1. EXT. SANTA MONICA CIVIC AUDITORIUM – MAIN ENTRANCE – DUSK
As dusk turns to night, cars filled with celebrities are seen arriving for the Academy Awards ceremony. There is pandemonium as fans in the bleachers cheer their favorite stars and attendants try to control the crowd.
SUPERIMPOSE OPENING CREDITS
A limousine pulls up and FRANKIE FANE, arriving alone, gets out and is greeted by attendants. He smiles and waves to the crowd.
VOICE OVER LOUDSPEAKER
. . . ladies and gentlemen for the annual Academy Awards, truly the big night for the people in Hollywood.
JOHNNY GRANT, a TV host with a microphone, is greeting and interviewing arriving celebrities.
JOHNNY
(approaching Frankie)
Frankie over here, please.
FRANKIE
Hey, Johnny. How are you?
JOHNNY
Fine, nice to see you. And ladies and gentlemen, here’s a fellow who needs no introduction, Frankie Fane, one of the five nominees for this year’s Best Actor award. Well, Frankie how does it feel to be up for your first Oscar?
FRANKIE
(motioning to his stomach)
Oh, like a ton of butterflies.
JOHNNY
Well, it’s no secret too that the surveys and polls reveal you as the favorite. What do you have to say about that?
FRANKIE
I’m sure the Academy members have voted for the performance they believe to be the best. We’ll just have to wait until the envelope’s opened to see who that is.
JOHNNY
Well, Frankie, good luck inside.
FRANKIE
Thank you, Johnny.
JOHNNY
Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, much excitement here. The big night for the people in Hollywood, the annual Academy Awards presentation.