perfect.

Screw you.

Don't worship
the people leaving Greendale.

Worship the people that are here.

Worship this place.
It changes people's lives.

Look, I loved my time here.
I got laid like crazy.

That's way before Boogie nights 2.

This is a special school.

You don't deserve to be here.

- Are you still filming?
- Try not to address me.

I'm not really here.

Neither am I.

I don't think
I can finish my commercial.

But I think
I know how your documentary ends.

Hi, I'm Craig Pelton,
dean of Greendale community college.

I have failed this school.

I have failed it because I thought
I was better than Greendale.

See, I went to a university,

so I thought it was my job
to improve this place.

It turns out
that the only thing wrong with Greendale

is that it's run by an insecure wreck

who holds five dances
and two talent shows a year

'cause he's afraid
that the school isn't good enough.

But it is good enough,
because it accepts me for what I'm not.

Greendale is the best school
in the entire world,

and I'm so sorry
what I've done to it.

And I'm sorry what I've done
to the ice cream machine.

Please, no one eat out of it
until you clean the nozzles.

The janitor knows how.

I'm horrible.

I'm horrible.

What I'm about to show you

is not the commercial
you paid me to create.

What I am about to show you
is a glimpse into my mind and soul.

Hold your questions until the end.

I know you will have a lot of them,

but I'll understand
if you'd rather I just leave.

Why do I go Greendale?

The dean is a genius.

To meet different people.

With three kids at home,
you better believe every penny counts.

I loved my time here.
I got laid like crazy.

So why should you?
Why should you?

Why should you go to Greendale?

Greendale is the best school
in the entire world.

Go Greendale, go Greendale, go!

It's good. Better than good.
Good enough.

Is there any more
of the crazy Chinese guy? He pops.

I'm confused.
That's not my commercial.

I didn't make that.

Okay, Zemeckis, it moved through you.

Anyway, congratulations.

That should last us another 16 years.

So, what's next?

- Chump's Rusty Bucket?
- Quarter taps.

- Did you do this?
- You got the footage on the first day.

I added a little bit
of mine to fill in the gaps.

- You were a fly on the wall.
- Some are too awesome for the wall.

We're supposed to be objective,
to avoid having any effect on the story.

And yet we have more effect
than anyone.

Because we decide to tell it.
And we decide how it ends.

Will your story be another sad story

of another man
who just wanted to be happy?

Or will your story acknowledge
the very nature of stories

and embrace the fact
that sharing the sad ones

can sometimes make them happy?

Before you say anything...

Nope, I've got nothing.

Can you just forgive me?

Why?

Because we've all been there.
Which is why we're all here.

I'm a good dean?

Can someone help me get
a live possum out of my office?

We can do that.

It just keeps jumping and skittering.

And you think you're prepared,
and then it skitters again.

Scene's over.

They'll be ready for you
in 20 minutes, Mr. Garland.

I'm a star!

Give me that.

I will not be mitigated.

You know what?

I'm not coming out of this trailer
until I get a new trailer.

And get me a granola bar!