———–<.thom.>———–
The Great Works Project
a puppet play in multiple parts
Season 01, Episode 03
By Thomas Typewriter
(C) 2020
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FADE IN TO BLACK

Across a dark field the following text scrolls up: 01-03. It scrolls up from the center of the bottom of the frame, ascending vertically until finally exiting the center of the top of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN

POV OF AN OUTER ONE SITTING ON A CARPET SQUARE LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISK

The unroom sits in dimness. Spindly lamps off to each side softly illuminate the details of the room. A large wooden disk sits in the center of the room with rows of gray carpet squares surrounding it. The disk stands shrouded in darkness, just outside the illumination of the spindly lamps. TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACK as an unseen author types a short descriptive sentence.

ZOOM IN ON THE AREA OF THE WOODEN DISK

Unseen lamps over the wooden disk turn on illuminating the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO MID-STAGE

ZOOM IN TO THE MID-STAGE TILL IT IS PROPERLY FRAMED

MID-STAGE WITH CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains part and the stagelights turn on, to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON, revealing…

MID-STAGE – INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO, EARLY EVENING

THOMAS TYPEWRITER is passed out on the floor next to his desk. A large pile of crumpled paper sits next to the desk, yet a single sheet of paper sits on his chest. He groans and sits up. A large bruise is visible on his head. One of the Helping Hands comes up and hands him a bag of ice. Thomas accepts the bag of ice and places it on his bruise.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thank you.”

The Helping Hand exits, while Thomas sits holding the bag to his head. A PHONE RINGS. Thomas sits up and answers the phone.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hello. Oh hi. Yeah fine, well not fine but I’ll survive. I hit my head. No, I’m fine now. (Thomas notices the paper that was on his chest. He picks it up and looks at it while talking on the phone.) How’d I hit my head? Frustration. Writer’s block. Disregard for personal well-being. (Thomas stands up, places the sheet under the typewriter, then paces while talking) Enough about me, how about you. How’s your project going? Really…(laughs) you too. Yeah, I guess so. I’ve never tried that. I usually just sit and wait till it goes away. You think that would help?”

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, UP ALONG THE CLOUD CURTAIN, TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT TOP.

HIGH-STAGE – CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s Panel opens and Y-Mouse emerges.

Y-MOUSE
“In the far reaches of an alternate space, the least dedicated crew in the fleet collect the leftover sparks of creation.”

Y-Mouse retreats and the Narrator’s Panel closes. The HIGH-STAGE curtains open and the stage lights turn on, to the sound of a COMPUTER TURNING ON, revealing…

HIGH-STAGE – EXT. OUTER SPACE, THE EDGE OF THE FOURTH ZONE

A model of the sparkship THE CARRO moves across the stage on a guidewire across a background of blackness and sparkles.The Carro flies from stage left to stage right. Once it reaches the stage right edge the curtains close.

HIGH-STAGE – INT. OBSERVATION DECK OF THE CARRO SPARKSHIP, MID-DAY

Carro’s computer terminal sits in the center of the stage. LUCIDO OBSIDIAN and CEDAR WAXWINGS sit in chairs on either side of the terminal. They both have their feet propped on the control boards and are dozing off. Carro’s electronic eyes are dimming as he also falls asleep. A record player sits off to the side playing the latest album from “The Off Switches”, a band that specializes in building soft symphonies from the collected sounds of devices turning off. The record reaches the end of the album and stops playing.

LUCIDO OBSIDIAN
“Somebody restart the record.”

CEDAR WAXWINGS
“Too tired. Carro?”

CARRO
“Too far. Lucido?”

Lucido reaches over and moves the record player needle back to the start of the album. The album restarts. Lucido returns to his seat. Everyone lets out a sigh of relief. The lights turn off with the sound of a COMPUTER TURNING OFF and the curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD, MOVING FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT CONTINUES DOWNWARD, DESCENDING TO THE MID-STAGE. IT STOPS WHEN FRAMING THE MID-STAGE REVEALING…

MID-STAGE – INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO, EARLY EVENING

The studio stands unoccupied with the desk lamp still lit. From off-stage a SHOWER can be heard. THE WATER TURNS OFF. Someone FAINTLY HUMS. A DOOR OPENS then FOOTSTEPS FADING AWAY. A pause then the FOOTSTEPS grow louder. From stage left THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters. Drying his head from his shower as he walks over to the desk, we notice how nicely he is dressed. He folds up the towel and sets it on the chair. He then leans over, gently kissing the typewriter. He exits stage left.

He returns with a broom. He sweeps the pile of discarded paper off stage to the stage left. He does not return from going off stage. From off stage we hear a DOOR CLOSE. FOOTSTEPS fade into the distance. The LIGHTS CLICK OFF and the curtains close.

FADE OUT