Collisions and Catalogues
A quiet afternoon spent in a cluttered flat brings Jamie and Billie back to the chaotic Boxing Day they first met – a collision of shopping carts, harsh words, and an undeniable spark amidst the bargain hunt.
# Collisions and Catalogues
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
While arguing over a minimalist coffee table in a home decor catalogue, two boyfriends with clashing personalities revisit the memory of their chaotic first meeting during a Boxing Day sale, reaffirming that their differences are the very foundation of their relationship.
## Themes
* **Opposites Attract:** The central dynamic explores the tension and affection between a meticulously organized pragmatist and a sentimental, chaotic collector.
* **The Beauty in Imperfection:** The story celebrates the messy, cluttered, and imperfect aspects of life and love, contrasting a "curated collection of nostalgic ephemera" with the sterility of minimalist design.
* **Shared History as a Foundation:** A seemingly trivial argument is anchored by a significant shared memory, demonstrating how a couple's origin story informs and strengthens their present bond.
* **Love as an Ongoing Negotiation:** The characters' constant, playful bickering is presented not as a flaw but as their primary mode of communication, compromise, and expressing affection.
## Stakes
At stake is the delicate, chaotic balance of their relationship, where the very friction that brought them together could, if unchecked, erode the playful affection that defines their bond.
## Synopsis
In Billie’s cluttered, lived-in apartment, JAMIE tries to relax on a lumpy sofa while BILLIE obsesses over a home decor catalogue. Billie is enamored with a bleak, minimalist coffee table, which Jamie finds absurd given the surrounding chaos of books, wires, and miscellaneous knick-knacks. Their playful argument about aesthetics—Jamie’s clean minimalism versus Billie’s “impending hoarder situation”—quickly escalates into a fond reminiscence of their first meeting.
The conversation triggers a flashback to a frantic Boxing Day sale years ago. They recount the “Bargain Basement Brawl” from their opposing viewpoints: Jamie remembers a fiercely competitive Billie elbowing shoppers for a blender, while Billie recalls a scowling, territorial Jamie guarding a stack of flannel shirts. Their initial encounter was a literal collision of shopping trolleys and personalities, marking each other as an enemy combatant in the war for discounts.
They recall how their initial animosity—Jamie’s grumpiness and Billie’s chaotic energy—slowly morphed into curiosity and then attraction after a series of chance encounters. Back in the present, the argument over the catalogue has softened. Billie defends his clutter as having “character,” while Jamie champions the peace of an organized space. The conflict is less about furniture and more about their fundamental differences.
This culminates in a moment of tender realization. Billie describes their relationship as a “beautifully chaotic dumpster fire,” a description Jamie finds poetic and accurate. They acknowledge that Jamie’s straight lines and Billie’s squiggly ones somehow work together. Jamie picks up the catalogue and suggests a compromise—a comfortable armchair—which they immediately begin to bicker about good-naturedly. As a comfortable silence settles, Billie asks if they’ll ever stop arguing. Jamie looks at the loving chaos around him and realizes he wouldn’t want it any other way.
## Character Breakdown
* **JAMIE (20s):** A pragmatist with a dry wit. He craves order, cleanliness, and logic. His personal style is sensible and his apartment is a minimalist, sterile space where everything has its place. While he appears grumpy and exasperated by Billie’s chaos, it’s clear he finds it endearing and is drawn to the life and warmth Billie exudes.
* **Psychological Arc:**
* **State at Start:** Mildly exasperated by Billie's chaotic nature and latest whim, viewing their differences as a source of everyday friction to be managed.
* **State at End:** Reaffirms his deep affection for Billie's chaos, understanding that their constant, playful "battles" are not a flaw in their relationship but the very essence of its strength, warmth, and joy.
* **BILLIE (20s):** A sentimental maximalist with a flair for the dramatic. He lives in a state of creative, comfortable clutter, seeing history and character in every object he collects. He is energetic, expressive, and finds beauty in the mess of life. He pokes at Jamie’s seriousness but relies on his steady, grounding presence.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE AESTHETIC DEBATE:** In Billie's cluttered apartment, Billie champions a minimalist coffee table from a catalogue. Jamie mocks the idea, sparking a witty argument about their opposing life philosophies: Billie's curated chaos vs. Jamie's sterile order.
2. **FLASHBACK: THE BARGAIN BASEMENT BRAWL:** The argument triggers a shared memory. We flash back to a frantic, over-saturated Boxing Day sale. We see their first meeting: a literal collision of shopping carts and a glare-off over discounted items. They are instant rivals.
3. **A COLLISION OF PERSPECTIVES:** Jamie and Billie narrate the flashback, recounting their hilarious and unflattering first impressions of each other—"obnoxious" vs. "a grinch who’d wandered into a rave." They recall how their rivalry evolved into a grudging fascination.
4. **A BEAUTIFULLY CHAOTIC DUMPSTER FIRE:** Back in the present, the tone softens. Jamie gently touches Billie's hair, and the argument melts into affection. They define their relationship as a perfect mismatch, with Billie calling them a "beautifully chaotic dumpster fire."
5. **THE MAGNIFICENT, POINTLESS BATTLE:** Jamie picks up the catalogue and suggests a compromise—a plush armchair. They immediately start bickering about how the other would misuse it. The argument dissolves into a comfortable silence, broken only by Billie asking, "You think we’ll ever stop arguing about stupid stuff?" Jamie looks at Billie, then around the messy room he’s come to love, and a small smile confirms he hopes they never do.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style is built on contrast. Billie's apartment is shot with a warm, soft light, emphasizing the rich textures of his cluttered life—piles of books, mismatched fabrics, dusty trinkets. The camera should feel intimate and lived-in. In contrast, the flashback to the Boxing Day sale will be frantic and chaotic, using handheld shots, quick cuts, and harsh, fluorescent lighting to capture the consumerist frenzy.
The tone is witty, warm, and character-driven, focusing on the slice-of-life intimacy of a long-term relationship. It blends the sharp, realistic dialogue of shows like **Catastrophe** or **Fleabag** with the romantic charm and character focus of Richard Linklater's **Before** trilogy. The humour is derived from the characters' deep knowledge of each other's flaws and the loving way they exploit them.
**Format:** Short Film / Anthology Episode | **Est. Length:** 10-12 minutes
## Logline
While arguing over a minimalist coffee table in a home decor catalogue, two boyfriends with clashing personalities revisit the memory of their chaotic first meeting during a Boxing Day sale, reaffirming that their differences are the very foundation of their relationship.
## Themes
* **Opposites Attract:** The central dynamic explores the tension and affection between a meticulously organized pragmatist and a sentimental, chaotic collector.
* **The Beauty in Imperfection:** The story celebrates the messy, cluttered, and imperfect aspects of life and love, contrasting a "curated collection of nostalgic ephemera" with the sterility of minimalist design.
* **Shared History as a Foundation:** A seemingly trivial argument is anchored by a significant shared memory, demonstrating how a couple's origin story informs and strengthens their present bond.
* **Love as an Ongoing Negotiation:** The characters' constant, playful bickering is presented not as a flaw but as their primary mode of communication, compromise, and expressing affection.
## Stakes
At stake is the delicate, chaotic balance of their relationship, where the very friction that brought them together could, if unchecked, erode the playful affection that defines their bond.
## Synopsis
In Billie’s cluttered, lived-in apartment, JAMIE tries to relax on a lumpy sofa while BILLIE obsesses over a home decor catalogue. Billie is enamored with a bleak, minimalist coffee table, which Jamie finds absurd given the surrounding chaos of books, wires, and miscellaneous knick-knacks. Their playful argument about aesthetics—Jamie’s clean minimalism versus Billie’s “impending hoarder situation”—quickly escalates into a fond reminiscence of their first meeting.
The conversation triggers a flashback to a frantic Boxing Day sale years ago. They recount the “Bargain Basement Brawl” from their opposing viewpoints: Jamie remembers a fiercely competitive Billie elbowing shoppers for a blender, while Billie recalls a scowling, territorial Jamie guarding a stack of flannel shirts. Their initial encounter was a literal collision of shopping trolleys and personalities, marking each other as an enemy combatant in the war for discounts.
They recall how their initial animosity—Jamie’s grumpiness and Billie’s chaotic energy—slowly morphed into curiosity and then attraction after a series of chance encounters. Back in the present, the argument over the catalogue has softened. Billie defends his clutter as having “character,” while Jamie champions the peace of an organized space. The conflict is less about furniture and more about their fundamental differences.
This culminates in a moment of tender realization. Billie describes their relationship as a “beautifully chaotic dumpster fire,” a description Jamie finds poetic and accurate. They acknowledge that Jamie’s straight lines and Billie’s squiggly ones somehow work together. Jamie picks up the catalogue and suggests a compromise—a comfortable armchair—which they immediately begin to bicker about good-naturedly. As a comfortable silence settles, Billie asks if they’ll ever stop arguing. Jamie looks at the loving chaos around him and realizes he wouldn’t want it any other way.
## Character Breakdown
* **JAMIE (20s):** A pragmatist with a dry wit. He craves order, cleanliness, and logic. His personal style is sensible and his apartment is a minimalist, sterile space where everything has its place. While he appears grumpy and exasperated by Billie’s chaos, it’s clear he finds it endearing and is drawn to the life and warmth Billie exudes.
* **Psychological Arc:**
* **State at Start:** Mildly exasperated by Billie's chaotic nature and latest whim, viewing their differences as a source of everyday friction to be managed.
* **State at End:** Reaffirms his deep affection for Billie's chaos, understanding that their constant, playful "battles" are not a flaw in their relationship but the very essence of its strength, warmth, and joy.
* **BILLIE (20s):** A sentimental maximalist with a flair for the dramatic. He lives in a state of creative, comfortable clutter, seeing history and character in every object he collects. He is energetic, expressive, and finds beauty in the mess of life. He pokes at Jamie’s seriousness but relies on his steady, grounding presence.
## Scene Beats
1. **THE AESTHETIC DEBATE:** In Billie's cluttered apartment, Billie champions a minimalist coffee table from a catalogue. Jamie mocks the idea, sparking a witty argument about their opposing life philosophies: Billie's curated chaos vs. Jamie's sterile order.
2. **FLASHBACK: THE BARGAIN BASEMENT BRAWL:** The argument triggers a shared memory. We flash back to a frantic, over-saturated Boxing Day sale. We see their first meeting: a literal collision of shopping carts and a glare-off over discounted items. They are instant rivals.
3. **A COLLISION OF PERSPECTIVES:** Jamie and Billie narrate the flashback, recounting their hilarious and unflattering first impressions of each other—"obnoxious" vs. "a grinch who’d wandered into a rave." They recall how their rivalry evolved into a grudging fascination.
4. **A BEAUTIFULLY CHAOTIC DUMPSTER FIRE:** Back in the present, the tone softens. Jamie gently touches Billie's hair, and the argument melts into affection. They define their relationship as a perfect mismatch, with Billie calling them a "beautifully chaotic dumpster fire."
5. **THE MAGNIFICENT, POINTLESS BATTLE:** Jamie picks up the catalogue and suggests a compromise—a plush armchair. They immediately start bickering about how the other would misuse it. The argument dissolves into a comfortable silence, broken only by Billie asking, "You think we’ll ever stop arguing about stupid stuff?" Jamie looks at Billie, then around the messy room he’s come to love, and a small smile confirms he hopes they never do.
## Visual Style & Tone
The visual style is built on contrast. Billie's apartment is shot with a warm, soft light, emphasizing the rich textures of his cluttered life—piles of books, mismatched fabrics, dusty trinkets. The camera should feel intimate and lived-in. In contrast, the flashback to the Boxing Day sale will be frantic and chaotic, using handheld shots, quick cuts, and harsh, fluorescent lighting to capture the consumerist frenzy.
The tone is witty, warm, and character-driven, focusing on the slice-of-life intimacy of a long-term relationship. It blends the sharp, realistic dialogue of shows like **Catastrophe** or **Fleabag** with the romantic charm and character focus of Richard Linklater's **Before** trilogy. The humour is derived from the characters' deep knowledge of each other's flaws and the loving way they exploit them.