Margin Call · written by J.C. Chandor · 2011

Eric gives Peter a portable drive containing unfinished risk analysis and warns him to be careful.

Scene 7 of 76 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Inciting Incident
Save the Cat: Catalyst
Peter
Eric

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 7 min into a 1:36 film

The story so farBefore scene 7

When a junior analyst discovers exposure that could wipe out his investment bank, its executives race to unload the danger on their customers while a veteran executive confronts the price of helping them survive.

Scene 1
Peter watches HR collect his colleagues while the surviving traders try to keep their heads down.
Just before
Scene 4
HR fires Eric, offers severance and immediately cuts off his building access, email and phone.
Scene 5
Eric suspects Sarah Robertson caused his dismissal and warns Will that someone must examine his unfinished work.
Scene 6
Peter and Seth say goodbye to Eric; Peter follows him toward the elevators.
Scene 7
This scene

7INT. TRADING FLOOR ELEVATOR BANK

THEY both stand there in silence waiting for the elevator, then.

PETER

I just wanted to say thank you.

ERIC

That’s not necessary.

PETER

Well it is... You were the person around

here that I...

ERIC looks at him and understands. PETER turns around and begins to walk back toward his desk.

ERIC

I know.

PETER turns back and ERIC reaches into one of his boxes and takes out a small key chain portable hard drive and hands it to PETER.

ERIC (cont’d)

I was close to something here... But they

wouldn’t let me finish it. Take a look.

The elevator doors open and ERIC gets into the elevator. Just as the doors are closing he says...

ERIC (cont’d)

Be careful.

The doors close.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN: