Backstage (2016) s01e09 Episode Script

- Previously - Today you will audition for the Keaton Dance Showcase.
- Even after falling, you came second out of everyone.
That's how good you are.
Whoa.
It's just that I'm not - Forget it.
It's nothing.
- My tracks will destroy yours.
- You and me, head to head, right here after school.
- You're on.
Original tracks only.
- There is no way I could compete with Kit spinning original tracks if she created these samples.
Dope track, right? Yeah, well, it's not hers.
- This was a DJ Diamondmind song.
And this (similar song) is what you claimed to be yours in the DJ battle yesterday.
- I can explain.
- Good, because it doesn't end there.
Now, if this was a situation confined to just DJ battles, I wouldn't care.
But Kit, I looked through your files, and your entrance audition samples are practically identical to DJ Diamondmind.
- It's not what it looks like.
- Did you plagiarize your Keaton audition? - No.
Of course not.
I - I'm really disappointed.
I know you're talented.
But your choices here - Just let me explain, - please.
- I'm listening.
Come on, Kit.
Help me help you.
- I can't.
I just can't.
- Plagiarism has zero tolerance at Keaton.
Without an explanation, you don't leave me with much of a choice.
You're expelled.
- My eyes are open but I cannot see And I'm up and walking Still feels like a dream Until our eyes adjust I guess We're only feeling in the darkness - Oh whoa oh We just need a spark oh oh to light up the dark oh oh I can feel you with me I can feel you with me We just need a spark oh oh to light up the dark oh oh I can feel you with me I can feel you with me - We just need a spark - More connection.
Look at your partner.
Where is the chemistry? No, no, no.
Where is the lift, Vanessa? I see: You must be marking.
That's why it's so amateur.
- I don't know what it is about today, but I'm just off.
- I couldn't slip a dollar bill under your foot on that last bris.
And frankly, your performance today isn't worth that much.
Carly, take first position with Sasha.
- I sacrificed my chance at this role for Vee so she could feel better about herself.
Now I'm without the lead and without the guy I thought was my I guess the joke's on me.
But it's okay, because I'm a professional.
- This is the chemistry I'm talking about.
Worth a few pennies at least.
You're my lead, Vanessa.
Better start dancing like it.
- I need help.
More specifically, I need Carly's help.
- Clean out your locker.
Gather any essentials you have from your classes, and return to my office.
- What's going on? - I've been expelled.
- Ha! Sure you have.
- I used a DJ Diamondmind track for my audition reel and Durani found out.
- Are you serious? - I'm an idiot.
I don't know what I was thinking.
- What are Mom and Dad gonna say? - I'm about to find out.
And you can thank Jax for everything, he's the one that brought it to everyone's attention during the DJ battle.
- I'll destroy him.
- What's the point? I did it.
- The point is you have to fight.
You can't go to a regular high school, what will you do? - I'll survive.
- I know, but what if I don't? I need my sister here.
- There's nothing I can do.
After I get my stuff from class, I'm done.
- It's you Cake Thief.
- It is me.
But if "Cake Thief" is my call sign, then what's yours? - I don't have time for your sophomoric jokes.
- "Freshman" jokes, actually.
- Whatever.
Get out, freshman.
I booked this room.
- I think I prefer "Cake Thief.
" - You don't wanna hear what I'm gonna call you if you don't get out of this classroom ASAP.
I got excused from all my classes today so I could work on my project, and I have this room booked.
- I was with you until the part about booking the room.
I booked the room.
Maybe there's a mix-up? - Seniority, Cake Thief.
Get out.
- I gotta get all my stuff.
Give me a minute.
- Fine.
I'm going to get gear to test my installation.
When I get back, you better be gone.
- I signed out the room, not her.
No way Cake Thief's going anywhere.
- Good thing I'm here to protect this stuff.
Might get stolen.
- You are the lowest form of life at the school.
Only good thing about being expelled is that I don't have to see you anymore.
- Back at ya, crook.
- I am not a crook.
- Pardon me.
Thief? Klepto? Which one do you prefer? The thing that I can't believe is that you talk smack about my man Diamondmind and then used his track.
Did you think I wouldn't recognize the Diamondmind B-side from his first EP? Maybe it's, like, a weird thing that thieves do talk bad about their victims so no one will listen to them and figure out where the thief got their tracks from.
- I am not a thief! Stop calling me that.
- Okay poser.
What, are you gonna hit me? - I'm already expelled.
What's the difference? - That's not my fault.
I didn't tell you to use someone else's beats for your audition reel.
It's already up on that Sasha kid's blog.
He called you a poser, too.
- I am not a poser! The music was mine! The beats were original! All of it! - The only way that's possible is if you're Diamondmind.
- Exactly! (laughing) - No, I mean No, that's No, right? - Forget I just said that.
- Wait.
Forget what? Wait.
I can't even Huh? - Just go away already.
- There's no way you're DJ Diamondmind.
You're a girl, you're a 14-year-old girl! There's no way you can rock crowds and slay record charts! That's just - Exactly what club owners and record companies would say if they knew who I was.
- If you were really DJ Diamondmind And you're not You would know the names of the four tracks on his first mythic EP.
It was pressed in wax, and only 20 were made.
- That's a trick question.
There were actually 30 copies made, and there were only three songs on it: Bag Invaders, One and Nine Combine, and Morons Over Monkeys.
But to be honest, I'd totally rename that last one.
I'd take a monkey over you any day.
- You were great today, B-T-Dubbs.
- Thanks.
No way Sasha's gonna show me up on the dance floor.
- Your jumps are so tight.
How do you get that lift? - Practice, I guess.
- There's gotta be more to them than that.
What's your secret? - There's no secret.
- Okay, anytime someone says there's no secret like that, there's a secret.
- There isn't, okay? - Okay, okay, I believe you.
But if there's not, then why won't you tell me? - Fine.
You want to know why my jumps are tight? Hard work.
I work hard, like all the time.
- And I don't? - That's not what I mean.
I work out before rehearsals and after.
And like, at home.
It's always been easy for you.
I don't have your natural ability, so I have to train my way to the top.
- How did I not know this? - Because I don't talk about it.
Dancing's supposed to look effortless.
I can't let people see the sweat.
- Well, I'm not people.
I'm your best friend.
So even if it isn't a secret, I'll keep it.
- Thanks.
- If you'll train me.
- Seriously? - I could really use a training session from my best friend right now.
Helsweel almost had me tearing up in the studio So embarrassing! - Okay, get your gym shoes and meet me in the quad.
- I can feel this day turning around already.
- What are you still doing here? - I booked the room, and I have a multi-instrumental assignment due.
I'm not going anywhere.
Look, I'll wear cans.
- Unacceptable.
I need full focus to test my whisper room.
- "Whisper room"? - It's an audiovisual installation I'm gonna put in the foyer, but first I need to test it in here.
- Do what ya gotta do.
(recording of voices overlapping) I thought it was supposed to be a whisper room? Shouldn't it be quiet? - It will be, once you leave.
- I have an assignment to finish.
I'm not giving up that easily.
Fine.
If that's how you wanna play it.
- Okay, now you're just showing off.
- Maybe a little.
That's enough for today.
- How many do you usually do? - Ten sets.
- Then we're doing three more.
- Okay.
- Ow! - Are you okay? - Of course.
- Are you kidding me? I had to skip lunch to set this stuff up.
It took me twice as long as it should have because someone annoyed me the whole time.
Yes, he's still here.
I'll call you later.
(Loud bang) Can't we just part ways already? - I'd love to, but I have an assignment to finish.
It's taking me forever.
I wonder why that is? - Ugh.
It's not even your power chords or the bag popping that are killing me, it's the little things That hair.
Can't you use natural looking product? - My hair is fine.
- It is not.
If your hair could ask for help, it'd be yelling.
- Like, whisper yelling? - Ugh! Can't you just give me this one? I'll owe you or something.
Cake? - Tempting - C'mon.
I can't figure out the audio for this installation and I'm running out of time.
- Maybe I can help.
- Doubt it.
But knock yourself out.
- Am I supposed to know what this means? - The speakers are supposed to whisper something different all over the room, but I can't get the levels right.
All the voices blend no matter where you stand.
- The foyer's bigger than this room, and the ceiling's higher - So I adjusted for that by lowering the volume, but it all sounds muddled.
- Volume's a start, but Bass and treble reflect off surfaces at different rates, and bass generally travels farther.
You can't adjust them in equal ratios.
You have to tweak them individually for the space.
- Could work but it probably won't.
(distinct voices) - I've never told anyone this, but I guess I'm just afraid.
( voices continue ) - You're welcome Whisper Yell.
That's your call sign.
- Are you sure you're okay? - Of course.
I'm fine.
- Come on, Vee, show some hustle then.
You want lift like me, you need to do two more sets.
- Slave driver.
Should I start calling you Helsweel? - Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot.
I had no idea, and I'm sorry if I said some things - Oh, you definitely said some things.
- I did, I did, but water, bridge, all those things, right? Oh, I thought maybe you could teach me how you took a frog croaking and tin can sounds and turned them into that killer sample.
- I knew you took my USB key! And you called me a thief?! - Yeah, my bad.
I just took it to see where you got your samples, but you made them, because you're DJ Diamondmind! - Keep your voice down.
- You! What's your problem?! You wanna make my sister's life miserable? - No! I had no idea she was DJ Diamondmind! - Will the both of you please keep your voices down! - Fine.
If he knows, then tell Durani you're DJ Diamondmind.
You need Keaton.
- Or quit school! Focus on your career! Also, when's your next album dropping? Can I get an advance copy? - Listen, I don't wanna leave Keaton, but I can't reveal my identity to anyone else.
Jax will keep quiet or I out him for property theft.
- This will help you.
- Whoa! - You went home to get that? Get it out of here! - Can I at least try it on first? - (both): No! - Show it to Durani, explain, and stay at Keaton.
- No way! Keep DJ D's mystique.
You take the mystery away, you take the fun away.
- Maybe I can do both.
- Here goes nothing.
(swing music) (applause) - Vanessa, your value seems to be going up slightly.
- Yes! I couldn't have done that without you.
Thanks.
- It still hurts.
- C'mon You helped me with my jumps; I'll help you take your mind off Sasha.
- How? - Lattes and people watching at the mall? - Perfect! Last one to the change room buys.
- I just have to grab my bag.
I'll catch up.
- You're buying! - Well? - He'll be here any minute now.
Principal Durani, this is DJ Diamondmind.
And this is his assistant.
I'll let them take it from here.
This better work.
(voices overlapping) - Each speaker whispers a secret someone told me.
Depending on which one you hear, and which order you hear them, the images tell a different story.
- This is amazing.
- Thanks, by the way.
I appreciate the help.
- No worries.
Which speaker whispers your secrets? - Who says I have any? - Come on, even a freshman can tell you're a girl of mystery.
- I'll help you finish your assignment if you want.
I play a mean electric violin.
- Another room opened up for whoever wants one.
- It's cool.
We can share this one.
- Now, about that cake (laughing) - That totally worked! You get to stay at Keaton, and Diamondmind keeps his identity a secret.
- It's not plagiarism if I made the tracks with him.
- And you know what? You make a pretty good assistant.
- Hilarious.
- Do I have to? I love being DJ Diamondmind.
So when you show up to the gigs, you're always wearing the mask, right? Does it ever get too hot in there? How do you drink water while you spin? Do you need an actual assistant? 'Cause I - Jax! I'll give you an advance copy of my next album, okay? - Sweet! - Just stop talking.
- You ready? 'Cause What's up? - Nothing.
I'll be right there.
- Okay.
I'll be outside.