Rust and Resin

### **Treatment: Rust and Resin**

**1. LOGLINE**

A pair of jaded, blue-collar forestry workers discover a mysterious, ancient machine buried in a sprawling junkyard, unearthing a device that threatens to unravel their cynical worldview and reality itself.

**2. SYNOPSIS**

AUGUST WITHERBOTTOM (20), a cynical artist trapped in the soul-crushing job of a forestry technician, endures another dreary autumn day of manual labor. His philosophical misery is constantly interrupted by his pragmatic and sharp-tongued partner, PATTI (late 20s). Their routine of bickering and tree-felling is broken by a strange, rhythmic clinking sound emanating from deep within the woods. Driven by a mix of annoyance and curiosity, they abandon their work to investigate. They follow the sound through the damp forest until the familiar scent of pine and wet earth gives way to a sharp, coppery tang. They emerge from the trees into a vast, hidden junkyard—a sprawling "Iron Coast" of rust and industrial decay. As they cautiously explore the wasteland, Patti discovers a glint of strange metal buried beneath decades of scrap. Working together, they unearth an impossibly complex and elegant machine, a bronze-and-copper contraption of intricate gears and lenses that is clearly not of this world. Their discovery culminates when they find a small, preserved plaque on the device bearing an ominous and absurd inscription: "The Chronometer of Unintended Consequences," transforming a strange find into a terrifying and world-altering mystery.

**3. CHARACTER BREAKDOWN**

* **AUGUST WITHERBOTTOM (20):** A reluctant adult with the soul of a gloomy poet and the vocabulary of a philosophy student. He is world-weary beyond his years, viewing his manual labor job as a grand, cosmic joke. His cynicism is a shield, but beneath it lies a sharp, observant mind and a dormant curiosity that is awakened by the bizarre discovery. He is the story's cynical heart, providing a dry, witty filter for the unfolding strangeness.

* **PATTI (late 20s):** Grounded, pragmatic, and armed with a gravelly voice and a no-nonsense attitude. She's a seasoned pro who finds a certain satisfaction in her work, acting as the perfect foil to August's existential dread. She is resourceful and direct, her practicality often masking a deep-seated intuition. Their relationship is a comfortable, well-worn annoyance, built on a foundation of shared misery and unspoken respect.

**4. SCENE BEATS**

* **THE GRIND:** We open on the bleak, sensory details of August’s job. The damp stink of leaves, the acrid smell of exhaust, the grey sky. He swings his axe with futile exhaustion, his inner monologue dripping with cynical despair. This is his personal hell.

* **THE FOIL:** Patti’s voice, and her chainsaw, slice through August's self-pity. Their exchange is sharp, witty, and immediately establishes their dynamic: the philosopher vs. the pragmatist. Their bickering is a form of communication, a comfortable rhythm in the drone of their work.

* **THE ANOMALY:** The chainsaw dies. In the sudden, vast quiet of the forest, a new sound emerges: a distant, rhythmic, metallic clinking. It’s unnatural and persistent. A mystery is introduced into their mundane world.

* **THE THRESHOLD:** Patti decides to investigate, and August reluctantly follows. They push deeper into the woods, moving from their designated work zone into the unknown. The landscape begins to subtly shift, the ground becoming softer, the air changing. The scent of damp earth is replaced by something coppery and electrical.

* **THE REVEAL: THE IRON COAST:** They break through a thicket of trees and stop dead. Before them is a vast, sprawling junkyard, a valley choked with mountains of rust and decay. The scale is epic and grotesque. It’s a silent, industrial graveyard hidden within the living forest.

* **THE EXPLORATION:** Awed and unsettled, they begin to pick their way through the treacherous landscape of scrap metal. The sequence highlights the contrast between the organic autumn leaves and the cold, dead industry. A small moment of connection: August cuts his hand, and without a word, Patti tosses him a clean rag. Their partnership is practical, not sentimental.

* **THE DISCOVERY:** Patti’s makeshift walking stick hits something that isn’t junk. She crouches, scraping away dirt and rust to reveal a glint of intricate, bronze-like metal. The focus of the scene shifts from the vast landscape to this single, buried object.

* **THE EXCAVATION:** August joins her. They work in tandem, using their tools—his axe, her rebar—not for destruction, but for careful excavation. They are a team, their earlier friction replaced by a shared, focused purpose.

* **THE ARTIFACT:** They unearth a large, cylindrical machine of corroded copper and brass. It is covered in complex, alien etchings and features an array of delicate lenses and frozen dials. It’s a piece of impossible engineering, beautiful and ancient, utterly alien to its surroundings.

* **THE INCITING INCIDENT:** August finds a small, hinged panel. It opens with a surprising hiss, revealing a perfectly preserved plaque. Patti reads the florid script aloud: "The Chronometer of Unintended Consequences." They share a look. The cynicism is gone, replaced by a dawning sense of genuine alarm and awe. This is not junk. This is trouble. The mystery is named, and their lives are irrevocably changed.

**5. VISUAL STYLE**

* **A TALE OF TWO WORLDS:** The visual language is built on the stark contrast between the natural and the industrial.
* **The Forest:** Shot with a grounded, almost documentary-style realism. Handheld or shoulder-mounted cameras to feel the physical labor. The color palette is desaturated and damp—muted greens, wet browns, and a persistent, watery grey sky. The world feels tangible, claustrophobic, and real.
* **The Iron Coast:** The camera work becomes more deliberate and epic. Wide, static shots emphasize the sheer scale and grotesque grandeur of the junkyard. The palette shifts to a symphony of rust: ochre, deep orange, burnt sienna, and cold, oily blues and greys. The only vibrant colors are the incongruous autumn leaves scattered across the metal, highlighting the clash of worlds.

* **TONE AND ATMOSPHERE:** The overall feel is a blend of grounded, blue-collar drama and high-concept science fiction. The mood is melancholic and atmospheric, reminiscent of early *True Detective* or the works of Simon Stålenhag (*Tales from the Loop*). The sci-fi element is not slick or clean, but ancient, dirty, and mechanical—a "used future" that feels more like archaeology than discovery.

* **LIGHTING:** Naturalistic, soft, and overcast light dominates the forest scenes. In the junkyard, the weak autumn sun creates long shadows and glints harshly off sharp, rusted edges, creating a landscape that is both beautiful and dangerous. The final reveal of the Chronometer should catch the light in a way that feels almost magical, an unnatural glow amidst the decay.